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

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

#821

Post by aseipp »

VLM wrote: post #660

My steel backplate original IBM Model M keyboard in use continuously from when it was new until today. I can't figure out any way to improve it. Logitech trackman wheel from a decade or two ago, perfect to have a desk with 3 or 4 machines on. Must have thousands of hours of FPS and minecraft on it, feels new, feels perfect. The original Radio Shack wire wrapping tool, you could pay up to 100x more for something less…

> Somehow I did electronics for over 30 years before buying a top of the line digital Hakko soldering station.

I just got into Electronics and while buying some basic kit (cutters, wire, etc) I had to think hard about my soldering iron choice. I don't expect to solder a ton immediately as I'm still learning, but over time I may do it more. Thus, I was wondering whether to just pay out for a high quality iron, one I would never have to replace (or at least not soon).

I went with the Hakko. Bought some extra tips for the long run, and it's simply fantastic. Heats up incredibly fast, is very accurate, and easy to use. Sitting in my closet at the moment while I get a workbench eventually, but I eagerly have been using that thing every chance I get for the past several weeks. It's just fun to use and well designed.

I think the only thing the Hakko FXD could possibly improve is perhaps slightly improving the UX for preset temperature configuration. I'm not sure this feature even matters for anyone who isn't soldering constantly, though (I can basically get away with 750 every time).

Otherwise I agree, it almost seems perfect in every way.

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

#822

Post by reitanqild »

donquichotte wrote: post #231

SIG 550 assault rifle. I don't particularly like weapons, but this gun can take an incredible amount of abuse and is still accurate and reliable. I feel that the designers really found the sweet spot between complexity and simplicity here. Same for the Kawasaki KLR 650 motorcycle. A superb bike, virtually indestructible, and in the unlikely case that something breaks, it's possible to fix it on your own. EDIT: Sublim…

You reminded me, I though I couldn't add anything I really found well designed but the assault rifle (G3) I had while drafted was amazing. The mechanics, the raw power, the precision. It was kind of awesome. It helped people like me hit targets precisely at 200m, using only the coarse built-in sights. And they mostly worked after years of abuse at boot camp.

If I could get hold of one now I would be tempted although I guess I shouldn't have one as to not make my family a target.

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

#823

Post by et-al »

baby wrote: post #509

How is this kettle exceptional? I have an electric kettle that boils water ten times as fast (number made up, but it's really faster). As someone who drinks a lot of hot water every day, I find this odd that someone would recommend a non-electrical kettle.

I think the OP posted it because of its shape, how generous the lid is (so you can scrub the inside easily), and maybe how it pours out water, but I wouldn't call it the best-designed kettle given some shortcomings in safety.

The lack of a whistle means you have to be in the same room as the water boils for the next 5-10 minutes.

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

#824

Post by reitanqild »

falsedan wrote: post #388
leonroy wrote: post #288

* Blendtec Blender - blew my first pay cheque on one nearly 10 years ago and it still looks and works good as new. Absolutely superb design and construction. * AGA Oven - I don't own one, but my parents do and growing up this thing was just incredible. Still looks and works like new. I honestly have never used an oven which looks and cooks so damn good. * Apple (Unibody) Macbook Pro - Despite my present feelings towa…

> HP Proliant Servers gods I miss the old DL380 G3 we had in 2009. Its internal USB port and rocketship of parts let me use it to replace a server closet with a bunch of VM & got me familiar with Xen & VMware ESXi

I used 380 G6 and G7s. Loved them too.

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

#825

Post by mdip »

annnnd wrote: post #608
mdip wrote: post #362

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Completely agree! The funny thing is the first thing I thought of was an old microwave I owned with a similar setup mainly because the microwave I own, today, is so awful [0]. I have a GE combination convection oven/microwave and it was clearly designed by someone who had their first experience with LSD that day. Every function requires a different, magic, set of key combinations to make it work. Want to set a timer?…

$500 for a microwave??? What does it do, fly? I have an old microwave with two buttons and it works great. Kids can use it too.

Unfortunately, it does a whole bunch of things other than microwave (it's got a full, electric, convection oven and a hybrid convection oven/microwave capability). It does all three of it's major functions very nearly as poorly as they could be done.

