Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Overkill objects for everyday life

neil.computer

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

231–240 of 732 posts

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#231

Post by croutonwagon »

ListeningPie wrote: post #50

The recommendation for a commercial panel which avoids built smart TV functions is one I'm taking seriously. We have an Apple TV connected and use nothing else. Does anyone have experience or recommendations? Here is a link to NEC's commercial displays https://www.sharpnecdisplays.us/products/displays#2

Yeah....BUT those panels are designed for, more or less, static images in well lit rooms.

Things like contrast ratio, how well it does dark colors in a dark room or fast intesity refreshing (like 60Hz "fast") may be questionable. It probably also expects super consistent and clean power...some houses dont have that.

Sure you could make it a giant Dakboard with a giant static image and not really worry about burn in for years.

Ultimately. I went with a cheap panel from say costco and a roku on a separate vlan (so my overkill is a network that can do vlan segmentation). Ultimately the roku TV's can scan themselves to death and report that they are on a network with other roku TV's all they want. Or you could just get a cheap-o smart TV and hook up the appleTV (cost came into play for me). I do have some LG smart TV's, one died within 3 years already...Meanwhile my Samsung 55" Plasma from 2008 had taking a direct lightning strike that took out the others and keeps on ticking. (and resulted in the TCL roku and LG tvs being installed).

So all of that is to say. I just go cheap panel that i dont mind replacing. And just keep them isolated entirely.

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#232

Post by 1996 »

tschwimmer wrote: post #8
notatoad wrote: post #4

I love to use professional-grade items where i can, but sometimes "overkill" means a worse product. like the professional-grade fan - it's not just designed for a high duty cycle, it's also probably designed to be operated in an environment where people regularly use hearing protection, so quiet operation is not a consideration.

Agreed 1000x. There is rarely a single best in all categories good for something. Instead, you have to pay attention to what you’re optimizing for. The industrial/commercial cookware he lists is definitely durable but also it’s huge, may consume a ton of energy and will not match the decor of the rest of your kitchen.

> The industrial/commercial cookware he lists is definitely durable

No, it is plain wrong. He recommends borosilicate beakers for beer. I think he never worked in a lab: borosilicate beakers break. Their thermal expansion tolerance is a non feature for cold beer: when did one of your beer mug broke because you served yourself boiling beer?

> Does your glassware meet ASTM Specification E960, Type II requirements? Is it manufactured from 33 expansion, low extractable borosilicate glass conforming to USP Type I and ASTM E438, Type I, Class A requirements? I didn't think so.

I call that hacker syndrome, when the typical hacker thinks a long line of impressive specs and numbers matter, because he has no idea of the customer requirements.

> Used to contain a life raft. Now, my groceries.

How easy it is to clean when there is a spill? How easy it is to replace? I have carried BRICKS inside the nylon woven bags some supermarket sell for $1.99. Rinced with water, ready in 5 minutes.

> For less than $100, I can buy a short USMC Short KA-BAR or a real M9 from Ontario for $150. This is the real thing, used by the US military.

Show off!!

If you want something to bring in a fight, get a Mark 1 trench knife: has brass knuckles for punching (and limit the risk of dropping your knife), a long thin blade for more lethality (easier puncture wound regardless of angle than with a wider blade). And in the kitchen it is ideal to break walnuts :)

Of course it does not look "nice" - like carrying bricks in a nylon supermarket bag. It is about knowing the needs you optimize for.

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#233

Post by floil »

SavantIdiot wrote: post #154

I could get behind some of these. Like that Hobart mixer. Granted, I don't use a mixer 24/7 in a bakery, but my first Kitchen Aid overheated and broke after ~5 years. I'd prefer if commodity things, like computer mice, were made to last, and not $5 pieces of cheap plastic that end up in landfills. But I'm the person who complains about the tons of cheap plastic trash sold in 0.99 stores while able to afford $500 mixe…

Both the KitchenAid and the Hobart use a planetary action which is not the best for kneading bread. A better idea is to find a small spiral mixer where the bowl rotates and the mixer blade spins in place. I have a Haussler Alpha and it's great for tough doughs, and seems appropriately overbuilt.

