Stuff you bought and recommend (not fish related)

[Cory]

I find that on hobbyist forums, often interests are similar outside of the hobby. This thread is for items you've bought that exceed expectations or fully satisfy what you were looking for. This isn't just tech stuff, could be fast food, gardening equipment, anything really. 

 

My first would be the google mesh network pods. These were a game changer to me over 2 years ago when I installed them. Even just 1 pod outperformed the $700 router I was using in my studio. Now I have them in my studio, my house, the retail store and my warehouse and only have happy things to say about them. I ordered some of the new pods to test them out but so far only recommend the older generation. 

https://smile.amazon.com/Google-WiFi-system-3-Pack-replacement/dp/B01MAW2294/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=google+pod&qid=1599499889&sr=8-4

[Daniel]

My wife has her Peloton upstairs and the connection has been dropping. The bathroom at the other end of the house drifts in and out of connectivity. So your post above was timely. I just ordered these and look forward to being the hero who solved the connectivity problem!

[Dean’s Fishroom]

Absolutely +1 on the Google Pods! My Wi-Fi comes in the lower floor of my house, in a concrete corner. I had tried a couple other mesh network solutions to get a good connection throughout the house with very poor results. On day I was complaining (yes I do that sometimes) to Cory about it and he suggested to try the Google Pods. Amazon prime and a couple days later and BAM!!! I now have GREAT connection throughout the house!

[Dean’s Fishroom]

53 minutes ago, Cory said:

I find that on hobbyist forums, often interests are similar outside of the hobby. This thread is for items you've bought that exceed expectations or fully satisfy what you were looking for. This isn't just tech stuff, could be fast food, gardening equipment, anything really. 

I'd say that everyone should have good kitchen knives, ones that take a good edge, stay sharp, and can handle both delicut things and be a workhorse too. 

 

Now you don't need 5 billion of them to be successful in the kitchen, but knives like other tools do have their specific jobs. But I will say once you have used a really good Japanese or German chef knife you will never want to go back. In my opinion most folks could survive with two good knives in their kitchen, plus maybe a couple good paring knives. My two most used knives pictured below are both Japanese steel one is my 10" chef knife and the second a 6" utility knife, they've been with me for years and will do most anything I call on them for. One thing to remember, knives must fit you, just like a bicycle, bra, or gloves, there is no one knife for everybody's hands. You should take some time a test drive them, go to a good kitchen shop, maybe bring your own potato and carrots to try the feel of the different blades. Oh and you don't need to necessarily buy a whole set, all of them may not fit your grip or needs. 

 

[Jeremy B]

Blumat watering spikes! I recently got into house plants with all the recommendations of pothos plants by Cory. What I didn't expect was to end up with something like 100 plants that can't be floated in an aquarium. With these spikes you can use a container up to 12" below and it will wick the water up and feed your plants. If you place the plants below the water line of your container they will water much heavier. I have used my aquariums as the containers, and the plants help me do water changes by slowly removing water.

[MickS77]

Snow tires, real snows tires and not "all seasons". Snows tires are made of softer rubber that stays flexible below freezing unlike other tires, resulting in increased grip. The difference is real. I never thought it could make such a big difference. Definitely a big improvement in stopping and getting going again.

I've ran Bridgestone Blizzaks on a Ford Focus and on my F150 now. If your car is front wheel drive I'd recommend getting all four snow tires that way the rear tires will grab too. I like ordering them on basic steel wheels so you can swap them out yourself. 

[Cory]

35 minutes ago, MickS77 said:

Snow tires, real snows tires and not "all seasons". Snows tires are made of softer rubber that stays flexible below freezing unlike other tires, resulting in increased grip. The difference is real. I never thought it could make such a big difference. Definitely a big improvement in stopping and getting going again.

I've ran Bridgestone Blizzaks on a Ford Focus and on my F150 now. If your car is front wheel drive I'd recommend getting all four snow tires that way the rear tires will grab too. I like ordering them on basic steel wheels so you can swap them out yourself. 

Do you find studs on top of this helps?

