I can see the "be curious" vibe of HN here. However, I can't shake off the feeling that this is just a low effort carryover from bygone /r/askreddit discussions.
- Split keyboard saved my wrists fifteen years ago, still do every day<p>- Sleeping mask with eye padding so I can open my eyes without my lids touching anything and only see total darkness. Took some getting used to, but it's amazing for getting better sleep<p>- standing desk setup with footstool and taller chair so I can just slide off to stand up. Makes it easy to switch so I do it more<p>- quality earplugs with a keychain case so they are always with me<p>- injinji ankle high hiking toe socks. I wear these every day now, so comfortable<p>- instant pot, almost all of my cooking is in this<p>- old cast iron skillet from a garage sale, if it's not in the instant pot it's in this<p>- floss holder, saves a lot of floss and is easier to use, so I floss a lot more<p>- bidet for toilet<p>- a great pair of four way stretch workout shorts. I got a Lululemon pair at a thrift store that has a hip phone pocket. I've worn them for thousands of miles of hiking and they look brand new. Love these shorts so much.<p>- Sun hoodie, because I'm basically a ginger and can't take that sun. The hoodie keeps me from burning.<p>- ultralight umbrella, fantastic for hiking in the sun or the rain<p>- music lessons, I wanted to learn violin and it's easy easier with a fun teacher<p>- bone conducting headphones (shockz). They are awesome for hiking since you can still hear everything (unless it's raining, then they are annoying). I love wearing them in the shower, music while I clean. Since they don't cover my ears, I've worn them for several days without noticing. They are very comfortable
I know HN skews largely male so this might not be interesting to many, but an Ethnotek crossbody purse. It's the most well-thought-through bag I've ever used, especially for travel. Everything has a place and is secure (so I don't worry about pickpockets), but is still easily accessible when needed. And it's expandable for a water bottle or jacket but rolls up small when empty.
GaN charger<p>I started with a 30w Anker Nano, now have a handful in strategic places like backpacks, at work, etc. They are just great. Small, light and powerful. They can charge anything, even my old thinkpads (with an adapter), no more heavy charging bricks or multiple chargers to lugg around. Bonus: a quality 180cm USB-C charging cable if you only have 90cm/3ft ones.
The Thermapen One meat thermometer. First I had to get over the arrogance that I could 'feel' when meat was the right temperature, then I had to invest in a product that, while being wildly more expensive, actually encourages me to use it all the time.<p>Pork, chicken, steak. I now have a sub-second answer to when the food is cooked.
The Tushy bidet. It completely changed my morning routine. By cleaning my backside, I now flipped my wprkout + shower schedule to evening before bed, which is far more efficient and I, overall, feel more hygienic, and it's gotten me to workout far more regularly and do much less useless web browsing and procrastinating nonsense in the evening. In the mornings, now, I get straight to the things I want to get done in the day.
An HRV monitor (whoop, oura, garmin watch) that let me see how much stress I was putting my body when eating unwell / drinking. Has changed me to a much cleaner diet
A tea-sieve specifically made to fit inside a thermos bottle. Lets you prepare loose-leaf teas and be able to drink them all day! Most useful thing ever!
Noise cancelling headphones have been a revelation. I can now work in an open plan office without blasting music etc in my ears. I can drive my old cheap car on the highway without lots of annoying noise. Etc etc. The benefits are many.
AirPods Pro... I live in a lively household and the ability to activate noise cancelling so I can study/read/think is an amazing quality of life improvement.
Suction cup toilet paper holder... Allows me to place it to better place... I suppose I could just screw one in, but it works passably.<p>Second one is "dump" remote control plugs. Simple 3 piece set with simple 6 button remote. Works, no stupid IOT or network or anything.
A Trackball mouse. No seriously. I had awful wrist pains, its always commented on that us developers / people who use computers a lot run the risk of getting CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) and I was basically worried I was headed that way at 26, so I looked around at what my much more senior co-workers were using, and about half of them had trackballs. So I bought one, then I bought an ergonomic (Microsoft) keyboard. I've never had pain in my wrist again. I use my Trackball for everything, including gaming (although lockpicking on Skyrim is a PITA, it does not transfer well, so I keep a normal USB mouse plugged in that I rarely touch for the rare case where my trackball is a hindrance).
Merino wool underwear and socks.<p>They're expensive, but they are VERY comfortable, cool in hot weather, warm in cold weather, breathable, and absorb odor.
I really like these kind of threads and my wishlist grows everytime. One thing I really want to buy is a sleeping mask like the Alaska bear one [1] that was recommended somewhere else, but I'm worried about being too hot for sleeping with it and getting pimples because the skin on my forehead would not "breathe". Can please anyone who sleeps with a sleeping mask on all the time address my concerns?<p>[1] <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S5Q826U" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S5Q826U</a>
I'm a big fan of so-called "bone-conduction headphones". Being able to be in public with audio while not disturbing others makes a big impact on life enjoyment while not limiting your safety as you can still hear the surrounding environment.
