A leatherman multitool.
There are really nice ones over $100, but they also make versions under that price as well. I’ve used them in a pinch on cars or other random projects.
Various I²C compatible chips from Adafruit + a raspberry pi zero. Endless possibilities.
I’ve bought a number of raspberry pico chips abs a pack of generic esp32s over the last few years and every time I think I have enough as backups I suddenly find more uses for them! I have an old floor radio converted to act as a light/dimmer control, makeshift hvac control, and flip a night light (also made from a pico w) in the bedroom, another one in the living room in a little coffee table box using home assistants api over WiFi. I also have 3, soon to be four (adding some really fun electromagnet parts) to convert an old electric organ to a full virtual pipe organ. This project was what got me started, the “off the shelf” conversion kits looked like they were running off an esp32 ish and mcp23017’s and cost $1,500-2,000 for just the pcbs, no wiring and no speakers etc. doing it with the picos and a crap loads of doorbell wire $160+$600 for high quality speakers, and $260 for a touch screen and vesa arm. So complete project cost me $600 less than just the pcbs. The fourth one I was waiting for cheap used parts to appear on eBay, they are insanely expensive new ($30-50 each) and I need 56 of them. It’ll be a similar price saving at the end of the day!
Long ramble to say these chips are cheap and don’t take long to help make life more convenient, and sometimes way cheaper if the project was niche.
A bottle jack. Super cheap, but when you need to lift something super heavy, a bottle jack is the goat.
What? Really? Are they better than other options?
If you have a traditional tire jack, it can’t lift nearly that amount of weight.
zinc oxide paste(diaper rash), . they are used for baby rashes, and also adult rash. but they are also useful for certain kinds of dermatitis, weeping atopic dermatitis rash it stops it from weeping and dries it out in between topical medication regimens so you dont get too used to a topical medication, this can help extend that.
and helps with sweating in areas with alot of friction too from getting irritated like your crotch (aka swampballs or boob sweat rash)area. allegedly people have used it on perioral dermatitis, but it works on some but not others, because the highest percentage is very drying so dont use when your skin is already dry, also the brand name ones or equilvalent has Talc, get the non-talc versions instead.
originally i never considered buying sonic or electric toothbrush until it was reccommended by a dentist, and i was super excited how well it clean without aggressive or inefficient brushing of a manual toothbrush, i opted for generic toothbrushes since the brand names were quite expensive, generic toothbrush head replacements over brand name replacements which are fraction of the cost, any electric or sonic toothbrush over 100 is just pure marketing holds no real benefit over the cheaper ones, especially the “smart” ones.
For swamp crotch, Gold Bond is the GOAT.
If you use an electric toothbrush, every two or three brushing, use a manual one. Both brush differently, so you will reach more nooks and crannies by alternating.
I think they banned Gold Bond and they had to replace the formula with some corn derivative shit
A screwdriver set with all the tiny weird heads that you almost never would use. I got one as a gift and it’s been really useful
Yes, but please, get a good one. A crappy one is likely to strip heads.
Ifixit sets are highly regarded.
I have a Wiha set, but that may be overkill for many.
Würth sets are also really high quality, but also overkill. My Würth set has more bits than my Ifixit kit but doesn’t have the little QoL tools like spudgers and tweezers like the Ifixit kit does.
Answering to how the question is worded:
Toilet paper. I wouldn’t normally think to buy but it’s kinda essential.
Some whole ago I bought an USB rechargeable fan/unduster thing which is surprisingly powerful.
It didn’t have a particular need, you can use your lungs to blow air after all, or fall back to physical. The low price got me interested and to buy.
Electric air compression gun.
Good for cleaning and for cooling down after a workout
Silk pillowcase. Absolute game changer for my hair and face.
Cooking thermometer probe. Take the guesswork out of cooking and never overcook and dry out your meats again.
yep! My partner bought one about 16 years ago and the damn thing is still working with the original battery. Thermapen I think?
I can’t think of it
A bottle of ginkgo biloba costs under $100
I bought that, but I forgot to take it.
Got ex-lease pc workstation and rebuilt it into a Linux media centre/MAME box
Where
Quick Release garden hose fittings.
You can get them for about $8 at harbor freight and it makes switching hose attachments easy!
Attachments? I just vary the position of my thumb like a pleb
Hahahahah, enjoy the upvote.
Adjusting the thumb to vary spray type is an essential part of learning basic hose operation.
Baby wipes are really useful to just have sitting in your car, and next to your bed for those lucky enough to have nocturnal company.
Learned this shortly after our first kid. Baby wipes have a million uses. For generic cleaning, cheaper is better, as they won’t cover your car in lotion.
Just make sure they’re disposed of properly.
Yea, I get the fragrance and extra bullshit free ones. Just something simple to wipe up a mess.
and 100% straight to the garbage.
Just don’t flush them. Even if they say they’re “flushable”, they most certainly are not.
Just to expand on that municipal sewage gets clogged by them because they turn into rock after some time and need to be removed with a jackhammer. Can also happen on a smaller scale before it reaches the municipality and then it’s on you.
Sounds like words of experience
To anyone wondering why: they’re more akin to large cotton pads than toilet paper. They don’t break down.
Over time it’s like flushing a bag of t-shirts and wondering why your pipes get clogged. Draino ain’t fixing that.
Cheap plastic bowl scrapers. Like these:
I use these every time I cook. I use them every time I clean the kitchen.
You can probably make this for free from some plastic packaging. I have some cut out from the lids of ice cream boxes.
Yes, man!
