Ask HN: What under $100 item would you recommend everyone buy? - stickhandle
======
a_bonobo
An ebook reader. Both the cheapest version of the Kobo and the Kindle cost
around USD60-70.

I've gone from reading ~10 books per year to reading ~80 books per year, just
because I always carry that thing with me since it's so small and light.

I also save a ton of money since printed books are so expensive in Australia,
and out-of-copyright books are free.

The formatting of technical non-fiction books for e-readers has come a long
way, too.

~~~
yelnatz
You got my attention.

Which reader do you recommend?

~~~
a_bonobo
I have a third-generation Kindle 3G (edit: [2]), and I'm happy with it - since
I never used a cover I got a few broken "pixels" on the display, but these are
not very annoying, they look more like ink smudges. I'll probably get the new
Paperwhite next (and definitely with a cover!).

For software I use Calibre, I have never used Amazon's own thing. If I buy
from Amazon I use the USB cable and Calibre to transfer it, the
WLAN/whispernet is always off. That way battery lasts for about a month and I
don't get any "unexpected surprises" from Amazon [1]

I have held the Kobo in store and it's pretty much identical in terms of
dimensions/clarity/weight. Not sure about the rest.

[1] Like this one:
[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18ama...](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html)

[2] Here's one on ebay: [http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazon-Kindle-3rd-Generation-
WI-FI-w...](http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazon-Kindle-3rd-Generation-WI-FI-with-
Keyboard-and-Leather-Case-/281292469021)

------
Eliezer
A slidebelt ($28). I recently bought one and it's superior to any belt I've
ever owned. It instantly tightens if I want to run, and with only slightly
less effort loosens. It's exactly the right tightness, no holes. If you're
losing weight and the belt is sticking out too far, just take it out of the
buckle, cut, replace it within the buckle. And since the makers don't have to
worry about variable belt lengths, they can make it up for it by offering a
variety of buckle designs and belt colors.

It is Correctly Designed and a joy to use.

[http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-SlideBelts-Mens-Genuine-
Lea...](http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-SlideBelts-Mens-Genuine-Leather-
Adjustable-Ratchet-Belt-without-
Holes-/191039554947?pt=US_CSA_MWA_Belts&var=&hash=item2c7ad84583)

~~~
rebelidealist
This type of belt is really popular almost the standard in Asia.

~~~
pritambaral
I'm Indian, and surprised that this the top suggestion. Slide belts are
ubiquitous here.

------
IvyMike
If you cook at all: Infrared thermometer.

How hot is that pan? Is my oven thermometer accurate? I'm proofing yeast, is
this water too warm? How cold is my freezer? Is my smoker ready? Is that
caramel done?

I got a cheap $15 one and I use it nearly every day.

~~~
stevekemp
I get how this could be useful for things, like checking the inside of a
steak.

But my only concern is that I've cooked my whole life without worrying about
temperature. I have now learned how something "cooked" looks, and how long it
should take. So if I were to get a temperature reading I'd have no knowledge
of what the correct result should be.

I guess what I'm saying is that it seems like I'd need to retrain my whole
cooking experience, which doesn't seem like it would be worth it.

~~~
IvyMike
Checking a steak (or most foods) for doneness is something it _can 't_ do,
though--it can't see inside food. (You could get an "instant read" probe
thermometer, like the Thermapen, but I did not recommend this because I don't
use it that often for exactly the reason you mention: I usually have a good
intuition if something is done or not already.)

Some more examples: If you want to make sure the oil for frying the chicken is
at the right temperature, which is something you may already do with a
conventional thermometer, this will make that faster and easier.

Wine experts (of which I am NOT one) have a whole "optimum serving
temperature" list. The infrared thermometer is an easy way to check that.
Beer, too.
[http://www.bettertastingwine.com/temperature.html](http://www.bettertastingwine.com/temperature.html)

I mentioned checking your oven thermometer (which are notoriously poorly
calibrated), but another use is finding hot/cold spots in your oven.

I don't do anything with chocolate, but if I did, I'd check the temperature
with this.

When I make coffee or tea, I bring water to boiling... but then you're
supposed to let it cool a bit, somewhere in the 180-200 degree range.

