How did I ever live without this thing?

Oops! Stinky Linky. Try this..

Swimming shoes, OP! Most lakes here are pebbly, which makes it almost impossible to get into the water comfortably: Not a problem when I wear these!

My Weber grill, that thing is amazing. I love all of the healthy grilling I'm doing now--lots of grilled fish/shrimp and veggies. Grilled kale is my latest obsession!

Archive.ph; I didn't purchase it, but it lets me read any article in the world for free!

My rentboy.

My air fryer, God help me.

Dimestore reading glasses.

My iPad.

Also, my scanner.

R6 have you tried frying chips or fries in your air fryer? How is it?

Electric kettle. Every British house has one but I grew up heating water on stove burners in America.

I've had the same kettle for 15 years, heats water in a jiffy, no waiting for the burners. It seems like it would be cheaper too.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser.

My induction range. This thing is great!

An immersion blender. A godsend when making soups that need to be pureed. I remember the old days of ladling back and forth into a blender. What a pain in the butt that was.

Nothing comes to mind. Kind of a silly question. Perhaps money- sure cannot do without it.

An iPad. I use it daily and we are attached at the hip. I bought a new one last year to have just in case the one I was using died.

Another vote for an iPad.

I also have two just in case something happens to one.

As much as I love my iPad, I'm stunned I ever got along without my iPhone or any smartphone or any mobile phone for that matter.

I honestly can't imagine how we got along without mobile phones.

You probably already know this, [R8], but if not, fyi - you can scan using your iPad (and iPhone).

Prescription sunglasses, which I purchased on the cheap from Classic Specs. They're polarized and I paid less than $100.] The world looks so much nicer, especially metallic red or maroon cars. They have dark green lenses.

Electric/ultrasonic toothbrush, microwave, iPad. I value many more gadgets, but those three made my life objectively easier/better.

My chainsaw, unwanted trees be gone.

Aviator sunglasses. I can check guys out all I want.

Toaster oven, hands down!

Gas stove. I know some enlightened jurisdictions are banning them, but I fucking love mine!

Immersion blender, coffee grinder, and toaster oven. I resisted purchasing each for a long time for various reasons but now I will take these items to my grave!

My Sage Smart Oven…I think it’s branded as Breville in North America. It’s a toaster oven on steroids. I go months at a time now without using my ‘proper’ ovens.

R9 / Dutchie I have, and it works a treat. I do spray them with a touch of olive oil first.

Others have reminded me how much I love my immersion blender and electric kettle, too.

Sex toy vibrators and other unmentionables

GPS, streaming services, online shopping, online cheque deposits, and digital phone cameras.

I have to say I love my foot spa. A friend with better taste than I helped me pick out a good one on Amazon. This was just over two years ago, and I still use it regularly. It's parked in the closet next to my bed, and sometimes when I go to sleep I press the 'bubbles' button to let the illusionary babbling brook sound lull me to sleep.

At first i did both feet at the same time, but then switched to one foot, for balance and a looser, roomier fit.

Air fryer - Use it everyday and eat much healthier than before. Looove air fried asparagus.

Bidet - Got a couple during the lockdowns. Why are these not used more in the US?

I've always been a "hot sleeper," and no, not in the "hot-looking" context: I routinely wake up soaked in sweat, even if my bedroom's cold (and not because of nightmares or something). Last year I bought an Eight Sleep bed: it quite literally funnels a constant stream of chilled water a few layers beneath the cover, so even in 100-degree-plus weather, I'm cool as a cucumber. (Hell, I've even been working from bed most of this summer! The rest of my house is too fucking hot!)

It wasn't cheap, but I'm consistently getting better sleep than I have in DECADES. Not even remotely kidding. (My only issue was when the first one I bought sprung a leak, though they sent me a replacement cover for free in under a week.) While I'm currently single, the bed can also be adjusted to different temperatures on each side, sort of like a Sleep Number bed.

Cooling blanket, retin a, Japanese sunscreen, eyebrow dye, semglutide, lodge cast iron grill pan, the natural dentist whitening rinse, snail mucin, collagen powder, caffeine vitamins, sugar free electrolyte powder

Air Fryer, Toaster oven, Electronic Kettle are all good. Microwaves might be old at this point, but they are super convenient.

I would also add my hot/cold ac system. So easy to control the temperature to one's comfort...I lived for years without one, now I cant imagine not having it.

Also not an object but I have an app that works as a bank account and I can use for everything, from transfering money to other bank accounts, to paying my bills, to buying groceries, to putting money on my phone, etc. I love it.

R31 beat me to it: a bidet attachment.

R33, you sound just a tad high maintenance!

OP said, "You cannot have it in your life now."

I know---that's stupid. Nonetheless,.....

I have an iPad but never use it. I would watch movies or shows in bed with it and when I drifted off to sleep I'd hit myself in the face with it. Once time I gave myself a black eye.

I cannot live without my De'Longi pump espresso machine. Unlike my iPad.

air fryer

kitchenaid stand mixer

I spent way too much of my life without decent, well made sex toys

chest freezer

PLANTS!

