Best 3 gadgets / things you bought for 30-50$ that increased your life quality?

[Beulenyoshi]

It's almost that time of the year again where I start my search for inspiration for Christmas gifts. For my family, friends and myself of course ( ). When I buy something I usually do lots of research to get everything right. I know that you guys are probably putting lots of effort and thought in things you buy too. So I thought I might ask you to name the top 3 gadgets / things you bought in a price range from 30-50$ that improved your life a lot. I think I might start this:

1. Heating Blanket: I'm from Germany and it starts getting cold in mid-October... I'm a programmer and sit more than 8 hours a day on my chair. It happens that my feet get cold, so I put this heating blanket beneath my feet. No regrets at all for 20€ spent.

2. Professional and custom fit noise cancellation ear buds: If you're not living alone and / or in a busy neighbourhood with >5 dogs, chicken and children you will love it. I went to a shop which builds hearing aid devices and they created a custom set with -25db for me. If you are a musician you can get real good soundquality ones (like I did), but there are cheaper versions available. 190€ spent, for non-musician set between 50-70ish...

3. Coffee grinder: Improves the taste of your coffee by a huge factor. I combine it with an AeroPress to get a fast and really, really good coffee. (Search Youtube for AeroPress or ask me for more information). Be careful on your choice with the grinder though. If you use a normal kitchen machine you get a really bad blend because the beans are jumping around and you'll have lots of dust which makes the coffee bitter. I recommend the Hario Skerton. It's from Japan and really practical for 15-50g of coffee... If you have to cook coffee for a whole family think about getting an electronic grinding machine.

Edit #1:
I know I'm in a Forum with lots of keyboard ethusiasts, but let us try not to post 3 different kinds of keycaps nor obvious things here. With obvious things I mean, that I take for granted that keyboards, tablets and peripherals have a great value for you and me, but that's what we discuss in all the other threads. So maybe this can be a place where you can tell us about other great stuff that helps you out every day.

Edit #2:
The price-range was meant as an orientation. Not strictly given... Of course a 500$ investment improves your life more than a 50$ buy. And most things we buy for 5$ are necessary. That't the reason for the price range.

[The_Beast]

Very interesting first post


I'll get back to you once I think of some

[tjcaustin]

1. My shelves.  It's nice to have organized places for keyboards, caps and lego.
2. Oscillating fans, it gets warm in TX, I like not being warm.
3. Monitor wall mount.  I like having from elbow forward on my desk and I couldn't without the stand.

[mistakemistake]

1. Klhip nail trimmer. I play the violin, so have to constantly trim my nails. (A little outside of the -$50 but...)

2. Squash Air Spencer. I do a lot of driving and would hate to do it in a car that smelled bad.

3. Spotify. Not really a gadget, but I listen to a lot of music and love having whatever I want with me all the time on my phone. ($9.99/mo)

[noisyturtle]

1. Leatherman - goes wherever I go
2. Body Toolz Double Loop Facial Skin Care Tool - stole it from my ex, but man it does a stellar job of cleaning pores and popping surprise zits
3. Steam - not a gadget, but is really amazing for anyone who plays video games

[swagpiratex]

1. Spyderco Tenacious

2. Felix Flashlight

3. Logitech G9x / Quickfire Rapid (Tied for Third)

[Halverson]

Will add more when I think of it, but thermometers for cooking. May not be as expensive, but cooking perfect meat every time is amazing.

[bavman]

1) scotch

2) mini propane grill for making steak!

3) media remote for PC since mechanical keyboard makers just can't for the life of them make a keyboard with full dedicated media keys that are actually mechanical

[dirge]

1) Islay Whiskys (bavman, get some Lagavulin bud)

2) PORT DESIGNS Lap Desk

3) Belkin Cushtop

[Lanx]

It's almost that time of the year again where I start my search for inspiration for Christmas gifts. For my family, friends and myself of course ( ). When I buy something I usually do lots of research to get everything right. I know that you guys are probably putting lots of effort and thought in things you buy too. So I thought I might ask you to name the top 3 gadgets / things you bought in a price range from 30-50$ that improved your life a lot. I think I might start this:

1. Heating Blanket: I'm from Germany and it starts getting cold in mid-October... I'm a programmer and sit more than 8 hours a day on my chair. It happens that my feet get cold, so I put this heating blanket beneath my feet. No regrets at all for 20€ spent.

2. Professional and custom fit noise cancellation ear buds: If you're not living alone and / or in a busy neighbourhood with >5 dogs, chicken and children you will love it. I went to a shop which builds hearing aid devices and they created a custom set with -25db for me. If you are a musician you can get real good soundquality ones (like I did), but there are cheaper versions available. 190€ spent, for non-musician set between 50-70ish...

3. Coffee grinder: Improves the taste of your coffee by a huge factor. I combine it with an AeroPress to get a fast and really, really good coffee. (Search Youtube for AeroPress or ask me for more information). Be careful on your choice with the grinder though. If you use a normal kitchen machine you get a really bad blend because the beans are jumping around and you'll have lots of dust which makes the coffee bitter. I recommend the Hario Skerton. It's from Japan and really practical for 15-50g of coffee... If you have to cook coffee for a whole family think about getting an electronic grinding machine.

i drink 6 cups of aeropress coffee a day, and OMG we must be on the same wavelengths i just got done looking at the hario, and it does look like the best hand burr grinder, currently i'm using some 100$ burr grinder, i mean i think it's good... but it works well with my routine.

