Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used? • Hacker News Board

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

#71

Post by edmcnulty101 » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:34 AM UTC

These are the brands Ive had good success with, almost everything Ive bought has met or exceeded my expectations:

Apple, Levis, Patagonia/LL Bean/North Face, Garmin smartwatch, Goruck, Toyota, Bosch or Milwaukee tools, Fender, Sonicare, Thule, Yakima, Ankur cables, weather tech floormats.

Well designed websites:

Google, Old reddit, and HN, can't believe they've stayed true all these years.

Brands, I or a friend, has had extremely poor success with, enough to call out:

Dell (their quality control dropped off, I think, they used to be great), Amazon Basics, Mini Cooper, Fitbit, Beats by Dre, Goal Zero Yeti, new Reddit.

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

#72

Post by Thristle » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:34 AM UTC

MildlySerious wrote: post #9

In terms of physical things, my Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphones. I have been quite literally wearing them all day, every day for the past three years and got no complaints.

The value for money on those is insane

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

#73

Post by i_am_proteus » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:35 AM UTC

W123 Mercedes-Benz sedan with an OM617A motor - the classic "300D Turbodiesel" from the early 1980s.

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

#74

Post by jamroom » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:35 AM UTC

SteveNuts wrote: post #63

My Technivorm Moccamaster coffee maker

Have had one for 10 years and would never buy a different drip coffee maker. Makes the perfect cup of coffee. Definitely a "buy it for life" purchase.

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

#75

Post by smitty1e » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:35 AM UTC

I have a Tumi backpack that is so nicely laid out that it practically loads itself. Sunglass pouch, carkey pockets in the shoulder straps.

Just very nicely done. When I'm finished beating it to shreds, I'll require another.

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

#76

Post by reggieband » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:35 AM UTC

donatj wrote: post #53

My Cuisinart PerfectTemp water kettle. I bought it 11 years ago, a couple years after moving out. It was more expensive than many of its competitors, but the build quality seemed worth the investment. Early in my career, it was a big investment. I have used it nearly every single day in that time, and honestly never stopped to think about it until now. It's been a fixture of my life. Other than the occasional descali…

I have one of these and I use it about once or twice a week. I have one major design gripe with mine: the Keep Warm functionality is enabled by default. It does at least remember if you turn it off but for some reason it resets to default if my power cuts out. I happen to live in a slightly rural location where a 1-2 minute power cut happens now and again. If I use the kettle after the power outage it keeps reboiling the water until I realize I have to once again disable the Keep Warm switch. Other than that, it is a really good kettle.

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

#77

Post by cgh » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:36 AM UTC

La Sportiva Miura VS climbing shoes.

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

#78

Post by kevinwang » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:36 AM UTC

Robinhood was my first experience with stocks, and attempting to use a traditional broker's interface has really made me appreciate how good Robinhood's UI is. I guess it's one of those "you don't notice when it's working well" kind of things.

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

#79

Post by edmcnulty101 » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:37 AM UTC

kcplate wrote: post #70

wh313 wrote: post #61

My Aeropress coffee maker. It feels more convenient than a french press, and much cheaper than an espresso machine. https://aeropress.com/ Also a bidet. Americans really need to start using it more.

Honestly, I’d prefer my coffee maker to not do double duty as a butt washers, but maybe I am funny about these sort of things

I'm sure they have separate ones for bidet usage and coffee usage.

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

#80

Post by nazgulnarsil » Sat, Nov 27, 2021, 1:38 AM UTC

Pilot Parallel pens

Gerber Suspension

Geekey

Sanrenmu clone of a kershaw Cryo with no spring loaded flipping (I consider it dangerous)

Nalgene water bottle, I wrapped mine in cloth tape and it serves as a foam roller

Concept 2 erg

Mealsquares

...weird pick: Core Transformation by Connierae Andreas. After experimenting with a dozen different therapy modalities it blew them all out of the water.