------
yesimahuman
For men: A beard trimmer is one of my favorite cheap buys. Never shave again:
[http://www.amazon.com/Remington-MB4040-Lithium-
Rechargeable-...](http://www.amazon.com/Remington-MB4040-Lithium-Rechargeable-
Mustache/dp/B005PUZZR8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395896179&sr=8-3&keywords=beard+trimmer)

Beyond that, I'd say the aeropress coffee maker:
[http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-
Make...](http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-
Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395896241&sr=8-1&keywords=aero+press)

~~~
stevekemp
The aoropress is great, but I do find the price of the paper pretty annoying.

I've now switched to one of the many metal-filters, which makes me happier.

~~~
psyklic
The official filters are $2.99 for 350 on Amazon, so 0.85 cents per filter
(for up to 4 cups). $2.99 for a year's supply seems pretty reasonable to me.

~~~
stevekemp
Your volume is off a fair bit for us. Assuming you don't reuse them my wife
and I will make 8-12 cups a day, which means 350 will last for around 35 days.
Or basically a month.

Additionally the filters cost £3.99 as "add ons" at Amazon.co.uk, or £6.99
when purchased alone.

So trade-off is clear one metal filter costs the same as two packets of
papers.

(Yeah, tried to persuade my wife to recycle, but she preferred the simplicity
of pushing out the puck into the bin, so that was a losing battle.)

~~~
pkulak
I love my Aeropress, but I keep myself to two cups a day and my wife doesn't
drink coffee. Sounds like you guys would be better off with something that
made a "pot". Like a large Chemex or something.

~~~
stevekemp
In terms of volume, yeah. But the per-cup brewing being so fast and easy
actually works really well for us. (Large pots tend to get burnt..)

------
Pitarou
A fountain pen.

I grew up using pencils and ballpoint pens. I swore off fountain pens after
some frustrating, messy experiences. In hindsight, I think I still lacked the
fine motor skills necessary to get the best out of a fountain pen.

I took an interest again when I started working on a website selling fancy
$2000 models, but the one I bought was less then $10. In my downtime I
retrained my hand, and learned traditional copperplate-style handwriting.

Now, the simple act of signing my name is a completely different experience --
it feels like an act of craftsmanship.

But do buy a CHEAP one first. If you're used to writing with a ballpoint
you'll be putting far too much pressure on the paper, and you'll probably ruin
a nib or two before you get used to it.

~~~
balac
I wrote with a fountain pen throughout secondary school and wouldn't mind
giving them another try. Do you find that for quick note taking the ink dries
fast enough?

~~~
falcolas
I recommend the Pilot Varsity. They are disposable fountain pens, with one of
the best nibs on the market, even when compared to many other sub $100
refillable pens. Good enough that a lot of folks have modded them to become
refillable.

They do lay down a lot of ink, though, which will bleed through thin paper.
However, with a decent notebook, you won't have any issues. Moleskine,
unfortunately, is not a decent notebook in this regard.

Bic has just started to release disposable fountain pens as well, and while
the nib isn't as good as the Varsity, it's better than my $60 Schrade fountain
pen's nib. It doesn't lay down as much ink as the Varsity.

I have had some issues with drying times, but the ink is typically dry within
a minute for my thickest ink blots.

In short, there are some good quality, cheap and disposable fountain pens on
the market right now.

------
eshvk
In the Summer of 2011, I was working at Mozilla. My first exposure to an open
plan office. I decided (for a poor student) to spend an insane amount of money
on a pair of headphones so that I could get more productive: The Shure SE 215
in ear phones for $99. Since then, I have used them everyday. Backpacked
across 3 continents. Taken them to the gym. Used them like crap. Yet, they
still lasted. I went through 4 different phones in the mean time. Finally,
yesterday I broke down and bought new replacement cables; the cable had
started fraying from within.

Now, I work for a company which has a lot of music buffs. So I may actually
upgrade to something that is a whole new level in music quality. But a part of
me will really really cherish these earphones.

(P.S: I don't work for Shure. The only damn product that I have ever written a
review for Shure. :|)

~~~
falcolas
I can't rave about my Shure 535 IEMs enough. I'm even about to spend the
$2-300 to get custom molded fittings for them Near-reference quality sound (a
little too warm, though it hasn't been an issue so far), great isolation
(about 25db), and they are hard to have randomly pulled out of your ears.

Granted, this is well out of the $100 ballpark, but they're still fantastic.

