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Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

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Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#471

Post by bluGill »

skrtskrt wrote: post #259
silicon2401 wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> cast iron skillet Personally I think these are a waste of money unless you live in a house. Trying to season one of these smoked up our apartment for hours. Apparently we didn't do it right because it's still sticky even with oil, but there's no way we're going through the headache again until we have a house.

I am about to move into a new-construction apartment in California which means no gas stove. Ditched my cast iron in anticipation because the one I have has a rough bottom that would definitely scratch up the glass cook top of the electric stove. Since I ditched the cast iron, honestly haven't seen much of a difference in how well I can cook things using a regular nonstick pan - my main use is cooking/frying up chick…

Really the only advantage of cast iron is it is cheap, lasts forever, and you can bake with them. Other than that any pan works about the same. Your choices are about a compromise of weight, how long it lasts, and price. I do once make in my cast iron once in a while, but other than that any pan I have works. I keep the cast iron on the stove though because it is my favorite.

Regular non-stick works just as well for about 3 years or so (very much depends on how much you use it, and how careful you are), then the non-stick wears out and they stick worse than anything else.

I have stainless pans that work just as well as cast iron, but they cost more. They end up spending most of the time hidden away but I do use them and won't get rid of them.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#472

Post by jkereako »

A Kamado Joe.

It's easy to expertly cook food on kamado style grills. Because of their construction, they have a wide temperature range from 150ºF to greater than 750º and they sustain heat for a long time. I can use this thing as a smoker, a grill and a pizza oven.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#473

Post by Kototama »

Erwin wrote: post #455
shireboy wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Second cast iron. We use ours daily - and it's a handmedown from my grandmother who also used daily for 20+ years. Once seasoned properly, it is non-stick, cleans easy. We just be sure to put a little oil on it after each use. Really the only skillet you need.

Staub iron cookware has an enamel, so it does not require seasoning nor does it have issues with tomatoes or other acidic things. I use their cocotte, since I often put things in the oven but it's also good for e.g. steaks at max temperature.

You don't get damages on the enamel when cooking a steak?

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#474

Post by kstrauser »

jkereako wrote: post #463
silicon2401 wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> cast iron skillet Personally I think these are a waste of money unless you live in a house. Trying to season one of these smoked up our apartment for hours. Apparently we didn't do it right because it's still sticky even with oil, but there's no way we're going through the headache again until we have a house.

I used cast iron in my apartment for five years. My range was even electric. The cast iron community of the internet overthinks its care and usage. To season, just use it. To use it, don't restrict yourself (some recommend against tomato sauce because of the acidity, for. example). To clean it, get yourself as scrubber [1] to remove the high spots and wipe the remaining residue with a paper towel. Done. It's a hearty…

This is so true. I guarantee my ancestors out in the woods of Pennsylvania didn't spend any time deliberately seasoning their skillets. They were tools to be used, not decorations to be delicately and painstakingly maintained.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#475

Post by benwilson-512 »

wccrawford wrote: post #345
ultra-jeremyx wrote: post #299

Cold climate mini-split heat pumps * I live in northern New England and used to heat exclusively with wood in the winter time. Very cozy, but hard to maintain a consistent temp throughout the house. The new cold-climate models can operate at 100% capacity down to an ambient temp of -13F outdoors. One in each bedroom, the living area, and home office makes it easy to dial in the optimal temp for the space. No more loa…

A word of warning, though: Get someone to install them that is used to installing minisplits. We didn't know the AC company we chose didn't normally do them. They told us about it, sold us on it, and then royally screwed up the installation. We had them fix it a few times, then they had to basically replace all the inside heads. And even after that, they still aren't right. Some of it is simple incompetence, but some…

I recently installed two MrCool DIY minisplits which worked out great. They come with pre-charged quick connect coolant lines so you can install them without the need for flushing coolant or soldering the lines.

If you're comfortable putting a hole in your house for the line and running power, it can really save a lot of money.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#476

Post by koonsolo »

A walking pad for under my (ikea adjustable height) desk.

I try to walk a minimum of 30 minutes on it in the afternoon, and it surprisingly works really well with reading, typing and mouse movements.

High concentration work is harder, but I don't have that anyway in the afternoon :D.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#477

Post by pronlover723 »

cryptofistMonk wrote: post #97

Airpods Pro. Not traditionally an apple guy so didn't expect to like them, but the guy talked us into them while we were upgrading my wife's phone. Wow. These things are just way better than any other earbuds and so much more convenient and comfortable than headphones. The Bluetooth just works even when switching between my Android and MacBook. The noise cancelling is great as well, way better than my Sennheisers.

They didn't work for me. I'm super sensitive to microphonics. With the Airpod Pros, every step I took sounded like someone banging a drum in my ear. It's not specific to Airpod Pro's, most headphones that plug into my ears I have that problem (though not all). I wouldn't have even tried the Airpod Pros except I figured if anyone was going to get that right it would be Apple.

Well, they didn't solve it, I sold them and went back to my non-Pro Airpods

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#478

Post by reedjosh »

wccrawford wrote: post #345
ultra-jeremyx wrote: post #299

Cold climate mini-split heat pumps * I live in northern New England and used to heat exclusively with wood in the winter time. Very cozy, but hard to maintain a consistent temp throughout the house. The new cold-climate models can operate at 100% capacity down to an ambient temp of -13F outdoors. One in each bedroom, the living area, and home office makes it easy to dial in the optimal temp for the space. No more loa…

A word of warning, though: Get someone to install them that is used to installing minisplits. We didn't know the AC company we chose didn't normally do them. They told us about it, sold us on it, and then royally screwed up the installation. We had them fix it a few times, then they had to basically replace all the inside heads. And even after that, they still aren't right. Some of it is simple incompetence, but some…

I installed my own import brand dual minisplit vacuum pump and all. Sounds like you just got a terrible HVAC co the first go round.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#479

Post by dougmwne »

I travel and mostly love out of a suitcase all yeah long, so my best purchases can be put in a bag.

Oculus Quest 2 - incredible multipurpose entertainment and excercise device. Turns any hotel room into a gym, movie theater, golf course, table tennis tournament, shooting range and casino.

Blon BL-03 super great IEMs for about $25, competes with ones that cost hundreds.

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