It's a tie between fire and the wheel.

Bissell crosswave. It vacuums and mops at the same time!

I love it, particularly when I empty the filthy water with a simultaneous sense of amazement and disgust.

Beats earbuds (and Spotify). I can't believe I stayed wired so long!

[quote]It's a tie between fire and the wheel.

"Let's pretend we're cavemen" is thataway.

[quote] How did I ever live without this thing?

My Fleshjack - my cock is eternally grateful

Metamucil.

[quote] [R6] have you tried frying chips or fries in your air fryer? How is it?

French Fries and Onion Rings in the air fryer are the bomb digity

Air conditioning splits.

Hard dicks up my ass.

Ten of thousands of pictures of gorgeous naked men.

Another vote for the air fryer. Life changing -- love the veggies, salmon, etc.

I used to order in all the time and waste so much money. Now, I'm using the air fryer 5-6 times a week.

Corsori 5 qt version.

R50 Yup. Just made a steak in the air fryer. Was highly skeptical, but - OMG - it blew away my expectations. It was amazing. Perfect medium rare and juicy. And don’t even get me fuck’n started on left over pizza.

R51 and others. What kind of air fryer do you have? Could you recommend one?

Blackout drapes for the bedroom! Now my bedroom stays cool and is like a cave. Why did I wait so long to get them? Duh!

R52, this one works for me. Only cooking for myself though.

I got an air fryer, too, but I must be doing something wrong. The fried air is very meh.

Alexa.

Flip N Fold

Our stacks of neatly folded tee shirts and sweaters in the closet may have helped sell our condo.

Seriously. The buyer mentioned them.

Look at all of the fat whores mentioning boring ass kitchen gadgets.

Add me to the iPad chorus. I remember sitting at my home office desk scrolling DL on a Dell desktop 20 years ago because I couldn't afford a laptop in addition to the desktop I needed for work. Now I own a laptop but I still prefer ipad for DL and all internet browsing, from the comfort of my couch or bed.

Another one - my iPad. It goes with me everywhere I go all day and night.

Self propelled lawn mower.......cut my mowing time in half. Uses less gasoline and is much easier on the back and legs......I can still get fucked on the same day I mow the lawn!

And my air fryer.....steaks, fried, leftover pizza, onion rings, chicken nuggets.....everything is great. It makes a lot of noise.....but the end result is worth it.......much like the guy who fucks me after I mow the lawn.

fried = french fries.

I was thinking about getting my butt stuffed.

Libby, the library e-book reader and checker-outer app.

Brilliant, simple technology. You can have multiple library cards on it. If a book looks interesting, you can take it out or place a hold. When held books are available, you get a notification and a nice surprise for the day. No late fees or trips to the library. When it's due back, you get a chance to renew (if no one else is waiting); if you don't want to renew, it goes back on its own.

Libby saved my sanity during the pandemic.

[quote]I was thinking about getting my butt stuffed.

We know R61.

Toyotas. I went insane with my last American car. Something was always wrong. Now I make sure the oil is changed and other routine maintenance and that’s it. I’ll get a Lexus when my ship comes in.

I also love good running shoes. I learned the hard way cheapies that don’t fit well will mess up your body in nasty ways.

I am also an iPad lover, but it makes terrible French fries.

My microwave and I have a very special relationship

Tongs for cooking.

What do you do with it R65? I hate microwaves and can't think of one thing they are good for.

R67 They heat my BistroMD frozen dinners up in 5 minutes!!!

Hulu. Except for a few shows like Big Brother and Survivor, that's about all I watch.

Within the last couple of years, a dishwasher and a rear-view camera in a car

R69 those are available elsewhere too

My Cuisinart ice cream maker.

dicks

It’s such a silly thing, but really good earplugs. I was well into my thirties before I started using them to sleep, they’re still invaluable today, and they might have been life-changing in my twenties.

Thanks to the air fryer recommenders. I've been trying to overhaul my diet. Ordered the Cosori. Hoping it will help keep me on salmon and vegetables instead of deli sandwiches and fries.

Which earplugs do you recommend. [R74]?

I'm a dish queen. My favorite set is indestructible white vitreous china, industrial grade, made in Central Europe I think maybe 50 years ago. It does NOT scratch and is the perfect heavy weight. Mine has a dark red rim. Kind of like Buffalo China but mine is a bit more refined. My second favorite is French amber glass. Almost as indestructible as the white vitreous and gorgeous industrial design.

I'm not R74, but I use earplugs to sleep and have experimented with a few.

The ones I use are the Flents brand "Quiet Please" foam earplugs. I pinch the foam to get a wedge (pinched area) into my ear canal.

They're super-basic, but they worked the best out of everything that I tried.

A salad spinner.

Someone here introduced me to taller Saucier pans - describing all of the uses - and provided backup from F Craddock videos.

It’s my go-to pan. Baby spinach leaves and then coworkers cry when I pull it out of the cupboard.

Another vote for the iPad. I got a very good deal on my current one which made me very pleased. I use mine constantly way more than my MacBook.

