Three best products you've ever purchased
Discussion
What do you think are the three best products you've ever purchased?
I mean the kind of things that were beautifully made, were ridiculously cheap, brought more joy than anything else or just did a good job well.
Here are the three that spring to my mind (subject to change
):
1. 1991 Eunos Roadster
I paid £3,200 for it and had it eleven years as a daily driver. It was the first car I took on track, and with a few cheap modifications just handled beautifully and pretty much every journey in it was a joy. I pretty much always had the roof down and got soaked many times but that simply added to the infantile joy of it. It was also brilliantly built and never broke down.
2. My PC
Perhaps this is a bit Trigger's broom as bits get upgraded occasionally but even so, the overall cost : benefit is astonishing. The amount of 'stuff' I've created and consumed from a grand's worth of PC bits is frankly ridiculous.
3. Engel fridge
Bit of an odd one this as it's just a travel fridge but we bought one when driving round Australia and it was the perfect example of a product that does one job brilliantly. It's beautifully simple (just one moving part), highly efficient and far tougher than it probably needs to be. I have a vivid memory of stopping in the bush somewhere and the thermometer outisde said 46 degrees. We opened the Engel - running off nothing more than a car battery - and cracked open a can of coke with ice formed around the top.
One of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Engel-MT35F-U1-AC-Fridge-Fre...
I mean the kind of things that were beautifully made, were ridiculously cheap, brought more joy than anything else or just did a good job well.
Here are the three that spring to my mind (subject to change
):1. 1991 Eunos Roadster
I paid £3,200 for it and had it eleven years as a daily driver. It was the first car I took on track, and with a few cheap modifications just handled beautifully and pretty much every journey in it was a joy. I pretty much always had the roof down and got soaked many times but that simply added to the infantile joy of it. It was also brilliantly built and never broke down.
2. My PC
Perhaps this is a bit Trigger's broom as bits get upgraded occasionally but even so, the overall cost : benefit is astonishing. The amount of 'stuff' I've created and consumed from a grand's worth of PC bits is frankly ridiculous.
3. Engel fridge
Bit of an odd one this as it's just a travel fridge but we bought one when driving round Australia and it was the perfect example of a product that does one job brilliantly. It's beautifully simple (just one moving part), highly efficient and far tougher than it probably needs to be. I have a vivid memory of stopping in the bush somewhere and the thermometer outisde said 46 degrees. We opened the Engel - running off nothing more than a car battery - and cracked open a can of coke with ice formed around the top.
One of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Engel-MT35F-U1-AC-Fridge-Fre...
Nikon D700 DSLR - Around £1695 new for a camera body but it has paid for itself time and time again.
Good quality stainless steel saucepans - Had these for at least 15 years. I'm 51, hope to live to be 80, I have no doubt they will outlast me.
My collection of books about Apollo missions - Cost almost nothing when bought used over a couple of years. My pride and joy.
Good quality stainless steel saucepans - Had these for at least 15 years. I'm 51, hope to live to be 80, I have no doubt they will outlast me.
My collection of books about Apollo missions - Cost almost nothing when bought used over a couple of years. My pride and joy.
durbster said:
What do you think are the three best products you've ever purchased?
I mean the kind of things that were beautifully made, were ridiculously cheap, brought more joy than anything else or just did a good job well.
Here are the three that spring to my mind (subject to change):
1. 1991 Eunos Roadster
I paid £3,200 for it and had it eleven years as a daily driver. It was the first car I took on track, and with a few cheap modifications just handled beautifully and pretty much every journey in it was a joy. I pretty much always had the roof down and got soaked many times but that simply added to the infantile joy of it. It was also brilliantly built and never broke down.
2. My PC
Perhaps this is a bit Trigger's broom as bits get upgraded occasionally but even so, the overall cost : benefit is astonishing. The amount of 'stuff' I've created and consumed from a grand's worth of PC bits is frankly ridiculous.
3. Engel fridge
Bit of an odd one this as it's just a travel fridge but we bought one when driving round Australia and it was the perfect example of a product that does one job brilliantly. It's beautifully simple (just one moving part), highly efficient and far tougher than it probably needs to be. I have a vivid memory of stopping in the bush somewhere and the thermometer outisde said 46 degrees. We opened the Engel - running off nothing more than a car battery - and cracked open a can of coke with ice formed around the top.
One of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Engel-MT35F-U1-AC-Fridge-Fre...
1. Engel FridgeI mean the kind of things that were beautifully made, were ridiculously cheap, brought more joy than anything else or just did a good job well.
Here are the three that spring to my mind (subject to change
):1. 1991 Eunos Roadster
I paid £3,200 for it and had it eleven years as a daily driver. It was the first car I took on track, and with a few cheap modifications just handled beautifully and pretty much every journey in it was a joy. I pretty much always had the roof down and got soaked many times but that simply added to the infantile joy of it. It was also brilliantly built and never broke down.
2. My PC
Perhaps this is a bit Trigger's broom as bits get upgraded occasionally but even so, the overall cost : benefit is astonishing. The amount of 'stuff' I've created and consumed from a grand's worth of PC bits is frankly ridiculous.
