What's the most unexpectedly useful item you've ever bought under $20?
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I bought a Rada Quick Edge at a thrift store for $2.
Was always taught my my metal-smith grandfather how to properly care for and sharpen knives, but when I tried it out on a knife I cared little for, I found it was such a shocking difference in efficiency I couldn't help but notice.
It completely changed my relationship with knives and knife care, which was so helpful for me because I cook everything from scratch and whole ingredients. Everything, so having good knives is not kids-play for me.
It made me discover that for me, using a quick sharpening wheel and a hone gets my knives beard-shaving sharp in less than 30 seconds. I could never go back to the "right way" and I firmly joined the "dark side" of knife ownership.
Yes they destroy knives with some aggression, far more than traditional methods, but in the forensic audit it has saved me hundreds in a literal way, and hundreds of hours laboring over sharpening stones.
I no longer need to pamper knives, I buy cheap German steel chef knives on sale for $5-$20 and I throw them out in 3 or 4 years. I'll never go back. All the hysterics from knife "gurus" on YT be damned - in my personal cooking world where I have 10,000 Km on my knives and cutting board, I could give two shits what they think. Nobody better ever give me a $300 knife for a present because it's going back in the box.
Dual-wheel sharpener and 14" hone is all I'll ever use from now on.
What's the point of the hone?, I thought knife sharpeners like the Rada did the same thing as a hone?
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I think it's home cook weird shit, now sell me something to get rid of fried food smell from clothes. I'll live with garlic and onions which smell amazing over fried oil smell that saturate you skin and leave you as a soggy French fry
wrote on last edited by [email protected]I... cook in a terry cloth ("towel") bath robe when I know I'll go out after cooking. I guess it functions similar to a smoking jacket:
To protect their clothes, many men would wear their robes-de-chambre while smoking in private. These robes acted as a barrier against ash and smoke
Probably doesn't help for not having your hair smell
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Really good nailclippers:
https://www.victorinox.com/en-US/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Personal-Care/Nail-Clipper/p/8.2050.B1
If you're willing to go over the $20 barrier, you get more functionality:
I liked it enough, I bought two more.
Smallest MagLite:
https://maglite.com/products/solitaire-led-key-chain-flashlight-with-gift-card-gift-box
Obligatory Japanese nail clipper mention: https://www.feather.co.jp/en/g_Products/general03.html
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I didn’t buy an aeropress for years as I had a coffee machine and was like, surely that’s better.
But finally got one, and my god. The simplicity. The ease of cleaning. The nice coffee.
It’s basically my sole way of making coffee now, despite more pricey alternatives at my disposal.
I find a good pour over cone makes better tasting coffee with a little less fuss, but the aeropress is irreplaceable for iced coffee.
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This post did not contain any content.wrote on last edited by [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.
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You wear the same pair of pants every day for a week straight?
I only have one pair of pants.
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One of those tiny sd ones? I have a couple and love them. I carry a skeletool cx now but if I had to carry only the little victorinox I wouldn't complain.
It's a Climber, a 91mm model. Just small and sleak enough to be bearable on my keychain. The small ones are missing screwdrivers which I use quite often
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It's weird, but despite owning a couple of nice pocket knives, I almost never have actual use for them.
My tactical torch though, is freaking amazing, and given my shitty old eyesight, I use it every day.Oh yeah a torch is also one of those things that you'll never catch me without. Though mine is quite a bit over the $20 mark.
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One of these stainless steel bars of "soap". It's for getting onion and garlic smell off your hands. I was skeptical when my partner bought it, but it totally works. Rub on your hands under cold water and it's like you never even looked at the garlic.
Why would I want to remove that smell
.(half joking)
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What's the point of the hone?, I thought knife sharpeners like the Rada did the same thing as a hone?
Honing doesn’t remove material. If you sharpen too often your knives wear down real fast
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A very thin piece of linen cloth for summer heat. Soak in water, press against body, when it becomes too warm, let it fly in the wind for a few seconds, then press again.
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Anybody know if these work with oat milk or almond milk? Does it froth?
Yep, should work fine, although the foam will have a slghtly different texture.
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I find a good pour over cone makes better tasting coffee with a little less fuss, but the aeropress is irreplaceable for iced coffee.
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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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!
I became a full-on programmer after joining Lemmy. Coincidence?
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A pry bar. I use it to open cat food tins because my fingernails are not up to the task.
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A pry bar. I use it to open cat food tins because my fingernails are not up to the task.
Or just use the handle of a metal spoon
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Or just use the handle of a metal spoon
Not as effective
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Or just use the handle of a metal spoon
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.
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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.
Very wholesome! How do you keep yours and his from getting mixed in the laundry?
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Very wholesome! How do you keep yours and his from getting mixed in the laundry?
The packs come in different colors so I use the white ones and he uses the grey ones.
