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Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

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Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#271

Seiko 5 automatic watch - Simple, timeless, affordable. It's just a great watch and it always will be. rOtring 600 mechanical pencil - the feel of this pencil is unlike any other writing implement I've found. It's a legend. My new goal is to find a fountain pen that I can enjoy as much as I enjoy this. Though I fear that will be a notably more expensive purchase. Yamaha Custom Series Bb trumpet - before becoming a de…

You're aware that rotring used to make 600 series fountain pens? No longer available retail, but they show up in used markets.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#272
Electrolux Twin Clean vacuum cleaner. With a black labrador and several cats in the house, bagless vacuuming is a must. I used to own a Dyson, but it eventually died from old age, and a friend gave me an almost brand new TwinClean, which for some reason they were disappointed with at his place. And this thing beats the Dyson on every count that matters. It is far less noisy, not scaring the life out of cats and dogs, and an absolute breeze to operate. Everything snaps on and of with nice feel and reassuring clicks. And most importantly, emptying is literally a matter of seconds, not a life and death struggle as with the Dyson: You click off, you click open over a dustbin, you click back on. Just a really well thought out machine.

Oh, and the Windows 95 interface, which everyone sincerely flattered with imitation for so many years. I haven't used any later Windows versions, but my Xfce desktop i still clearly modelled on the 95 design. I find the Mac-like stuff nearly unusable, or at any rate endlessly frustrating, on the thankfully rare occasions when I'm forced to interact with it.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#273

Google Reader. It actually let me add feeds, read them, and mark them read reliably. Everything after is focused on value-add instead of just fucking working.

Have you tried https://feedbin.com/ ?

It came out as a response to the closure of Reader, and I actually prefer it. They've kept everything very simple.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#276
post #209

The Casio F-91W Digital wrist watch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W Keeps better time than a Rolex, and is a fraction of the price. Waterproof. Has an alarm, stopwatch, and timer; all things missing from traditional wind ups. Interface is easy to use and discover. The battery last almost forever. Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design…

The F91W is very hard to beat but I recommend shelling out the extra ten quid for a Casio W86:

http://zegarki.worldtrade24.pl/images/Zegarek%20meski%20Casi...

F91W owners are always jealous of my nice bright EL backlight!

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#277
A dishwasher that only had one button: start. A dry cleaning service where they just told me to come back next day after 5p and never asked me how I want my shirts, what kind of treatment etc. For contrast most places ask several questions that I never know the answer to. The best UI is no UI.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#278

A properly designed kettlebell. The one below is what I use, but other companies also make good ones. The weight transfers around your arm naturally, it's very hard to injure yourself using it. Two indications of a good one are: handle is not flat, and pounds are in 18 pound increments (this comes from an old Russian unit of measure called a "pood".) https://christiansfitnessfactory.com/cff-black-monster-russi...

I would agree, with the addition that the kettlebell training movements (swing, getup, snatches etc.) are part of the design of the thing. How you use it and how it is shaped/weighted are two equally essential halves.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#280
post #27

Another odd one, but my Honda Fit 2nd Generation. So many things about that car are so well thought-out, and even more expensive/luxurious cars miss things that the Fit designers included. Some examples: - Cup holder on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. As a left-handed person, this is amazing. - Window power remains on after turning off the car as long as doors haven't been opened, allowing you to clo…

>Cup holder on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. As a left-handed person, this is amazing. Huh, as a lefty in a country that drives on the left side of the road, I'd never considered this was a problem.

As a righty in a country that drives on the left side of the road, I'd never considered it a problem either.
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