Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022 • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#641

Post by angry_moose » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:31 PM UTC

lucb1e wrote: post #142

Space heater, 20 bucks. In the past I chose to heat the bedroom a little on cold days and otherwise suck it up and dress while shivering (no point burning a ton of gas to heat an entire bedroom). Now, I use 1.5 kW for ~3 minutes (0.01 kWh) to have hot air be blown on me while getting dressed in the morning. Because it changes how warm I feel while going downstairs, I also don't need downstairs to be as warm to get wa…

I posted this separately, but look into a heated mattress pad too. Its life changing for cold climates. Direct heat into your covers makes it so much cozier.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#642

Post by quartesixte » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:31 PM UTC

bmitc wrote: post #316

dougmwne wrote: post #147

Airpod Pro 2 They are basically bionic ears. Headphones, headset, earplugs, hearing protection, hearing aids, extendable ears, and more. Wish they could act as universal translators, but I suppose that's still yet to come.

Do they actually provide hearing protection? Hearing protection requires a pretty tight seal, which I wasn't aware of any headphones providing aside from in-ear monitors.

Yeah I would not use them as hearing protection against industrial level noise.

In my experience, Jackhammers and rivet guns will absolutely blast through the foam and the ANC will not be fast enough (the noise also too sharp and high frequency).

Everything else works great but people reading this thread: wear proper hearing-protection!

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#643

Post by atchoo » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:32 PM UTC

1zpresso K-Max manual coffee grinder.

Excellent build quality and grind for the money. A joy to use every morning and I expect it will last a long time. Their large range of models is confusing and takes some time to understand but with enough youtube reviews, you can decode it. Might be a bit over $200 in the US but I think I bought it at a discount to roughly be at $200 after currency conversion.

https://sigmacoffee.co.uk/products/1zpresso-k-max

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#644

Post by Ekaros » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:32 PM UTC

Not last year, as I haven't bought anything cheap but: Rice cooker was nice unitasker. For making rice. I could use electric pressure cooker, but rice cooker makes it simple enough and I can make almost small enough amount at one time. Or not too much waste.

Small handheld electric screwdriver from Lidl was reasonable purchase for cost. Not too much use, but was semi-useful during a move.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#645

Post by markfenton » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:32 PM UTC

jerome-jh wrote: post #84

pharmakom wrote: post #11

- all matching socks. No more time spent pairing. - clothes drying racks that hook onto radiators. Reduces drying time and clothes crumpling - wired mechanical keyboard. Wired is simpler than wireless. Quality ones have n-key support - bicycle fenders - digital wrist watch so that I check my phone less.

I already had fenders, but not this: https://www.printables.com/model/146449-bicycle-splash-guard Works great. I have a segment of unpaved road on my commute. Greatly improves trousers and shoes cleanliness.

A piece of plastic cut to that shape from a flexible chopping board or plastic milk jug works well too.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#646

Post by omershapira » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:33 PM UTC

• Instant pot with air fryer hat ($150) is now the primary use I have for my kitchen. I rarely buy processed food, and I rarely use a stove. Microcontrollers on pots, man.

• Decent running shoes ($180). My entire wellbeing is better thanks to them.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#647

Post by NegativeLatency » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:34 PM UTC

sandreas wrote: post #603

I just realized what a huge amount of stuff i bought in 2022 :-) - G3 Ferrari pizza oven with this tutorial[1] for original neapolitan pizza - INIU BI-B63 25000 mAh Powerbank with 65W to charge my notebook - TS 100 / Pinecil [2] soldering iron with open firmware [3] - Baseus quad port 100W USB-C power supply (CCGAN100US) - $5 Sinilink USB switch with wifi and open firmware [4] - GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) Travel Route…

What do you use #4 for?

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#648

Post by steve_adams_86 » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:36 PM UTC

samsolomon wrote: post #407

This is a weird one—Fiskars 4-Claw Weeder https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-34-in-Aluminum-Handle-an... Our dogs are frequently out in the yard, so other than spring pre-emergent I try to avoid herbicides. I bought it after a hand weeder broke pulling up crabgrass. This thing has oddly been one of the most satisfying purchases I've made in years. You put it in the ground, step on it and the thing easily pulls out w…

These are great, and I use mine, but I discovered that much cheaper and more robust options exist which work as well. I actually found an all-metal option at around $40 CAD that my sister-in-law has was quite a bit nicer to use. So anyone interested in this, definitely look around!

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#649

Post by Sohcahtoa82 » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:36 PM UTC

Ekaros wrote: post #644

Not last year, as I haven't bought anything cheap but: Rice cooker was nice unitasker. For making rice. I could use electric pressure cooker, but rice cooker makes it simple enough and I can make almost small enough amount at one time. Or not too much waste. Small handheld electric screwdriver from Lidl was reasonable purchase for cost. Not too much use, but was semi-useful during a move.

If you eat a lot of rice, a rice cooker is a must. My wife and I used to eat rice meals once or twice every week, and the dead simplicity of pouring in the rice, adding the water, and pushing a button and having perfect rice 15 minutes later is just such a time and effort saver.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#650

Post by mdaniel » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 7:36 PM UTC

jimbobthemighty wrote: post #405

A Bamix immersion blender; powerful enough to blend frozen fruit in my morning smoothies and safe for a deep pot of soup that needs blending. Also makes top notch Hummus.

I only recently learned it's painless(?) to make oat milk with one of those; I got one of these (https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Milker-Kitchen-Wooden-mortar/dp...) but realistically I think any deep container and then straining out the oat pulp with a normal sieve would be just as effective. I haven't tried it with alternative milks (soy, rice, almond) because I'm happy enough with oat milk and it is incredibly inexpensive