The ancient microwave in my first apartment. It had two knobs: one for time, one for power. It's immediately obvious how to cook something for how long, how to add more time, etc.

All other microwaves that I've used I had to have someone explain to me what buttons to press in what order to do even the simplest things. And I've never seen anyone use all of those fancy buttons.

It took me about a second to think of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils. These are the perfect nexus of good and cheap. These things have the critical features one looks for in a writing instrument, my favorite of which is that I can put it in my electric pencil sharpener and the lead never snaps just prior to the point at which it becomes sharp.

And these guys finally figured out something useful to do with that pink, rubbery, knob at the end of the pencil. I've never been able to figure out what this rubber piece is for on other pencils. On some, it works like a highlighter, but not as well -- leaving this pale, pinkish/carbon smudged mess all over the page. On others, it works like the worlds worst paper shredder, ripping through the page haphazardly, but not in such a useful way as to render the contents securely shredded. On Dixon Ticonderoga pencils, this rubber knob removes any pencil markings that were made in error. It's incredible!

The best part, though, is that you can get a box of almost 100 of them for around $14.

The Casio F-91W Digital wrist watch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W

Keeps better time than a Rolex, and is a fraction of the price. Waterproof. Has an alarm, stopwatch, and timer; all things missing from traditional wind ups. Interface is easy to use and discover. The battery last almost forever.

Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design, right?

EDIT: Wikipedia says they're only splash proof; I used to swim with mine but there you go. And I'm making up the timer function, that must have been on later models only.

Another odd one, but my Honda Fit 2nd Generation. So many things about that car are so well thought-out, and even more expensive/luxurious cars miss things that the Fit designers included. Some examples:

- Cup holder on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. As a left-handed person, this is amazing.

- Window power remains on after turning off the car as long as doors haven't been opened, allowing you to close the windows even if you forget to close them before turning off the car.

- Rear seats can fold completely flat, thanks to the fact that the fuel tank is below the front seats

- Large, unique-feeling tactile buttons and knobs to control the AC heating, and audio systems. So many cars use tiny identical buttons that are impossible to distinguish without looking.

Apple MacBooks are the best laptops that I have ever used. Nothing comes close to them. Even my Surface. It's a great device (by far the best Windows laptop/convertible available), but it misses on some details (light bleed on the edges, kickstand doesn't align all the way)

Textmate 2 - It's such a well-engineered piece of software, and it's gorgeous.

Bialetti Brikka - Such an elegant design, and it makes delicious coffee, Italian-style.

Nespresso - If Apple made espresso machines. The espresso tastes great and it's easy to clean.

Patagonia MLC 45L - My pet peeve with luggage is that the good stuff tends to be heavy. Not this! It's big enough for extended travel, has backpack straps if you need it, durable (w/ lifetime guarantee), and is well-designed without being "design-y," if that makes sense.

Charles Schwab checking account - Okay, not a physical product, and doesn't have very impressive visual design, but well-designed regardless. No account minimums or fees, the best customer service I've ever experienced, no foreign transaction fees, and they rebate any and all ATM fees worldwide. It's the absolute perfect money bucket.

Blundstone boots - The perfect footwear if you're unsure of conditions. Hiking--check. Going to dinner--check. Walking in the city--check. Walking through snow--check. Traveling--check. They're very, very comfortable.

Elixir (programming language) - This is what happens when a tool is made for one's own use, as opposed to being designed for a hypothetical "other" who doesn't exist. It's magical.

Teenage Engineering OP-1, a music synthesizer. Really well built, buttons and knobs feel fantastic, and the display is super fun. The OP-1 in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umatbZ0n4mE

#1 The Nokia N9 (specifically the alarm clock) When trying to find a clone for Android, I found this guy's blog post which explains why it's perfect:

http://www.nition.co/2014/08/the-nokia-n9-alarm-clock/

The swipe interface of the operating system is also the best I've ever used. If I play around with the N9 for a few minutes now; then go back to android, it feels clunky an inefficient again.

#2 The Nintendo Gamecube It just works without having to setup profiles or download updates, the controller is awesome (subjective) and it carries the greatest Mario Kart, Smash Brothers and Mario Party ever created (also subjective).

Fiskars Axes: http://www.fiskars.eu/products/gardening/axes/splitting-axe-...

Barbour Jackets: http://www.barbour.com/eu/categories/mens/waxed-jackets/barb...

Camper Shoes: https://www.camper.com/en_FI/men/shoes/peu/camper-peu-17665-...

Stihl Chainsaws: http://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-tools-A-great-range/Chainsa...

Genelec Speakers: http://www.genelec.com/8351

Desktops: Mac Pro 1st Generation

Laptops: Macbook Pro

Phones: iPhone

Operating System Kernel: Linux

High Level Programming Language: Lua / LuaJIT

Low Level Programming Language: C

Web Server: Nginx

Any Kindle model with e-ink. The utiluty and simplicity of design of these devices has enabled me to read almost every night before going to bed for the past 6ish years without loosing my place or holding the weight of a book (finally read War and Peace).

The interior layout of a 1990s Ford truck or Bronco. All controls can be done by feel without fat fingering anything while wearing work gloves, radio included. The radio is placed so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to tune it anymore than you would the speedometer. They even make the +/- buttons convex/concave and put little bars on the preselects to make it easier to do by feel. The motion ratio on the manual windows is pretty damn perfect. Kind of a shame so much thought was put into something a design was executed using crappy 90s plastic.

Honorable mention for industrial vacuum cleaners.

Macintosh II with Finder 4.6. Never has a computer system maintained a technical lead for so long, 1987-95, with Finder upgrades you loaded from floppies. Bridgeport milling machine. People just copy it. They can't improve it. Ashlar Vellum 2D drafting software for the Mac. Imagine. Drafting objects have properties you can edit. Lambda Physik (Coherent) FL2002E dye laser. Excel 4.0 for the Mac. Wrote invoicing and coating design macros that ran a whole business. Solidworks 2003. Used it till 2008, until I got the "better" newest edition which was a little more capable, but less efficient. Ipad Air. Still use it, smashed-in screen and all, but it's panting.

You can see I'm mostly stuck in the past. Many of these products had more capable successors, but felt bloated, and were harder to use.

"technical friends" (which i believe was name given by the man who invented them, Ray Jardine). "Friends" is still the category name used by Wild Country, which i believe was the first shop to sell the devices.

more generically, i believe they are known as spring-loade cam devices (SLCD).

these simple devices transformed granite crack climbing from slow, rock-altering aid climbing that required pitons hammered into cracks to clean "free" (ie, no aid) climbing.

sure nuts and hexes were (and still are) available but they require some sort of constriction in the crack (change in the width) to hold them in place, which granite cracks often lack.

The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 backpack: https://www.tombihn.com/collections/backpacks/products/synap...

I went nomad earlier this year and decided I needed a good backpack. After much research, I landed on the Synapse.

It's simply amazing that something as simple as "a bag" can be so well designed. So clearly better.

It's the only product I've ever owned where I notice myself stop and admire it regularly.

Google Reader. It actually let me add feeds, read them, and mark them read reliably. Everything after is focused on value-add instead of just fucking working.

A dishwasher that only had one button: start. A dry cleaning service where they just told me to come back next day after 5p and never asked me how I want my shirts, what kind of treatment etc. For contrast most places ask several questions that I never know the answer to. The best UI is no UI.

Odd answer, but probably a Blackberry Passport. Clean and sturdy design, OS is on point (assuming you dont use many 3rd party apps), keyboard is brilliant - it leverages the benefits of a physical keyboard and adds the flexibility of touchscreen keyboards. Not to mention the screen, never thought I'd enjoy using a 1:1 screen but it's so good for reading on.

Outside of technology, probably my old man's Eames Classic. I don't even know how old it is, he's had it since he moved out of home 40+ years ago so it's definitely not new. Still comfortable, leather is still in good condition (although it does need cleaning), and it's as solid as a tank.

Seiko 5 automatic watch - Simple, timeless, affordable. It's just a great watch and it always will be.

rOtring 600 mechanical pencil - the feel of this pencil is unlike any other writing implement I've found. It's a legend. My new goal is to find a fountain pen that I can enjoy as much as I enjoy this. Though I fear that will be a notably more expensive purchase.

Yamaha Custom Series Bb trumpet - before becoming a developer I was a semi-pro musician and this is still the most fantastic instrument I've ever worked with. I've owned it 9 years now and it still feels brand new. Every mechanism on it was perfectly made. There's no unnecessary stiffness or play in any component.

The wok. A good 13 or 14" pao wok costs about $15. Add another $20 for a spoon, a cover, an wok ring and a steaming grill and you can make almost anything. The thing looks so simple, but it is part of a whole system and way of cooking that is amazingly fun and effective.

Any coffee addict like me knows that some methods of brewing are impossible before you've had a cup. The AeroPress understands this and is really simple to use, and makes amazing coffee. Everyone in my family has one and some other method as well, like a Mokapot or French press, but for the first cup in the morning it's Aeropress every time.

I also love Papermate Sharpwriter pencils. They feel so comfortable to hold, and if you like spinning a pencil while thinking they're really well-balanced for that.

I really enjoy my aeropress (https://aerobie.com/product/aeropress/) coffee press. The modern take on a French press, price, and availability on Amazon made me realize anybody can have a great idea, print it in plastic, and sell it to people - arriving two days later.

Plus the coffee that comes out is dope.

I have been recently optimizing some of my wardrobe:

Darn Tough socks! Seriously life is too short to have clammy feet. Yes they are expensive but they last forever.

Carhartt USA made therma lined hoodies are also awesome. I have had one for 17 years and wore it all the time before hoodies became fashionable. To be honest all of their stuff is great for the price if you can get over looking like a construction worker.

Icebreakers shifter pants. The best sweat pants. Speaking of wool.. Duckworth wool has some good properly treated USA sheep. Icebreakers is better but Duckworth is USA made.

Music:

Cambridge Audio DAC magic plus. Expensive but seems to work great.

Cooking:

Lodge Cast Iron Skillets. Once you learn how to cook on cast iron skillets you will replace many pans in your kitchen with them.

Char‑Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker. The best charcoal grill for the money. You can cook everything on it. Pizza, sear steak at 800 degrees and slow cook pulled pork for 18 hours+ on a single load of charcoal.

Thermoworks Thermapen thermometer. The best cooking thermometer you absolutely should buy.

SIG 550 assault rifle. I don't particularly like weapons, but this gun can take an incredible amount of abuse and is still accurate and reliable. I feel that the designers really found the sweet spot between complexity and simplicity here.

Same for the Kawasaki KLR 650 motorcycle. A superb bike, virtually indestructible, and in the unlikely case that something breaks, it's possible to fix it on your own.

EDIT: Sublime Text. Fast, simple, no-nonsense, cross-platform, extendable.

Almost every bicycle. Our noblest invention.

My Macbook Air 13-inch 2015.