I live in an NYC apartment with a tiny kitchen. A few years ago, after 20 years of living in the city without a dishwasher, I invested in a countertop unit that easily connects to and disconnects from the faucet.

It has changed my life. As God is my witness, I will never be without one again.

Is it noisy R82?

Really like my SleepNumber bed and the "you can't flip our coil spring mattress" makers can still go fuck themselves.

When I have a back pain flare up for no discernible reason, it helps to be able to adjust the firmness of my bed. Could never do that with my old Serta mattresses.

I might be missing something, not sure I get why someone would want to control their thermostat while on the other side of the world if no one is home. Wouldn’t you just adjust it to before you go and leave it at a temperature that minimizes your utility bill?

R80 what does a tall saucier pan look like? And why do your coworkers cry?

U idiot at r85 -- being able to control your thermostat from "the other side of the world" is a tongue in cheek exaggeration.

Let me tell you how I use my thermostat's app on my phone: I volunteer as a docent for an 8-hour shift occasionally. When I am out of the house, I see no reason to heat or cool my home so I switch off my HVAC. But at the end of my shift and before I leave the parking lot, I use the app to turn on my HVAC so that when I walk in my door, my home is at a comfortable temperature. This is a big money saver -- surely this doesn't go over your head too.

OK fine. I guess I get that and thanks for the explanation. You’re quite rude and hope you’re not that hateful to the patrons of wherever you volunteer.

[quote]...not sure I get why someone would want to control their thermostat while on the other side of the world if no one is home.

R85, the poster explained but I will add that I have controlled my thermostat from another country or continent. Sometimes in the hurry to leave for the airport I later wonder if I adjusted the heat or a/c and can check and adjust if needed. Or I offer that an out of town friend stay a night in my house: I can have it appropriately cool or warm for his arrival and later check that the system was turned off when he left.

Arriving back at my home airport or train station, turning on the temperature controls means I will be home within an hour to a comfortable house.

While I can’t claim to be a docent, I sometimes remotely start my car.

R90 My car has a remote start button on the key fob, and when I worked in Western NY, I’d point the key out of my office window and have the car preheat. Ice and sleet would melt before I reached the vehicle, and it was so nice getting into a warm car on really cold days, often below zero.

Now I work in the southwest, and use the same process to cool the vehicle. We have so many days when the temperature exceeds 106, and an unsheltered vehicle can heat up to 118 degrees. So the remote start is helpful.

I hear from friends that it’s best to buy a vehicle with remote start engineered by the carmaker. Aftermarket systems tend to have problems that can affect your vehicle’s electrical and ignition systems. My vehicle is a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

My CPAP. I can't believe how poorly I was sleeping for years.

My Apple TV box. I don’t have cable and only use streaming services and this makes all the apps easily accessible. The smart TV’s programs were not sufficient.

R37 here. Thank you all for not pointing out MY stupidity---I missed the OP's double negative of "You CANNOT NOT [emphasis mine] have it in your life now." Why he didn't write "You must still have it in your life," I do not know. But you all understood!

So, to answer: My cellphone. And I don't even really use it as a phone. It is my Internet (like now) and my camera.

My amazon echo show, I can set an individual alarm for every day of the week.

Interesting that smart phones seem indispensable to some. Think about it- you don’t need to check social media, you don’t need to be in continuous communication (text and email), and their use to pay for things, for security clearance etc have been imposed. It’s really quite weird. Life was just fine prior- maps, land lines, parties, newspapers and in general much much less bullshit advertising and marketing.

That said, I’m posting this with an iPhone, lol.

Just two minor things: 1. Insoles. Used to have lots of back pain. Then I got recommended insoles, and yes, they made life liveable again

2. Then a rather peculiar thing: A dry-erase notebook. It's a notebook with plastic pages and it comes with a special pen. When you don't need your notes anymore, you wipe them off the page with a wet cloth. Made my desk completely paper-free. No scratch paper needed. Just a minor thing, but I wouldn't want to work without it anymore.

My Dyson vacuum cleaner. Expensive as hell, but it has been worth every penny.

About the Dyson: Is the power/range ratio working for you? I love a cordless vacuum cleaner that is powerful like a corded one, but only if it lasts long enough on a charge and not just ten minutes.

my dyson cordless became the most expensive dustbuster vac after about 6 months. never again.

I got the Miele cordless after I broke up with Dyson and LOVE it.

I bought a Miele vacuum cleaner when I lived in the U.S., the conventional cannister type with cord. It was wildly expensive compared to the competition but reviews touting its performance and (relatively) quiet operation sold me. And the reviews were right on both points which made the thing a pleasure where before vacuuming was always a nerve-racking chore to be avoided.

I moved to Europe and of course didn't bring it, but just now I see that the brand sells for only about half the price, so maybe another is in my future.

What timing — I have a Dyson and have never had a problem with it holding a charge… until today, after reading this thread. Ugghhhh

Dyson uprights used to be amazing. They’ve gone downhill.

I have a Miele canister vac, too, and it is worth every penny. The Rolls Royce of vacuums.