Usually i have my coffee station like this:
take out 2 cups
fill up electric kettle with water (filtered)
measure out 2 servings of beans
grind
take out 6 ice cubes, put in cups (i can't drink super hot)
one spoon of sugar each
2tbls of cream for each
water should be done
(let it cool for 10degrees)
wet the filter for the aeropress (i find that it sticks nicer this way)
press out coffee

honestly how long does it take to hand grind 2 servings of coffee? i got my system down.

[Beulenyoshi]

i drink 6 cups of aeropress coffee a day, and OMG we must be on the same wavelengths i just got done looking at the hario, and it does look like the best hand burr grinder, currently i'm using some 100$ burr grinder, i mean i think it's good... but it works well with my routine.

Usually i have my coffee station like this:
take out 2 cups
fill up electric kettle with water (filtered)
measure out 2 servings of beans
grind
take out 6 ice cubes, put in cups (i can't drink super hot)
one spoon of sugar each
2tbls of cream for each
water should be done
(let it cool for 10degrees)
wet the filter for the aeropress (i find that it sticks nicer this way)
press out coffee

honestly how long does it take to hand grind 2 servings of coffee? i got my system down.

I bought the AeroPress to reduce my coffee consumption. I've bought a pretty good coffee maker before, but it is only capable of making big pots of coffee (10 cups). Problem was it either gets cold or I drink everything and my stomach can't take it. I drank so much coffee that I had to consult a doctor because of my hurting stomach.

I wanted something to brew small-medium amounts of coffee and got the AeroPress.

I start heating the water and while it's cooking I weigh the beans. I take 18g per AeroPress in a medium grind. I turn the Aeropress around (inverted method), fill in the coffee and then fill the 96 degr. C hot water into the AeroPress (until it reaches the 2). Then I stirr for around 10seconds and fill up the rest. I wait 40 secs. In this time I put the filter into its place, put it on a cup and pour the hot water through it into the cup. The paper taste is washed out, the filter sticks and my mug gets warm. I empty the cup, put the filter on the press and then my coffee is ready

Sounds complicated but I get the procedure done in 2 minutes. To grind the beans it takes ~80 rotations for 18 gramms. I counted.

[dirge]

Gaggia and Hario slim here, but we're off topic start another thread!

[asura]

Sansa Clip + I've never really been into the portable music scene; tape was awful, CDs skipped and most digital players were a poor quality output, coloured the sound, or were horribly expensive.  The clip seems to be fairly audibly transparent, it's battery lasts a good time and has an OK, but EXPANDABLE storage.

Draper SEC33 So it's under budget, but if you don't already have a decent driver then by the time you add that into the mix you're up to touch.  Nothing is safe.

Drawing board Not your standard fare for this sort of thing but my Masters is in architecture so it's right down my street.  Whilst it costs around £1K to get a new one, they are constantly up on ebay for a pittance.  I got lucky and found a double A0 monster (2900mm long!) - like hens teeth they are!

[fohat.digs]

I love my drawing table, too, but I don't think I could get a beast like that into my house!

[Krogenar]

There are two kinds of good gifts to give. The first is the kind that will improve the recipients life in some way. The second kind of gift is some luxury item that the recipient would like to have but would not buy for themselves.

1. LastPass Pro Subscription + Yubikey Set
https://store.yubico.com/store/catalog/index.php?cPath=6

LastPass manages all your passwords so that a single master password unlocks them all. Add two YubiKeys and you can impose two factor authentication that fits on a keyring. Give the gift of security! Probably only good for people comfortable with techy stuff.

2. GorillaPod for a camera geek.
http://joby.com/lp/which-gorillapod/index.html?gclid=CImOx6fczrMCFUYw4AodXVQA3Q

They come in a lot of sizes -- think of a robotic squid claw as a camera tripod and you've got the general idea. Another cool gift (untried by me) is getting one of those wiFi memory cards. http://www.eye.fi/products I'm getting this for my brother-in-law who has a new baby and a second on the way. You put the memory card into the camera like any other, but the card will wirelessly send the photos to your computer. So you never have to attach your camera to a computer, or remove the card, ever again. Again, untried, but looks awesome.

3. Shocking Lasertag Guns
http://www.shockingfun.com/Shocking_Laser_Tag_p/lazertag.htm

Got this one last Christmas for my nephews. (I'm the 'crazy' uncle.) This blows your budget by $15 (for a single gun) but it's worth it. I received three of these about two years ago, and before gift wrapping them I just had to try them out to see just how 'shocking' they really were. My arm locked up for a few seconds. It was THAT awesome. Nephews unwrapped them and immediately draped one of the sensors over the youngest nephew (7-years-old). He was delighted, naturally ("My older brothers are including me!") They then made him hold onto the gun's conductive metal handle and promptly 'shot' him. Instant tears, poor kid. Merry Christmas?