Battery lasts a long time. It recharges super quick. It's incredibly lightweight. It's incredibly thin. It's trackpad clicks "for real". No plastic, or shitty finish.

I can't believe they don't make them anymore. It's easily Apple's best hardware hand's down.

---

My Logitech G602 mouse. Weighty, not heavy, battery lasts for 8 months. Hands cusps the mouse perfectly and never feels awkward to hold for extended periods of time. Premium feel, no cheap plastics. I love it.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-g602-wireless-gaming-mo...

The VW Up! (aka Škoda Citigo aka Seat Mii)

It weighs under a ton, is only 3.5m long, and has a 1.0L, 3-cylinder engine that fairly sips gas. It shifts like butter and, considering it's powered by a glorified sewing machine, it has decent acceleration and top-end speed. And, if you spring for the Czech rebadge, you can get the basic model for less than 10k euros.

But the real killer is that it has almost as much usable interior room as a VW Golf, despite being almost a meter shorter!

My partner and I both come from tall families and, upon delivery of the car, her brother (200cm tall) drove his wife (189cm), me (188cm), my wife (184cm), my father (200cm), and our 3 kids for a spin. It wasn't legal and it wasn't roomy, but no reasonable person would be able to guess that such a tiny car could fit 3 small adults, let alone 5 tall adults and 3 kids.

For those of us who spent far too much of their childhood playing Tetris, the trunk (if you want to call it that) also accommodates 4 full-sized suitcases.

[EDIT] I forgot to mention that it has exposed metal surfaces in the interior (doors, mainly) that are integrated parts of the car. Not only does it look fantastic, each of those panels is one less plastic piece that will eventually require an expensive replacement when it inevitably gets hit/scratched/exposed to too much sunlight/shakes itself to pieces.

I don't know why more cars don't feature this (one review called them "cheap exposed surfaces", as if plastic is somehow fancier), but it's incredibly durable, simple, and attractive.

Ortleib panniers (https://www.google.com/search?q=ortlieb+panniers):

* Are actually waterproof

* Don't have lots of unnecessary compartments and pockets

* Lift on and off really securely, yet really easily

* Can be wiped clean

* Super durable

* Light

* Can be worn as shoulder bag, or carried as a tote

* No zips, yet can be completely sealed

Instant pot pressure cooker.

Want to use it as a crock pot? sure.

Want to saute things inside it first? sure.

Frozen meat or dried beans? Why not!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FLYWNYQ?psc=1

MUJI 0.5mm gel ink pens [0] - I've used these pens for so long that my handwriting goes haywire when using a different make. Perfect balance of smoothness and scratchiness - with fast drying ink, which as a lefty is vital.

Harmon Kardon Soundsticks II – had mine for over a decade and they still sound and look great.

Gaggia Colour espresso machine – looks great, built like a tank, simple to repair, and still produces fantastic coffee after years of benign neglect.

Chromecast – it just works. Feels like the future to use my phone to stream video from the Raspberry Pi to the TV.

AirPlay – it also just works. Recently set up a multi-room audio streaming thing, like a budget alternative to Sonos, using a few Raspberry Pis I had lying about and Shairport Sync [1]. Works much better than I anticipated.

[0] https://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?Sec=13&Sub=52&PID=5162 [1] https://github.com/mikebrady/shairport-sync

The Trek 500.

It's a bicycle. It's a steel bicycle, which is out of favor these days, but Trek still makes a few each year. And they haven't really changed the design since it was introduced in the 80's. Why? Because it's the perfect bicycle.

At least, if you're doing a very particular thing. I rode one from the Oregon Coast to Long Island. It was an unsupported tour, so I had about 50 pounds of gear strapped to it the whole way. While my companions suffered various breakdowns and issues, the 500 was rock solid. It doesn't get fancy on components-- no disk breaks or electronic shifting. Everything on it can be easily repaired, removed, or replaced with your two hands and a compact multi-tool. The steel frame will stand up to any manner of abuse. Hearing about the whole tough-as-nails thing, you assume it won't be that pleasing to ride. You assume wrong.

Dyson vacuum cleaners.

I have never once wondered "how do I do this?" when using my Dyson. From cleaning, to extensions, switching modes, and just plain using the thing, every inch of these vacuums is designed to the utmost degree to make them not only super powerful suction machines but also trivially easy to use.

The Lido 2 Coffee Grinder: http://www.oehandgrinders.com/OE-LIDO-2-Manual-Coffee-Grinde...

Heath Coffee Mugs

Trains in Switzerland (including the great app!)

Hosu (chair)

Cutipl (silverware)

Emile Henry Flameware (Dutch Oven)

Mountain Collective Ski Pass

Black Diamond Hiking Poles

Automatic mechanical watches.

The idea that this tiny device is assembled entirely from macroscopic, tangible, "grokkable", mechanical components, will run "forever" with no direct conscious input of energy and tells you reasonably accurate time is pretty unique.

Recent relevant HN thread https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13459616

Aeron chair.

Aeropress.

EIZO monitors - http://www.eizo.com

uTorrent, the older versions.

Dead serious about uTorrent. One of the best designed and engineered pieces of software ever. Everything you need, where you expect it to be, doing exactly what it should be doing, and nothing more.

Dyer and Jenkins black cotton T-shirts.

I wear jeans and a black T-shirt basically every day, but I noticed a lot of the black T-shirts I purchased wore out quickly and started to fade right away. So I Googled "best black T-shirts" one day and a Reddit thread led me to Dyer and Jenkins. I've been wearing them for a year now and they have hardly faded and look just about as good as when I first bought them.

Dyer and Jenkins often gives away half off coupons as well, so I normally wait for one of those deals before I order a new set: https://www.dyerandjenkins.com/collections/tees/products/3-p...

The Kinesis Advantage contoured ergonomic keyboard. Once you've used it for a few weeks, regular keyboards feel awkward and uncomfortable. They are pricy and completely worth it.

YKK zippers.

We never think twice about them and that's the proof of their genius.

I'm going to go real old school and suggest the slide rule. While there is a short learning curve, once you've mastered a few simple rules, using one is a breeze and if you keep the slide lubricated and don't abuse it, it will perform it's function reliably and accurately for decades. I have a Pickett, it's now 40 years old but works like new, but just about any brand will offer the same performance.

Electrolux Twin Clean vacuum cleaner. With a black labrador and several cats in the house, bagless vacuuming is a must. I used to own a Dyson, but it eventually died from old age, and a friend gave me an almost brand new TwinClean, which for some reason they were disappointed with at his place. And this thing beats the Dyson on every count that matters. It is far less noisy, not scaring the life out of cats and dogs, and an absolute breeze to operate. Everything snaps on and of with nice feel and reassuring clicks. And most importantly, emptying is literally a matter of seconds, not a life and death struggle as with the Dyson: You click off, you click open over a dustbin, you click back on. Just a really well thought out machine.

Oh, and the Windows 95 interface, which everyone sincerely flattered with imitation for so many years. I haven't used any later Windows versions, but my Xfce desktop i still clearly modelled on the 95 design. I find the Mac-like stuff nearly unusable, or at any rate endlessly frustrating, on the thankfully rare occasions when I'm forced to interact with it.

* Blendtec Blender - blew my first pay cheque on one nearly 10 years ago and it still looks and works good as new. Absolutely superb design and construction.

* AGA Oven - I don't own one, but my parents do and growing up this thing was just incredible. Still looks and works like new. I honestly have never used an oven which looks and cooks so damn good.

* Apple (Unibody) Macbook Pro - Despite my present feelings towards Apple right now cough Mac Pro cough. I can't really say enough good things about the unibody Macbooks - no other laptop surpasses it and it's been nearly 8 years since Apple's unibody construction was introduced.

* Devialet Phantom speaker - it's an engineering marvel - nothing like it.

* HP Proliant Servers - despite HP's awful website and support policies their Proliant range are the most well designed, well thought out servers I've ever used.

* And this garlic press - can't recommend it enough :) http://www.kuhnrikonshop.com/product/epicurean-garlic-press

A maybe overly-broad category, but the style of ceramic coffee mugs that have handles big enough to get all four fingers in. I don't realize how easy they are to hold until I'm using a mug that only allows one or two fingers in the handle.

Software: Winamp. It is so simple and stupid and it works really well.

I love my Fogless Shower Mirror: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BQ6QXK?ref_=ams_ad_dp_asin_1

Most others use chemicals (I believe) to stop the fogging, which fades in effectiveness over time. Had this one for 5 years and it works perfect! Wish everything I owned just worked like this does.

1. Noodler's fountain pens.

These are 'Hacker-friendly' pens. With most pens the nib and feed are glued in, but in the Noodlers pens they are push fit, so can be adjusted. You can adjust the amount of flex and flow independently.

You can also take out the entire filling mechanism, and use the whole pen body as a reservoir. Neat.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/209380-noodler...

2. Vim

It was a bold design concept to use 'modes', but it makes it so much more productive.

* that classic Casio watch

Personally, I really like its look. Furthermore, its cheap and the battery lasts forever.

* Motorola Razr V3i

It just looks awesome! Unfortunately, the great design doesn't extend to its software. :(

* Roland JV-1080

This one is first and foremost interesting for its engineering achievement. It offers musicians hundreds of great, sampled sounds which are stored on a 8 MB ROM! They make up for the limited amount of material by skillfully layering samples and the application of DSP algorithms.

How is this kettle exceptional? I have an electric kettle that boils water ten times as fast (number made up, but it's really faster).

As someone who drinks a lot of hot water every day, I find this odd that someone would recommend a non-electrical kettle.

ThinkPad keyboards, with built-in mouse on home row. I like the layout, spacing, and short throw of the keys so much that I have a USB version for my desk, attached to a docking station.

Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker. I've owned it for more than a decade and made maybe hundreds of pounds of rice. Always perfect.

Cast iron skillet. Lodge makes cheap, very high quality, pans that just work, forever (there are many brands, several are great).

My Altec Lansing ACS48 computer speakers. I paid $299 for them in 1999 and to this day they still work flawlessly and beat most every other computer speaker. Audiophiles swear by them, and still buy them in bulk when they can find them.

Here's the Amazon reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Altec-Lansing-ACS48-Computer-Speakers...

Moka pots.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot

It is simple and just works.

Good question; it caused me to go through the house, looking at lots of objects trying to figure out which one(s) were exceptional, in my book.

Here's my top list:

The Optimus 00 kerosene stove. Hardly a thing has changed in over a century of production. Utterly unbreakable, not a single superfluous component or feature. Just plain works.

Moccamaster drip brewer. Probably the drip brewer to beat. The product is eminently drinkable, it is a reliable and consistent performer, not much that can go wrong except breaking the beaker (no worries, a new one is $20 a five-minute walk from home) - and they even sell spare parts - any component; mine is 28 years old and still going strong, having had its thermostat replaced once.