Robot vacuum/mopper.

My place is almost all wood floors, and to get on your hands and knees to wipe the floors down is rough on the knees, and gets harder as I get older.

Robot does a surprisingly good job. It was pricey though.

Lee Press-Ons

Thanks to this thread, I just bought an iPad (which I’m using now) and I’m seriously considering an AirFryer.

R106 same here! Do you have the Roborock? It's been a game-changer. I'm dying to get the upgraded model with the refill station but it's $1600, which is a little high for me. Maybe as a Christmas present for myself...

A silly thing, maybe, but I use them multiple times a day and they've become an indispensable pleasure.

It's a small cube 2.5cm or 1" square with a routed slot in the bottom to serve as a weight to hold a mobile charger or laptop cord from slipping off a desk or table. One is solid copper, the other three are solid bronze. I keep them in different rooms and sometimes take one along if I'm travelling with a laptop or for any length of time.

(The illustration is just of a specimen cube of copper about the same size; it lacks the slot to accommodate the power cord; but absent that and the engraving it looks much the same.)

DL Have an account on account of the pandemic and working remotely

Cordless rechargeable leaf blower. How much less of a hassle it is to keep a patio/deck/porch clean, and I'm much more apt to bring it out for small jobs because I don't have to lug an extension cord. Therefore, I DO bring it out more. Therefore my outdoor areas stay cleaner and tidier. A game changer for me.

I do R109. Roborock S7 Max.

Like I said, pricey, but it works really well. I have to add water maybe once a week, and empty the bag every other month.

It does need some other minor maintenance once in a while, but the app will tell you when to do it.

I saw the new model as well. I was thinking of giving my current one to a family member and buying the new one.

portable stripper pole

I love mine R113, my floors are always sparkling. The only part I don't like is that the mop pads get dirty so easily. I bought a pack of 8 backups from Amazon so I could rotate them but the griminess persists. I send my laundry out so it's either have dirty pads or have them bleached and risk bleaching my floor.

At any rate, it's been a joy not to have to sweep, vacuum, and mop as much as I used to.

All this talk of air fryers has me pondering the possibility of purchasing a toaster oven/air fryer combo. This way I still get a (beloved) toaster oven with an added feature of an air fryer. They range in price. A mid-range one would suit me well. I'm not a Rockefeller, but neither am I a "poor".

R116, an air fryer is a convection oven. So, just look for a countertop convection oven.

Also, cast iron (Lodge) pizza pans. Those combined with the counter top convection /fryer and the dough being made in the kitchenaid has changed my life. well, my pant size anyway.

[quote] What item did you finally get around to purchasing and absolutely freaking loved it?

Why, my subscription to DataLounge of course! The access to unrestricted discourse with such a delightful selection of the western world’s most fabulous, witty, erudite cultural luminaries has certainly made me an even better person!

I think you’re still misunderstanding it R94. He just means you couldn’t live without it now

Another vote for an iPad. I haven’t used my laptop in months. I do almost everything on the iPad.

R108 Nice welcome to the club. Which model iPad did you go for?

R116 - the Ninja Flip one is great.

I got an air fryer and ended up returning it. It only saved 10-20 minutes versus the oven. What did I miss?

So it looks like the air fryer is the new/better Instant Pot, but I still love my IP. From hard boiled eggs, taco pasta, butter chicken. steamed vegetables and a whole range of soups, I use mine all the time.

R124 one thing is that it doesn’t heat up the whole kitchen.

An air fryer is basically an oven R124. I don't get the hype either.

There can be advantages as far as scale. Do you really want to heat your full oven to 400 to reheat left over pizza? I can see the use case in places without an oven, but if you already have one, I don't see the convince over a regular oven.

See R117

R42 beat me to it - ear buds and Spotify. Worth every penny. Can listen to any song or podcast whenever I want and no more headphone cord getting all tangled or getting caught on shit.

R112

Could you share the name of the leaf blower you have? We're looking at corded vs cordless and I'm concerned that the cordless isn't powerful enough.

Thanks!

R37, OP wrote that "you cannot NOT have it in your life now," which I understand to mean you feel as if you can't live without the thing, whatever it is.

An extensive jockstrap collection.

All of you mentioning iPads...what exactly does an iPad do that a phone cannot? I'm just curious as I've never really understood why one would need an iPad if a phone can do the same stuff.

You really want a tiny screen to do everything R132? Games? Movies? In a pinch a smart phone is fine but the screen is so small. Also, some peoples eyesight is not so good so they prefer iPad.

It’s larger than a phone. I have the largest (I think) iPad. I can lie in bed, relax, and watch YouTube or whatever. I can prop it up on its stand and watch videos while I cook.

Another vote for a bidet attachment. Now I think people who use tp are barbaric. It really needs to be standard here in the US.

Foaming hand soap.

My partner bought us a Sage Smart Oven for Christmas 2021 before he passed away.

I have used it…. A lot.

It’s great for single person cooking and real easy to use.

My hybrid car. Gasoline+electric.

Good pick up and GREAT mileage. Love it!