If you're looking for reference quality sound at under $100, look into the
Etymotic in-ear headphones. Ridiculously good, though they are a bit weak on
the low end of the spectrum (not enough that you won't feel bass on real
punchy songs, but enough that they don't sound like any other headphone on the
market).

~~~
eshvk
So I am really tempted to get the SE 535s (because they seem like the next
level up from the 215s which also fit me really well). The only thing that is
stopping me is that the idea/hope that the Westones would be better. Did you
do any sort of comparison between the two?

~~~
falcolas
No, when I purchased my 535's from Headroom, they didn't have any Westone in
stock (that I recall, it was several months ago). I tried out similarly priced
Sennheiser in-ear headphones (ie80 and ie800) as well as another higher priced
JH Audio IEM model (JH13, iirc), but the 535's sounded the best to my ears.

I do see that the Westone's offer 4 drivers to the 535's two drivers, but
unfortunately Headroom doesn't have the frequency response graphs for them
yet. Otherwise, they seem very similar for features & specs (they both appear
to use the same ear tips, which is good for finding the one that fits the
best).

Of course, I'm lucky enough to live in Headroom's home town, so that helps
these kinds of purchases immensely.

~~~
dankoss
The 535s have three drivers, and Shure now has the SE846 if you're interested
in quad drivers. But I'll caution that triple and quad drivers don't
necessarily make for better sound.

------
jasonkester
Good Kitchen Knives

Ideally, a whole block of them, but all you really need is one, and that'll
run you less than $100.

No more laboriously sawing through an onion with that flimsy dull serrated
piece of worthlessness. A good sharp knife should glide right through anything
you care to stick between it and the board. Onions, tomatoes (without
squishing), probably even your thumb a few times until you learn how to use it
right.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels are my choice. Not overly expensive. Overly good at
chopping things in half. Sorted.

~~~
eshvk
+1

I would also add some personal opinion and say that all you need is a paring
knife and chef's knife. Maybe a sharpening block. And Zwilling is my choice
too.

~~~
b_t_s
along the same lines: one of those diamond sharpening rods. $15 at walmart, 5
strokes on each side before every use, and you've got a 9 inch scalpel that
you'll never have to take a real whetstone to. Also, the knife doesn't have to
be great, just not junk. I'm using the best knife I could find at the the
local dollar store(like $30 marked down to $6), which is great, but my $20 for
the entire block ones from walley world just refuse to take a decent edge.
Look for a rigid, tapred blade(this ought to be tempered steel), as opposed to
a flexible uniform thickness one(junk sheet metal).

[http://www.walmart.com/ip/Smith-s-Interrupted-Surface-
Diamon...](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Smith-s-Interrupted-Surface-Diamond-
Sharpening-Steel/9224932)

------
tdicola
Raspberry Pi - seriously fun gadget with a ton of potential. Hacking on one
gives me the same kind of joy I had hacking on QBASIC programs as a kid.

------
wunderlust
A midi keyboard. If you already have a computer, then adding some free
software and a midi controller gives you endless possibilities for exploring
music creation.

A tournament chess set (vinyl board, plastic weighted pieces). Chess is an
amazing game and a portable set will let you play more often and with more
people.

------
budman
I know it says "everyone", but for any male: a top quality shaving cream to
try for while. I used to think Edge, Barbasol, etc was good enough and the
boutique ones were for snobs and no difference. Then I tried a few. Like night
and day difference in closeness and after shaving comfort. You will not go
back.

Not even that expensive considering you can use less per shave because of the
quality. The two best I have ever used are both fairly affordable and don't
even need a bowl/brush:

men-u Shaving Cream: [http://www.men-uusa.com/men-
ushavingcream33oz.aspx](http://www.men-uusa.com/men-ushavingcream33oz.aspx)

Kiehl's Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream:
[http://www.kiehls.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-kiehls_us-
Si...](http://www.kiehls.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-kiehls_us-
Site/default/Product-Show?pid=236&bookmark=384890)

~~~
falcolas
When you're ready to go the next step, a safety razor will go a long ways
towards a better, less irritating shave as well. 6¢ blades mean you're not as
inclined to use them past getting dull, less plastic waste, and a stupidly
close shave.

~~~
samelawrence
Also feels awesome to shave with a solid piece of steel rather than some
9-bladed rubber-gripped FlexxxoBlade9000.

1936 Gillette DE FTW.

------
imkevinxu
Found this compilation of links on Reddit, there are actually some good
suggestions inbetween the joke suggestions

[http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/10yu3d/what_100_i...](http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/10yu3d/what_100_item_has_the_single_greatest_ability_to/c6hyr1q)

------
erikig
2 tech things if you don't have them: \- An external 24" monitor if you don't
have one \- An SSD for your workstation

The improvement in productivity is well worth the $100.