BRIO toy trains. (Tie with LEGO) - unbreakable, and their long-term commitment to compatibility is fantastic; I can buy BRIO odds and ends in the toy shop today which interfaces perfectly with stuff my parents bought for me when I was a kid. Same goes, to a slightly lesser extent, for LEGO.

* Chopsticks. One-handed eating is just convenient.

* Palm Vx. At the time this thing has fantastic functionality (all that freeware!), the OS had great charm, and I still think it looks really handsome.

* Sony Ericsson w580. One of the last really small cell phones before huge screens took over. And the slide mechanism was really satisfying - the ultimate fidget

- My cast iron skillet. It's indestructible and once I learned to season it and cook with it, I prefer it over any other.

- 15" Macbook Pro w/ Retina display, iPhone 7

- BNC connectors

- The Xtrend Professional Rabbit Wine Opener. (Super cheap on Amazon and it has an incredibly well-designed mechanism)

- The Mezlan Cordoba men's shoe -- high quality, no break-in needed, durable, fashionable.

- Crocs -- indestructible, comfy.

- Joybird furniture (good prices, high quality)

- Liberté yogurt. Incredible texture.

- The Uber app (I think that amid the weird culture at least one person there really understands mobile UX)

- HN -- the only place where I look forward to reading the comments more than the articles.

Logitech MX510 and MX518 Mice:

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Performance-Optical-Gaming-M...

For some reason, these mice are awesome for me. Neither are made any more, and I will cry when mine finally die.

* Lenovo T60 laptop: It wasn't pretty, but it was sturdy and well designed. Good resolution for the times. Good aspect ratio. Very nice keyboard. Trackpoint. Serviceable easily - replaced fan, hard drives, added memory. Eventually just got too slow for the stuff I was doing.

* Bentology metal fork and spoon. I got a full lunch bento box set. But never liked it much. However really like the silverware. Just the right weight, size, and balance. I just went to check if I can get more, and they are out stock apparently)

* Moab Merrell hiking shoes. Really good all-around shoes. Light, sturdy, comfortable. Good ankle support.

* Nissan stainless steel thermos. Just very sturdy. I like the cap design. Doesn't leak. I got another one after 4-5 years of a different size, so now have both.

MSR WhisperLite International Backpacking Stove. It supports a wide variety of liquid fuel. With this stove, I don't have to buy vendor-specific gas canisters. White gas works great with it. The stove folds down to a compact form. It is easy to use.

https://www.rei.com/product/830341/msr-whisperlite-internati...

Satori Reader (https://satorireader.com/) A tool to help Japanese Learners by providing Japanese articles that let you automatically look up words, phrases, and consolidate them into a review card list in order review at a later date.

This comes from a developer of some apps that already exists for mobile devices called "Human Japanese" and "Human Japanese Intermediate".

I've been learning Japanese for a year and a half now, and this site is hands down the most enjoyable experience I have ever had the opportunity to use. It provides audio with the articles, provides look ups for words in line, it allows you to add words seamlessly to your review list, it is suuuppper awesome on my mobile device (my primary review tool),and it is just amazing. Even better is the review cards are done within context instead of being the words by themselves, and it goes out of its way to provide many different types of articles.

I absolutely love this site.

My only regret about it is that I'm not using it enough, and that's just because I'm not being diligent enough with my team.

It is seriously such a wonderful experience.

Callout to The Wirecutter for doing a great job of reviewing products.

* The Wirecutter || http://thewirecutter.com/

Zojirushi SM-SA48-BA Stainless Steel Mug, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYOGTTG -easy to clean -great ergonomics -best heat/cold retention vs. other products

It's a bit on the expensive side but this toaster is possibly the last one you will ever buy:

https://smile.amazon.com/Breville-BTA830XL-Die-Cast-4-Slice-...

I mean... it has a button called "A Bit More" and another one called "Lift And Look", which do exactly what you think they would. It's fucking fantastic.

Honorable mentions:

Eddie Bauer Boxer Briefs, the most comfortable underwear a man could get, while still looking sexy. (Seems they don't sell them currently? Too bad, they make up 100% of my underwear.)

And this windproof USB-rechargeable flameless arc lighter: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DEVKI4Y/ref=oh_aui_se...

My jet black iPhone 7. A bit of a cop-out answer, but I'll be damned if it isn't the best looking, most comfortable (I use it without a case, and enjoy it), and best overall designed thing I own.

The Reddit app on IOS. Something has always bothered me about most of the apps on IOS but I couldn't put my finger on it until I started using the reddit app. The UX is so good that it makes everything else feel awkward. I think that everything else was actually awkward and that's what I didn't like.

Cutco knives. All my life I've known what makes a good knife and that you should pay a lot. I think this is fine in the rare case that you have some someone to sharpen and hone them for you every day. Since getting Cutco knives I've come to realize that no other knives are for regular home use where you never have the time or skill to properly care for "other" knives.

Fixed gear bikes. I ride bikes a lot and when I finally got a fixie it was like that was finally the bike that felt like an extension of myself. I watched some videos about how cassettes work and understand the effect of being directly connected is what I'm feeling.

Bamboo steamers. First one I found: https://www.amazon.com/2017-Reusable-Chopsticks-Perforated-S...

They usually are dirt cheap, and allow you to steam any kind of food. It's healthy, it's tasty, it's easy, it's fast, ... Just drop whatever in it and wait 15 minutes and that's it.

My iPod video. I honestly think that the click wheel has to be one of the best designed user interface in the history of the world. It was actually delightful to use, from the texture in the material, the friction and the satisfying click. For all the interactivity touch screens unlocked, I think we lost something when the click wheel went away.

Antec computer cases. They're high quality, easily accessible, and promote good air flow.

And they're fairly cheap, all things considered (picked up this model for about $45 on sale at Fry's last time I built a computer).

* Amazon.com: Antec Three Hundred Two Gaming Case, Black: Computers & Accessories || https://www.amazon.com/Antec-Three-Hundred-Two-Gaming/dp/B00...

Power Mac G5. If you ever open that thing, you'll know it's really taking computer making to the next level!

It's meant to be tool-less all the way, you can change almost everything (RAM, CPU, HDD) using at most one or two screwdrivers. And the way the hinges and interlocks work together is amazing. Not to mention its build quality.

My grandfather's [1] Nikkormat FTn [2], which is more or less a consumer version of the Nikon F [3]. It's equipped with roughly the same features, but implemented somewhat differently - for example, shutter speed is adjusted via a ring on the lens mount, instead of a knob on the top. It's by far the simplest SLR I've ever used, and in some ways also the most capable - you do still need to know how focus and exposure work, but once you have those basics under your belt, the camera gets right out of your way so you can take the pictures you want to take. It's also built like a tank - the kind of thing where, if you drop it on your foot, it probably won't break, but your toes might. And, like any handheld machine engineered to tight tolerances, it's just a pleasure to use.

That camera's served three generations of my family very well; my grandfather and father each used it for years, and I learned the basics of photography with it. It's honorably retired now, but if I ever start to shoot film again, that's the camera I'll use to do it. And if I don't, I'll still have benefited massively from having used it, because the Nikon D5300 I now use (and used to take [1], a few minutes ago) can still take any glass with an F mount - which not only means that I can still use Grandpa's and Dad's old glass, but that if I want, say, a 500mm tele, which I do because the moon is far away and hawks take it amiss when you approach to improve your shot, I can spend $100 on a manual lens that I already know how to use, instead of spending $10,000 or more on one that supports automatic focus and aperture.

[1] https://u.sicp.me/gZn97.jpg

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkormat#Nikkormat_FTn

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F

pencil, paper and eraser

dell keyboard Model number: SK-8115 (felt like machine gun for the first time) http://dellparts.us/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2...

org-mode

emacs macros

git

Qt c++ framework

unix pipes

matlab

npm install --save # dont have to edit the package.json, awesome

tmux

pm2 # npm package to make the node app as service. Just mindblowing.

ssh-copy-id user@ip # no need to type password always for ssh session

I love a good Estwing hammer. Both the newer rubber handle or the old school handle made from ovals of leather. The simple single piece forging never breaks like hammers with wooden or fiberglass handles.

Norton Commander back in the DOS days. It was soo fast to use. Which is why I use Total Commander today.

SideFX Houdini (a tool for 3D VFX and animation) is by far the most brilliant software I have ever used, it is like Emacs of computer graphics. It is designed as a system of nodes that gives you a visual interface for visually "programming" 3D scenes and shaders.

It is incredibly well thought out, and every time I learn something new about it - it blows my mind how elegantly and beautifully it is implemented.

86 Tercel station wagon. Most comfortable seats ever. Every position works. The wiper and blinker controls are nice and clicky. All the adjustment controls are clicky and located exactly where you expect them to be when you reach blindly. The A and B pillars don't block your vision. There's a little spot between the e-brake lever and the seat that's the right size for a can of pop (handy because there's no cup holders). The trim is impeccable. After 30 years of driving, the weatherstripping doesn't peel off, the handles and latches aren't broken, the upholstery hasn't faded. It was amazing in the snow even the 2WD version. I could go on... I loved that little car.

- Hoodie. Really. For me it's the best type of top clothes.

- Raspberry Pi. You can do everything with this guy.

- My girlfriend's Mitsubishi colt Z30. It has great system of adjusting backseats (you can move it back and forward, so that either trunk or cabin have more space). It has also roof quite high (and I'm tall so that's important for me in small cars)

- KitchenAid mixer classic. It's just rock-solid.

- Karrimor X-Lite X2t. This guy is maybe a little one, but it's drying in miliseconds, has great setting-up system and is light as a feather. Although it's quite tight for 2 persons, it's the best small tent I've ever used.

- Ricoh GRD IV. The best camera I've ever used.

- HackerNews. Obviously.

The mid-2014 MacBook Pro. I fear that one day I will have to upgrade to a poorly reviewed newer model, or change my system entirely.

The Juul

I don't smoke, but this is literally one of the best designed gadgets I've ever seen. It's beautiful, smaller than a cigarette, self-explanatory to use, holds a full day's worth of battery, and charges quickly. Instead of using e-juice, Pax developed nicotine salt cartridges for it, making it both simpler and hit much more like a cigarette than other vapes. I know multiple people who've instantly quit smoking cold-turkey after getting a Juul.

Others: Apple headphones with W1 Bluetooth chips (AirPods, Beats X, and Beats Studio 3), Teenage engineering OP-1, Palm WebOS

Nexus 5. Marvelous beauty of a phone. Red panda is especially beautiful. Screen size was just about right at the time, the way the screen blent into the bezels was amazing, the ergonomics were awesome.

Chopsticks. It is tricky to master but once you get it, you have an agility with your hands that cannot be matched even with bare fingers. I often use chopstick for gardening, for repairing things, and plenty of other. Also, it is very easy to find two ok sticks when picknic if you forgot your stuff.