So, uh, this is for older kids who can take it. But awesome, awesome toy.

[ekw808]

Lenovo multimedia backlit remote with full keyboard - 38

[SmallFry]

Lenovo multimedia backlit remote with full keyboard - 38

What switches does it use?
I'd have to say my most beloved gadget is my power management system that I use for my bedroom electronics (night lamp, phone charging etc) Which, IIRC came from a piece of furniture that my grandfather was going to throw out.

Other than that... herm. I'd say that my HTC Evo 4G running Jelly Bean is pretty high up there, good for just about everything, since I don't use the phone portion of it. Just bought it for the Android and expandable storage. Won't be going back to iOS now!
Third, I'll have to think about.

EDIT!: I have found that it is darn near impossible to go anywhere without my backpack. I use it for everything and was totally lost when I left it locked in a classroom earlier today.

[TheQsanity]

1, my MacBook pro 13

2, my iPhone 5

3, my MacBook pro 15 or my iPod touch would be third. I can't live without any of these...


Oh, wait 30-50 dollars?

1,  my Apple EarPods with controltalk

2, my lime green iPod Shuffle

3, my bubblegum pink iPod Shuffle

Every needs these things I am not sure how anyone can live without them!

[nullstring]

....  I don't think there is any gadgets I have that costed $30-$50 that has made any impact on my life.
Anything worth that has made any impact is either less than that or more than that.. HRM

[Beulenyoshi]

....  I don't think there is any gadgets I have that costed $30-$50 that has made any impact on my life.
Anything worth that has made any impact is either less than that or more than that.. HRM

This wasn't meant to be a "strict" landmark. It was meant to be for orientational purposes only. Feel free to post yours

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Hmm... things I've bought that have improved my life?

-Senior Prom tickets (not a gadget, and were more than $50, but the experience was priceless)
-My Motorola Droid 1 (got it for free from my uncle, but it has been such an amazingly useful phone)
-My Lenovo IdeaPad S9 netbook (my brother bought it for $60, and I traded my semi-broken laptop for it. Used that tethered to my phone to get around my highschool's internet censoring)

[Anynoupy]

I can't really think of anything in that price range ...

However, I can think of these !

#1 - Nokia BH-905i

God, my first BT Headset was the Philips SH-9000, already a good one, but it was a bit too tight for my head, and I was looking for something better at the time.
The BH-905i has been the best for me for quite a year and a half ! Its Noice Cancellation feature is just awesome
I'm back to a wired headset right now, but I think I'll keep it, as it's still a great headset, and the only replacement one I found is too expensive for me right now (350 Euros, ouch !).
It gets the job done perfectly, and it followed me through a lot of phones, even though some phones were not so good with it, and I can get micro-freezes or so.
Overall, one of the best "gadgets" I've ever had !

#2 - "Quick heating" kettle

As a "big" tea drinker, which is in teabags or to put in a teapot directly, it might seem stupid, but having a kettle that heats the water quickly is a good plus ! (Yeah, I'm generally in a hurry, and saving a few minutes is always good for me )
I wish I could get myself one that allows you to decide at which temperature you want the water to be (but it's also too much expensive IMO, almost 80/90 Euros if I recall correctly ...).
It gets the job done, and I know when to stop it to get the temperature I want, so perfect for me

#3 - Smartphones in general

Well, I'm a "swapper", so I don't keep a smartphone very long. However, since the first one I got (Nokia 5800), it has served me greatly ! And even though I sometimes go back to a simple dumb-phone, I find myself a little lost, because I use my smartphone on a daily basis for useful things. In addition to listening to music (Spotify there) or surfing the web, I also check my trains timetables in real time (it saved me a lot of time by seeing that I could change trains to go faster where I wanted), take pictures on-the-go instead of getting my bridge camera, take notes / put reminders, have a ton of alarms, etc.
Basically a normal use, but I definitely find it very useful in my everyday life. Although it's clearly not a 30-50$ investment

[baldgye]

1. Metal Gear Solid

[nullstring]

Things I've learned from this thread: Computer-Lab in Basement is really young.

[davkol]

Some things have been already mentioned, sooo...

Sennheiser HD 202s were a huge step from 10€ headphones, and they served me well for two years (then I managed to damage cable on one can, I'll have to fix it some day).

Standing setup made of LACK tables was a nice idea, it has really helped me.

At last but not least: my collection of backpacks. My favorite ones are Dicota Bacpac Xtreme and Wenger Maxxum (paid less than 30€ for each). Both are very solid (especially the Wenger one), comfortable... and big enough to fit all stuff I carry to school.

Will add more when I think of it, but thermometers for cooking. May not be as expensive, but cooking perfect meat every time is amazing.

I got one from eBay for only $10. It's great for making green tea... more properly?

2. GorillaPod for a camera geek.
http://joby.com/lp/which-gorillapod/index.html?gclid=CImOx6fczrMCFUYw4AodXVQA3Q

They come in a lot of sizes -- think of a robotic squid claw as a camera tripod and you've got the general idea.

This. It's very solid and easy to carry around. I'm too lazy to go hiking with a huge steel tripod, .

