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Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
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Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#372Oxo's old style ice cream spade (apparently discontinued?) https://www.surlatable.com/oxo-ice-cream-spade/PRO-208926.ht... Solves all the problems with an ice cream scoop. Critically, this version had a rounded front. They seem to have moved to a straight front, which I can't imagine being as effective? 40s/50s Gillette Super Speed https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Gillette_40s_Style... Shaving was a cheaply…
In my late 20's, I tried to spend a couple of years with those old-school Gillettes. Was not a fan. It did teach me a lot about why contemporary razors work better and are safer, and it felt worth learning that before going back to my Gillette Sensor. Also, nod to the Venus (primarily marketed to women). That razor makes even the Sensor look savage, and gives such great shaves on rounded surfaces.
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#373If you split your own firewood by hand, a Fiskars splitting axe is insanely better than any standard splitting maul you'd find in a typical hardware store: https://www.fiskars.com/en-us/gardening-and-yard-care/produc... For mechanical pencils, the Rotring 600 is the best thing I've ever written with: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AZWYUA4/
Do you think their shorter axe (n12) would be good to take bike camping?
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#374One example of quality design which I gleaned from reading Don Norman's "The Design Of Everyday Things" is the metal plate I've frequently seen on doors which are meant to be pushed. The only affordance of such a plate is its push-ability, and the fact that someone actively installed a metal plate (instead of just relying on the door's natural flatness), as well as its location at the point of maximum leverage (all t…
Perhaps ironically, the opposite door design (one where it’s not clear whether to push or pull) is thusly called a Norman Door [1]. The term is sometimes applied more generically beyond doors. [1]: https://99percentinvisible.org/article/norman-doors-dont-kno...
I’m guessing the vox office featured door has that bar because a flat metal plate wouldn’t seem right applied to glass? Going without the plate the glass would get dirty.
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#375My 2000 model year BMW M roadster.
Not counting the radio, the car had a tiny number of buttons and switches- window up/down, headlight knob, and 5 buttons. There was nothing extraneous or redundant. There were no door lock buttons- the lock indicator was the button to lock the door, and the door open handle was the unlock button.
Also, every darn control in the car was exactly where it was supposed to be. It’s hard to describe it, but even from the very first time sitting in the car, I never had to search or guess how to operate anything. I would think about needing to do something, put my hand where I thought the control would be, and there it was.
I’ve never had a machine delight me like that car in its simplicity and elegance of design.
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#376https://www.mcmaster.com/ Fast, snappy, responsive. No banners or cookie prompts, doesn't ask my to sign up for a newsletter or an account to continue and see more selection, it doesn't load in megabytes of JavaScript to show me products. Plus, responsive as all heck, and there isn't any bullshit prompts like "click here to see our selected offerings" or "check out our value products here" Like, from. The short url,…
Plus CAD drawings available for every part. I love Mcmaster-Carr
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#377Sony MDR7506 Professional headphones -- haven't changed since the 80s (on which a lot of classics have been recorded/mixed with). Honda S2000, particularly the F20C 2002-2003 model years. High-revving 9000 RPM redline, completely driver-focused cockpit (tachometer from the Senna-era Honda Mclaren F1 cars), minimal computers besides ABS, hidden radio, et al. Bolt-action gearbox. The driving experience is sublime.
MDR-7506 — The fact that the cable isn't detachable makes no sense to me.
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#378https://www.mcmaster.com/ Fast, snappy, responsive. No banners or cookie prompts, doesn't ask my to sign up for a newsletter or an account to continue and see more selection, it doesn't load in megabytes of JavaScript to show me products. Plus, responsive as all heck, and there isn't any bullshit prompts like "click here to see our selected offerings" or "check out our value products here" Like, from. The short url,…
Its also an awesome repository of 3d models. Must use website for anyone with a 3d printer.
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#379[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
#380Dyson vacuum products are pretty damn impressive. I have an 9 year old Dyson DC33 and every time I take it apart to clean it, I can’t believe how thoughtful the engineers were. Repairability is 9/10 and built like a tank.
I would respectfully disagree. We have that Dyson, about the same age. The basic (plastic) engineering is very clever, but I think also made to fail in the long haul, in ways that can't be fixed. That's what has happened to ours over the years: it still sort-of-kind-of functions, but suction is terrible, various clips and mating profiles no longer really engage fully...
Last month, I decided to go all in on a Miele. Time will tell if the incredible expense turns out to be worth it in the long run. It is WAY easier to use in most situations that our Dyson.