The Curta handheld mechanical calculator https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13120233

Masakage knives: http://masakageknives.com/

There are many other makers of kitchen knives that are comparable to Masakage knives, but if someone who was serious about cooking asked me for a single recommendation of which knife brand they should buy into this would probably be my response. Their knives are reasonably priced, feature beautiful aesthetics, have personality, and perform as well as anyone could reasonably need.

Sawstop Professional Cabinet Saw. Solid, smooth running, all adjustments well thought out.

My late 90s Honda Civic. Simple and reliable. Nothing is more fancy or complex than it has to be.

Aeropress. Simple, makes great coffee, promotes a ritual.

The HP-41C. Just enough programming to be useful. RPN. Great keyboard feel.

Commodore 64.

May just be a bit of nostalgia speaking, but the things that little machine could be made to do... wow.

U.S. Constitution

Eiffel Tower

Bosendorfer 214CS piano

1986 Fender Performer guitar

1959 Fender Stratocaster

Yamaha YBL 321 trombone

Yamaha Q series alto sax

Any Zojirushi rice cooker

Vitamix

Sony SRF-M37w radio

Golden Gate Bridge (walk it)

Any Porsche 911

Toyota Sienna minivan

Any MacBook Air

Duluth Trading Longtail T shirts

web2py

C89

Visual Basic 3.0

Turbo Pascal 3.0

Visual Pascal

Vim

Eggs, bananas, bell peppers, cocoanuts, water

Fender Precision bass

Motorola StarTac

HN

Almost anything Frank Lloyd Wright

Pentel Graph Gear 1000: https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-Graph-Gear-1000-Drafting-Penc...

Best mechanical pencil I've ever used. You can tell a lot of thought has been put into every aspect of its design. The Rotring 800 is similarly well-designed, but I prefer the grip of the Pentel.

Zippo Lighters.

Easy to use (no button to hold down, just spin the wheel), easy to do maintenance, will light unless you got it really really wet or forgot to refill it.

My steel backplate original IBM Model M keyboard in use continuously from when it was new until today. I can't figure out any way to improve it.

Logitech trackman wheel from a decade or two ago, perfect to have a desk with 3 or 4 machines on. Must have thousands of hours of FPS and minecraft on it, feels new, feels perfect.

The original Radio Shack wire wrapping tool, you could pay up to 100x more for something less reliable or slower or harder to use but I built entire 8-bit microcomputers with mine. The wire stripper which is perfect for 30 gauge wire wrap wire stores inside the tool. You could pay more for something faster but less reliable or whatever bad engineering tradeoff, but somehow this cheap tool had the perfect engineering tradeoffs.

The hyper orthogonal PDP-11 assembly language instruction set. Essentially you wrote C in assembly. That and the 6809/68hc11 general family are the only two architectures I ever miss programming in assembly, everything else is perfectly doable but a chore.

I grew up with a surplus Tektronix 531 oscope, the kind with pluggable chassis. There's just something about tools designed by engineers specifically for engineers where everything just feels perfect and everything just worked. If it weren't for weighing a hundred pounds and drawing half a kilowatt every oscope would be a Tektronix 531.

Somehow I did electronics for over 30 years before buying a top of the line digital Hakko soldering station. I was so dumb, I should have invested in something of that quality level decades ago. Its perfectly repeatably capable of anything; after some flux cleaning I've had people ask if I own a wave soldering machine given a couple hundred perfect and identical joints on a board. Its weightless in my hand, perfect heating, ESD proof, and a joy to use. It cannot be improved.

Google Chromecast

Takes a quite complicated set of things going on (control signals from phone, data signals from internet), and turns them into a seamless intuitive experience.

I find the initial setup process particularly excellent. Getting a device with no user input onto a wifi network would normally be a nightmare, but the magic they do with setting up a temporary access point on the device is excellent.

The pouring end of a stainless Bialetti stovetop espresso pot[0]. Beautiful, precise, never a drip. Amazing.

[0] http://www.thehomestoreauckland.co.nz/images/_db/MwA1ADkAMAA...

Happy hacking keyboard professional.

Typing feel is exceptional and it's in a small form, so every key is within your reach. (Doesn't mean the keys are small.) Especially great for vim mode typing. You can even easily carry it with you.

Being using it for nearly 10 years and not failing. Highly recommended.

http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/lineup/images/thumb_pd...

There's also a one without a print for serious typers which I use.

http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/lineup/images/thumb_pd...

(Lite version is a completely different thing, I don't consider it worth buying.)

https://www.google.com/search?q=happy+hacking+keyboard+profe...

When I was an electrician aboard a volunteer ship, I bought some Swedish work pants that saved me SO much walking. It was like wearing a tool belt all the time, but WAY more comfortable. I could carry tools, supplies, a notebook, cell phone, everything. It was amazing.

I also had a knife I used for work and the pants had a special pocket at your knee especially for your knife. It was so perfect because it was always available. I could be ankles-deep, laying on my side, in some wall or other, but I just reach down and grab my knife if I need to cut something.

Both not exactly what I had, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again: https://www.blaklader.uk/en/product/15001370-trousers-crafts... https://morakniv.se/en/product/pro-s/

Norpro 917 Nylon Turner spatula. I just use it for serving or frying things up in a pan. I don't know why everyone else makes long spatulas that are either floppy or hard metal. It feels silly, but I was so happy to find a replacement after I destroyed my beloved spatula that I bought a pile of them and gave them to everyone I know who eats.

iPod Shuffle, the little almost square ones.

So easy to operate all of the functions on it that it can be done without ever taking it out of your pocket. Navigate through playlists without having to look at it all. Battery life lasts seemingly forever. It made commuting by public transport in the cold so very much better than fiddling with the UI on a phone. And training meant not having to carry a huge and heavy phone when running because it clips onto your pockets-less training clothes somewhere.

Hands down the best designed device I have ever used.

I'm impressed with the new design of water coolers. It's been a while since I've been in an office with a real water cooler as opposed to a Keurig-like device connected directly to the waterline.

But at my new office, we have a good old-fashioned water cooler. Except that it's a newfangled water cooler with a redesigned interface between cooler and water jug. Now, instead of peeling a wax lid off the top of the jug and spilling a couple cups of water as you throw it on the cooler, you just pull off a sticker and sort of plug it into the water cooler. No more water spills.

It seems so simple and obvious. Yet how many Olympic-sized swimming pools full of water did we have to spill before someone designed it? I love it.

Here's the first video I could find that shows one of them in action (in 3D!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgS5VIwE1WA

1. Nokia N9, it was the perfect device, hardware was perfectly fitted to the software and vice versa.

2. DasKeyboard Model S Ultimate.

* After breaking numerous glass ones: https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Columbia-Stainless-Thermal-17-O...

* The USB charger that came with the Nexus 4 - it's only been replaced because I finally got a decent QuickCharge charger.

* A Grundig AM/FM radio with Aux-in, still going strong after 10+ years as a bathroom speaker. One dial broke off. Oops. Still one of the best sounding speakers I have in my house - possibly due to it being wooden

* Yamaha NX-P100 Bluetooth speaker - used to use it for the APT-X capability, now I use it because it supports 3.5mm jacks, and USB sound input. Practically bulletproof although the battery life isn't as good as it was.

I use this as a keyring. It is a bottle opener with a drum key in a single piece.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/gibraltar-drum-key-bottle-opener-on-...

The Fisher Space Pen. Small enough to carry in your pocket without even noticing it, no sharp edges, unbreakable and trivially refillable. And it writes, too!

My old Honda S2000. Best car ever.

* Why The Honda S2000 Is A Future Classic || http://jalopnik.com/why-the-honda-s2000-is-a-future-classic-...

Shopping at Aldi. They display all their groceries on the same pallets they use for storage, and they're ruthless about cutting down cost and shopping time.

A shopping trip at Aldi takes half as long and costs half as much as other grocery stores. Excellent design.

Aesthetically pleasing:

- The Palm Pre (1st edition). It is an absolutely amazing, brilliant piece of hardware (especially back in 2009) that fits just right in my hand like a pebble. The curved screen is brilliant to the eyes and to the touch. It also has an interface that is not cluttered and busy like shit in other mainstream OSes then, and now.

But I mainly like things that are designed for ease of maintenance:

- The iPhone 4s and iPhone 5. Like the iPhone or hate it, but the iPhone is a marvelous engineering feat. First, the amount of components it could hold. Second, how strong and robust it is for such a small body. Third, how easy it is to replace the most vulnerable component, the screen.

- The iPod Nano 2nd Edition. It is such a timeless design that is extremely small and practical. It is really easy to open up the iPod Nano should you need to replace the battery, too.

- Dell Chromebook 13 and Acer Chromebook 720: It took 8 screws to open them and get to the battery, CMOS, RAM, SSD, CPU, WLAN card.

- Sony Walkmans. It was an eye-opening experience to see a player that is barely bigger than a tape, with features packed in it in the era of tapes, moving motors, pulleys, cogs and such.

But my most admired understated design has to be the Thinkpad line.

About 10 years ago, when computers were hot, clunky, and easy to break; I had a friend asking me to look at her coffee spilled Thinkpad T42 or T43 (I think). I just moved to the US for college for a month and had only a screwdriver toolset. Thankfully to its brilliant design [1], it only took a single screwdriver to lift the whole keyboard and touchpad up and get to everything, including the CPU. And the keyboard was spill resistant, so not that much liquid leaked either. I asked my roommate to take me to the nearest Radioshack to get a tube of heat spreader, and dried the whole thing with a hairdryer. It worked like new.

I could still remember the horror of opening Dell D6x0 laptops at my college IT department. What a fucking joke of a design - there is nothing good I could say about those "business machines" on the inside. It got to the point that if anything went wrong with those computers, the IT department just called the "Dell guy" to go fix it.

5 years ago, I even bet my roommate to pour a cup of water on a running Thinkpad. It survived.

And the Thinkpads now are barely different from the Thinkpads then and the Thinkpads from the beginning. It says something about the design, does it?

1: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/IBM+ThinkPad+T42+Teardown/29...

I really miss simple old thermostats. For a few years, they used a simple combination of two manual controls - one for temperature and a couple more for start and end times for maintaining that temperature. Made it easy to turn off at night and while I was at work.

No worries about power outages. No worries about WiFi. No need to keep the user guide around. No need to worry about whether guests would be able to figure it out. No batteries to run down. No programming/re-programming hell. No dependency on updates being bug free. I can't believe how horrible thermostats have become - I think most people have forgotten how easy and effective they used to be.

Bench made pocket knife with their "axis" locking mechanism.

Never thought I would be a knife guy, but I was given one gen years ago and I'm still smitten with this thing. There is nothing quite like the snapping sound when it opens perfectly.

My Weidmuller Stripax wire stripper. Simple, reliable, works for a wide range of wire gauges, built-in wire cutter. Feels good to use.

Hiking boots: Meindl http://www.meindl.de/produktwelten/berg-wandern/modelle-berg...

The 1996 Mazda Miata. Super simple, reliable and fun to drive.

The original Amarok. Amarok 2 killed the simplicity. The original had a great "now playing" queue and decent search.

