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Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

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

#721

Post by stronglikedan »

max937 wrote: post #235
spaceman_2020 wrote: post #154

An air fryer. It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids. It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop. The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes.…

It's a small convection over marketed as an "Air fryer". It's genius marketing!

Well, I fry food, using heat and air, without soaking it in oil, so why shouldn't it be called an air fryer? I also have a convection toaster oven that cannot do that.

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

#722

Post by Sohcahtoa82 »

twerkmonsta wrote: post #703

ONO Roller An elegant little fidget/stress tool that is silent so perfect for use during meetings. https://onoroller.com/

It seems like there's been an explosion of fidget toys since the Fidget Cube and spinners gained popularity in 2016 and 2017.

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

#723

Post by dkarl »

mensetmanusman wrote: post #150

Lemon squeezer Fry eggs in butter, add a little heavy cream, add half a lemon squeeze and salt Yum!

Citrus squeezers are so much faster and easier that I can't believe I used to live without one. I use lemon and lime juice so often for cooking (and cocktails) that it makes sense to have one, even though it doesn't fully replace my reamer, which I still keep in a cabinet somewhere in case I want to juice an orange or a grapefruit.

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

#724

Post by stronglikedan »

teekert wrote: post #196
spaceman_2020 wrote: post #154

An air fryer. It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids. It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop. The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes.…

Yeah this is it, right? People throw fries in airfyrers that just soaked up fat before put in their packaging thinking it's healthy, and it just takes 3x the amount of time to "deep fry" some french fries. But that is really not it's strong point indeed! It's not an alternative to a deep fryer (but that is primarily the way I see it used), it a faster oven.

I just put fresh cut potatoes in mine, and they're done to a crisp in less than 10 minutes. So, it actually takes about half the time, when compared to deep frying them. And there's no mess or used oil to worry about. And I don't have to air out my house afterwards. So many benefits, including health!

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

#725

Post by adrianmonk »

DamnInteresting wrote: post #192

I'm surprised by how many things mentioned here are things that improved my own 2022 (air fryer, Steamdeck, bone-conducting headphones, etc.) A couple of things that I haven't yet seen mentioned: A LifeStraw Home water filter. It removes the slightly metallic taste from my home tap water. Cable management boxes (multiple brands). These allow me to hide away the unsightly power strips, power bricks, hubs, excess cords…

> Cable management boxes

For my desk, I got a really long (48 inches, 1.2 meters) power strip like you'd use on a workbench, and I screwed it to the back side of the desk near the top.

Cables hang down behind the desk so they stay off the floor and you don't see them.

It has 16 outlets, so there's one near whatever I want to plug in and I always have a free outlet.

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

#726

Post by seydor »

nerdawson wrote: post #288
spaceman_2020 wrote: post #154

An air fryer. It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids. It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop. The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes.…

> It’s really a badly marketed product. I think the marketing is really smart. It's positioned as a new category of product. Oven on steroids won't sell because people already own ovens. It has to be a distinct appliance otherwise it's competing against a full sized oven. That's not the comparison you want a consumer to make.

or just, people love fries

The real driver is the globally increasing number of single-person households tho

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

#727

Post by stronglikedan »

spapas82 wrote: post #220
spaceman_2020 wrote: post #154

An air fryer. It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids. It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop. The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes.…

I was thinking if buying an air fryer however cleaning seems like a nightmare. Can you please share some insights on how easy (or hard) it is?

Easiest thing ever. Just rinse the basket with hot water and a little dish soap, then rinse it again and dry. Nothing sticks to the non-stick coating once dish soap hits it. I don't even scrub, just rinse. So fast, that I don't even use the dishwasher for it.

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

#728

Post by stronglikedan »

LecroJS wrote: post #286
spaceman_2020 wrote: post #154

An air fryer. It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids. It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop. The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes.…

Any recommendations for one from OP or anyone else with one they’re pleased by?

I got this one on sale for BF, and it's been absolutely amazing. I cook fish to perfect temp using the probe, without having to check it at all. And I cook my side dish at the same time, and this thing finishes them together with smart cook!

https://www.ninjakitchen.com/exclusive-offer/DZ550WBKT/Ninja...

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

#729

Post by stronglikedan »

umrashrf wrote: post #376
holy_diver wrote: post #209

A bidet. We got one with heated water and seats and going to the bathroom feels super luxurious now. Not to mention all the toilet paper we save and increased hygiene.

I still like to use paper to dry after the bidet.

I do too, but only because the warm air dryer gives my tushy a rash!

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

#730

Post by justinsaccount »

torstenvl wrote: post #636

I bought my first robot vacuum and it's pretty great (eufy 11S for $110). It is as dumb as these things come. It has no navigation other than IR on the front to not bump into things. It doesn't connect to wifi. I'm not concerned about it sharing data because it has no way to do so. I turn it on once or twice a week as I'm about to leave for work. When I come home my floors are in decent shape. It saves me about an ho…

We have that one and accidentally programmed it to run first thing in the morning. Turns out that works pretty well. Acts as a bit of an alarm.. runs from like 7:30 to 8:30 or so. Manages to completely fill itself up with pet hair every other day.
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