Hands down, Airpods Pro. (fyi, already deeply vested into the apple eco-system, so it was a no brainer), but the quality is just superb.
Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
911–920 of 1001 posts
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#912* A Junghans Max Bill watch : its a bit noisy, but everytime I look at it it makes me happy. That sweeping hand, the dome crystal, the thin case.. Very solid (saphir version) as well, bumped it a few time, and nothing. * A WBS pedal steel, got into it recently, and it's a beautiful instrument. A bit finicky to tune, but that might be my novice ears and not the instrument itself. Wolfgang seems very nice. Lead time is…
Oh I really like that watch too! It is pricey though.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#913OP-Z as well as a few other teenage engineering devices. Never ending musical fun. Learning curves such that you'll never get bored. Also an OB-4, lots of people say it's an over priced toy, it's not.. it. sounds. Incredible. Incredible! I love Teenage Engineering. Also my Wabi bike, if you're into bikes, get a Wabi (trust me). It's an extremely well thought about bike, the geometry is perfectly between track and roa…
A friend and I bought one and… it’s too limiting. We wish we had bought the op-1. We also got the pocket operators and these were fun.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#914LG 38UC99-W 38-Inch 21:9 Curved UltraWide QHD+ IPS Monitor with Bluetooth Speakers http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01LW54S4U/donhosek It's amazing how much the extra screen real estate helps. Other than that, I've bought surprisingly little in the last two years other than food, clothing and gifts.
That price! Omg
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#915Roost Laptop stand + bluetooth keyboard and trackpad Enormous impact on my posture when I'm using my laptop away from my desk. The stand collapses into a stick so it's easy to toss in my backpack. https://www.therooststand.com/collections/roost-laptop-stand...
Just FYI you can get the same thing on Aliexpress for $20. I've used one for 2 years and it worked out great, still holding strong.
Or on amazon
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#916Material goods: Ear plugs (silicone). Don't waste your money on noise-cancelling headphones, I have $200 ones and they don't compare to simple ear plugs. If you live in a moderately noisy area and you want peace and quiet, get them. They basically just make everything quiet. 24 from CVS = $10. OpenMove by Aftershokz - Bone-conduction headphones. Perfect for running and just good for listening to music. They work, the…
Second cast iron. We use ours daily - and it's a handmedown from my grandmother who also used daily for 20+ years. Once seasoned properly, it is non-stick, cleans easy. We just be sure to put a little oil on it after each use. Really the only skillet you need.
I tried cast iron but gave up on it. Too bulky and heavy to lump around and a pain in the ass to clean.
Food stuck to the (Lodge) pan no end as well, even when I spent money on all the seasoning oils and seasoned it.
I'd rather just buy a new cheap modern pan every year. Chuck them in the dishwasher, job done.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#917Laser eye surgery. I wore glasses from age 10 to 35. I may never find a better way to spend money.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#918I'm surprised to see no one suggested board games, as it's really refreshing to escape from the screens at the end of the day.
We've become heavy players with the wife and the kids (7 and 8). Cooperative games are really nice to play with the kids who have a hard time losing (even a single token...); it helped them see things globally instead of only taking into account their own corner of the universe (e.g: I do not take all the money for myself so that the next player we'll be able to buy this very powerful card on her turn).
Stone age [0]: a competitive resource collection/management game with wood elements, it's very pleasing to play with. As with Catan, one uses dices, but there are ways to curb the randomness, making me feel a lot more in control, and not just a helpless passenger.
Harry Potter the Hogward Battle [1]: a cooperative gateway deck building game, my wife and kids cannot stop playing it, even for the 1.5 hours required for the last games. My wife usually hates long games, but the Harry Potter magic is strong with this one.
The Game [2]: a cooperative game where cards need to be triaged in the ascending/descending order, with the twist that you do not know the cards held by the others players. It's very relaxing at the end of the day, a last "team building" experience just before sleeping.
Keyforge [3]: a two player competitive card game with computer generated unique decks. It's a lot of fun since card effects vary a lot and you have to combine the cards. I also really love the fact that it's a racing game (you have to be the first to forge 3 keys), so it's more about slowing your opponent down rather than simply crushing him/her. If you're interested in that game, you may have choice paralysis since they release new mechanics every year. I suggest trying with the first edition (Call of the Archons), it's the simpler and more rewarding one. If you're hooked, you'll have a lot to discover !
[0] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/34635/stone-age
[1] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199042/harry-potter-hogw...
[2] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/173090/game
[3] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/257501/keyforge-call-arc...
(edit: styling)
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#919Cafelat Robot - a manual espresso maker (despite the name "robot", it's not electronic at all, it just uses pressure). It makes awesome shots, it's super easy to clean, and it's just really fun to feel the tactile feedback you can get when you're brewing a shot manually, because you can re-adjust your pressure on the fly to make the shot come out how you want it. My husband must have watched every James Hoffman video…
I just got a ROK Espresso (also a manual espresso machine) and I love it.
The good thing is that this summer I can take it with me on vacation and I don't have to drink my awful in-laws coffee.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#920This was three years ago so a bit of a cheat, but I bought a motorcycle. It was life changing and I highly recommend it. I bought a house with a chunk of land attached to it, and one of the best things I added to it immediately was a stone fire pit. It’s been a fantastic way to relax at the end of the day and to socialize. A 3D printer to pass the time during the pandemic. An air purifier and a humidifier. Air you br…
+1 for the air purifier. I got a unit that I keep in my bedroom and my sleep quality has improved massively.