My G9x mouse. I got it shortly after release, so it is about 8 years old now.

It is still going strong and the most comfortable mouse I have ever used. There is nothing that I dislike about it - apart from not being able to buy it anymore.

A properly designed kettlebell. The one below is what I use, but other companies also make good ones. The weight transfers around your arm naturally, it's very hard to injure yourself using it. Two indications of a good one are: handle is not flat, and pounds are in 18 pound increments (this comes from an old Russian unit of measure called a "pood".) https://christiansfitnessfactory.com/cff-black-monster-russi...

More Knives (http://morakniv.se/en/). They're super ergonomic, really hard wearing, and great steal. And best of all, they're about 1/4 the price of any equivalent blade.

Also, Mercator knives (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercator_K55K), I carry one every day, and use it most days. Good steel and shape, and super thin so they fit in any pocket.

Combs! Best designed, as somebody said, haven't changed for centuries!

Some djing/music related stuff:

Roland 808/909 Technics 1200 MK2 A&H Xone mixer serie Shure SM58 Ikea Expedit

My Steelcase Gesture - it is the first chair that I can ignore. It feels so natural.

Oculus Rift - for the first generation, it is surprisingly comfortable.

Oculus Touch - I can see my hands and it feels natural.

Lexus es350 - great car for sitting in Houston traffic. I wish that I could pull back the steering wheel a bit more so that I could stretch out my legs, bit it is still really comfortable.

Ibanez Jem - my luthier makes fun of this guitar, but it is a dream to play. Flat neck, large fretboard. It sounds amazing.

Nest - just works. Took 5 minutes to install and it just worked

Leatherman tools. Refreshingly usable compared to Swiss army knives.

I don't have the reference at hand at the moment but at work we have a microwave that has one wheel to select wattage and one wheel to select duration (30 secs increment).

This UX fits every frozen/industrial food because it corresponds to the manufacturer's cooking information (eg: 3minutes at 700watts, 5 minutes at 500watts, etc.).

At home I have a monster with two different alarm settings, not wattage bug a 10 grade scale, a keypad but the only way to set up time is through the plus and minus button, etc.

My Amiga 2000. I love it with all my heart. It'll still be going strong when your modern doohickeys become totally useless due to planned-obselescence. It'll outlive me.

CCTV Camera at Dutch train stations.

Yes, sounds crazy, but these guys designed a cctv camera that doesn't feel intimidating and big brother-ish but feels more friendly and pleasing. I absolutely love looking at them while at the station. It was designed by a dutch Design firm called Fabrique. You can read more about it here: http://designobserver.com/article.php?id=38335

Galaxy Nexus with stock Android 4.x.

More precisely, when I bought it almost five years ago I was simply shocked at how much more its UI seemed to have been designed with actual phone use in mind, compared to, say, my former late-Symbian Nokia E50.

Typical example: the E50 had the well-known idiosyncratic Nokia 'profiles', whereas the Nexus only had the fragment that users usually relied on -- that is, an easy switch between full-settings/vibrate-only/absolute-silence.

Lamy 2000: https://www.lamy.com/eng/b2c/2000/101

iMac

Something I use and love is a chopping board and knife set: https://www.josephjoseph.com/en-us/index-with-knives

In terms of parts it has exactly the same as any other; 4 knives, 4 boards and a block.

It's simple but it's exceptionally well designed. Without meaning to sound like an informercial, I'll mention some of the improvements over the standard. Firstly, it's colour coded for improved food safety, with matching logos on the board to help understand the semantics of the colours. The knife blade sizes/shapes are matched with the food types and similarly coloured.

You can throw it all, including the block, in the dishwasher. The block is open ended to the bottom to allow it to drain (I hate those blocks that let damp, dirt and bacteria accumulate at the bottom of the knife holes). The block also holds the boards apart, to prevent spread of bacteria and allow them to air dry.

The boards can be flipped around, and the knives moved to match. This doesn't sound like much, but it reveals the designer having thought about the ergonomics of taking the board out and always using (and wearing down) the same side of the board. Allowing it to be flipped and the knives to fit into corresponding flipped sockets is actually pretty clever.

A lot of thought has gone into it and without adding any complexity (sensors, motors, extra parts) or much manufacturing cost, they've kept it simple and greatly improved upon the standard (and probably selling it with a much higher markup). It's an example of the kind of applied design thinking I appreciate.

Land Rover Series I, II & III. Much like a Jeep, original Willys and CJ, the roof comes off, the panels come off, the body is aluminium, the engine and electrics are simple enough for most people to fix. Most of what can be mechanical like the fuel pump is mechanical, not electric. They are high enough up off the ground that they can be serviced without a jack, for oil and anti-freeze etc. Truly a utility vehicle.

My picks would be:

First hot water jug with a round base (so you didn't need to get a specific orientation).

Apple's MagSafe connector (even though it can occasionally be tough to clean grit out)

The Mercedes power seat controls (Don Norman devotes some space to them in The Design of Everyday Things)

The Leatherman (the Swiss Army knife done right)

The original Macintosh mouse

The PowerBook 100

Whichever PowerBook introduced the trackpad.

Whichever MacBook introduced the buttonless trackpad.

The iPhone 4

Google search

Google maps

Finder

WriteNow

HyperCard

Studio/32 (Deluxe Paint for the Mac, but better)

TiVo (series 2 before they lost the plot)

The Nikon FM2 (or pick a body in that era)

I loved my Mini Cooper: it was surprisingly versatile, had arguably beautiful estetics (me and my wife felt cool while sitting in it at least), was fun to drive in the small alpine roads, etc For us: 2 (at the time) DINKs living in the middle of Europe, it was a thing of beauty. I bought one with 0 fancy gadgets and I loved that about it. By far the best purchase (albeit expensive) I've made.

Those toilet paper holders that are simply just hooks.

Bikes

- Cateye bicycle lights

- Cateye Astrale wired cadence cycle computer: all the information I need and nothing more

- '98 Specialized Stumpjumper: My balance is useless and this bike is the only one I can ride comfortably without holding the handlebars. I forever feel like I'm going faster that I really am. Solid steel frame made in Japan, zero suspension

- Brooks saddles

- Brompton folding bicycles. No other bike folds up so naturally.

Kitchen equipment

- My current Kenwood Kmix Kettle [0] is the best designed / most solid / prettiest I've used so far. The main down issue is that it's made in China. The handle is stainless steel - so won't break over the years. Very nice shape and lovely colours.

- Kenwood Major mixers. Especially old ones, but even the modern Chinese made ones are still good quality.

- Dualit stainless steel toaster [1]. Simple lever mechanism for putting the bread in, simple dial timer. Served as a toaster in my University halls and always worked and easy to use whilst hungover.

Other

- Pentel refill leads and the parellelgram shaped packets they come in. (Made in Japan still)

- I was a fan of the Pentel automatic pencils back in school - the black 0.5mm one, but I kept losing them.

- Maglite torches. Tried buying a fancy ass Thrunite mega-lumens torch, but I prefer the simplicity of Maglite.

  [0]: http://www.kenwoodworld.com/en-int/products/kmix/kmix-kettles/kmix-traditional-kettle-skm035a
  [1]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dualit-2-Slot-Classic-Toaster-Stainless/dp/B00008BQZE/

The game of Tetris.

Jura superautomatic coffee machines.

Jura is a Swiss brand that is like the Apple of superautomatics. Their range extends from small, somewhat expensive consumer machines to rather expensive, excellent machines for industrial use. They're really solid, stylish workhorses, with excellent availability of spare parts and repair shops (though I've never needed any).

I have the ENA Micro 9 [1], which comes with an excellent "cappuccinatore" frothing mechanism for milk espressos (unlike those frothers that spin a little whisk around in the milk, the frother uses pressurized air). The step-up model, the ENA 9 One Touch, is not worth the higher price (it's not even as good-looking), while the little brother ENA Micro 1 is only good for coffee (no hot water or milk frothing).

[1] https://us.jura.com/en/homeproducts/machines/ENA-Micro-9-OT-...

My Bunn ST Velocity coffee machine [0]. I bought it on September 1, 2011 and have used it every single morning (and then some) since. It has no buttons, no configurations, no options. It makes coffee inside of 120 seconds (because it keeps the water pre-heated). It does not have a glass carafe to break, it does not burn the coffee since it does not use a heated plate but instead pours the coffee into a thermos that keeps it hot for hours. <3

It's not available on Amazon any more (where I got it originally), but I'm not sure if it's actually discontinued or just unavailable. I hope if the former that it's just been replaced by a slightly updated model, but I don't know.

UPDATE: There's still the STX model available [1], it's a bit more garish looking but it seems to be otherwise identical.

0: http://amzn.to/2mdtWs3

1: http://amzn.to/2lZxlhT

The way I see it, great design is about meshing seamlessly with the end user. If an item or software feel like they extend me they're exquisitely well designed. Here are several such things:

- MacBook Pro 13" with Touchbar. The MacBook Pro is the first laptop I've used that doesn't feel like a tool I need to struggle with and manipulate to get the job done. It's powerful enough so I don't need to worry about system resources, light enough that I can carry it everywhere, and sturdy enough that I'm not constantly worried about breaking it. The list goes on - this is truly a magnificent computer.

- This leather messenger bag.

http://emanuel-w.com/product/קלפה-צד-41071/?lang=en

Dunno if it's available in the states, but this leather bag by Emanuel has been my companion for five years, and is only getting better with time. It has enough room for anything I need, is brilliantly compartmentalized, and is super comfy to take anywhere.

- Kindle, the one with the keyboard. I currently own Paperwhite and it's almost there, but not quite. eInk is a brilliant invention, but it's the Kindle's design that made it what it is today - my go-to solution for reading, anywhere, anytime.

Moving on to software:

- Mad Mimi is a simple, lovely email newsletter service that is brilliantly designed, and which pioneered the drag-and-drop email design interface.

- Basecamp. I love their no-bullshit approach to design, their ability to ignore current "design trends" to focus on simpler aesthetics, and the boldness with which they communicate their promise. It's fantastic.

Might think about some more examples a little later. :-)

The iRobot Roomba is one of the best electronic devices I own. The durability is simply impressive, only the battery breaks eventually since well, there is no escape for this. Even without using crazy AI, it kinda works well, and is one thing that when released looked pretty revolutionary but is actually useful instead of being just a fake induced need.

Weber Kettle grill (love their smoker as well but points knocked off for cleanup).

I have always found Microsoft keyboard and mice to be well designed.

Muji Gel Pen - https://www.amazon.com/MUJI-Ballpoint-0-7mm-color-10pcs/dp/B...

I love this pen, makes me want to write more! The simple minimalist design of the pen (and many other Muji products) is something I admire a lot.

The side-stand of a motorcycle that swings backward to retract. Such a simple yet life saving design.

For tech stuff, checkout Windows Surface Hub.