~~~
sehr
Any recommendations monitor-wise?

~~~
WiseWeasel
Just bought this HP 27" 2560x1440 IPS LED one for $450, and it's changed my
life! It has much higher contrast than my last monitor, as well as every other
monitor I've seen. Note they also have it used for $350.

[http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/828572-REG/HP_Hewlett_...](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/828572-REG/HP_Hewlett_Packard_XW476A8_ABA_ZR2740W_27inch_LED_Backlit.html)

~~~
borplk
With that resolution have you had any problems with text being too small and
with adjusting DPI settings?

~~~
WiseWeasel
Yes, I hooked it up to my Win7 gaming rig, and had to turn interface scaling
to 125% and zoom in on most web pages. It works well, and font rendering is
drastically improved.

------
sphildreth
At least once in your life take the $100 and break it into 5 $20. Then find
someone who you appreciate (Police, Fireman, EMT, Preacher, Teacher, etc.)
Walk up and give them the $20 and say something simple like "Thanks for what
you do, let me buy you lunch". It's an awesome experience to see someone
receive unsolicited gratitude.

~~~
gesman
...or don't break it and use "as is" for someone you appreciate.

------
jfoster
A Fitbit Flex. I was a bit overweight when I got mine, and it got me within
the normal BMI range within 3 months. It's a very simple product (essentially
just a Bluetooth enabled pedometer) but the lifestyle improvements (if you are
motivated by the goals) are massive.

~~~
borplk
I like the idea but I'd want one that keeps the data locally. Is there such
thing?

~~~
a_bonobo
Premium membership with Fitbit ($60/year) allows for export of the data
[http://www.fitbit.com/premium/export](http://www.fitbit.com/premium/export)

Withings Pulse has a data export function too:
[https://withings.zendesk.com/hc/en-
us/articles/201488977-How...](https://withings.zendesk.com/hc/en-
us/articles/201488977-How-do-I-export-share-my-data-from-the-online-
dashboard-)

~~~
alok-g
I want one that keeps the data "only" locally. Is there such a thing? :-)

~~~
jfoster
None that I know of. I don't think the demand is strong enough to outweigh the
business model whereby they can sell leads to customers (eg. by exercise
frequency, weight, etc.) to health insurance companies and such.

------
mdisraeli
An instrument - you can actually get perfectly reasonable starter version of
most instruments for around that price point if you shop around, which will
work fine when it comes to gigging too. Guitars, Basses, Midi Keyboards - you
might have to shop around, but it is possible to get within the price limit.

I've been learning bass for the last month and a bit, and it has made a big
difference to how I feel about myself and my confidence that I can pick up an
entirely new skill from scratch, and that I can make music.

With things like LMMS and Hydrogen available, and lots of royalty-free free
sample packs available, it is entirely possible to write and perform music on
the cheap.

And if you're still not convinced? The tech industry seems to want us to be
'rockstar' developers, devops, admins, growth hackers, etc... so why not
literally become one too? ;)

------
seferphier
i would say mechanical keyboard since we spend so much time on the computers.

but the great mechanical keyboards are over $100...should be able to get a
second hand one for cheap.

~~~
samwilliams
An excellent suggestion.

I have had Zalman ZM-K500 mechanical keyboard since September and I can
honestly say that I love it. It is also substantially less than $100 (£37)
[0]. The quality is not quite as nice as some of the more expensive mech
keyboards out (the labels on my meta keys are rubbing off extraordinarily
quickly...) there but it is leagues ahead of any of the membrane based
keyboards I have tried.

[0] [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zalman-ZM-K500-USB-Mechanical-
Keyboa...](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zalman-ZM-K500-USB-Mechanical-
Keyboard/dp/B00A53LCQ8)

~~~
zimpenfish
Oddly, I've been using the same keyboard since about the same time. Would have
to agree that it's a nice keyboard for the price.

------
coreymgilmore
Chromecast (if technology related, since this is on HN).

~~~
teamonkey
Any particular reason?