Sansa Clip + I've never really been into the portable music scene; tape was awful, CDs skipped and most digital players were a poor quality output, coloured the sound, or were horribly expensive.  The clip seems to be fairly audibly transparent, it's battery lasts a good time and has an OK, but EXPANDABLE storage.

I wish I didn't lose mine only one week after buying it. Treacherous clip...

Lenovo multimedia backlit remote with full keyboard - 38

I gave the older N5901 to my dad. It's awesome for use with a HTPC, and I prefer trackball to the new touch-thing.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Things I've learned from this thread: Computer-Lab in Basement is really young.

18.  Soon to be 19.

[Batmann]

Interesting thread!

1- my boot dryer - keystone of my snowboarding gear

2 - my Wacom Bamboo - very cool for illustrations an quick drawings

3- my lego Hulk   - didn't change my life but I would be happy if Santa leaves another one for me   (movements range is insane, you can put them in very expressive positions)

Hope that helps ^^

[noisyturtle]

1, my MacBook pro 13

2, my iPhone 5

3, my MacBook pro 15 or my iPod touch would be third. I can't live without any of these...


Oh, wait 30-50 dollars?

1,  my Apple EarPods with controltalk

2, my lime green iPod Shuffle

3, my bubblegum pink iPod Shuffle

Every needs these things I am not sure how anyone can live without them!

We got a label **** over here. 

[jeroplane]

1. Toothbrush
2. Toilet paper
3. Pillow

[baldgye]

1. Toothbrush
2. Toilet paper
3. Pillow

you buy really ****ing expensive toilet paper

[m00nshake]

1. Electronic Cigarette

It was slightly more expensive than $50 when I bought my first starter kit, but I haven't smoked a cigarette in almost three years now since switching to electronic cigarettes. I know that inhaling nicotine in vapor form may not be 100% safe, but I know that it's better than smoking. I used to not be able to climb a flight of stairs without feeling winded, and now I run 6-8 miles a day, and I feel much better.

2. Ice grippers

I like running outdoors. There isn't much ice in North Carolina, but it's one of the only weather conditions which keeps me from being able to run. So I googled 'running on ice', and I found out about ice grippers. You strap the Ice grippers to the bottom of your shoes and they enable you to walk and even run on ice without slipping.

3. Pur water filter (faucet fixture)

I've been buying gallon size bottles of generic drinking water for years now. I just recently purchased a Pur water filter and it's really nice. I can't tell the difference between it and the drinking/spring water, so it definitely does a good job now at least. I haven't used it for a very long time but if a single filter lasts for 100 gallons like it is stated to then I can definitely see this being a much more cost effective way to drink clean(er) water.

[tp4tissue]

LOLOL....

I was sure that at least 1 geekhacker would've posted,

Fleshlight, Lube, and Porn subscription

[TheQsanity]

I would have but I felt that it was more important to troll Apple.

Speaking of...

My Apple certified wall plug with the apple logo on it so it must be better than anyother wall plug out there.

My Apple certified usb charger, the 7 inch one

And how could I charge my new Apple products without the lightning adapter? Yes, I know it is 5 dollars under the limit but it hasto be worth way more than that!

[SmallFry]

Actually, there is differences in wall plugs. Apple wall plugs aren't the best, but they are indeed higher than the ones from DX.

[bavman]

LOLOL....

I was sure that at least 1 geekhacker would've posted,

Fleshlight, Lube, and Porn subscription

Porn subscription ain't even worth it. So much free porn on the internet.

[TheQsanity]

LOLOL....

I was sure that at least 1 geekhacker would've posted,

Fleshlight, Lube, and Porn subscription

Porn subscription ain't even worth it. So much free porn on the internet.

All about that HQ ****.

But really so many porn sites have viruses. I wouldn't touch them.

[alaricljs]

^ geeks use VMs, it's like a digital condom.

[SmallFry]

That's soooo funny! Digital condom! Lulz!

[TheQsanity]

1. Electronic Cigarette

It was slightly more expensive than $50 when I bought my first starter kit, but I haven't smoked a cigarette in almost three years now since switching to electronic cigarettes. I know that inhaling nicotine in vapor form may not be 100% safe, but I know that it's better than smoking. I used to not be able to climb a flight of stairs without feeling winded, and now I run 6-8 miles a day, and I feel much better.

2. Ice grippers

I like running outdoors. There isn't much ice in North Carolina, but it's one of the only weather conditions which keeps me from being able to run. So I googled 'running on ice', and I found out about ice grippers. You strap the Ice grippers to the bottom of your shoes and they enable you to walk and even run on ice without slipping.

3. Pur water filter (faucet fixture)

I've been buying gallon size bottles of generic drinking water for years now. I just recently purchased a Pur water filter and it's really nice. I can't tell the difference between it and the drinking/spring water, so it definitely does a good job now at least. I haven't used it for a very long time but if a single filter lasts for 100 gallons like it is stated to then I can definitely see this being a much more cost effective way to drink clean(er) water.

Those are some great and useful devices! Great work and congrats!

Spring water isnt really spring water btw ppl. If it says spring water on the back, it never said it is 100%. Much like how somethi ng that  has whole grain wheat isnt 100 percent whole grain.

