Ask Lemmy

Purple mattress. Don't remember what I paid but it was discounted because it was open box. Best sleep I've ever had and no waking up to back pain. I even bought a Purple pillow and rarely have neck pain.

Raspberry Pi. I got one before prices shot up. If I didn't have one already I'd go with one of the cheapest alternatives. I haven't done anything super crazy like a doorbell cam or magic mirror but it's been a ton of fun.

Similarity to the Pi my favorite laptop purchase has gotta be my Acer Aspire One netbook. It's noticeably slower than any other device I have but I'll still use it because I just love the form factor. Super light and easy to use anywhere and unlike a tablet it's got a built-in keyboard, several ports, and runs Docker (seems like it's possible on Android but very laborious).

A set of glass pyrex measuring cups in different sizes (2 cup, 4 cup, etc). I used to use the cheap plastic measuring cups from the dollar store that maxed out at one cup and it’s amazing how handy these things are in comparison. I often times use the bigger ones as mixing bowls. I’ll combine ingredients in them by topping off the different measuring lines. It’s hard to imagine cooking without them now. I also use them for watering house plants.

Tom Bihn Pilot. This was my go to work bag for several years. It still looks brand new. The color options are great. Organization is great. It has a dedicated water bottle holder. Sadly the laptop given to me for my new job is too big for it. I’m probably going to switch to a backpack, but highly recommend the Pilot as an EDC work bag if it fits.

Nikon D90. I think I bought it in 2010 or so? It’s still flawless after all of these years and thousands of photos. I had it out a month ago taking photos for someone’s graduation and it’s still great. There are a lot of newer cameras on the market that are undoubtedly better, but I’m totally impressed by the longevity of this camera and if/when I buy another it’ll probably be a Nikon again because of it.

Honda self-propelled lawnmower. I live in FL and in the summer mowing is a once-a-week job in brutal heat/humidity. Half the time the grass is wet but I only have small windows of time to mow so I don’t have much choice. I do not baby this lawnmower- I basically abuse it. Grass is too high? Push that bad boy along popping a wheely. Tree branches? Mangos? Chop em up. This thing just takes it and keeps kicking. I do use ethenol free gas in it. Gas never sits in it because mowing is year round here. Also a shout out to Echo brand weed eaters. Once you get the hang of it, line is easy to add and it’s also been rock solid.

Brother laser printer. I run a side business that involves printing a lot of black and white documents. 100% rock-solid workhorse: I even use random toner from Amazon in it.

Roland TD-07KV electronic drum kit. I've played 15 years of death metal on this thing and it's still going strong!

We got lasik for my fiance and that was hands down the best money we ever spent. Life changing really.

• New bed for me and fiancée. Locally made and great quality.
• My first coffee grinder. Got me into coffee and it has been amazing.
• Latest pc upgrade was great, getting so much more out of it now.
• e-reader (kobo) though I still read often from phone screen.
• Our two cats. Cost basically nothing because both are rescue cats but they give so much.
• First batch of liquid fertilisers and a bucket got me into hydroponics. So much fun to grow stuff!

Next big thing is probably going to be 3D printer. I know I'll love it (been doing some at work) but haven't pulled the plug yet.

My home. Bought it back around 2013. It was a short sale so I got it for cheap and at a great rate. Home prices in my neighborhood are now more than twice what they were back then and during COVID I got my rate even lower while keeping the term the same (so not resetting it back to a 30 year term). So much winning!

One of my best purchases was an Omnium Mini-max cargo bike. It covers so many trips where I felt the lack of a car was a hinderance, and provides a ton of fun besides. Just wen't bike touring with the thing, and the volume advantage compared to a regular bike setup allowed me to bring such luxuries as an actual, real, authentic pillow.

$20 rice cooker back in 2020. It’s no longer made unfortunately. It makes rice perfectly every time. The best part is that I don’t have to worry about lining up the timing of other things I’m cooking. The rice cooker keeps the rice warm for 2 hours if necessary, so there’s plenty of wiggle room if I completely underestimate how long something else will take to prepare and cook.

