Best value item you’ve purchased

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Like this?

Perhaps. Some fine looking grinding material you have there.

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by c1pher

LL Bean Flannel lined shirt. Have owned them for 15 years. It seemed pricy to me at the time. I have two.

A contractor buddy of mine gave me one for Christmas this past year. I haven't worn it nearly enough. I have to agree with you, mine is pretty awesome. Mine has the hidden sewn in hand pockets at the seam, nice little touch.

[happyjack]

certainly not cheap items -- and they were they subject of much ire a couple of years ago with their upgrade/recycle fiasco -- but my original sonos gear (circa 2011) has performed flawlessly for over 10 years now. i started with two play 5s, a sonos connect, and a sonos amp, and they're still at the core of my home entertainment system today (with the addition of multiple new zones/devices).

while the market may have caught up with sonos, the fact that 10-year old wireless audio continues to work as well as -- and arguably better than -- stuff being released today is pretty freaking amazing.

[TiMSport]

My hybrid HYLA CE-5 In Ear Monitors (IEM). They weren't cheap but I got them for a decent price ($750) and they were fetching closer to $2k in some places because only a total of 200 sets were manufactured by this boutique Japanese audio company. They sound like they should be well over 2 grand IMO. Simply phenomenal.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by happyjack

certainly not cheap items -- and they were they subject of much ire a couple of years ago with their upgrade/recycle fiasco -- but my original sonos gear (circa 2011) has performed flawlessly for over 10 years now. i started with two play 5s, a sonos connect, and a sonos amp, and they're still at the core of my home entertainment system today (with the addition of multiple new zones/devices).

while the market may have caught up with sonos, the fact that 10-year old wireless audio continues to work as well as -- and arguably better than -- stuff being released today is pretty freaking amazing.

I agree I still have my original play3 which IMO is the best sounding sonos they made. That being said I keep it in my patio where I go to have a drink and actually listen to music. Inside the house we typically only want music for ambience and found the echo devices to work well for that since they are scattered all over the house and sound good enough at low volume for what we want... plus they are cheap.

[Darth One]

Yeah, good call on Sonos. I have every room set up with their stuff. They did take a big hit in my book when the fuck faces decided to no longer support the older stuff for integration and new functionality

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Darth One

Yeah, good call on Sonos. I have every room set up with their stuff. They did take a big hit in my book when the fuck faces decided to no longer support the older stuff for integration and new functionality

You can also say that for most Apple products. I typically own them twice as long as its competitor. I am still using a 2015 iMac i5 and MacBook Pro 2016. I did trade my iPad Pro 11 for the new M1 after owning it for three years, but my brother is taking it and will probably use it for at least 2-3 more years.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by c1pher

You can also say that for most Apple products. I typically own them twice as long as its competitor. I am still using a 2015 iMac i5 and MacBook Pro 2016. I did trade my iPad Pro 11 for the new M1 after owning it for three years, but my brother is taking it and will probably use it for at least 2-3 more years.

I'll second this. My 2012 iMac lasted 8 years and my 2012 MacBook Pro and 2012 Mac Mini are still ticking along. Not cheap items to begin with, but they certainly are worth the initial expenditure. Oh, and my iPhone 7 from several years ago is now being used by my BIL. I expect it to last another couple of years if he doesn't sit on it.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I'll second this. My 2012 iMac lasted 8 years and my 2012 MacBook Pro and 2012 Mac Mini are still ticking along. Not cheap items to begin with, but they certainly are worth the initial expenditure. Oh, and my iPhone 7 from several years ago is now being used by my BIL. I expect it to last another couple of years if he doesn't sit on it.

I actually use this to help justify use in business. It extends the lifecycle of the equipment. Yes the CFO balks at first but when he realizes we realistically get max three years out of a Windows laptop and we can use a Mac for five and not have as many repair and replace activities, we are actually saving money. One issue is that the execs like a new laptop every year, but I’ve solved that by using their 1-2 year old laptops as hand me downs.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by c1pher

I actually use this to help justify use in business. It extends the lifecycle of the equipment. Yes the CFO balks at first but when he realizes we realistically get max three years out of a Windows laptop and we can use a Mac for five and not have as many repair and replace activities, we are actually saving money. One issue is that the execs like a new laptop every year, but I’ve solved that by using their 1-2 year old laptops as hand me downs.