[Brandy]

A Roomba. After a dishwasher, this is my single most beloved time saver. I love that my floors are just constantly magically clean. I am a confirmed cheapskate, and this is worth every penny, I promise.

Her name is Martha, she is my second. Fabio passed away after my kid let him drink too much.

[MickS77]

1 minute ago, Cory said:

Do you find studs on top of this helps?

I haven't gone so far as to get studs. At that point if you're sliding you're sliding and nothing helps on ice. On the days when the roads are bare or not as bad you're just grinding them away. They will need replacing eventually to remain effective. I think in more Northern regions where it's packed snowy roads all winter they're probably worth it. 

[Daniel]

I am almost embarrassed to admit this but I am loving 'Hello Fresh' the meal-kit provider.

My wife and have a big garden and she is a good cook, so when son suggested we try, I was very, very skeptical.

I was wrong. The meals are very good, don't take a lot of time to prepare, and reasonably priced. We get 6 meals a week for 2 people (12 meals total) for $118/week delivered. That's $10 a meal. It's seems like it would be less expensive just to do the same thing from the grocery store, but for some reason our normal grocery expenses run $250 - $350 a week (unless I go on a condiment spree and then it can be much more).

We often add a vegetable side dish (like a caprese salad) from our garden but there is plenty of food even without our additions.

Overall, I like:

• Variety, constantly changing menu
• Saves oodles of time
• Reasonably priced
• Plain old just tastes good
• No commitment, you can make whatever weekly adjustments in menu or meal number you need, it is very flexible

I might get tired of this one day, but I like this concept and after 3 months into it I am looking forward to the next 3 months

Edited September 9, 2020 by Daniel

[StephenP2003]

4 hours ago, Brandy said:

A Roomba. After a dishwasher, this is my single most beloved time saver. I love that my floors are just constantly magically clean. I am a confirmed cheapskate, and this is worth every penny, I promise.

Her name is Martha, she is my second. Fabio passed away after my kid let him drink too much.

I recently upgraded my old roomba (no wifi, no mapping, one room at a time) to a Roborock S5 Max. It maps the house and mops while it vacuums. I don't even care how much data it's sending to China. I will sell my soul to automate my life.

 

[Mychala]

On 9/7/2020 at 1:52 PM, Dean’s Fishroom said:

I'd say that everyone should have good kitchen knives, ones that take a good edge, stay sharp, and can handle both delicut things and be a workhorse too. 

 

Now you don't need 5 billion of them to be successful in the kitchen, but knives like other tools do have their specific jobs. But I will say once you have used a really good Japanese or German chef knife you will never want to go back. In my opinion most folks could survive with two good knives in their kitchen, plus maybe a couple good paring knives. My two most used knives pictured below are both Japanese steel one is my 10" chef knife and the second a 6" utility knife, they've been with me for years and will do most anything I call on them for. One thing to remember, knives must fit you, just like a bicycle, bra, or gloves, there is no one knife for everybody's hands. You should take some time a test drive them, go to a good kitchen shop, maybe bring your own potato and carrots to try the feel of the different blades. Oh and you don't need to necessarily buy a whole set, all of them may not fit your grip or needs. 

 

Are there certain brands I should look towards or stay away from? Any other things in the kitchen that are a must have if you make everything from scratch?! My son has dairy soy egg banana and tomato allergies...as you can imagine I had to learn to make most everything from scratch 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️. It's about time for a good knife!

[ChefConfit]

@Mychala

I know you were asking @Dean’s Fishroom but I thought I'd put my 2 cents in. 

If you're looking at Japanese knives I'd recommend chefknivestogo.com a lot of professional chefs myself included buy most of their knives there. The prices are usually very good, shipping is fast and customer service is amazing. 

 

As for brand recommendations it's very hard without knowing your price range, but Fujiwara and Tojiro are both excellent entry points into Japanese knives a step above that I like Yahiko and above that Misono. Anything more expensive than that in my opinion isn't worth it unless you're a knife nerd or want a specific aesthetic and are willing to pay for it. 