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#234

Post by yarcob »

klyrs wrote: post #163
s5300 wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bandsaws should only be used to make other larger bandsaws per @MatthiasWandel https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=MatthiasWandel

I'm pretty sure that I established that a bandsaw is a kitchen implement (and, it's not even a stretch -- they're common in butcher shops). Is it Alton Brown who says that single-use kitchen appliances are verboten? I tend to agree. You can also use a bandsaw to cut a sliver off a sheet of 16ga steel and use that to light a cigarette. It's truly all-purpose

I'd love a bandsaw in the kitchen to cut frozen food. (so I don't need to thaw the whole thing if I need just a bit)

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#235

Post by JJMcJ »

dsr_ wrote: post #120
JJMcJ wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fans - did some work on a 19 inch rack mountable system. Had four I think 12,000 RPM fans. The fans were about 1 inch on a side but between them they sounded like a fully loaded 747 spinning up.

The test units for the first generation of AMD Opteron 1U servers we bought were immediately named pratt, whitney, rolls and royce.

Quite correctly, I would assume.

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#236

Post by Daishiman »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #17

Like the Hobart mixer from this article, I always find it interesting that many of the best "overkill" objects are simply ones from the early/mid 20th century before manufacturers figured out it makes more economic sense to pump out low quality shit that will break just after the warranty expires. I'm into old school espresso machines, and there is a robust market (and some fascinating refurb videos) for older, lever…

To be fair... there was _a lot_ of heavy-duty crap back that was badly designed, poisonous/polluting or novely. It's just that you don't see it now because it's all rusted away or lives in junkyards.

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#237

Post by DrPhish »

cecilpl2 wrote: post #152
SavantIdiot wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you teasing us: do you actually use a compass camping? I've never met someone (who wasn't a Boy Scout) that camps so hard they need a compass! (Said in a joking yet genuinely curious voice.)

Anyone who does any backcountry camping should have a map and compass and know how to use them.

and the first thing to know when bringing a map and compass into the backcountry is that if you didn't use them (properly!) to get in, it'll be hard-to-impossible to use them to get you back out. There's more to it than you think!

Orienteering is a deep enough subject to be a tool, hobby and sport. Recommended skill, just for the entertainment value

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#238

Post by xen2xen1 »

Wistar wrote: post #111
notatoad wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah, i don't mean to say that no commercial-grade products are suitable for home use, just that you need to be a lot more careful if you're buying products for a use they aren't intended for. if you buy a product designed for home use, you can be reasonably sure that it will work in a home setting if you buy a commercial-grade product, you just need to pay close attention to what trade-offs have been made that might…

I have been, over-time, retro-fitting my home with pro/commercial-grade infrastructure items such as: quarter-turn marine-grade ball valves for the water-main; toilets, clothes washer, fridge and dishwasher; recessed sillcock valves; outdoor hose reels and hoses; sprinklers (this is a biggie as so many sprinklers are one-season junk); heavy-duty light switches; ceiling fans (the wonderful Big-Ass fans stuff); locks a…

I'd love to hear more specifics. Do you have them anywhere?

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#239

Post by carlmr »

tialaramex wrote: post #156
dan-robertson wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dishwashers are another example. You could buy a commercial one but it will come with no roll-out trays (you load up different plastic racks for different things and you can load a rack while the dishwasher is running) and it’s designed for an environment with lots of ventilation (you just open it when it is done and let the steam get ventilated away) which people are unlikely to have in their own kitchens. Other ite…

Maintenance is huge. A lot of products even in the supposedly "disposable" everyday category people buy for lower prices have maintenance instructions that would significantly increase their lifespan if actually followed. Misuse resistance means consumer products generally still work if you skip maintenance the manufacturer told you was necessary (which industrial products might not), but it may shorten the product's…

TIL I should read the all in one tab packaging and probably buy salt.

Re: Overkill objects for everyday life

#240

Post by CamperBob2 »

divbzero wrote: post #126
user3939382 wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tangentially related: if you do want an amazing electric coffee grinder, feel free to piggy back on my countless hours of research and go with this: Baratza Virtuoso+ It is excellent.

In the spirit of OP, the main navbar on Baratza’s website links to an article titled: STOP! Don’t Dump It – Fix It! https://baratza.com/stop-dont-dump-it-fix-it/

Impressive. Next time my Breville strips its gears, I'll try to remember to give these guys a try. It probably won't be long.
Post reply on HN