Spend a lot less time pumping and buying ghastly-line.

Earrings

Caftans

R41: does it work on hardwood floors without leaving streaks? Or are you carpet (ew) or tile?

It's like life is a giant weenie roast, and I'm the biggest weenie.

This is wonderful.

"I've been having a good time, and there wasn't even a man in the room!"

My Chillwell portable AC. Summer utility bill is substantially lower thanks to this…I’m a bit of a hot sleeper myself so this is great for me.

Thanks to this thread, I'm getting: Cosori Air Fryer, Natural Dentist Whitening Rinse, and the Libby Library e-book app.

A couple of other items on my never live without list: Cuisinart 2.6 cup food processor (great for things like homemade pesto sauce and Bruschetta topping) and Classy Casita 3-in-1 soil tester for indoor plants. The meter checks for soil moistness, PH, and light so you can make adjustments for your greenery, and the back of the box lists various plants and which "zone" on the meter is best for each.

[quote]Thanks to this thread, I'm getting: Cosori Air Fryer, Natural Dentist Whitening Rinse, and the Libby Library e-book app.

I forgot to add that Libby has audio books and makes it very easy to listen to them anywhere, including the car.

My Theragun

That spare piece of window screen found at the dump .. it's great at sifting small rocks out of the dirt!

I downloaded Libby because of this thread. It's great!

R143 Is that what some people refer to as a swamp cooler? I've heard people here in Reno talk about them, but I had no clue what they were.

Love my reverse osmosis water filtration system that came with a hot and cold water dispenser. It dispenses icy cold alkaline water that tastes so good that I crave it when I'm away from home. The instant hot comes in handy too. I was spending a fortune buying bottled water. Not any more.

Toilet paper from Costco

Paper Towel from Costco

Dude Wipes

Not sure about that r149. But mine works great for me.

Food.

Yes, R149, they are swamp coolers.

The one at R143 is bullshit.

The theory works, but there is a big "IF" depending on scale/climate. They just don't work in even mildly humid climates.

I will say I have mist fans for outdoors in CO, and they are fantastic, but it is always really dry here. Having a mist fan in IL, VA, NY, etc, is just not going to work.

Loose top, 100% cotton socks.

A vagina

Thanks R155. People around here rave about them, but I think that's for older homes where they don't have central AC. I'm in a new build, so there's no need for one. Also my rooms are much too large, I don't think one would work.

Yes, r140, I live in a dusty loft and I use the crosswave on my hardwood. My are light however but I made my mother buy one and she has dark walnut floors. No streaking.

Apparently, you can use it on low pile area rugs but my are wool so I don't risk it.

R155 I don’t know what to tell you…it works fine for me…

My iPhone.

R108 here, thank you R122 for not telling me to die in a grease fire like I usually expect here. I had a deal from TMobile for 50% off an iPad 9th generation. While I’m sure there’s newer, better models as it’s my first I’m totally happy with it and it suits my purposes. I may go to the Apple Store for a class so I know more about it.

Lush by Lovense up my ass...

My Mac Santoku knife with dimpled or "granton" edge. About $150. I also bought a paring knife, but I use the Santoku a lot more, even for small things.

Coffee: a K-cup maker. I get out of bed faster knowing I will have coffee within 2 minutes & don’t have to deal with mess cleaning a coffee maker. I use mesh pods to cut down on plastic.

Tea: A glass, electric and stainless kettle heats water so quickly I also use it to preheat the water I use to make pasta

Agreed about coffee, R169. I have a Nespresso version and it means never a second thought to whether I want a cup of coffee.

There are at least 10 bars or coffee shops within a block of my house where an excellent café espresso or variation can be had for €1. Craving a rich, strong cup, I'll take one in the street, but the Nespresso satisfies an occasional other urge: for a quick cup of coffee without leaving home, and without multiple machines and 20 minutes lost of preparation and cleanup.

Those long, cellophane tipped toothpicks. I now secure my hamburgers and sandwiches with them before I cut them in half. It works great! The sandwiches stay together. I feel like a pro! They also make burgers and sandwiches easier to eat. You just gotta be careful not to bite into the toothpick.

[quoteI'll take one in the street,]

R166 Are you still referring to coffee???

^^^ Fucked up the syntax.

R166 has it right. If you don't want drip/filter or instant coffee but want a quick espresso fix, Nespresso is perfect. It's not mind blowing, but nobody has the space and time for a 5 la Marzocco. I've moved to pots of drip from Nespresso, but have a machine and pods on hand if needed.

r166, you get those coffees for 1 EUR? Where do you live? In the US $2.50 seems to be the norm now just for some stupid drip-coffee.

I'm not r166, but that's about right for southern Europe where prices are a bit cheaper.

Good work, R172, you geotracked me.

It's not that I don't appreciate an excellent strong coffee, nor that I don't know that it's superior to a Nespresso. It's that the real thing is so cheap and readily available, and I don't even have to take apart a machine and clean up when I'm done.

My desktop vacuum. No more crumbs or dust around my keyboard.

glass bong

R159: thanks for the info! Now I may have to buy one.

