PCPanel. It's a little physical programmable audio output mixer for windows. I was tired of having to go to the windows mixer to turn down the volume of a game, turn up discord, get plexamp/Spotify just right, etc. Now I have a few physical knobs in front of me that always control a predictable set of apps. It's been great over the last year of digital hangouts with people.
Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
561–570 of 1001 posts
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#562Got an Ooni pizza oven. Not quite as useful during lockdown as I might have hoped but it's given us something to do in the garden, and I can't wait to take it camping and to festivals. https://ooni.com/ I've really ended up liking my Moonlander keyboard. I wasn't initially sold onsplit keyboards at all, and it's taken me a while to end up with a layout I'm happy with, but I've just about caught up on typing speed and…
I have been interested in the Moonlander keyboard. What were some of the edge cases for you that made it more difficult to use than a traditional keyboard, and how long did it take you to get up to speed typing?
Check out the Dygma Raise. I was considering a Moonlander too but I went with the Raise instead because it had a more traditional key layout (non-ortholinear) and I really like how it has 8 thumb keys - they're insanely useful.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#563Sleep Headphones. Much more comfortable than the in-ear ones I used to use: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleep-Headphones-Bluetooth-Ultra-Th...
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#564* Shoes: VivoBarefoot Magna Trail II FG ( https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/magna-trail-ii-fg-mens ). If you enjoy barefoot shoes, these things are fantastic. * For the table saw, this sawdust bag ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-Table-Saw-Dust-Collector-S... ) does a surprisingly good job for $11, and this set of Dado blades ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/DIABLO-8-in-x-12-Teeth-Stacked-D... ) has saved me a ton of t…
I'm on the market for a pair of decent camping/hiking shoes/boots. I had been planning on getting some REI pair, but you've got me curious about these. It seems odd to me that something that claims to be thin and let you feel things would be good for hiking. Can you elaborate on that? I think I would want protection from rocks and stuff, so it seems bad for that?
I wanted something more minimal than conventional boots but I knew I didn't want to go as far as Vivos. I settled on these Solomons[0], and they're possibly the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. Not waterproof, no real ankle support/bracing, but very light with plenty of shock absorption and sole stability. I do have minimalist sandals from Xero[1], which are great for camp shoes.
0. https://www.rei.com/product/122170/salomon-x-ultra-3-low-aer...
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#565Cold climate mini-split heat pumps * I live in northern New England and used to heat exclusively with wood in the winter time. Very cozy, but hard to maintain a consistent temp throughout the house. The new cold-climate models can operate at 100% capacity down to an ambient temp of -13F outdoors. One in each bedroom, the living area, and home office makes it easy to dial in the optimal temp for the space. No more loa…
So the heat pumps can also do cooling during the summer? What was the ballpark range for three of those, installed?
> So the heat pumps can also do cooling during the summer?
Here's a pair of really great videos about heat pumps and what they can (and could, in the future) do:
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#566Material 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 would like to throw in a strong rec for carbon steel.
I was (and to a degree still am) a big cast iron guy, but I find that these days I use my carbon steel pans much, much more frequently. They share many of the benefits of cast iron in terms of durability, oven safety, high temp cooking, natural non-stick, etc. However they can be much, much lighter and their heating properties make them superior for many, and I would argue most (but not all!), applications.
These days if someone said they needed 1 quiver killer pan, I would unquestionably recommend a carbon steel skillet over a cast iron one.
If you're someone who likes using cast iron, I think you are doing yourself a major disservice by not trying carbon steel.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#567Scanning these recommendations, the plurality -- perhaps even the majority -- are ergonomic. You would think everyone is constantly in pain: keyboards, desks, monitors, chairs, shoes, that relieve pain.
Even the air filters, robot vacuums, and noise reduction devices reduce some kind of pain.
The only non-pain recommendation that comes close is coffee and the apple M1.
One strange thing is the contrary recommendations: there are recommendations for barefoot shoes as well as arch support slippers. Not sure if this means that different feet need different things, or if one side of the debate was marketed to.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#568Material 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…
That kind of headphones really was a significant upgrade for me. Being able to listen to something while still having environmental awareness is awesome. I do wish the max volume for the aftershokz where higher, and they didn't have the play/pause button trigger a redial when double pushed. I've accidentally done that multiple times (Including scaring my parents with a middle of the night call, due to 9 hours time di…
Silicone earplugs will increase the volume of the Aftershokz.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#569Unlikely to get upvoted here but a used Porsche Panamera with an extended bumper-to-bumper manufacturer warranty. As Doug Demuro says it's cheap, really cheap. There's not a single brand new car costing, say, 75 K EUR or less that I'd have rather than that because the quality simply ain't there. The ride comfort, soundsystem, sound insulation, interior quality, how it drives superbly (and can yet be used for some spi…
I had a Porsche Cayenne S for a while. It was a great SUV. Fun to drive and could actually get 31 MPG on long highway trips.
I bought a second hand Tuareg which is pretty similar under the covers. Nicest car I've ever owned and it makes me happy to be in it.
Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?
#570Earlier quoted context omitted.
> cast iron skillet Personally I think these are a waste of money unless you live in a house. Trying to season one of these smoked up our apartment for hours. Apparently we didn't do it right because it's still sticky even with oil, but there's no way we're going through the headache again until we have a house.
Animal fats are better than vegetable oils. Vegetable oils polymerize into a sticky substance. You don't really need to season a cast iron pan. Just keep it oiled, use a metal spatula, and wash after use(deglaze if needed). The metal spatula helps keep the cook surface smooth.
Flax seed oil works great for seasoning. http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-te...