These are not "small things", but things people generally don't pay attention and just use a cheap version. Using good quality ones really makes life better:<p>A mechanical keyboard. Retina displays. Comfortable shoes. Prescription sunglasses. Good coffee.
More ergonomic peripherals are a good suggestion:<p>A good trackball instead of a mouse. (I love my Elecom Huge).<p>Non-standard keyboards where you can uses your thumbs (e.g. ZSA's moonlander) are a significant improvement over keyboards which retain an impractically large spacebar.
When we moved to a different city I spent $10 to buy a jar filled with loose screws, nuts, bolts, washers and small assembly elements leftovers from a local small hardware store.<p>These little things served me so well over the last 25 years!
A toolbox with all the basic tools I need (screwdrivers, pliers, hammer, cutter) + a few tools not in the toolbox (electric drill/screwdriver with a set of drill bits, wire stripper), screws and dowels, etc.<p>Crafting anything at home requires an insane amount of tools, so I’m really glad I invested in proper equipment. I still need to buy a few things (not tools but generic things like wedges) but I can do more and more unplanned things without needing to buy anything.
A Pitbull Skull Shaver:
<a href="https://skullshaver.com/products/pitbull-silver-pro-head-and-face-shaver" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://skullshaver.com/products/pitbull-silver-pro-head-and...</a><p>Shaves well dry (which I do when camping) but is also water resistant for the shower. Recharge once a week at most. Used to dread shaving my head each morning, but having an excuse to stand around in the shower longer suits me just fine.
OpenWRT based travel router. On the plane I power it with a USB battery pack. I pay for Internet access and share it with my phone, laptop, wife and kids. Five devices online for $8 on Southwest.<p>Built in VPN client connects to my home VPN server and keeps all connections safe. Airplanes, hotels, coffee shops, etc.<p>I love being able to share a single connection with multiple devices, get NAT firewall protection, and VPN security.<p>When the home Internet goes out, I put the router in the backyard to bridge the open WiFi from the school nextdoor.
A retractable USB-C cable and a 3M one.<p>A backpack that's also a bike pannier (Ortlieb Vario PS). This is great for shopping.<p>Bicycle gloves, for colder days. The Decathlon midrange model is good.
Nippers. I used to be mostly interested in the end product when building plastic models, but after getting a pair of GodHand nippers, the building experience itself became much more enjoyable. I think this generalizes to "better tools will make your life better".<p>I would also recommend getting a better camera since it will change how you see the world, although a decent camera might not qualify as a small thing.
Here's a mundane one that probably everybody does already. If your cellphone has wireless charging but you still don't use it, get yourself a cheap charger pad and put where your phone normally sits. I thought I was done with upgrading phone years ago, but when I ended up with a wireless charging one, its so much more convenient I couldn't live without it now.
A good mechanical pencil.<p>Always loved those. But I have just four now and it’s a pleasure to write.<p>I love the feeling and sound of writing. A good pencil goes a long way for me because it brings me joy to have the perfect weight and balance when taking notes, diagramming, etc.<p>Notes on a computer have always been inferior for me.<p>Thanks to modern phone tech I can just snap a pic of the notes I take and can use OCR for ex to share text with someone.
Air fryer. I know this is only small as in "smaller than a suitcase" but anyone can fit one into the smallest studio. They are very convenient, easy to use, and produce great tasting food. We never cook any meat or fish in anything else any more. For vegetarians it's great for frying butternut squash or sweet potato or even regular fries.
- Apple Airtags.<p>I've got about a dozen.<p>I spend so much less time looking for things now. The even bigger win is that I spend so much less time <i>worrying</i> about losing things. Especially when traveling.<p>- Label Maker<p>I don't often need it but when I do, I do.<p>- Stackable Plastic Shoeboxes (& the key to organization in general)<p>I have a lot of hobbies that involve a lot of little bits and pieces and tend to become clutter nightmares. Solution that I belatedly discovered: label 'em and stack 'em. I realize how stupidly obvious this sounds.<p>More generally, the key to staying organized is coming up with the most frictionless possible organization system. It doesn't have to be the "best" system. That was the real discovery.<p>- Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones<p>Common choice here it seems. Literal life-changer for all of the obvious reasons. I have the Bose QC45 which have been flawless. Didn't really compare with the competition head to head, just always had good experiences w/ Bose headphones so I stuck with them.
A Kelly Kettle:<p><a href="https://www.kellykettle.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.kellykettle.com/</a><p>.. cheap, light, and easy to operate, it has made my outdoor expeditions so much more comfortable, and for some reason provides peace of mind since, if the grid goes kablooey, there's plenty of twigs for the next cuppa tea ..