Syntax? Syntax????

JFC, they're taxing EVERYTHING now!

Plackers. Because regular floss is too difficult to use.

Washer Dryer (In Home, not just the use of) Portable waterpik flosser!!!!!!

R178 they are very convenient and I use them too. But my dental hygienist still wants me to use dental floss. Those floss pics don’t really give you the C shape around your tooth that dental floss can. He also has me using interdental brushes because I have gum disease. They have helped tremendously! I sometimes I will dip them into hydrogen peroxide and then brush between my teeth. It makes them feel extra clean!

I may buy these as well r180, thanks!

One question on the Cosswave for hardwood floors--are they truly gentle enough? My hardwood floors are very old and need refinishing so I don't want to damage them further but also want to clean them.

Too frau even for this thread?

For the floss-and-pick crowd, I've been using Doctors Brush Picks for years. I get compliments from my dentist and my dental hygienist for my gum condition. I floss as much as I pick.

R166 in what city is coffee 1 dollar everywhere?

I second everyone who's been singing the praises of their air fryer. It has made my life so much easier and delicious.

I’m loathe to bring this up, cause I know I’ll be skewered for it, but I love my Ninja Speedi.

I’m not much of a cook, but this machine makes it all very easy. Lots of really great ideas on YouTube and Ninja has a recipe builder feature on their site that is very helpful.

Air fryers cook the juiciest meat because they work fast and hot, sealing in all the juices.

Swiffer WetJet mops.

As long as I can remember, I've had an aversion to string mops and sponge mops. The moldy smell even when you sanitize them, the strings, streaks, and ground-in dirt they leave behind, plus the disgusting mop bucket water, just activate my OCD.

When my parents got down with dementia, our first caregiver (no shade; she was an incredible cleaner) used so much bleach and Pine-Sol, I could smell them before I even opened the front door. I didn't want my parents sitting all day breathing in those fumes, so I bought two Swiffers and started making my own essential oil cleaning products.

Now, I only reach for a mop and bucket when I clean the walls.

R186 that looks like something I should’ve bought instead of the instant pot!

the Tuohy's

R186, I just ordered one, thanks for the recommendation! Tell me more about this machine. What is your fave recipe, and what do you suggest for something fun to try with it?

The Roku streaming device - opens up a world of entertainment.

R192 a world of pure feces.

Android on a Pixel. You don't get how bad iOS is until you use Android, but only without all of the noisy Samsung bloatware.

Yeah, Android is so great and this explains why its sales are so superior to Apple’s iOS.

lol so defensive!

Zip lock bag holders. Change your life for $1.89.

My 3-way poncho

Squatty Potty

I can report that the Cosori 5-qt. air fryer makes delicious, juicy salmon straight from frozen and sweet potato fries that are actually crispy. Both bought on the cheap from Trader Joe's.

I got a Dash air fryer several years ago and wrote off the entire genre because it made meh fish and soggy fries. Couldn't be happier with the Cosori so far.

^^ Poster R50 here - so glad you like the Cosori 5 qt. The salmon is delicious in the air fryer. Also, frozen turkey burgers come out juicy.

Recently made soft boiled eggs with the Cosori and they came out exactly as I like them.

Enjoy!

Speaking of Dash, I was gifted a Dash Egg Cooker several years ago and LOVE it. It’s so perfect for me.

My hand held shower massager and my vibrator.

They are helping me through some tough times.

If only they could take out the garbage!!!

For anyone using a Ninja Speedi there are a lot of great (mostly very easy) YouTube videos. I love Cooking With Doug.

Thanks R204, much appreciated!

A second monitor.

Motorized solar blinds. I have a three bedroom condo and each bedroom, the living room, and dining room have a whole wall that’s sliding glass doors. In the primary bedroom I got heavy dark blue draperies with blackout panels, and white sheers. But all the other rooms have motorized blinds and I love them. I bought the place two years ago and the blinds were my biggest investment when furnishing the place, but I have no regrets. I love walking into a room, touching a button and watching the blinds go up or down. It’s the little things.

My yoga mat

As Seen On TV Pillow Pad tablet holder.

Chatturbate so many men . . .

I changed out my bed from a queen-sized with a wooden headboard to a full-size, no headboard.

I was missing the headboard because I could prop my king-sized pillows against the board and read / look at my iPad in bed.

Then ... I found a foam wedge that, in combination with a small pillow, does the trick on my full-sized bed.

Another tip: get king-sized pillows - no matter what size your bed is. So much nicer.

My Martin guitar. I got in in 2010 as a bumbling young musician and I've had it ever since. It's accumulated some value, but my Martin definitely has some miles on it. But I wouldn't trade it for any other Martin or guitar in the world. The finest (and final) big Christmas gift of my entire childhood. I will die with this guitar still in my possession. If I am ever homeless, I will be homeless with my Martin.

I’m the poster who went out and got an iPad based on the comments in this thread. I’m about a week with it now and it’s really awesome - I didn’t realize what a difference there would be from my phone screen to the iPad screen but it’s unbelievable.