This was also purchased in 2005 or so, and was a relatively new idea at the time that, thankfully, didn't take off terribly well.

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

#826

Post by idonotknowwhy »

baby wrote: post #519
idonotknowwhy wrote: post #446

#1 The Nokia N9 (specifically the alarm clock) When trying to find a clone for Android, I found this guy's blog post which explains why it's perfect: http://www.nition.co/2014/08/the-nokia-n9-alarm-clock/ The swipe interface of the operating system is also the best I've ever used. If I play around with the N9 for a few minutes now; then go back to android, it feels clunky an inefficient again. #2 The Nintendo Gamecub…

I remember watching an interview of Yamamoto explaining how Sony blatantly copied the N64 controller, even copying Nintendo's mistake of having 4 right-side buttons of exactly the same shape (for the fingers). Nintendo corrected this with the gamecube controller having different shaped buttons on the right (see here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube_controller the A, Y, X and B buttons) For some reason, Nintendo…

I don't know why they reverted to the 4 same-sized buttons on the Wii classic pro controller and the WiiU controllers. If I had to guess, I'd say that on the Wii, the wiimote + nunchuck were the primary focus and the 'pro' controllers were an afterthought. You could use the legendary gamecube (GCN) controller for some games anyway.

In this super-long (and interesting) article about the GCN, under the heading "The Pressures To Create The Perfect Controller", there's a write-up of the design and decision process for the creation of the controller.

https://dromble.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/dolphin-tale-story-...

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

#827

Post by hayleox »

grandalf wrote: post #287

- My cast iron skillet. It's indestructible and once I learned to season it and cook with it, I prefer it over any other. - 15" Macbook Pro w/ Retina display, iPhone 7 - BNC connectors - The Xtrend Professional Rabbit Wine Opener. (Super cheap on Amazon and it has an incredibly well-designed mechanism) - The Mezlan Cordoba men's shoe -- high quality, no break-in needed, durable, fashionable. - Crocs -- indestructible…

> - The Uber app (I think that amid the weird culture at least one person there really understands mobile UX)

Really? I'm not a fan of the Uber app at all, particularly with the latest redesign. It is insanely annoying that they no longer show you the wait time until you've put in your destination address. Their suggested destinations are almost always terrible (even though I'm a very predictable user -- there are like 3 destinations I go to on a regular basis, but instead of those, Uber will suggest places I haven't been to in ages), not to mention that you have to close the keyboard to see half of them. There's also a lot of confusing icons without accompanying text, and just a lot of occasional wonkiness and unexpected behavior.

The Lyft app isn't as "pretty" as Uber, but it has everything I want to know where I expect it, makes good suggestions, and just works -- I much prefer it.

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

#829

Post by mdip »

Steel_Phoenix wrote: post #645
mdip wrote: post #374

It took me about a second to think of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils. These are the perfect nexus of good and cheap. These things have the critical features one looks for in a writing instrument, my favorite of which is that I can put it in my electric pencil sharpener and the lead never snaps just prior to the point at which it becomes sharp. And these guys finally figured out something useful to do with that pink, rubbe…

I'll take that one farther. I've been obsessed for 25 years with their 2 1/2 pencil. The hardness seems just right to me to make a nice line, and they rarely need sharpening. There's also something analog and low quality about their graphite. It's got little hard scratchy chunks in it that I find oddly satisfying.

I get it - it's one of the reasons I don't really get excited about some of the higher end pencils (and why I avoid most mechanical pencils) -- the graphite feel is silky smooth, almost feeling like writing with a ball-point, but I am accustomed to the way the pencils I'm used to feel on paper.

It's just one of those things, I guess. I think of it this way -- I buy the cheapest coffee beans on the market because when I started drinking coffee, it was at my first job where the boss was really cheap. The coffee came out of this huge can with a white label and large bold-faced text that read "Arabica Beans". He'd also regularly just throw more grounds into the filter cavity without tossing the old stuff and just "rebrew". This stuff tasted like dirt, but because that's what I got used to drinking, it's what I think of as "coffee". I can't make myself swallow Starbucks as a result.

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