1. Whirley Pop: if you enjoy popcorn/like to have a movie theater experience at home, get one! I love to use the "Real Theater" packets but you can make your own as well.

2. Air Fryer: we have the Ninja brand and I love it. It doubles as a dehydrator as well, so quick and a million times easier than heating.

3. Litter Champ/Litter Genie: We have the litter Champ brand. Great for disposing of soiled cat litter without having to use grocery bags every time. They are biodegradable with zero smells.

4. Nintendo Switch with BOTW and TOTK. Hundreds of hours of entertainment!

Dana Designs Arcflex Terraplane backpack purchased in 1994 at Teton Mountaineering in Jackson Wyoming for $400. I've since used it to travel the world and apart from having had to replace its foam back-liner and a buckle, it is still perfectly sound in every way.

Dana Designs doesn't exist anymore, but the guy and organization behind them is still alive and well and making handmade backpacks in Bozeman Montana under the name "Mystery Ranch."

You can get a Mystery Ranch Arcflex Terraplane that's basically the same thing as the original Dana Arcflex, only made with newer, better materials and technology.

Robot vacuum. I got the Eufy Robovac on a black Friday sale and have never fucking looked back. Those things are magic, especially if you have a kid or a pet.

Likely my school/training which did cost a bit but enabled me to create a career.

Bambu lab 3d printer (~1600 usd). I have managed with other much less expensive printers but they give so many headaches. This one is almost idiot proof and i dont even wink about leaving it on over night anymore. Clearly one of my best purchases as it has engaged me into what i actually want to do which is 3d design, not constant maintenance.

• Mulberry silk sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers ($1.2k/set) - best sleep I've ever had, keeps me crisp and cool at night

• Eames chair ($10k) - the best lounge chair I've ever had

• LG OLED TV as a PC monitor - the best PC monitor you can get

A display unit LG C1 that only had 36+ hours total usage for like $650. It's true that once you go OLED, every other screen looks mediocre.

Do you have a link to home gym setup?

Ever since covid I'm not too keen on public gyms.

This kraken like head massage thing for about 10 €.

All the super cheap < 15 € PC games which are endless fun (Minecraft, Vampire Survivors, Raft, Terraria, ...)

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro kitchen knife 90 €, Navaris Iron pan 40 € and YumAsia rice cooker 115 €.

iPad Pro with Apple Pencil for drawing, watching shows, meetings on the go, taking notes, annotate eBooks, .... second hand ~700 €

Latex pillows

Silk / wool quilts

A touch bar bin by Simple Human - sounds ridiculous, but I love that thing every time I use it haha

Zojirushi flasks

An ergonomic mouse - after trying quite a few, the one by DTX is wonderful

Tom Bihn Cafe Bag - love a nice bag!

My AirPods Max

I commute daily on the central line in London at an extremely busy part and loud part and I’d go absolutely fucking mental if I had to listen to it all daily.

That noise cancellation is worth the absurd price it’s the 2h in my day where I can just completely zone out and not think.

• Toyota RAV 4 ($18,000)
• 2013 Apple Macbook Pro (still looks and works like new $3,700)
• Rancilio Silvia ($450)
• 2001 Chevy Prizm (at >200k miles, I actually had to scrap it even though it still ran perfectly due to sensor issues $1800)
• iPhones (absolutely flawless hardware which keeps getting better with each iteration (~$1,000)
• Canon 5D MKIII ($3,000)
• Kemper Profiler (still getting free software updates 12 years into its lifespan $1,800)
• Fluke 87V (the best meter on earth $400)
• Synology NAS (though I hear they have been enshittified $2,000)
• Airizer Argo (still going $300)
• Nvidia Shield Pro ($300)
• Aeropress ($30)
• Orphan Espresso LIDO 2 (will outlast me $195)
• Warmoth guitars ($5,000 for five guitars)