I'm a big fan of my Logitech M510 wireless mouse: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-mouse-m510

It runs for ages on just two AAs (their website promises a 2-year life, which honestly sounds about right from my experience). It's very ergonomic, fits my hand perfectly. The back/forward buttons are positioned perfectly -- you can easily press them when you want to, but you'll never press them accidentally. The scroll wheel is nice and even has horizontal scrolling (not something I need often, but nice on the rare occasion I'm in Photoshop or whatever). The USB receiver is tiny enough that I can leave it in my laptop all the time. Logitech's been selling the M510 for years with almost no design changes, because it simply doesn't need improving.

The Faber Castell Alpha-matic pencil. Auto-feed, good cut-metal grip. I found this in a field in the early 90's, it still writes wonderfully, the feed mechanism is amazing. It's a device that's so perfectly fit-for-purpose. If I had to replace it I'd be looking at spending a LOT of money these days :(

Honda Civic SiR II (EG chassis) - Not hugely powerful, but great fun to drive, everything in the right place, fold-flat seats in the rear, plastic clamshell backs on the front seats, small pull-out tray in the rear, 6 speaker stereo, good suspension design, great little engine, rear gate design allows you to fit quite large items in there. An awesome little car from the early 90's.

The MX518 mouse, as mentioned elsewhere.

zip ties. I always have some on me. They've saved me countless times, from securing things in place to replacing a broken jubilee clip on one of my current car's hoses so I didn't have to limp home.

Midori traveler's notebook. A great example of wabi-sabi design.

Nobody has mentioned the Minimoog Model D and its modern variants(Voyager, Sub37, etc.), so I will. As synthesizer instruments go, it's astoundingly hard to match the number of "sweet spots" the genuine article has. There are lots of synths with more complex architectures, polyphony and timbral possibilities, that are more affordable and ship with lots of presets, and there are lots of bad digital knockoffs that don't reproduce the sound correctly or correctly handle parameter changes, but an original one in good condition sounds good from nearly any starting point and allows for continuous development of a sound just by holding one note and turning knobs. You don't "program" a Moog and then play, you "perform" it as you play - and that's a key difference between their style and what most other synth makers put out.

HAProxy & its documentation especially.

It's a fantastic piece of software.

The most perfectly designed thing is IMO the HB or 2B paper pencil. This kind : http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/20000/velka/pen...

Any cast iron piece of cookware.

They're non-stick. They're durable. They will outlast your grandchildren if you take good care of them.

Any gooseneck kettle.

The water flows from the bottom of the kettle so you're assured a steady stream of water.

Zojurushi electric grills.

I've owned several of them. I usually buy one and then give it away when I move. They have all performed perfectly, and every single one is still operational.

Iwatani ZA-3HP gas stove

I live in a warmer climate and prefer to relax while preparing food outside with a stogie in one hand, a glass of rye in the other, and a cooking spoon... somewhere. This thing cranks out the heat. I use it to sear steaks, do stir fry, etc.

Joule sous vide device

This thing is small and beautiful, and unlike a lot of other sous vide products, it can operate in only a few inches of water.

Grado SR-80 headphones

There's nothing remotely close to these things when considering quality of sound versus price... and they look great too

Nikon FE manual focus SLR. Every control a real photographer needs, nothing you don't. Tough—mine is 35+ years old and works as well as the day it left the factory. The match needle exposure meter is better than anything that came before or after. I love mine, even if shooting film is a pain in 2017.

Ikea Jerker Desk.

* Ikea's Crime Against Humanity - An Ode to the Jerker - Marketing Mojo || https://www.marketing-mojo.com/blog/ikeas-crime-against-huma...

I use my Wii every day, usually for Netflix or MarioKart. Don't like the Wii U, but I think the Wii was very well made, and is fun and natural to use

My 16-year old Subaru Impreza is also an amazing tank of a car. We had crazy snow in Vancouver this year, and I swear it drives better in the snow than on dry asphalt

Traktor Z1 and X1 controllers. There's been a lot of different options for DJ controllers lately, but these two have been a perfect fit for my style and the music I play. They're certainly bad for a hip-hop turntablist, but for a steady BPM 4/4 house/techno set they're just perfect. They're very small, which is perfect for a crowded DJ booth in a bar. They're very easy and fast to setup, with built-in audio interface - which means that there's less gear to haul. They only have the necessary functions - which means that instead of wasting my time on what the sync button can do automatically, I can spend more effort on the human touch. And most importantly, they're modular - which means I'll be buying another pair to control 2 more decks pretty soon.

Oxo hand tools.

Hermin Miller Aerons.

My Olympus skyhawk. Literally the only piece of hardware that's going to outlive me.

The FN P90 and the 57 pistol.

The flight deck on the Sukhoi SU-34 and the Boeing 787.

Basically, anything where the design department went out and asked the customer what their biggest complaints were, then sat down to eliminate them in the design phase.

I probably could list a handful of items, but the first one who comes up immediately is my TEK keyboard. Since nearly two years I'm using this ergonomic keyboard, and it's just great. It has a real steep learning curve and will drive you insane for the first few "weeks." But after some time you will love it. I can now type blind and type much faster than on any keyboard before. My hands rest in one place all the time only my fingers move. For me, this keyboard is a great design. It has its price, but for something that I constantly use to earn my income, it is more than worth it. The only negative thing is that you get confused when using a "normal" keyboard. But after some keystrokes, your brain will switch modes, and you can type as before :)

Nokia Lumia charger: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lukaszkups/lukaszkups-old/...

I love my Pro-ject RPM 1 turntable. It's such a simple design - stripped back to the bare bones of what's needed to play records.

http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=rpm13

Without a doubt, the most elegantly designed products I've ever used are the sequencers and synthesizers made by Teenage Engineering (https://teenage.engineering/). I own the original three pocket operators (PO-12, PO-14, PO-16) and every aspect about them, from the packaging to the board design itself (the whole instrument is just the PCB its made on), is a work of art. Granted, they're not necessarily the most intuitive thing to use, but when you consider TE has shrunken a desk's worth of electronic music equipment into something the size of a Raspberry Pi, it's hard to not be impressed with their design methodology.

Vertx tactical trousers / shorts - cargo without the bulk, inner magazine pockets hold phones steady rather than flailing around, gussets and pleats for flex

Hario V60 coffee cone - perfect results, cheap

Ball tritium watches - a watch you can always read in the dark, even after 14 hours of Arctic night

Hardware:

Zojirushi mugs

Creative zen mp3 players

Staedtler writing utensils

Software:

Linux utils, particularly those born out of Bell Labs

ggplot

Keras

Looking at all the replies I realize how everyone seems to have one thing or two that really love and remember. It is a little worrying for me because I dont seems to be perfectly satisfies with any.

The only thing I am perfectly happy with (so far) is Cutlery from MUji.

Everything else are either too big, Air Con, Air Purifier, Dehumidifier, why cant these be combined together? How many boxes and STB do I need hanging out of my TV? Why cant it be ONE. Cooker, Microwave / Oven that is not easy to use or clean. Dyson that is good at suction power but plastic and ugly. Heck Even Kettle, I wanted a Crystal Clear Glass Kettle with a handle that last longer instead of its plastic handle getting greasy and sticky after 3 - 4 years.

May be I am just too picky?

Just about any good kitchen knife.

Pen/Pencil and Paper.

A Book.

A Cup

A Towel

A Blanket

A Pillow

What do these have in common, they're so well designed (over the years) that you don't even think about them.

Wireshark network analyzer software. A true swiss army knife utility for capturing and analyzing network traffic. I've used on Macs, Linux boxes, and Windows, and they all are robust and operate identically. It has been a very valuable tool for me.

The legendary Nokia 3310. Military grade build quality, and an amazing UI at the time.

The chemex: http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/coffeemakers/classic-series...

Redbox. Concept and kiosk. I like the app for finding and reserving movies; my mom, who has never used a smartphone, uses the kiosks easily. They took a familiar business, modernized it a little bit, slashed the overhead, and people seem to like it.

-Concept2 Rowing Machine or SkiErg2

-5.11 Rush 72 Backpack

-AirSense 10 by ResMed

-Casio Duro MDV106

-NSF Wire Shelving

-Amazon Alexa

-Beats Wireless Studio (1st Generation)

-Plantronic Voyager 5200 Headset & Case

-Amazon Kindle

-Microsoft Surface 3

The standard, boring toggle-style light switch (US). Inexpensive, standard, durable, easy to replace, and extremely easy to operate. Basically the polar opposite of the average phone/laptop/game console/etc. power switch.

- Lagiole knifes (more optical design / less practicality)

- Victorinox SwissTool (more practical)

- Stabilo Worker Pens (amazingly low friction for a ballpoint pen)

Edit: - Razer: Merkur Dovo Futur Duoclip (Its predecessor was an overdesigned, brittle mess. But this one is great.)

Re writing and drawing materials, I love Kunst & Papier's minimalist sketch/notebooks [1].

Aside from having great paper quality, they have a rigid cardboard cover, and the spine is fabric and flexible, so you can open the book completely flat over and over without destroying it.

They come in all sorts of sizes, from small to absolutely huge, and the minimalist design makes them look very clean on a shelf.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index%3...

Sori Yanagi ice cream spoon

https://www.amazon.com/Sori-Yanagi-Cream-Spoon-6pcs/dp/B0000...

Just about anything Razer.

Razer Taipan & Razer BlackWidow are wonderful. Totally reliable, precise, and pleasantly tactile.

I've had a few Razer mice over the years and the earlier ones had a rubberize finish that would wear off eventually... had my Taipan for 4 years or so and it still feels like it's brand new. Trackpads will work in a pinch, but after you get used to a high-DPI mouse it's hard to use anything else. Same for mechanical keyboards... ha, maybe we should tell people not to get started... you'll hate typing on anything else after you've used one for a while.

The FlipBelt - https://flipbelt.com

Ingenious and works perfect. Lets you run/cycle with your phone/keys/cards/food-gels without any discomfort. I can barely tell it's there, and certainly beats having your phone strapped to your arm and looking funny and offsetting weight on one arm. The belt is invisible under my t-shirt.

I don't know if FlipBelt were the first to come out with product, there's other brands on Amazon if you look, but they were the only ones I found when I first bought it years ago.

The Microsoft IntelliMouse 1.1a. It's a shame it's no longer on sale.

Blendtec total blender. Works as advertised, never says no. Feels professional.

The Muji wall-mounted CD player.

The simplicity in design and the shift in perspective that it brought has been deeply impactful. I study in a design school, and the number of times I have seen it appear on students' collages, inspiration/mood boards, etc is way too high.

P.S. Makes me wonder if that can be used as a metric for how influential a design is. Like how credibility of a research paper is based on number of times it has been cited. If there's a way to gather number of times a product has appeared on inspiration/mood board of other products, to determine its influence.