3. Engel fridge
Bit of an odd one this as it's just a travel fridge but we bought one when driving round Australia and it was the perfect example of a product that does one job brilliantly. It's beautifully simple (just one moving part), highly efficient and far tougher than it probably needs to be. I have a vivid memory of stopping in the bush somewhere and the thermometer outisde said 46 degrees. We opened the Engel - running off nothing more than a car battery - and cracked open a can of coke with ice formed around the top.
One of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Engel-MT35F-U1-AC-Fridge-Fre...
It is bloody amazing.
2. Macbook Pro
3. Wedding & engagement ring made by PH member cain. ( and I had a hand in it too )
Troubleatmill said:
3. Wedding & engagement ring made by PH member cain. ( and I had a hand in it too )
Surely just a finger?1. Swiss army knife
Cant honestly think of more. I have stuff ive used for years and still works well and stuff ive bought recently that is great because its newish.
Maybe
2. Bosch slimline dishwasher
3. HP microserver - been switched on pretty much solid for nearly 4 years!
1. Casio Solar Watch. Normally around £45 on Amazon but I picked a couple for >£20 each. No batteries and I don't care if it gets scratched and no-one wants to rob me. The weak point is the rubber strap. [Insert I have a Rolex statement here] Much better than the diamond encrusted monstrosity of a Rolex I got from my Dad for my 21st which has been in a bank vault for decades.
2. My house. Gone up 3.5 times the amount I paid for it in 1998.
3. Lube
3. Cameras - Canon G9/G12, Sony Alpha, Lumix G1, Nikon D5300, TZ20/TZ55 - taken so many pictures of my caving/mineexploring/urban hobby that the only time I remember where I've been is to look at my albums of thousands of places.
2. My house. Gone up 3.5 times the amount I paid for it in 1998.
3. Cameras - Canon G9/G12, Sony Alpha, Lumix G1, Nikon D5300, TZ20/TZ55 - taken so many pictures of my caving/mineexploring/urban hobby that the only time I remember where I've been is to look at my albums of thousands of places.
1. HP micro server. Stores all my media running a Linux distribution and 4 HDD's. Uber reliable.
2. Raspberry Pi- to play all said media via plex. Just works beautifully
3. Charles Tyrwhitt shirts. I've tried them all, cheap ones, pricey ones and they all dirty/ wear out quickly and are worn to last in a scruffy state. Someone forced me into 4 at £100 once and I've never looked back. They last me around 18 months before they look grubby and they are genuine non-iron. ACE
2. Raspberry Pi- to play all said media via plex. Just works beautifully
3. Charles Tyrwhitt shirts. I've tried them all, cheap ones, pricey ones and they all dirty/ wear out quickly and are worn to last in a scruffy state. Someone forced me into 4 at £100 once and I've never looked back. They last me around 18 months before they look grubby and they are genuine non-iron. ACE
1.My original pair of Bose Quietcomfort headphones. Used for 13 years all over the world and never let me down... Unless the batteries went flat.
2. Swiss army knife. My dad gave me this one, and I am rather fond of it. Comes in handy at least once a month and is usually left in a cubby of the car.
3. My current computer. Built by myself years ago, upgraded every 3 but this thing has allowed me to do a lot. So for that, I am thankful.
2. Swiss army knife. My dad gave me this one, and I am rather fond of it. Comes in handy at least once a month and is usually left in a cubby of the car.
3. My current computer. Built by myself years ago, upgraded every 3 but this thing has allowed me to do a lot. So for that, I am thankful.
1. Said before but My MX5 is ace and I love it. In December it will be 26 years old and it's still great.
2. My Lapierre MTB. Beautifully made and a joy to ride. Cost 3x as much as the 5 but worth it.
3. My Snap on ratchet. Gets used all day everyday at work and hasn't even got a scratch on it.
2. My Lapierre MTB. Beautifully made and a joy to ride. Cost 3x as much as the 5 but worth it.
3. My Snap on ratchet. Gets used all day everyday at work and hasn't even got a scratch on it.
1. In car DVD screens for kids from Argos 10 years ago, best £60 ever spent.
2. B&W DM601's, still sound ace after 20 years and still worth what I paid for them new. Can even get replacement tweeters which I fitted last year, top customer service from the OEM.
3. Zara clothes, brilliant fit, style and VFM
2. B&W DM601's, still sound ace after 20 years and still worth what I paid for them new. Can even get replacement tweeters which I fitted last year, top customer service from the OEM.
3. Zara clothes, brilliant fit, style and VFM
1. Android tv box. Bargain at £35. Enables me to watch tv, movies, listen to music and play a lot of games.
2. My Sony tv. Been going strong for over 6 years. Never fails. Sturdy design. Holds up well when my son hits it and touches the screen. Cost around £650 new.
3. My Sekonda watch. It must be nearly 8 years old now and still works as it should. Still looks ok and gets battered and scratched from heavy use. Cost me about £40 new.
2. My Sony tv. Been going strong for over 6 years. Never fails. Sturdy design. Holds up well when my son hits it and touches the screen. Cost around £650 new.
3. My Sekonda watch. It must be nearly 8 years old now and still works as it should. Still looks ok and gets battered and scratched from heavy use. Cost me about £40 new.
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