Here are some good lists;
Rob Wiblin
<a href="https://medium.com/@robertwiblin/things-i-recommend-you-buy-and-use-rob-edition-1d7b2ce27d68" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://medium.com/@robertwiblin/things-i-recommend-you-buy-...</a><p>Rosie Campbell
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ardenlk/posts/10156553178262333" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.facebook.com/ardenlk/posts/10156553178262333</a><p>Sam Bowman
<a href="https://medium.com/@s8mb/things-i-recommend-you-buy-and-use-second-edition-457a8e7163f6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://medium.com/@s8mb/things-i-recommend-you-buy-and-use-...</a>
Nice thick hiking socks. My feet feel so much better and there's a lot of room for my toes to wiggle usually.<p>Also, bar soap. Switching from liquid body wash to bar soap stands as one of my best decisions. Made the switch 8 years ago now and I just opened a new bar of goat milk soap made by some regional (local...ish) nuns. It's just so much easier to travel with, and I find there are better options for my super-dry skin in bar soap land.
One of these
<a href="http://www.swisstechtools.com/proddetail.aspx?PID=5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.swisstechtools.com/proddetail.aspx?PID=5</a><p>I take it with me everywhere and its saved my butt many many times
(1) Good foam earplugs. Mine are SNR 38dB and they make a <i>huge</i> difference when the gremlins (my daughter and her boyfriend) are having loud conversations at 1am, or any time my wife's snoring is especially bad.<p>(2) A roll-up electronics case. Mine (ProCase) has three pockets for thumb drives and dongles, two large pockets for my charger and power cable, and six loops for smaller cables. Then it all rolls nice and neat and compact. I call it "the burrito" and I must not be alone because Jansport now has one that actually looks like a burrito.
A cheap phone stand for my desk, saves me putting it down in a random place and then losing it. Also a MASSIVE thermos cup that I can fill with ice and water and doesn't need refilling all day.
Retractable badge holder with AirTag.<p>If only the "left behind" alert could be a bit smarter and alert me if I leave it behind when heading to office, but not when I'm heading elsewhere.
We picked up some touchless hand soap dispensers. We got the simplehuman brand which I think was one of the one recommended by America's Test Kitchen.<p>Then we bought some more to give to everyone for christmas because we liked ours so much.<p>Lot of other good answers in this thread: split keyboard, trackball, iron skillet, etc. These items also spark joy for me. And I should probably stop thinking about getting a bidet and actually get one.
A remote control for the bedroom ceiling light. I can take my prosthesis off and put in on while sitting on the bed. The light is better than the bedside lamp
Elitedesks with Ryzen (G4 I think) - a few of them run my desktop k8s cluster, one a minecraft server for my kid, one a family server with ownlclound and other goodies, one runs Netflix, YT and so on, and another one runs Lakka and a ton of retro games. One cost me around €200 which is an excellent value for money.<p>(Yes there are newer models but they are more expensive and some of them much larger which makes the whole deal unattractive.)
A whiteboard for my study.<p>I feared it would be a short-lived whim desire but I'm using it daily and I love it. So much smoother than a note-taking app for ideation, and also better than a notebook, because whatever I've drawn will decorate the room and gently remind me to think about its contents.
Garmin Inreach Explorer<p><a href="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/561269" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/561269</a><p>This has been a great way to stay safe and in communications in very remote places...
10 packs of USB c chargers. I'm the kind of person that will limp along chargers and my phones always dying. Not anymore because I have usb chargers and more usb chargers.<p>Same for toilet paper. Only subscription I have. Comes 2x a year in a giant boz
I have a walking pad which I sometimes walk slowly on in front of my adjustable desk which is certainly healthier than just sitting down, although my feet look a bit ugly if I walk too much it's good for thinking more alertly as well
Wolfcraft folding trolley (sack cart). It has a solid axle so it can still take heavier loads, unlike cheaper folding models. Good when your parking spot is a long from from your front door, such as in an apartment block.
A robot vacuum that vacuums and mops and the waste gets automatically pumped into the dock. Semi-expensive at over a thousand dollars but the thousands of hours regained not cleaning is priceless.
this keyring USB connector:<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/inCharge-Six-One-Portable-Compatible/dp/B086WHFRJH/ref=sr_1_3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.amazon.com/inCharge-Six-One-Portable-Compatible/...</a><p>Amazing how often I end up whipping this thing out to charge something or connect data end points together. Being on my keyring means I pretty much always have it. The most clever thing is that it manages to combine an Apple lightning and micro-USB into the same connector.
wind-up torch/flashlight, specifically these: <a href="https://en.ikea-club.org/item/30190857.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.ikea-club.org/item/30190857.html</a><p>Newer battery flashlights all seem to have a microcontroller that's in standby when 'off', so the battery runs down, and is inevitably empty when you need it most..<p>These wind-up ones always have power.