~~~
coreymgilmore
Chromecast is first and foremost, a great product. It is very simple to use
and setup is a breeze. Then, it makes use as simple as using the
YouTube/Netflix/Play app on your phone/tablet. There isn't any new learning
curve associated with it.

Then, the price point is just great. $35 is a steal for what it does.

It is also very thought out. It is very small and was the first product that I
can think of that is just an hdmi dongle. Also, if your TV allows it,
Chromecast can turn on your TV and switch the input to itself. Way too easy.

------
throwaway5752
A halfway decent burr grinder for coffee.

~~~
johnatwork
I just ordered a Hario

[http://www.hario.jp/coffee/grinder.html](http://www.hario.jp/coffee/grinder.html)

------
jcnnghm
A Leatherman Multitool

I recommend the New Wave, though I also have a Charge TTi. I find myself using
them all the time, and they last a really long time. I still have, and use
regularly, the Leatherman Super Tool that I got in the mid 90's. I keep one in
my office, one in my care, my girlfriends car, and one in the utility room.
Really nice to have a solid multitool nearby whenever you need one.

------
ryannevius
A "dumb phone," and ditch the smartphone.

~~~
jedrek
To what end?

~~~
hsx
Some people find that they're able to get more things done when they don't
have the distraction of a smartphone in their lives.

~~~
stevekemp
Yeah I reverted from an Android to a Nokia 301. A week of batter life in my
usage, although the specs claim a month or something silly like that.

But these days it probably doesn't matter what phone I use, as I leave the
thing at home as often as I take it with me. Now I'm no longer on-call, via
SMS, I just don't need the distraction.

------
nereus
A vintage road bike.

A lot of secondhand bikes go really cheap and only need a little attention and
your on your way to cheap and healthy transportation.

~~~
bichiliad
Seconded. Plus, steel frames are super durable, and have a nice amount of give
to them.

------
bmajz
Considering the benefits of exercise, a pair of running shoes and some
resistance bands could go a long way. Those two small purchases helped me get
in shape faster than any gym membership that I had in the past. That said,
everybody's exercise preferences are different so get whatever you need to
become active.

~~~
kzisme
Have you ever dealt with shin splints if so, how?

~~~
bmajz
I have. Actually, that was the major problem I had with running until
recently. This breaks the $100 rule but these shoes really made life easier
for me: [http://www.zappos.com/asics-gel-kayano-19-neon-green-
lightni...](http://www.zappos.com/asics-gel-kayano-19-neon-green-lightning)

Paired with some Dr. Scholl's sports gel inserts and a very slow rate of
increase in distance and I was able to get to the 5K level.

I always denounced expensive shoes as heavily marked up brand mongering, but
at least for athletic performance you really get what you pay for. I would
recommend hitting up a real shoe store and getting fitted with the right shoes
by a pro.

~~~
kzisme
I also agree with spending decent chunks of change in shoes, beds, and
anywhere else you spend a large portion of your time.

I'm trying to get into some sort of physical shape, but running is challenging
to get into for me.

~~~
bmajz
If you have access to a recumbent bike or elliptical, doing HIIT can be quite
effective. It's done wonders for me.

I actually started getting in shape with the basic cardio routine from Power
90. It's really easy to do anywhere and does a pretty good job of working up a
sweat.
[http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VEVVIA](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VEVVIA)

Stick with it and hopefully you'll find something that works for you!

------
kschua
An Mp3 player with radio. Great for listening to music and podcast whilst
driving or travelling on the bus.

Yes, I know most smart phones can do that, but not everyone owns a smart
phone, and I prefer not to drain the battery on my phone

~~~
robobro
I got a $20 pay-as-you-go phone with a radio and MP3 player built in. It's
used for when my smart phone's dead and I really need to make a call / text,
or when I just want to listen to music. I'd recommend that even more strongly.

------
palidanx
A digital kitchen scale (something like ) - [http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-
Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Sil...](http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-
Digital-Kitchen-
Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395941458&sr=8-1&keywords=digital+baking+scale)

Measuring all of your flour, sugar, etc in grams will improve your baking a
100 fold. (It now assumes your recipes are based in ratios and metric though).