In my years as an IT pro at a university, I most often found the "need for a new laptop" stemmed from a lack of care on behalf of the user. People don't care about equipment they didn't buy out of their own funds. That said, I've seen some non-tenured faculty members endure 8 and 9 year old laptops. Top admin and faculty get new rigs every few years. Adjuncts and staff get hand-me-downs. The Apple users are usually better off.

[NorCalAthlete]

Yeah, the ear pads lasted me for 3 years of daily use then started falling apart. Bought a set of these and swapped them out and I’m good to go again.

Brainwavz Micro Suede Earpads for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TJG9Z6Y

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by M_Six

In my years as an IT pro at a university, I most often found the "need for a new laptop" stemmed from a lack of care on behalf of the user. People don't care about equipment they didn't buy out of their own funds.

We observed over the years that people appeared to intentionally destroy equipment to get new stuff before their upgrade cycle time. It's amazing how they became more careful when the repair supply room was only stocked with the most janky used keyboards and obsolete notebooks.

Don't get me started about users needing "status symbol" equipment.....

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by M_Six

In my years as an IT pro at a university, I most often found the "need for a new laptop" stemmed from a lack of care on behalf of the user. People don't care about equipment they didn't buy out of their own funds. That said, I've seen some non-tenured faculty members endure 8 and 9 year old laptops. Top admin and faculty get new rigs every few years. Adjuncts and staff get hand-me-downs. The Apple users are usually better off.

For me it's really about processing power... I work in a commercially based organization but I focus on much more data driven, excel heavy, analytical type work and they give all of us the same computers.

You can see it works for the sales teams... not so much for everyone else when you hear the fan blasting and the computer barely able to keep up with larger calcs.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by ASAP

For me it's really about processing power... I work in a commercially based organization but I focus on much more data driven, excel heavy, analytical type work and they give all of us the same computers.

You can see it works for the sales teams... not so much for everyone else when you hear the fan blasting and the computer barely able to keep up with larger calcs.

There are cases for that in uni IT as well. The science folks with their modeling software and the econ/business folks with the big spreadsheets and data sets. But most folks are reading email, surfing, and using Word/PowerPoint. And this past year, using Zoom and/or Teams.

[pajarodoug]

Battery Daddy...the de-clutter is worth the price.

[leopard print]

Originally Posted by pajarodoug

Battery Daddy...the de-clutter is worth the price.

Interesting first post. Are you the creator? Haha.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by leopard print

Interesting first post. Are you the creator? Haha.

The first sentient AI is going to be a fucking spam bot.

[charlie fairmont]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Werner-Alum...-Lb/5000905497

I used to know how to post pics but oh well.

I picked this up on an end cap several years ago for $30. Even now that it's twice the price, it'd be a deal.

I use this thing every weekend. Whether I'm standing on it to wash the roof of the SUV, to load kayaks, to trim hedges, to cut wood, to knock down a wasp nest, or any number of things where a full ladder isn't needed, this thing is great.

[NEfan508]

BOSE QC15 over 10 years ago, ya I got some newer versions but that's still in my duffel bag for flights

(Noise canceling headphones)

Makes BOS/FLL flights melt away
Best item I ever bought by far

[The J-Man]

My KEF LSX speakers for my computer. They make the Bowers and Wilkins system in my X5 sound like an Echo Dot in comparison.

[earck]

Originally Posted by NEfan508

BOSE QC15 over 10 years ago, ya I got some newer versions but that's still in my duffel bag for flights

(Noise canceling headphones)

Makes BOS/FLL flights melt away
Best item I ever bought by far

I own the QC35 and it has been an absolute game changer on flights. I am never flying again without noise cancelling headphones. I never realized how loud it is in the cabin until I got them.

[E92inNC]

Bought a Wahl hair kit 15 years ago for $50 and still use it every 2 weeks, just throw on a #1 and takes 10 minutes. Probably saved myself hundreds of hours and thousands $$$ over the years.