A plastic pour-over coffeemaker. Costs only a few bucks, takes up no counter space, not a pain to clean like French press, easy to travel with.

Parodontax toothpaste - the best I've ever tried for getting rid of plaque. Would never go back to the more popular brands.

My white noise machine. It’s changed my life (or at least my sleep.)

r150, which one do you have?

Also considering the Roborock S8 Plus since I get fleas every year with an indoor cat, and I'm exhausted vacuuming my place for 4 hours every day (1 hour per room). I'm more interested in the floor cleaning aspects (2 rooms) than vacuuming. I have the Crosswave, but to lug that out everyday is also exhausting.

And for those into Libby, there is also the Kanopy app- movies through the Library system- they have a ton of foreign and Criterion films as well.

Kanopy link:

R216 - thanks for the tip about Kanopy. I was wondering whether I could borrow movies from my local library.

Kanopy is great!

So is Parodontax!

A smart TV. Love watching YouTube, Netflix, etc on the big screen. Also, picking out the proper size TV for my living room. My old TV was definitely too small.

Just ordered Parodontax from Amazon!

Will need an updated library card for Kanopy.

Agree 100% with r220. Love my 55" Samsung Smart TV! I think the Google/Internet function might be underappreciated!

RE-HEATING PIZZA: Use neither oven nor microwave. The BEST method is to FRY it, in a frying pan! This method keeps the crust....crusty. I use Le Creuset, as it's cast iron.

R215, I rely a lot on my little "WAVE" "sounds" gizmo! I crank up either "Thunderstorm" ⛈ or "Ocean Waves" 🌊 to Max, and it's, outside world? What outside world?

R207, Here's what I did re: blinds. I needed a new set of "patio" doors. I splurged and bought doors with INTERNAL blinds! They can be raised or lowered by a slider. Dust, what dust? They're the only surface in my house without dust!

Kindle Scribes are on sale and they get universal rave reviews. I ordered one and will report back.

Weighted blankets. I have one in my bedroom and the other is on my living room couch. I do sleep better than before.

I know this sounds awfully suburban but I love our screen “door” that is two screen curtains that connect with magnets. I love that it’s hands-free but it took the dog years to figure it out.

Please link [R226] - I’m curious!

r226, I was thinking about getting those and using baby gates to block the dog being able to get out- good to know someone with a good recommendation for them!

Takes a minute to get used to them.....sort of like getting hit in the face with a flyswatter - but once you remember to put your hands out to separate them.....very nice!

Cookie butter…orgasmically delicious.

stupid one - I actually felt like a dummy. concrete, absorbant coasters. I have had some beautiful glazed ceramic coasters for YEARS and always bitch in the summer because of the pooled condensation. what a dummy.

R224 I am anxious to hear your review. Reading your post just now is the first time I’d even heard of a Kindle Scribe — seems very cool.

R230, Read the ingredients, all ye who indulge here, and despair.

I see coffee was discussed upthread, but I didn’t see the Jura mentioned. We were using a stovetop espresso maker for years, but mostly buying cappuccino in cafes near the office. We even had a Keurig for a while, which was convenient but the coffee was nothing special.

My husband researched espresso makers and suggested we get a Jura, which astonished me because he doesn’t like to spend a lot of money. We took the plunge about a year ago and I highly recommend it.

It produces cafe-quality espresso drinks with very little effort. I’ve stayed in rentals that have Nespresso machines, and the Jura is just a whole different level of quality. In mu experience, Nespresso machines are slightly fancy Keurigs.

Roomba. Mine has last ten years with four permanent dogs and 10+ fosters because it’s easy to replace minor parts to keep it going. Excellent customer service.

Also, my Lomi composter - we put all our food leavings and paper in it and get compost five hours later.

^ *my

Edible…body paint, body paint! What did you think I was gonna say?

r235 I've been pondering purchasing a Roomba. I'm assuming it works well (safely) on hardwood floors? That's all I have, no carpeting.

R238

Yes! I have bamboo and concrete and it’s just fine. Mine is old school (880 model) but they’re really easy to schedule so you can have it vacuum while you’re out of the house.

Mostly kitchen stuff. This sounds like a big expenditure but I spend a lot less on take-out and restaurants.

My rice cooker makes perfect rice and steel cut oats. I use to louse up rice all the time. It was $80, is made in Japan,. and has fuzzy logic like the more expensive ones. It really is "set it and forget it." Some people have no difficulty with this, but if you do and have the kitchen space, it's worth it.

My vacuum sealer was about $100 and is paying for itself. I use it to sous vide chicken breasts and thighs in my instant pot, and then stick in the freezer and to divide large size Costco frozen and prepared foods into small portions. I've also bought the catering size of certain foods and divied them up into small portions at a savings of about $4. per portion over the individual size. I use biodegradable bag material. Note: You can't seal liquids or foods with a lot of liquids unless you freeze them first.

Vegetable choppers will give you uniform cuts of root vegetables and other foods in no time. : A really good blender--mine is a refurbished Blendtec--will up your smoothie and pureed soup game.