[davkol]

Actually, there is differences in wall plugs. Apple wall plugs aren't the best, but they are indeed higher than the ones from DX.

Really? iPhone charger disassembled... same pooy stuff as on DX.

[TheQsanity]

The Plastic shines better!

[TheProfosist]

Lol if your looking for a good charger pick up the nugiant surge protection one off newegg.

Another great item that i carry arounf with me at all times is a gerber pocket knife that take utility knife blades, very small and very handy.

A bit over budget but my favorite sidearm is my my Pen Type A.

[Beulenyoshi]

Back to topic? 

[tp4tissue]

LOLOL....

I was sure that at least 1 geekhacker would've posted,

Fleshlight, Lube, and Porn subscription

Porn subscription ain't even worth it. So much free porn on the internet.

All about that HQ ****.

But really so many porn sites have viruses. I wouldn't touch them.

Where've you been there are "trusted" porn sites. They all have reviews and stuff that you can look up.

[tp4tissue]

LOLOL....

I was sure that at least 1 geekhacker would've posted,

Fleshlight, Lube, and Porn subscription

Porn subscription ain't even worth it. So much free porn on the internet.

HD pr0n is definitely worth it....

[TheQsanity]

LOLOL....

I was sure that at least 1 geekhacker would've posted,

Fleshlight, Lube, and Porn subscription

Porn subscription ain't even worth it. So much free porn on the internet.

All about that HQ ****.

But really so many porn sites have viruses. I wouldn't touch them.

Where've you been there are "trusted" porn sites. They all have reviews and stuff that you can look up.

True.....


But, the review sites themselves can not be trusted!

[csm725]

Back on topic!

I know you don't want the replies to be about electronics, but I'd really have to say these are some of the best purchases I've ever made:
Razer Deathadder Black - $55
Custom wooden wrist rest - $70

Really these have immensely improved my day-to-day life. I can't imagine typing without my wrist rest.

[NKRO]

I have spent a few days thinking about this now, and I am finding it difficult to come up with things under $50 or so that I would say genuinely improved my life quality. In fact, I don't know if there are many purchases I would say that about at all, but I suppose it depends how you define something "changing your life".

I do tend to save up (never buy on credit) and try to buy "the best" if it's not something I actually need right away, so that it's the last one of X that I am ever going to need to buy for the rest of my life - or at least as long as it's possible to reasonably expect something to last. Unless something untoward happens, I would expect my HHKB to last more than just a couple of years, for example.

This often (mistakenly) gives people the impression that I am loaded, but it's just that I don't tolerate crap, and have the patience to make do with what I already have, or go without something, until I can afford it. I put a lot of time into researching my purchases so that I don't rush into anything, and know what I should expect from them.

I've probably spent a couple of years lurking around keyboard forums before finally deciding on, having the money set aside for, and purchasing my HHKB2 Type-S for example.
What I often see on enthusiast forums (headphones, AV equipment, keyboards, computers etc.) is people that just slowly work their way up the ladder, buying something cheap and low-end to begin with, then gradually making more purchases in a never-ending upgrade cycle. Instead of buying a lot of things which I don't really want, I'd rather wait and save up to buy the best - or at least the best that I can afford, or the product which best suits my needs (the best is not necessarily the most expensive) and something which I expect to last me a reasonable length of time, rather than buying whatever the latest overhyped product is because it's new and shiny.


Something where my purchase is outside the budget, but you can find items within that budget, was the switch to a DE Safety Razor.

I have always hated shaving because I have very sensitive skin that would have razer burn or flare up after shaving no matter what. I have tried the most expensive electric shavers (irritates my skin, doesn't give good results) all kinds of other razors (with an increasing number of blades) all kinds of anti-irritation shaving foam, gel, aftershave etc.

Switching to a DE Safety Razor with Feather blades (which are by far the sharpest) means that I can get a really close shave in a single pass, and using traditional shaving cream lathered with a brush instead of that gunk from a can, leaves me with no razor burn and little to no irritation. Replacement blades are also extremely cheap compared to Gillettes etc. even the generic brand, especially if you buy in bulk. For shaving cream, I like Truefitt & Hill which is somewhat expensive but if you're using a brush to build up lather, a tub should probably last you a long time (you need a lot less than you might think) and it has been the least irritating cream I have tried so far. This is not for anyone who is always in a rush out the door in the mornings though, I get up earlier to give myself an extra 10 minutes to take it slow (wrap a warm towel on your face for a couple of minutes before the shave like you would have done at a traditional barber's etc.) and it's made shaving something I look forward to now, rather than a chore.


And I don't know that I would say it improved my quality of life, but a Leatherman is always handy to have around. I keep a Squirt S4 on my keyring, and end up using it all the time. The S4 is particularly useful, because you actually get a decent pair of sprung scissors unlike most multitools, which just have a crap pair of folding scissors. (even the scissors on my full-size Leatherman are much worse in comparison) It does mean that you do without pliers though, but none of the other small tools have a needlenose option, and I don't find regular pliers that small to be much use in my experience. I think the closest alternative is the Style CS, but it's a longer tool and I think it's also missing some of the features of the Squirt.

Really? iPhone charger disassembled... same pooy stuff as on DX.

