I’ve owned a few gadgets over the years that I’ve regretted buying, good contenders would be the Palm Pilot, Apple Airport Express, Sharp Zaurus (is that a shell prompt in your pocket?). After 3 months I put them up on Craigslist to collect dust elsewhere. Here, though, are a few that have withstood the test of time:
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Top of the list is the Forge de Laguiole Corkscrew which I received as a gift from a friend when leaving Japan 8 years ago. I anticipate using this one wine opener for the rest of my life, it’s one of those products that gives you the ‘just works’ feeling. The weight is right, it feels great in your hand, every cork is extracted with such deft swiftness you feel like a pro every time. You’d swear it even makes the wine taste better. I have a vision of handing this over to my son years from now with some cool one liner he’ll pass on to his kids.
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The Hefty Classic Double-Edge Safety Razor by Merkur Solingen doesn’t need to deliver promises of a shave so good, the ladies will never even see you coming (so it’s 5 blades that gets the girl…). 100% inspired by an article on the art of shaving I fell hard into the world of wet shaving and haven’t looked back. My son is going to get this one too, lucky him.
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It was Craigslist for the the Apple Airport Express and hello to the sexy Slim Devices Squeezebox for me 2 years ago. This is the only gadget in my list and for as long as it lasts, or as long as internet radio is kept alive, I’ll use this as my prime source for audio enjoyment. Not only does it look cool but it works like a dream. I spend 90% of my time with the squeezebox plugged into one of my pandora stations. Big up Slim Devices (now owned by Logitech) for being a great company with a great product and great customer support.
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Picture yourself on your favourite Big Sur bluff, walk through to the rear of your 1989 Volkswagen Vanagon, swing out the table, get out your camera to get some shots of the vultures flying around you. Sip a hot cup of tea while jazz streams out of the radio. Pop the top and head on upstairs to read a book lying down with a panoramic ocean view. When it gets dark close the curtains, turn on the lights and crack open a cold beer from the fridge, or perhaps a whisky from the cabinet, plug in the laptop and enjoy a movie. Fold down the seats for a good nights rest. When you’re all done the next morning head back to San Francisco cruising no more than 60mph as the rest of the Bay Area gets to wherever they are going faster than you, then finally put it away just like any other car (it’s actually shorter than the Passat Wagon). This vehicle is my routine escape where I can forget about it all.
What are some of your favourite things?