-Herman Miller Aeron (the original and remastered models): thoughtful design and very comfortable, albeit pricey

-2013 Retina MacBook Pro: my daily laptop and still to date the best laptop I have ever used

-Logitech Performance MX: the cheaper and older alternative to the MX Master but is still a high quality mouse

-Rolex GlideLock Bracelet: possibly the greatest stainless steel bracelet to ever go on a watch. the balance of its form, fit, and function is simply unmatched.

-The North Face Apex Elevation Jacket: not too bulky but stays very warm

-Pentel Hi-Polymer Erasers: superlative erasers that are reasonably cheap

undefined

undefined

I've fallen in love with the Parker Jotter pen (the full-steel version) http://www.parkerpen.com/en-US/jotter-us. Stumbled into it by accident (a marketing/promotional gift). Never knew it's apparently "a classic".

Other than that, I'm very fond of my Surface Pro 4 (the lowest-specced but fanless version). Though only since I've got my first one replaced, as it was constantly crashing.

Tom Bihn's bags. Not only stylish and usefully designed, but practically indestructible!

https://www.tombihn.com/

Lately, the first thing that comes to mind is the ShuttlePro v2

http://www.contourdesign.com/US/product/shuttlepro-v2/

Recommended highly by other people editing video, and the first time I used it, I felt like an expert. Once I got the keys mapped that I like and started getting good with it, it's become an extension of my hand.

Best $100 I've spent on technology in a long time.

The Fender Stratocaster

Earhoox. https://earhoox.com/

For whatever reason, all earphones fall out of my ears. Exercise, walking around the house, whatever - they just don't work for me. The Earhoox sort that 100%.

Only issues: I had to use a nail-clipper to cut the rough mold edges. They do fall off the earbuds quite easily when e.g. in pockets. But if I lost them, I'd order another pair that day.

My Seiko SARY57 mechanical (automatic) watch.

Beautifully made, looks great, does what it's supposed to do, not too expensive. Simply can't ask for more design-wise in my opinion.

https://www.amazon.com/PRESAGE-mechanical-self-winding-windi...

Kindle Paperwhite probably comes a close 2nd.

Walther PPQ M2 9mm. We're in the midst of a small arms golden age right now and this pistol is the closest to a local optimum as currently exists.

You asked.

Coral Common Lisp on a Mac Plus. Still viable today, over thirty years later, as Clozure Common Lisp.

The Sharp EL-5813 (http://www.rskey.org/el5813). I still have the one I bought in 1980. Works like a charm. I can't even remember the last time I changed the batteries.

The original Keurig K-10 mini (the one without the DRM).

HP 48G

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_48_series

I have a thin, fold-out, apx 2 inch box cutter knife that fits perfectly in my small jeans pocket. I need it around work all day long and it's always there for me and I don't feel it otherwise. It locks when it flips out too which I appreciate, and there's a button to press to safely fold it back in. It just has such an elegant, simple, and safe design, I love it.

My Tag Heuer watch[1]. Extremely well made and beautifully designed and crafted. Had mine for 13 years (daily wear) and it still looks fantastic.

[1] - https://storage.googleapis.com/attachments.outofpawn.com/att...

undefined

emacs.

it's designed to grow and change, and it does so. It has the Quality Without A Name.

I haven't used a Mac in a long time but BBEdit left a lasting impression on me. I really quite like it, but I use Windows mostly :(

The first thing I though of was a Trangia Stove [0], simple and clever design, cheap to run, has saved me a few times in the bush and built to last (still have the one I inherited from my father).

[0]: http://trangia.se/en/camping-stoves-series-27/

The Nexus Prime. I have been using this particular mobile phone for so long, because of its clean physical design and stock Android experience. https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-I9250-Galaxy-Nexus-Unlocked/d...

1. Apple iPhone 4 and newer (hardware & software)

2. Commodore 64 (greatest desktop PC design for many reasons from hardware, software and documentation)

3. Apple Macbook Pro 2016 and all unibody MBPs (hardware)

I also really like my Victorinox Waiter Swiss Army Knife. The corkscrew is better than on my Leatherman and I use these at least once a week as we take a bottle of wine out to dinner.

I'd have to say my Moto X first generation was the best phone I've ever used. I leave for other phones or break the screen but always go back to it and buy another one used. It is just the perfect size and fast and everything works as it should (except for a few flaws like the headphone jack which craps out after extended use).

Stokke/Variable rocking kneeling chair.

http://www.arredamentisartori.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/...

After all the pricey Aeron crap that is actually _bad_ for my back, this works.

Tupperware orange peeler

Lowden acoustic guitars. Never found anything to match the design (never mind sound) of my '82 L23.

La Pavoni coffee maker. Replace O-rings and give it a service every couple of years and it'll last forever.

Copper cooking pans, especially old ones by Leon Jaeggi. Amazing cookware that will last forever, given the odd retinning.

Kinesis Advantage

- Ergonomic layout

- Cherry MX Brown mechanical switches

- Key remapping

- Keyboard layout switching (QWERTY/Dvorak)

The best keyboard I've ever used. Not cheap though ($300).

I'm not affiliated in any way with this website, but I've been purchasing products recommended by www.ConsumerSearch.com since 2007 and I've been extremely pleased with all of their recommendations.

Some of those recommendations have been with me for 10 years and the designs are still easy on my brain.

DJI Mavic Pro. Its flying capabilities are remarkable, the 4K video looks almost surreal, and all fits into a pouch the size of a medium-sized camera pouch.

Also very impressed with the build quality of various USB extended batteries, "bullet-proof" USB charging wires, and wall chargers from Anker.

The Red Solo Cup.

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/branded/2011/10/red_c...

A 1982 Toyota Landcruiser we just bought to take a road trip with.

https://clipboard-dvdv.s3.amazonaws.com/WhatsApp_Image_2017-...

Great car, easy to work on, easy to fix and simple.

Canon 5D3 - feels exceptional in your hand, takes fantastic photos out of the box, and with all the more advanced features just as accessible for when you need them.

Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket - so light, stuffs into it's inner pocket, sufficiently warm, windproof and layerable. Pretty much perfect.

Herman Miller Embody chair

AeroPress

Muji pocket notebooks

Back in the 92, this was by far the best TV. Best remote, best everything, and worked seemlessly with a motorised stand, using the same remote.

Beovision MX6000

https://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=641

Minaal Backpack - https://www.minaal.com/ I got the version 1.0 with kickstarter and have used it almost daily ever since. Lovely bag with thoughtful design for daily work use or as a weekend bag.

My Amazon wishlist just grew a lot.

Bonavita tea kettle. Set the temperature exactly.

http://bonavitaworld.com/products/10l-digital-variable-tempe...

Nikon FE manual focus SLR. Every control a real photographer needs, nothing you don't, and the match needle exposure meter works better than anything else ever invented. Tough—mine is 35+ years old and works like it's brand new.

The Jonas peeler for peeling fruit and veg

https://www.amazon.com/Linden-Sweden-Jonas-Peeler-Original/d...

Zebralight H52 headlamp with eneloops http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_1...

undefined

My Alclair Audio custom molded IEMs. You literally haven't heard music until you have a custom pair of IEMs. I'm blown away what I hear in music that I couldn't hear before.

*Also protects my hearing from loud drummers

good old Nokia phones with buttons which only does one thing exceptionally good

Muji kitchenware. Their bowls, spoons, forks. High quality steel, beautiful dull-silver finish, even and smooth corners, no unnecessary crevices or embellishments. Just perfect. The off-white ceramic bowls, whew.

Lenovo x220.

Upgrade ram, add a mSSd. Rockstar

This is the most satisfying thread I have read in years :)

My contribution: Pilot Frixion pens. The ink erases with heat, which can be applied by rubbing the other end of the pen on the paper.

This pen has eliminated my need for pencils.

I always loved the Apple G3 Powerbook for it's design. It has the silhouette of womens hips and is a piece of simplistic beauty. Also loved the two shades of spy-black they used for the body :-)

AK-47

Linotype Line Casting Machine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linotype_machine

Oberon/F on the 68K Macs was the sweetest IDE I've ever used.

Thinkpad X220.

Probably a Le Creuset dutch oven. Versatile, lasts forever, simple.

Ortlieb messenger bag: https://www.ortlieb.com/en/Messenger%20Bag/

Have had one for over 10 years now, used it for bike commuting in Seattle, motorcycle commuting in Rwanda and a grocery shopping in Ecuador. It is pretty much indestructible, to the point that I wonder how they can afford to make it. The velcro is starting to stick less now but otherwise it is perfect and that seems repairable.

Gaggia Coffee Deluxe & Haro Slim Grinder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001KOA4Q/

For roughly $400 you can get yourself a setup that will make you better latte's than 90% of coffee shops. I have a souped up PID'd Silvia with a super fancy burr grinder as well, which is also great, but the bang for the buck of the Gaggia is hard to beat and it is serviceable, so you can take it apart and descale or repair it for decades to come. The hand grinder has enough adjustability for this class of machine, produces a super consistent grind and adds a fun routine to your morning.

Dell USB-C Multi-Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012DT6KW2/

Ethernet, VGA, USB-3 and HDMI in a tiny little adapter which has a cable that folds on itself. This is a pretty perfect companion to the new MBP's and works without drivers. Really nicely done and has been reliable for me, always keep it in my bag.

Swiss Tech Utility Key: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001EFSTI/

Always have it on my keychain, passes security in airports, super handy. Really see no reason to NOT have one of these.

Leatherman Wave: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JCN6C8/

Others designs have come and gone but I've had one of these for 20 years and it is still going strong. Super sharp blades that keep an edge, one handed opening and tools that actually work. I really don't think anyone has improved on its design since introduction, it is the type of thing you can hand down to someone.

Nest Learning Thermostat: https://store.nest.com/product/thermostat

Davinci Resolve is a fullly featured professional video editing and color grading suite. The free version has pretty much much everything I'll ever need For video editing.

My dad's old stereo receiver from the 70s. It was easy to connect an MP3 player invented decades later.

By contrast, my 5-year-old car has a useless built-in GPS that can't be replaced.

Any of the Olympus cameras designed by Yoshihisa Maitani - pen F and original OM-1 being particular standouts. Simply wonderful objects to hold and even more fun to use.

Post-it notes

Hewlett-Packard products before they started making PC's.

Most Patagonia products. The last 5-6 years they've greatly increased their range of offerings with no noticeable diminution of quality (from my perspective).

Netbeans.

Sublime text.

KDE 3 and KDE 5.

My fathers old IBM 486. (Had working suspend resume back in 95.)

The G3 back in military.

undefined

2013 15-inch MBP served me very well.

Was the laptop I was most happy with.

HP 32SII scientific calculator. I had one in high school (not sure what happened to it), recently picked one up on ebay and haven't regretted it!

Happy Hacking Pro 2 keyboard

Fuji X-T1 & Fuji lenses with manual aperture rings (e.g. 23mm, 35mm..)

