top | item 21827003

Ask HN:What’s the best product you discovered this year that improved your life?

40 points| yarapavan | 6 years ago | reply

Inspired by Shane Parrish's tweet - https://twitter.com/ShaneAParrish/status/1207271914227609601

24 comments

order
[+] ElCapitanMarkla|6 years ago|reply
Robot Vacuum Cleaner - we have a dog and 2 cats and it’s amazing how much hair it picks up. It’s the Xiaomi brand, it was cheap at $300NZD but China does now have a map of my house and where everything in it is :)
[+] ArtWomb|6 years ago|reply
Speaking of vacuums, while doing some home remodeling I needed a replacement Shop-Vac type wet / dry cleaner. The replacement I got for $99 at Home Depot was made with a metal drum instead of plastic. And the seal is so much more effective! I now use it everywhere, inside and out ;)

I can't say the same for the $69 power washer I bought from Amazon...

[+] photonios|6 years ago|reply
I second this. I bought a Roomba a year ago or something. We have a cat and it's been amazing. It runs right before I come home and saves me a lot of manual cleaning.
[+] UrbanPiper|6 years ago|reply
Not a product but Intermittent Fasting (IF)

Some products/services

- Daywise app (https://getdaywise.com/), to get phone notifications at set times - Brave browser (on all devices) + Pi-Hole in router. Adguard (all devices) - Bouncer app (Android) to control permissions requested by various apps. - Wireguard VPN self-hosted.

[+] dozcom|6 years ago|reply
ADF - alternate day fasting is another variant. Besides getting the supposed benefits of a 24 h fast, you also get to save 15 d worth of money spent for groceries within 1 m. 1 m of ADF yields 15 d of fasting and 15 d of feasting.

Example: 0 kcal on fasting days and for feasting days: your BMR + 500 kcal.

if(male == True): bmr = 24 * your_weight_in_kg

Tip for fasting days: consider supplementing with minerals such as calcium citrate, potassium citrate and magnesium citrate. Also DHA/EPA for your brain either algae based (vegan) or fish-based. Also consider taking a multivitamin as well.

edit: For me: ADF + OMAD (one meal a day) - saves you time!

[+] erhserhdfd|6 years ago|reply
A remote start for my car. I live in a chilly part of the country and unfortunately have a long commute. Being able to get into a warm car is really comforting!
[+] shanecleveland|6 years ago|reply
So many ...

Love these pants: https://huckberry.com/store/proof/category/p/54482-rover-pan...

Loose-leaf tea from Upton Tea Imports and these steeping baskets: https://www.amazon.com/Infuser-Cooking-Threaded-Connection-S...

Web Dev Tools: Reincarnated VirtualHostX Pro and hosting at opalstack.com

If you mix protein or nutritional/exercise drinks of any kind and you are not using a blender bottle, then you are doing it wrong.

Daily Metamucil and probiotic.

Set up an aquarium. It's a fun process that requires some patience and adds an interesting element to the house.

[+] AwesomeFaic|6 years ago|reply
I got an Ender 3 3D printer for last Christmas and while making gadgets and toys and gifts has been fun, it's fundamentally reawakened my interests in being creative again. I've learned new skills with silicone and resin, gotten back into 3D modeling (and finally learned Blender), discovered a bunch of new visual artists, and found new online communities to inspire me after a long day looking at code.
[+] JohnFen|6 years ago|reply
Hmmm... I had to think long and hard about this, as the pickings are pretty lean.

The two standouts for me, though, are Stitchfix (don't laugh! I'm aesthetically impaired, and they have seriously taught me how to dress better. I'd never been complimented on my clothes until I started using them.), and for this winter, a pair of electrically heated gloves.

[+] g8oz|6 years ago|reply
What brand are the gloves?
[+] iSloth|6 years ago|reply
Zwift - Makes getting and staying fit enjoyable
[+] unraveller|6 years ago|reply
Scroll Anywhere firefox browser add-on - it's way more ergonomic to hold right mouse to scroll a webpage

MING SHI 2000S ADJUSTABLE SAFETY RAZOR - the Merkur Futur patent lapsed and now one of the best shavers on the market can bought legally for less than $10 posted.

[+] tboyd47|6 years ago|reply
Podcasts. Turns my commute from something I hate that stresses me out, into something I look forward to that puts me in the right mood.
[+] farseer|6 years ago|reply
Razor Pit keeps the Gillette blade sharpened enough for about 2 weeks of shaving. This has been a descent money saver.
[+] keiferski|6 years ago|reply
I recommend looking into Safety Razors. You'll save money, help the environment, and (subjectively) look cooler while shaving.
[+] Blakestr|6 years ago|reply
Sam Harris's Awaken App. I've used Headspace and other apps; they've all helped with stress. Sam's approach seems to be more procedural, more of a step by step (if such a thing as true mindfulness can have a step by step).

I've meditated for the better part of a decade but after doing his 50 day course (on the app) I experienced that awakening that they talk about. While it's helped with staying focused and getting work done, I've connected more with my children and wife I have in years.

I highly recommend it to anyone whose tried or thought about meditation but just can't seem to "get it."

https://wakingup.com/