 

If you want a German style knife I feel like Messermeister is the best value of the big 3 German brands. Quality is just as good but prices are significantly lower because they aren't as well known. They also offer many of their knives in a "stealth" version which is basically just ground thinner so you get a classic German profile but a thinner lighter knife.

[Mychala]

@ChefConfit thanks so much I will look at those! Is there a way of telling it will fit me well while ordering online? I'm pretty small (5 2 110lbs type of small) some things are just too big for me? Or should I find a store and play around first then order online?

[ChefConfit]

@MychalaI'd go with a 210mm Gyuto(the Japanese equivalent of a western chef knife) any smaller than that and you begin to be limited on what the knife can handle. If you do go Japanese be aware some brands grind their knives specifically for right or left handed use and using it in the wrong hand can cause the knife to steer instead of cutting straight. Chefknivestogo will tell by you in the knife info if it has a symmetrical or asymmetrical grind(and if the asymmetrical grind if right or lefty). 

My last piece of unsolicited advice is getting a ceramic hone to keep it sharp. Traditional honing steels are actually softer metal than most Japanese knives so they don't work on them. 

[Streetwise]

@MickS77 mentioned some car stuff, so I will add a few things:

WeatherTech FloorLiners. They can catch and hold so much water/slush/dirt/road salt, keeping it out of your car fabric. Perhaps you also have a hobby involving water and buckets?

I got a used Subaru Legacy 3.6R last fall and I wanted the best stereo with wireless CarPlay, and a capacitive touch screen, and I did all the research. This is the 2020 version of what I got in 2019:

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/excelon/ddx9907xr

If you buy from your local installer, they will charge less for labor than if you show up with a box from from Crutchfield. Regardless of where you purchase, I still recommend using the Crutchfield product wizard so you are sure you are getting the right wiring harness and accessories to connect to your steering wheel controls and other built-in controls.

This is what I like for charging your phone wirelessly in the car:

https://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-CAX-HL10Qi-One-Touch-Compatible-Motorized/dp/B0818828SN

Edited September 13, 2020 by Streetwise

[MickS77]

43 minutes ago, Streetwise said:

@MickS77 mentioned some car stuff, so I will add two things:

WeatherTech FloorLiners. They can catch and hold so much water/slush/dirt/road salt, keeping it out of your car fabric.

WeatherTechs are awesome 🙌 they are well worth the money 

[jerseychef]

1 hour ago, ChefConfit said:

@MychalaI'd go with a 210mm Gyuto(the Japanese equivalent of a western chef knife) any smaller than that and you begin to be limited on what the knife can handle. If you do go Japanese be aware some brands grind their knives specifically for right or left handed use and using it in the wrong hand can cause the knife to steer instead of cutting straight. Chefknivestogo will tell by you in the knife info if it has a symmetrical or asymmetrical grind(and if the asymmetrical grind if right or lefty). 

My last piece of unsolicited advice is getting a ceramic hone to keep it sharp. Traditional honing steels are actually softer metal than most Japanese knives so they don't work on them. 

Great advice!! While I have never purchased from Chefknivestogo I have looked on the website a lot.  I lucked out and got most of mine off eBay when people listed them wrong. Nothing like a $300 shun for $79.

@Mychala Depending on your area if you're looking for a place where you can "test" them Sur La Table has knives and cutting boards that you can test out.  They will typically have cutting boards set up.  The one that was near me used to have carrots and other vegetables you could test it out on.  

 

[Travis]

Pizzaz pizza oven. Our apartment has a terrible oven that takes forever to preheat and the temp is super inconsistent. We make all kinds of things on our Pizzaz and its great for reheating things. Also little to no preheating depending on what you make and it certainly uses less power. The only downside is that it takes up a chunk of counter space...

[Paul]

1 hour ago, ChefConfit said:

@MychalaI'd go with a 210mm Gyuto(the Japanese equivalent of a western chef knife) any smaller than that and you begin to be limited on what the knife can handle. If you do go Japanese be aware some brands grind their knives specifically for right or left handed use and using it in the wrong hand can cause the knife to steer instead of cutting straight. Chefknivestogo will tell by you in the knife info if it has a symmetrical or asymmetrical grind(and if the asymmetrical grind if right or lefty). 