Eames chair

Slayer Espresso machine

ACME cups

Audeze LCD-3

MacBook Pro 2015

Emacs (especially org-mode, but the open-ended extensible design in general is genius)

Engineered Garments parka

National Microwave, still going strong after 30+ years

A babyzen yoyo stroller. Folds down to a size of a backpack so can easily bring it on board airplanes. Really light but still has a strong frame.

* grep, sort, uniq ... * Microsoft Natural Keyboard

- Victorinox Classic SD Pocket Knife

- Japanese toilet roll holders

- 3M Command Strips

For me it is Nokia 3310. I could not afford it as a kid but I always "borrowed" it from my dad and play with it for a while :)

Swagelok - literally everything in the catalogue.

1. I have products from Bang & Olufsen to be exceptionally well designed. Sure, they cost fives times more but IMHO its worth it.

2. Nokia 3310

- the Ableton Push 2 controller - the iPod mini

Yamaha KX88 keyboard. It was super heavy but excellent key "action". My SY08 is close but still not the same.

Pentel Client Pens. Go-Ruck Slick backpack.

Conn 79H Trombone. Just gorgeous sound, beautiful design, and even the trombone case just seemed right. Still love it.

Spracht Konf-X Buds Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds.

Lifetrak c410 watch - battery life more than 6 months.

Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Squared.

The Leopold FC750R(T) mechanical keyboard.

I would go with Kindle and apple macbooks!

Vitamix Blender - The power of a lawnmower, easy to use, easy to clean, 5 year warranty. It's a power-tool.

- Kinesis Advantage

- Darn Tough socks

- Microsoft Surface Pro 4

- Instant Pot

- ChefSteps Joule

- Hydro Flask

- Tom Bihn 25

- GORUCK GR1

- ThermoWorks ThermaPen Mk4

- humangear capCAP

- Leatherman Wave

- Leatherman Squirt PS4

- Victorinox Bantam Alox

- Google Chromecast

- Fisher Space Pen

- Herman Miller Aeron

- Buff Merino Wool

- Lace Anchors

A one-hour kitchen timer. Turn the dial to the desired time and that's it.

The dial also shows the remaining time.

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive as a kid. I mean that console looks great even by today’s standards :)

Pilot Hi-Tec C PakBoat Canoes Leica MP Opinel No. 6 Lems Boulder Boots MSR Wisperlite

Bic Cristal Ballpoint pen. Blue.

Japanese toilet bidet...so clean

First of all, this thread is fantastic. If I wasn't designing and building interfaces, I'd love to give industrial design a shot. There are so many seemingly mundane things that we take for granted. Here's a few favorites:

YETI Rambler - 20oz

http://yeti.com/rambler

I've owned so many different insulated coffee mugs, but this is by far the best I've owned. What's particularly interesting to me about this one is the open top, I can drink from it like any to-go coffee, but the temperature stays warm for hours. Alternatively, I've filled it with ice and water and had the ice last my entire workday.

—

Mochi Drawstring Backpack

https://www.mochibrand.com/

Drawstring backpacks tend to be pretty fickle. Often they get tangled, jam and break. I've had a Mochi drawstring back for the last three years and love it. The strings are much thicker on the Mochi. I'm not sure what is different about the design of the strings, but I have not once had a jam—not in three years.

—

Withings WiFi Scale

http://www.withings.com/us/en/products/new-scales

Ever since I wrestled in high school, I've been obsessed with my weight. Maybe it is a little compulsive, but I weigh myself two or three times each day. Withings has an app keeps track of your weight, body fat percentage and BMI over time. I find it fascinating to see the fluctuations and averages. You can see what the app looks like here.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/health-mate-steps-tracker/id...

—

Logitech K750 Solar Keyboard

https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-solar-keyboa...

I'm certain everyone here has their own opinions about keyboards. I'm a huge fan of the Logitech solar keyboard. I got sick of changing the batteries on my Apple keyboard every few months so I bought this keyboard. What's amazing is that even a room with very little light, the thing has been running without issue.

—

Timex Weekender Watch

http://www.timex.com/men/collections/weekender/

Watches are pretty subjective, but I think the weekender is a fantastic buy for the money. You can generally find them for $30 to $40. You can purchase a few different nato bands, and it's like you have several different watches! One caveat is that the watch is incredibly loud. I love it because it reminds me of the clock at my grandmother's house in the country. If you're sensitive to loud watches, it's probably not the right one for you.

Vim.

Dell ultrasharp monitors

Logitech trackballs

Macbook pro (2016)

prismacolor pencils

ikea furniture

Canvas LMS. Coming from blackboard, Canvas is a god-send.

- Thinkpad 701C(S) w/ butterfly keyboard

- Shouter (for Android)

- Amazon Kindle

- Leatherman Wave

- Collapsable Electric Kettle

- Esbit Stoves

- Merrell Hiking Shoes

- Moleskins

Fender American Made Stratocasters

Amish rocking chairs

Audio cables by Monster

Timberland shoes

Chicago thick crust pizza:)

Macbook Air 11" (I'm writing this with it)

Nokia 1100 - World's best selling mobile phone

Grado headphones.

Logitech MX Revolution mouse, c2005.

Gone but never forgotten.

A violin. 200 years old and it still worked.

The thermomix: http://thermomix.vorwerk.com/home/

This little game called Pokemon Yellow.

Casio FX-4000P and FX-7000G calculators

Knife and fork

Toyota Corolla Wagon

Ikea all steel espresso maker

DC3 aircraft

90s era steel mountain bike

Eames Aluminum Group Management Chair

Microsoft Sculpt ergonomic keyboard

iPod with the spinning click-wheel

The Logitech M235 wireless mouse.

Any pre-Fiorina HP Laser Printer.

I've been reading this thread since I clicked on it 3 hours ago: every contribution/comment. Wonderful stuff, I've learned SO MUCH. Time to give back — here are my faves:

— Fiskars all-purpose scissors (they make a L-handed version for weirdos like me, such a delight after growing up with R-handed iterations): https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-All-purpose-Left-hand-Scissor...

— Fiskars scissors with non-stick blade coating (wonderful for cutting tape) https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Non-stick-Titanium-Softgrip-S...

— iPod nano Gen 7 [latest] (FM radio; Podcasts; video; photos; bright 2.5" screen; super-thin & light; beautiful esthetically; Bluetooth lets me run with my music without wires) http://www.apple.com/ipod-nano/

— BlueAnt Bluetooth earphones: ≤1/6 the price of AirPods/Beats wireless; comfortable; good sound; easy to sync & operate; lightweight; they stay in; connecting cord so you don't lose one earphone; cool looking IMHO) https://www.amazon.com/BlueAnt-Pump-Wireless-Sportbuds-Black...

— O'Keefe's Working Hands cream (unbelievably effective, best thing ever for cracked/chapped skin) https://www.amazon.com/OKeeffes-Working-Hands-Hand-Cream/dp/...

— DuraScoop Cat Litter Scoop (the Maybach of litter scoops) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DCAAP4?psc=1&redirect=...

Easton Bat Weight (so many uses around the house: paperweight; equipment/furniture support; door stop; small item container; weapon in extremis; I could go on) https://www.amazon.com/Easton-Bat-Weight-Royal-16-Ounce/dp/B...

Trombone paper clips (so much better than regular ones, it's not even funny, plus they look cool) https://www.amazon.com/ACCO-Regal-Length-Silver-A7072130/dp/...

— Rain Design mStand Laptop stand (functional; beautiful; lasts forever) https://www.amazon.com/Rain-Design-mStand-Laptop-Patented/dp...

— Pioneer Kuro Elite Plasma TV [2007] Yes, it cost $5,000 10 years ago — still works perfectly, never had a single problem, picture is sometimes 3-dimensional it's so lifelike; as good as ANYTHING at the very highest end today INCLUDING LG 4K OLED and top-of-the-line Samsungs.

— Stagg Pour-Over Kettle with Integrated Thermometer (if you're a fanatic about your coffee and demand the water be 200° ± 5° when you pour, this is your baby. Beautifully designed, a pleasure to use) http://fellowproducts.com/shop/stagg/

CygnusED

A door.

DrRacket IDE. Definitely.

SFML (2D game framework)

Fender Rhodes

Sennheiser HD650 headphones

Uniqlo knitwear

paperclips. easy to use / can be hacked.

Paper and pencil

T-72. Is great.

Ducati Monster

"The C Programming Language" by K&R.

spoons are pretty well designed

Books.

velcro

Macbook Air

Nokia N95

velcro lego

Meta: /r/buyitforlife has a lot content in this vein.

Any Toyota truck/car with a 22R engine, with manual transmission.

Old cast iron cookware

Flobee (Laugh, but it cuts hair. You need to experiment with the extensions though. For those that despise the annual haircut, hate the small talk, and that lying response at the end of the ordeal, "It looks great!"; pick up a old Flobee at a garage sale.)

In my world, a old IWC watch with a 853 movement. (I do watch repair, and this might be my favorite movement. The older IWC's don't look flashy, but that movement is well engineered. I can wear my old watch anywhere; only I know what's under the crystal. I never worry about theft.

3/8" Snap-on combination metric/standard ratchet set. The one with the deep sockets, and the standard sockets. Only buy used though. It comes in a red case. (I once went to automotive school. Much of Snap-on is overpriced, but this ratchet set has served me well.

1. Macbook Air 2013.

2. Herman-Miller Embody Chair (best chair if you have lower back problems).

3. Apple Airport Time Capsule (best backup device + router).

4. Epson L565 + WiFi. Absolutely great printer/scanner. Easy to configure and use.

5. Merkur-33C Classic (best safety razor in my opinion).

As much as I'd love to say iPhone or my MacBook Pro, I'd have to say the best-designed thing I've used is probably my Nikon D3x, their top-of-the-line professional SLR.

It does exactly what I want, and is so perfectly designed.

Dyson vaccum cleaner

A gas powered snow blower

MacBook and Iphone!

Bostitch No-Jam Booklet Stapler

Trombone

Violin

Dozuki Saws

Atlatl

Plus you can carry a few spares to drop on someone with brown skin, and presto, they're a bomb maker!

A spoon.

Too bad there is none.

Magick in Theory and Practice

Tractatus Logico Philosophicus

Discipline and Punish

The Ethics

Beyond Good and Evil

The Gay Science

The Master and Margarita

The Prince

A Book of Five Rings

The Book of Changes

A Hero of our Times

At Swim Two Birds

Ok, this corkscrew:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MONOPOL-Bell-Corkscrew-BAROLO-Germa...

(Note this appears to be a later design, slightly less pretty as the original IMO)

My parents bought one of these years maybe 15 years ago and I was always fascinated how he thread was so smooth, well machined and balanced that you could unwind it and it would smoothly wind back up under its own weight. When it hit the bottom the momentum would allow the inner thread to continue winding so it would bounce a couple of times.

Years lately, and we don't get many cork bottles in NZ any more, but I still like to get it out occasionally to check that, yes indeed, it still does it beautifully.

A simple thing, made well.