Hm, contradicting evidence: http://www.arcfn.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-quality.html

[Grimey]

1. De-solder pump.  Has made my hobby much more satisfying.

2. Wool socks.  They are costly but the return has been much appreciated in my life.  I am slowly changing my wardrobe to be more wool based, and it all started with socks.

3. Run of the mill coffee maker.  I had tried to get into fancier coffee over the years, grinding and french pressing, but it just takes too much time.  Buying decent stuff once a week and grinding it at the store and made my mornings much more enjoyable.

[phx]

maybe not gadgets but...

1. memory foam mattress topper. used it all 4 years in college, made sleeping so much more relaxing.
2. office chair. cuz screw the wooden chairs they provide.
3. a good pair of ear buds.

[Shadovved]

Hm, mine I think would be................

Nice and comfy computer chair from IKEA (they actually have something really good, for once)

A pair of Timberland loafers

Um, underwear? (no, you heard correctly, I am NOT joking, they are really freaking darn good )

[jdcarpe]

1. De-solder pump.  Has made my hobby much more satisfying.

2. Wool socks.  They are costly but the return has been much appreciated in my life.  I am slowly changing my wardrobe to be more wool based, and it all started with socks.

3. Run of the mill coffee maker.  I had tried to get into fancier coffee over the years, grinding and french pressing, but it just takes too much time.  Buying decent stuff once a week and grinding it at the store and made my mornings much more enjoyable.

Nice list. I just started wearing wool socks, and I'm going to be buying more.

Here's my list:

1. Leatherman Fuse multitool. I use this everyday, for a million uses. Probably the most important item on this list. You know the saying, "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." Well, now you don't have to see nails everywhere.

2. e-Ink eReader. I own a Kindle, a Kindle Keyboard, and a Nook. I read much more now that I have lots of books conveniently on one device.

3. Gillette Mach3 razor. I have used a Mach3 since they first came out. I tried the Fusion for a while, but went back to the Mach3. As someone who shaves every day, the Mach3 is the most comfortable shave I have found. Leaps and bounds over a disposable.

[vbrenny]

I think I'm a man of more simple tastes than most of you.. here it goes:

1- Faber Castell's Grip finepen - I have the 2 versions, for drawing and for writing. I suck at both, but the pleasure when writing something with these bad boys is from out of this world. Pretty cheap, around US$2,00.

2- Puma's Ducati Motorazzo Street Racer Trainers - awesome to drive (DUH!), comfortable, tight fit. Just the way I like.

3 - My living room's granite table. Cheap, does not require a lot of maintenance and I think that if it ever becomes unstable or something, I can re-use the granite board on another support.

[tjcaustin]

2- Puma's Ducati Motorazzo Street Racer Trainers - awesome to drive (DUH!), comfortable, tight fit. Just the way I like.

I wish those came in wider sizes.  Stupid giant feet...

[vbrenny]

In Europe they are available up until 48. This should be 14 or 14.5 in US.
What size do you wear?

[Findecanor]

1. Heating Blanket: ...

1. I got a wool blanket. Super comfy. Cost closer to $80, though. I loved it so much that I got another one a year later.

... 3. Pillow

2. Yes. I spent money on a real down pillow. Much better than synthetic crap. The big downside is that it is difficult to wash, so I wrap it in three pillow cases, so that I don't have to do it too often.

2. Wool socks.  They are costly but the return has been much appreciated in my life.  I am slowly changing my wardrobe to be more wool based, and it all started with socks.

3. A simple beanie hat made of knitted lambs wool with a layer of thinsulate. Does not sound special and it did not look special, but it was perfect! Natural fibres breathe better so that you don't overheat and break a sweat as easily as when wearing synthetic fabrics. The layer of thinsulate protected against wind blowing through the knit.
Unfortunately, I lost my beanie on All Saints Day and am now using a cheap beanie made from acrylic fibres, because I still have not found one that is as good as the old one.

[noisyturtle]

Just got some house pants that are made of this bamboo fabric($45) and holy hell they feel nice. It's like my balls are being cradled by a thousand baby ducks.

[m00nshake]

I'd also like to say that there's nothing better than a real down pillow

[whiskerBox]

So I thought about this for a couple minutes and just about everything in my bag I love.

So

1. Timbuk2 bag little over budget, but it's been a great friend for years.

2. SF bags keyboard sleeve. Great for hhkb/poker. Reaper told me about these originally great little sleeve. Like $50

3. Small lock pick set lol. Never used these until last week when I lost the key to my desk drawer at work. $30

4. Incase laptop sleeve. $20 at Tjmaxx

5. Aluminum sharpie pen $10

6. Assorted bike chain locks, because it's always fun to lock your coworkers office chairs together. $30

7. Small toolset for your car $50. Oh snap I actually changed my own brakes the other day. Very satisfying!

8. Ironkey, a little over priced $100. Lots of cool uses though.

9. Cheap ear buds $10. They are not for audiophile listening, but for ignoring the people around you when you forgot your real headphones.

10. A pocket knife. I have a gerber that was like $30. I think I could stab someone just as good as a $100 knife, but I will have to get back to you with those results later.