------
longlurker1000
on topic: a wireless headset for your computer/phone. even for watching
movies, this has been essential (think cooking while watching videos)

off topic: As a long time lurker, this news item feels too reddity for what
was originally a software vc community. I understand that HN is getting more
popular, and it's attracting broader content. However, Reddit has subreddits,
so I can filter out the banal. Please don't let hacker news become digg.

~~~
scott_karana
I can see where you're coming from, but even the off-the-wall suggestions are
awfully relevant for hackers/tech.

Infrared thermometer for cooking is a fantastic example of using industrial-
aimed tech for culinary perfection...

------
monksy
Floor jack for your car and a battery jumper. You never know when your battery
is going to go dead or when you'll need to change a tire.

Trust me... just happen tonight.

~~~
kranner
I'd add a foot-operated pump and pressure gauge to that. Often more convenient
to just top up the air and drive to the nearest garage. Also lets you maintain
your tyres at the right pressure, which is good for fuel efficiency.

~~~
monksy
I'm adding the foot operated pump to my list. I completely forgot to mention a
pressure gauge.

~~~
HeyLaughingBoy
I'm lazy. I use my 20 gallon compressor :-)

------
carsongross
A good folder knife. I like benchmade.

~~~
gesman
I love and use bechmade, although looking for harder steel, in particular
ZDP-189.

Unfortunately only Spyderco makes these and they are priced right but looks
too ugly for my taste. I think i might adjust my taste to shapes as my taste
to steels is too rigid :)

------
rfelix2121
An Inka Pen. The older, metal ones, not the new terrible ones that Nite-Ize
makes: [http://www.amazon.com/Nite-ize-Stylus-Carbon-Fiber-
Stainless...](http://www.amazon.com/Nite-ize-Stylus-Carbon-Fiber-
Stainless/dp/B000YH5V9O)

~~~
scott_karana
Failing an Inka pen, there's always the Space Pen, or for budget inclined, the
Zebra F-301 (and Compact version of the same)

------
rahimnathwani
\- Paul Mitchell 'The Conditioner'. It's a great substitute for hair gel _and_
shaving foam. I've been using it for 20 years.

\- Pilot GTEC-C4 pens (great paired with Moleskine notebooks)

\- An external USB battery pack

\- A headphone splitter cable

\- Hearos earplugs (the blue ones)

------
firebones
A Space Pen + Field Notes notebooks. Pen is great for all those times you need
to write; Field Notes notebooks slip into any pocket and are good for any
freehand note taking.

------
cko
A comfortable, well-fitting pair of pants. Pants are the foundation of any
outfit. I'm personally searching for the perfect pair, because I only want to
own one pair.

------
mattwritescode
Chromecast, its just awesome and you get quite a bit of change.

------
uptown
It's WAY under $100, but I use my "Dorcy 41-4750" flashlight regularly - and
it's easily the brightest, and best flashlight I've ever owned.

------
tomcam
Rice cooker

~~~
shubb
Have you tried a slowcooker?

It makes making thick stews out of cheaper cuts of meat or beans really quick
and easy. My cooking got a lot healthier after I got one.

Beef stew: _Onion_ 2 leeks _Carrots_ 6 smallish potatos >Slice them all up
into inch cubes _1kg stewing beef (cheap)_ 4 beef stock cubes in a teacup of
boiling water *2 cans of guiness (10 min prep)

Put the lot in a slow cooker. Turn it on before you head to work. Take it off
when you get home 10 hours later.

You now have 4 dinners worth of healthy stew!

~~~
Semiapies
Both are excellent suggestions and can work together well.

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jcslzr
A spotify subscription, any song ever at your fingertips, all day. I just hope
those guys do the same thing with movies.

~~~
samelawrence
Rdio tried with Vdio. Didn't work out and they shut it down.

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wowfat
laptop stand with an external keyboard [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kensington-
SmartFitTM-RiserTM-Laptop...](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kensington-SmartFitTM-
RiserTM-Laptop-
Cooling/dp/B0007YB8NM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395903756&sr=8-1&keywords=laptop+stand)

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esw
A 10" Shark prybar. They're under $20, and it's one of the most-used items in
my toolbox.

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ASquare
Slow cooker. A few minutes of prep in the morning = at least 5 days worth of
food by the evening.

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asadlionpk
A Raspberry Pi. A tiny computer running on 5v. Many possible uses, something
for everyone.

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jussy
A towel

~~~
mdisraeli
Froody!

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serverhorror
Two 43 USD notes and for the remaining change some chocolate ;)

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projectileboy
Dremel

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hkmurakami
A power strip. But everyone here probably has one :p