My last piece of unsolicited advice is getting a ceramic hone to keep it sharp. Traditional honing steels are actually softer metal than most Japanese knives so they don't work on them. 

I’ve found that the choice of knives is a personal preference. The knife is an extension of your hand, pick what feels good in your hand and has a good blade buy the best you can afford. I have  F. Dick, Sabatier, Wusthoff, Henckel, Forschner and Dexter. Some are carbon steel and stained others are high carbon stainless but they all hold an edge cut with little effort and feel right in my hand.

[jerseychef]

2 hours ago, Paul said:

I’ve found that the choice of knives is a personal preference. The knife is an extension of your hand, pick what feels good in your hand and has a good blade buy the best you can afford. I have  F. Dick, Sabatier, Wusthoff, Henckel, Forschner and Dexter. Some are carbon steel and stained others are high carbon stainless but they all hold an edge cut with little effort and feel right in my hand.

Definitely personal preference.  Also which knife you choose depends on the task at hand.  I really miss my knives.  They're locked in the office at work.  We have been closed since April 19th and I haven't been able to go back and get them.  Nothing like $1500 in knives locked away that I could be using at home.

[ChefConfit]

8 hours ago, jerseychef said:

Definitely personal preference.  Also which knife you choose depends on the task at hand.  I really miss my knives.  They're locked in the office at work.  We have been closed since April 19th and I haven't been able to go back and get them.  Nothing like $1500 in knives locked away that I could be using at home.

This is one of the reasons my knives come home every night. And because I absolutely do not trust any of my coworkers. 

But yes knives are a very personal choice. @Mychalause my suggestions as a starting place not as gospel. The Tojiro and Fujiwara knives are however both very good knives and very affordable so they are a good way to see if you like that style of knife before taking the dive on a more expensive knife if there isn't someplace near you that you can try out similar knives which is why I recommend them often as an entry point into Japanese knives. 

[Mychala]

On 9/12/2020 at 9:27 PM, jerseychef said:

Great advice!! While I have never purchased from Chefknivestogo I have looked on the website a lot.  I lucked out and got most of mine off eBay when people listed them wrong. Nothing like a $300 shun for $79.

@Mychala Depending on your area if you're looking for a place where you can "test" them Sur La Table has knives and cutting boards that you can test out.  They will typically have cutting boards set up.  The one that was near me used to have carrots and other vegetables you could test it out on.  

 

I'm pretty rural its at least going to be 2 hours to get to a place that sells something nicer than Paula Deen😂🤦‍♀️.  Bless her ❤. I will look for that place or call ahead and see if they have things available to cut with! 

[Mychala]

On 9/12/2020 at 8:02 PM, ChefConfit said:

@MychalaI'd go with a 210mm Gyuto(the Japanese equivalent of a western chef knife) any smaller than that and you begin to be limited on what the knife can handle. If you do go Japanese be aware some brands grind their knives specifically for right or left handed use and using it in the wrong hand can cause the knife to steer instead of cutting straight. Chefknivestogo will tell by you in the knife info if it has a symmetrical or asymmetrical grind(and if the asymmetrical grind if right or lefty). 

My last piece of unsolicited advice is getting a ceramic hone to keep it sharp. Traditional honing steels are actually softer metal than most Japanese knives so they don't work on them. 

Perfect! I'm used to German style knives rather than Japanese. I'll look at that one as well. I'm afraid Japanese will feel very odd to me.We are a German family and Growing up my dad butchered hogs so that was what I learned on. And I am left handed! But I cut with my right so that information is perfect! The ceramic hone is on the list! Thanks so much everyone this has been great help! I'm excited to start a collection! 

[StephenP2003]

Got me some of those Google mesh wifi routers - two pack second generation. Still have yet to set them up, but I'm hoping it will fix my issues getting a wifi signal in the back yard.