All I could think of....

[dirge]

I'd also like to say that there's nothing better than a real down pillow

No I disagree, Dunlopillo hollowfibre latex pillows.  Real down for the quilt sure, but honestly nothing beats these pillows.

http://www.dunlopillo.co.uk/

They are expensive but quality.

I'll add another on my list, a Waterford Irish Crystal glass to drink from.  Hey if you drink enough having the correct quality container is an important thing.

typically a Glencairn glass for whisky is the way to go, but I use my Waterford all the time.  Quality, heavy in the hand and if your getting pissed it might as well be out of a quality glass.

[kravlin]

Three items?

1. My HTC Incredible, I ended up getting mine for free at signing due to some stuff, which was awesome, but it's my one thing I need to carry most of the time. It's my alarm clock, my calendar, my email, my only phone. I use it to check out wireless networks, find my way to places in other cities, it mutes when i get to work, but is on loud when I get home, it's just my multitool for everything.

2. My Timbuk2 messenger bag. I know it's not the most ergonomic bag, and I was lucky to get one before timbuk2 became big and the quality of their materials dropped. When I bought it I was going through 2 or 3 backpacks a year at school. I've had that one bag for the last 6 or 7 years, and the only damage it's taken is that one of the Velcro pads on the inside of the bag has come off. I really wish I had spent more money on it when I bought it the first time, but I'm more than happy with it now. I've looked into buying a second one of a larger size for weekend getaways and such, but haven't convinced myself i need it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
3. Good sheets/Matress Topper. It's amazing the difference between $20 and $50 sheets. When I moved into an actual house in college and got my bed from my old house, I had nice sheets my parents bought when i was a kid that lasted 4 or 5 years and were still incredibly comfortable. About a year after that i wore through the fitted sheet and went out and got a $20 sheet set. That set died within 6 months. I got an internship, and actually had money, so i bought around $100 in new sheets, and a new mattress topper, and it's made a world of difference.

[BlindRAGE606]

1. Clear Keyboard Skin for my MBP

No more shiny keys. $7

2. Dyson 10" Fan

Looks awesome and was $40 BNIB

3. Ducky Mechanical Keyboard TKL $40

Need I say more? An addition to my iMac.

[mistakemistake]

1. Clear Keyboard Skin for my MBP

No more shiny keys. $7

2. Dyson 10" Fan

Looks awesome and was $40 BNIB

3. Ducky Mechanical Keyboard TKL $40

Need I say more? An addition to my iMac.

How and where did you get a dyson 10'' fan for 40 bucks? that's crazy talk! i need one

[VesperSAINT]

1. Spyderco Tenacious

2. Felix Flashlight

3. Logitech G9x / Quickfire Rapid (Tied for Third)

Holy crap! Are you me?!

1. Spyderco Tenacious too!

2. Been using my bro's Streamlight ProTac 1L Professional Tactical but plan on getting a Fenix E21

3. Logitech G400/500 tied with my cheap CZ 75D PCR IWB holster

1. Metal Gear Solid

+1 to this

[thp777]

1. 3dconnexion spacenavigator 3d mouse. saves me tons of time in 3d software. allows me to work while i rotate an object instead of switching between tools.
2. razer naga. i use the extra buttons for my most used hotkeys in 3ds max allowing me to keep my left hand on 3d mouse and my custom nostromo. saves me from having to click menus all day
3. nostromo. have 4 layers assigned for hotkeys in 3d software  really saves me alot of time and clicking

[hluo87]

1. race KB
2. ss Sensei
3. gunnar glass...

[Malphas]

1. French press
2. Fleshlight
3. Lighter

[VesperSAINT]

1. French press
2. Fleshlight
3. Lighter

Fleshlight... lol. I hope this wasn't a typo for flashlight.

[Malphas]

I assure you it wasn't a typo.

[VesperSAINT]

I assure you it wasn't a typo.

ಠωಠ

[m00nshake]

Speaking of gadgets I'm about to get some overshoes for winter bicycling, I wore regular socks under thermal socks and my toes were still numb bicycling this morning. The temperature was around 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

[BoxWithADot]

Casio W-800 - Not the prettiest watch, but I wear this watch almost every day. It's tough, and if it breaks it's cheap to replace. Plus I hate taking out my phone just to check the time.

Moore Maker pocketknife - Carry this knife every day, actually own two. Endlessly useful, good carbon steel, holds a nice edge for a long time. Little more than $50.

There are probably several more, but these are the first two I happened to think of 

[deegaf]

1) WD Cloud Storage Drive 3TB - A seriously buff media server with cloud access. I had so much fun organizing all my files for 2 days straight. God I'm such a nerd.
2) iPhone extended battery case - The thinner one.
3) A teapot with the words "Keep Calm and Drink Tea"
4) Life changer subs/apps: Rdio for music, Youtube on PS3, Amazon Prime, Hulu for the Criterion Collection, and Netflix.

[deegaf]

I forgot the most important of all. I sit on a ball chair at work with a wheel base. I don't slouch anymore!

[phetto]

1 - Mouse Bungee, everyone believe this is just a hoax and tend to think that they can make their own with just ducktape and a pringles tube are wrong. This makes your mouse feel like its wireless, for real.