There are silicone tools called spurtles which are incredibly useful as bowl and jar scrapers.

Thermometers--an electric one for you and several more for meat and deep frying

Having a P.O. Box has been unexpectedly good. I got one a few years ago for my business.

During the beginning of Covid & stimulus checks, people started stealing from street mailboxes. At that point, I diverted all of my mail to the P.O. Box.

I live on a highway. So, whenever I ordered stuff (parcels), the mailman would leave notices (rather than leave boxes at my door). Then, I'd have to pick up at the Post Office, anyway.

Moka pot.

Yes, moka pots are very underrated.

For R165.

Sorry, for R195 ^^^

I bought a Toto Washlet (C5) this morning that arrives Monday and I'm preemptively posting here, anticipating the glorious anal revelations to come.

R244 the Android phones outsell iPhones because the sell them to the poors at bargain carriers like Cricket

I was at costco today and vacuum sealed five meals from the food I bought. Life-changing.

Fasta Pasta. I first heard of this on America's Test Kitchen. It's now my favorite way to prepare pasta. Love it!

YoyTube

DL

Crystal. Ginger

Tylenol

Air Fresheners

Backyard Sheds

"Wind Tunnel" floor fans

Flavored bottled water

cats

pruning shears

apple cider vinegar

Pizza Hut Buffalo sauce or Barbeque sauce pizzas

eBay

I think I may have to get an air fryer after all these comments. Are you frying homemade stuff or frozen onion rings, chicken strips and fries?

R247 a lot of IT people don't like iOS's closed system and use android to push internal apps and manage devices more easily.

For R244- Apple dominates smart phone sales. In fact it holds the top 4 positions for the first half of 2023. In fact the iPhone from 2021 still outsold Samsungs flagship phone.

R253, Outside of the US and most of Western Europe, Android dominates. The Pixel is the #1 phone in Japan, which has squarely (and curiously!) rejected the iPhone.

I just had partial knee replacement and my recovery has been made better by Alexa, my robot vacuum, my bidet and my dishwasher. I never had a dishwasher until a year ago when I moved into an apartment that has one. I never used it prior to this surgery, but man it's been a life saver. The Alexa has been great for reminding me when to take all the meds I'm taking and for turning lights on and off, etc. I like that if I fall, I can tell her to call someone. I couldn't shower until today and the bidet has been vital for me feeling that I am not gross. I have been doing sponge bath type things. But the robot vacuum is amazing. My place always looks tidy thanks to being able to program that thing to come on daily and clean.

A compact dishwasher. While I had always had a full-sized machine in previous apartments and houses, the last move I had a more compact machine (about 2/3 the usual size) installed and it's been great. No more letting dishes accumulate in the machine until there is a reasonably sized load, no more prewashing, just pile everything dishwashable into the machine and then set on on a quick 30-minute cycle before I got to bed. Most every time I get a drink, I use a clean glass, and don't hesitate to use another fork or spoon or whatever - it all goes into the dishwasher during the course of the day and the clean things are unloaded and put away the next morning.

With a full sized or even larger machine, it was always a decision whether to rinse, whether it was better to just wash it straight away, etc. Now it's simple and much less time at the sink fucking around with washing my dishes for the dishwasher that would be barely half full in 2 or 3 days,

Psyllium husks.

I like the convenience of our phone controlled lights and thermostat, but those are conveniences I could (maybe) live without. Not so much the keypad entry to our front door and the phone app that controls the remote on the garage door. No more lockouts or wondering all day if I closed the garage door.

haha, when I moved into my new apartment I said 'well, it's a shame I have that here, I'll never use that' about the ice machine/water dispenser. WRONG. I swear, I don't know how I'll live without it if it breaks.

Well I did it...I bought the Roborock Q Revo. It was on sale for $699, down from $999. I shall be enjoying my lemonade with my feet up, while having sparkling clean floors.

My thick metal cock ring. With it, I get intensely hard and my cock head turns purple. First time I came with it on, my splooge hit the wall behind me. I thought I was going to explode.

Maybe it was your brains R261?

Ohmygaaaa I am in love with my Roborock- thank you poster and DL.

Rolando

I have a Neato7. Is the Roborock that much of a . improvement?

I'm not sure- this is my first robotic vacuum and mop.

A small, 3.5 cu. ft. chest freezer. I should have bought it years ago.

Living alone, I accumulate leftovers and partially-used portions a lot. I also like specific bread products for specific purposes - hot dog buns for hot dogs, burger buns for burgers, etc. There's no way the refrigerator freezer has enough space. I used to waste so much money throwing stuff away and buying new that I can now keep in the freezer, and I always have homemade chili or lasagna read to go on a busy night, which saves money on carryout as well.

As a bonus, the freezer is non-self-defrost, which keeps baked products, especially, fresher for longer.

They're very cheap, too. Only $160 at Best Buy.

My circular crepe maker. I love it.

My mini cuisinart food processor. I love it, too.

R257 what do you use those for…?

Psyllium husks are what Metamucil is made of.