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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?

#891

Post by lobster_johnson »

agentgt wrote: post #591

I have been recently optimizing some of my wardrobe: Darn Tough socks! Seriously life is too short to have clammy feet. Yes they are expensive but they last forever. Carhartt USA made therma lined hoodies are also awesome. I have had one for 17 years and wore it all the time before hoodies became fashionable. To be honest all of their stuff is great for the price if you can get over looking like a construction worker…

On the subject of socks: Smartwool [1]. Thick, incredibly warm and durable. I say incredible because I've owned a lot of wool socks, and these are even warmer than the fluffy, handwoven mohair socks I also own.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EZYMUA

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

#892

Post by lobster_johnson »

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…

Ditch the garlic press and get a rocker [1], it's so much better. Instead of putting individual cloves in the compartment and pressing together, you just press the rocker onto every clove until you've collected everything. And instead of having to dig the remaining unpressed stuff out of the compartment, you just scrape them directly into the bin. Much easier to clean, too.

There are cheaper versions on Amazon, but I believe Joseph Joseph is the original design.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-20037-Crusher-Dishwasher-Stain...

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

#893

Post by hkmurakami »

js2 wrote: post #515
hkmurakami wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really enjoy my Mazda3 2016 dashboard and controls. Meanwhile I HATED the BMW 3 series controls and shifter. Nothing was intuitive, though it all looked space agey. I am a fan of the Lexus controls as well. They look positively 90s but are very straightforward to use and behave as you'd expect. As a former automotive engineer it hurts to see "aesthetics" trump usability.

Ugh, my 2016 CX-9's infotainment system is the worst thing about the vehicle. Mazda has tried to cram way too much into that stupid dial control.

True. Love everything physical about the car but the infotainment system has poor UI and bad latency.

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

#895

Post by dredmorbius »

sizzzzlerz wrote: post #744
dredmorbius wrote: post #731

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you lubricate the slide? Metal or plastic?

My ruler is metal and I use graphite to lubricate it. Just take a pencil and run it along the slots and the slide. Lightly wipe it off and then reassemble the pieces. Works great.

Thanks.

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

#896

Post by wyclif »

tedmiston wrote: post #875
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…

After taking an architecture class in high school, I carried a drafting eraser for years which just worked so much better than built-in pencil erasers. I think it was made by Staedtler [1]. It's difficult to deal with a regular eraser again after getting used to that. [1]: https://www.jetpens.com/Staedtler-Mars-Plastic-Eraser/pd/796...

This is the eraser I started using in drafting and land surveying. Super practical and best of all, it really does erase well.

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

#898

Post by BuckRogers »

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #531

Commodore 64. May just be a bit of nostalgia speaking, but the things that little machine could be made to do... wow.

I don't believe that is just nostalgia. I think the Commodore was the greatest home computer ever made.[0]

[0]https://twitter.com/ivansafrin/status/795448709572083712

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

#900

Post by rdnetto »

Steel_Phoenix wrote: post #636
i_don_t_know wrote: post #317

The ancient microwave in my first apartment. It had two knobs: one for time, one for power. It's immediately obvious how to cook something for how long, how to add more time, etc. All other microwaves that I've used I had to have someone explain to me what buttons to press in what order to do even the simplest things. And I've never seen anyone use all of those fancy buttons.

The last time I bought a microwave I had two feature requests: Two knobs, one for time, one for power. An inverter so it would run at that power instead of just turning on to full power for a while and then turning off and on again, which ends up scorching food and blowing fuses. Apparently, this was too much to ask. I get the impression one company has the patent on the inverter tech, and they refuse to put a simple…

IIRC, Panasonic owns the patent on inverters, but they definitely make a microwave with a simple knob interface, because I have one (http://www.panasonic.com/au/consumer/household/microwave-ove...)
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