2 - My external drive, got it for free so its not near the price range this was ment to be in but anyway.. It has saved my family photos like 4 times when the computer has crashed.
3 - Heatpillow that I use in my lap =)

[Malphas]

Speaking of gadgets I'm about to get some overshoes for winter bicycling, I wore regular socks under thermal socks and my toes were still numb bicycling this morning. The temperature was around 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pffft, soft lad. That barely qualifies as cold.

[bace]

1. Gym membership
2. vmoda bass freq. cheap earphones to listen to music which helps me fall asleep.
3. smartwool socks

[phetto]

Eva Angelina fleshlight

[m00nshake]

I really like the Pearl Izumi overshoes and balaclava that I recently got. The overshoes keep my feet warm and the balaclava my face and neck while bicycling in sub zero temperatures.

[YMSNoms]

45 big macs, when Leamington spa queensway restaurant had a pricing failure!  WIN

1. QFR Blacks
2. Pink Keycaps
3. Starcraft 2

[evolveS]

In the "inexpensive" category:

1. Electric Kettle ($25)
2. Alvin Draft-Matic 0.5mm pencil ($8)
3. ABS M1 ($45 at the time, first 'good' kb)

And the more costly:

1. Galaxy Nexus
2. Extra-long queen size mattress (I'm 6'3" and a twin won't cut it anymore)
3. Personally build desktop PC

[SrsBsns]

I really couldn't think of many things that were UNDER $50, which I think is the case for most everyone else.

1. My Grado SR60i's - I love music, and even though they aren't the BEST headphones, they are still amazing, I've had them for over a year now, and they keep sounding better.
1b. cMoy amp, for my Grado's.

2. My small 4 inch desk fan, my mouse hand seems to sweat a lot for some reason, bigger fans are far too bulky to be on my desk!

3. My Zen Magnets, who knew magnetic spheres were so much #$%!ing fun?  They provide so much stress relief, and are just amazing to play with.

[Krogenar]

2. e-Ink eReader. I own a Kindle, a Kindle Keyboard, and a Nook. I read much more now that I have lots of books conveniently on one device.

I don't know if the e-Book reader can be found for less than $50, but I have to second jdcarpe on an ebook reader being a huge lifestyle upgrade. If you're looking for a great gift for a reader in your life, get them a 7" ebook reader of some kind (Nook Color if they're into comics) and then get your sewer scuba-diving gear and dive into the seamy, underground world of pirated ebooks! Give them the e-reader loaded up with books.

[CPTBadAss]

1) Grado SR80i: Music is always on when I'm at home, along with Spotify. So I was extremely happy with the sound quality that I got for the price.

2) Kindle: I read a lot and it's nice to have this gadget around. I think last summer I read around 1200 pages. This helped save a small forest from destruction.

3) Really nice bedsheets: I've had sleeping problems for ages. The comfort level these sheets give me help me to sleep better.

[sammsorensen]

1. e-cig.. Haven't smoked an actual cigarette in a long time.. still haven't fully given up nicotine :/
2. $50 logitech g500 mouse.. The Warranty never seems to end.. I'm on my 4th free mouse.
3. usb drink chiller.. uhhh yeah

[KangarooZombies]

1. Wired Xbox controller for my PC. Makes **** like Dark Souls:PTD playable.
2. Coffee Grinder and French Press. My coffee tastes like coffee now. Its genius.
3. My iPhone otterbox case. I work in an environment that might be considered dangerous to most technology including my phone. This thing saves it from that environment.

[ComradeSniper]

1. Spyderco Tenacious

I know this is an old post, but I couldn't agree more. I love my Tenacious, easily the best value folding knife out there.

[The_Beast]

I want to get a Tenacious just to make custom scales to make it looks like this:
http://imgur.com/a/Nls8q#0

[demik]

helps me track my cycling. which pushes me to do more each week.

which helps me lose weight and be healthier.

[SmallFry]

How much weight have you lost? Congrats to you, by the way.

[reverkiller]

My best purchases...

1) $10 gray hoodie. I wear it all the time and it looks nice and is crazy comfy
2) 12 pack of G2 pens, $20ish. Notes!
3) Cellphone. Cheap thing I got on my parents contract for $10. Lasted me 4 years so far, and been great.

Thinking about buying a drafting pencil, will probably buy it tomorrow. Also going to invest in a notebook to do abstract algebra in.

[alaricljs]

Demik is a ghost, that's how much weight he lost.

[demik]

IM NOT HERE!

How much weight have you lost? Congrats to you, by the way.

27lbs

[SmallFry]

IM NOT HERE!

How much weight have you lost? Congrats to you, by the way.

27lbs

Congrats, here's to a happier healthier life man.

[TheQsanity]

Sony headphones. They seem to be the best out there in that pricer ange.

[MattBuzzy]

1. Bodum Fyrkat Charcoal Barbeque, makes food taste amazing and is really cheap to cook with. $99

2. Powered Aerial Splitter, get a better reception running 2 T.V's than I did before with 1. $30

3. Dehydrator, fresh and cheap Jerky and Dried Fruit that tastes better than the packet stuff. $50