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  3. What's the most unexpectedly useful item you've ever bought under $20?

What's the most unexpectedly useful item you've ever bought under $20?

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  • P [email protected]

    Anybody know if these work with oat milk or almond milk? Does it froth?

    B This user is from outside of this forum
    B This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote on last edited by
    #196

    Yep, should work fine, although the foam will have a slghtly different texture.

    1 Reply Last reply
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    • L [email protected]

      I find a good pour over cone makes better tasting coffee with a little less fuss, but the aeropress is irreplaceable for iced coffee.

      T This user is from outside of this forum
      T This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote on last edited by
      #197

      The clever dripper is pretty nice pour over cone with a shut off valve.

      When I'm making just one cup of coffee I use an aero press, for 2+ cups I use the clever dripper.

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      • M [email protected]

        For some reason it makes me happy you're on here, I thought it was all tech neckbeards. Wish your family luck in bargain hunting!

        D This user is from outside of this forum
        D This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote on last edited by
        #198

        I became a full-on programmer after joining Lemmy. Coincidence?

        P 1 Reply Last reply
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        • E [email protected]
          This post did not contain any content.
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          [email protected]
          wrote on last edited by
          #199

          A pry bar. I use it to open cat food tins because my fingernails are not up to the task.

          https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0BRBTHK8Z

          S B 2 Replies Last reply
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          • 0 [email protected]

            A pry bar. I use it to open cat food tins because my fingernails are not up to the task.

            https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0BRBTHK8Z

            S This user is from outside of this forum
            S This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote on last edited by
            #200

            Or just use the handle of a metal spoon

            A 0 2 Replies Last reply
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            • S [email protected]

              Or just use the handle of a metal spoon

              A This user is from outside of this forum
              A This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote on last edited by
              #201

              Not as effective

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              • S [email protected]

                Or just use the handle of a metal spoon

                0 This user is from outside of this forum
                0 This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote on last edited by
                #202

                Hard disagree. The pry bar is the superior tool. For one thing, it is indestructible, unlike my spoons which were getting scratched up. It is satisfying in a tactile way and because it is so ludicrously overpowered for the task.

                L 1 Reply Last reply
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                • L [email protected]

                  Broke single mom here. My H&M usually offers a buy one get one discount on boys’ cotton boxers, so whenever I buy a pack for my 12 year old son, I grab myself one as well and they serve pretty well as pajama shorts which I pair with a cheap oversized cotton tee.

                  C This user is from outside of this forum
                  C This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #203

                  Very wholesome! How do you keep yours and his from getting mixed in the laundry?

                  L 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • C [email protected]

                    Very wholesome! How do you keep yours and his from getting mixed in the laundry?

                    L This user is from outside of this forum
                    L This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #204

                    The packs come in different colors so I use the white ones and he uses the grey ones.

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • P [email protected]

                      Less syllables always wins.

                      R This user is from outside of this forum
                      R This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #205

                      Kleenex, tissue.
                      Band aid, bandage.
                      Xerox, copy.
                      IPad, tablet (some people call their android tablets iPads)
                      Plucker, flosser.

                      It's not really that bad. Some are even shorter:

                      Google, search.
                      Invisalign, retainer.

                      Some are iffy:

                      Sharpie, permanent marker. (You could just say marker, depending on if you have any other markers in the house to disambiguate from.)

                      And some are definitely shorter as brand names:

                      Q-tip, cotton swab
                      Velcro, hook and loop
                      Sawzall, reciprocating saw

                      (And if there was a shorter name for "oscillating multi tool" I would be so happy.)

                      I can't think of any others.

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                      • C [email protected]

                        You can use mine.

                        R This user is from outside of this forum
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                        [email protected]
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #206

                        close enough.

                        1 Reply Last reply
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                        • R [email protected]

                          An Aeropress. I bought it when work removed the free coffee and was super surprised at how good it tasted vs what they were serving. Later, I found a bean hand grinder that fits right inside the Aeropress plunger and now I take it on work trips, vacation and camping.

                          It's not fully inclusive for $20 because you need a cup, some way to procure and heat water and beans but still, it's served me well.

                          0 This user is from outside of this forum
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                          [email protected]
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #207

                          I've found that it tastes kinda plasticky compared to my glass French press. Am I aeropressing wrong?

                          R viking@infosec.pubV 2 Replies Last reply
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                          • K [email protected]

                            Only when I leave the house, which I don't most days, since I work from home. People who need to change more frequently (I can't imagine that e.g. roofers can wear the same pants even twice) could still leave things in their pockets and move them over either when they get undressed or when they get dressed (I imagine the former, leaving your wallet and keys in the fresh pair, would be especially important if you get very dirty).

                            B This user is from outside of this forum
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                            wrote on last edited by
                            #208

                            Huh. I work from home, but I dress in different clothes every day. Guess I’m a fancy boy.

                            K 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • E [email protected]
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                              wrote on last edited by
                              #209

                              balaclava. I wear it all the time. It’s a great way to keep my mouth and nose covered from the nasty germs when out in public.

                              aussiemandeus@aussie.zoneA slvrdrgn@lemmy.worldS A 3 Replies Last reply
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                              • S [email protected]

                                Why would I want to remove that smell 😍.

                                (half joking)

                                B This user is from outside of this forum
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                                [email protected]
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #210

                                It's my favorite part of cutting onions

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                                • B [email protected]

                                  balaclava. I wear it all the time. It’s a great way to keep my mouth and nose covered from the nasty germs when out in public.

                                  aussiemandeus@aussie.zoneA This user is from outside of this forum
                                  aussiemandeus@aussie.zoneA This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #211

                                  And the money you save is amazing

                                  B 1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • A [email protected]

                                    Not a comercial; But I bought on a whim a very cheap, usb midi pedal from temu, that I use for triggering hotkeys on many apps by using a midi to hotkey converter. It's awesome for streaming, it is sturdy as hell and the midi protocol allows me to do a lot of trickery under the hood. Like toggle buttons or different keys for press and release states. It makes me want to try out more midi equipment from that site.

                                    Also for about 3 dollars I bought a used ceramic crockpot back when I was in college and I am still using it to this day. It instantly became a staple of my home cooking it's stupid easy to use and the thing will probably keep working for decades.

                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
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                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #212

                                    I've been thinking about getting foot pedals for my computer for a while. And my wife and I got a crockpot for Christmas when we first moved in together ~13 years ago. Still use it a bunch.

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                                    • aussiemandeus@aussie.zoneA [email protected]

                                      And the money you save is amazing

                                      B This user is from outside of this forum
                                      B This user is from outside of this forum
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                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #213

                                      No kidding. I saved enough for a big bag of zip ties.

                                      B 1 Reply Last reply
                                      16
                                      • B [email protected]

                                        Huh. I work from home, but I dress in different clothes every day. Guess I’m a fancy boy.

                                        K This user is from outside of this forum
                                        K This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #214

                                        I change my clothes regularly, but I wear basketball shorts as pajamas and don't put my wallet, keys, etc. in them.

                                        B 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • K [email protected]

                                          I change my clothes regularly, but I wear basketball shorts as pajamas and don't put my wallet, keys, etc. in them.

                                          B This user is from outside of this forum
                                          B This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #215

                                          Ah, gotcha. I’ve found that if you always put those things in the same place, you never lose them. Looks like you have your method figured out 🙂

                                          I’m a nightstand guy but yours sounds slightly more efficient.

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