I bought a cheap one off Amazon to see if it would help my insomnia. It seems to work, but this particular blanket triggers my allergies, perhaps it's the polyester.

Anyway, I'm looking for a better one, ideally from a reputable brand, not one of the faceless alphabet-soup "brands" all selling the same product from the same factory in Shenzhen.

• ✅ Customer Service
• ✅ Ease of Use
• ✅ Durability
• ✅ Availability of Spare Parts
• ✅ PS/2 Adapter for n Key Rollover (if you're into that sort of thing)

• ❌ Keyboard wire sheathing wore out after 8 years (fixed with electrical tape)
• ❌ Foot broke after 12 years (replacement sent quickly and free of charge)

It's been over 12 years of constant use, so I figure I'd give everyone a snapshot of what my keyboard is like.

I purchased my Das Keyboard Model S Professional in January 2014 for $139 (US), and I've been using it daily ever since. I do a lot of writing and typing, and I'm able to do so at 100+ words per minute with the Cherry MX Blue switches that it came with... though if I ever do replace this keyboard, I'm going to go with a quieter switch. Typing on the thing is easy, and I even got two Tux the Penguin key caps to replace the standard Windows ones. Looking at their website, I'm seeing that the super keys on their newer models don't even have the Windows logo on them anymore. Good.

As you can see from the picture, I've had to use some electrical tape on the wire, whose sheathing had started to crack where it meets the thick rubber piece meant to prevent that kind of thing. A tapered, thick wrapping of electrical tape seems to have fixed the issue.

You can see it's a little dusty in the picture (not to mention some bonus cat hair), but cleaning it's not hard at all. All of the key caps come off easily (though they also give you a remover tool), and all you have to do is wash the key caps with regular soap and water and put them back on after they dry. Once the keys are off, just running a cloth over the plastic around the key switches underneath will get everything clean.

One of the feet broke off a little over a week ago, and I was curious to see if I could buy one. eBay had a few molded feet from a third party, but I wanted to make sure I had the model correct. I logged into the Das Keyboard website to check, and saw that they still had my receipt from 12 years ago. And what do you know, a button for "Support".

I opened a ticket, and an actual person got back to me via email. They had checked their warehouse, found a spare foot, and had already sent it out free of charge. Damn. Why can't more companies be like this?

It's rare for me to go out of my way to give props to some company, but... this was too good not to share.

This particular model isn't offered anymore, but if I ever do need a new keyboard, I know where I'm going to buy one.

This may not qualify as “buy it for life” strictly speaking, but I was able to fetch docs, drivers and firmware from the trendnet website for a wi-fi USB stick made in 2005. Their website is also openly accessible with no Tor blocks or shitty shenanigans like forcing you to give them info. I could simply download what I needed without digging around archive.org. I’m somewhat amazed by this.

They discontinued it and have a successor model, but the fact that they did not erase the old product from history (unlike just about every other corporate supplier) is noteworthy particularly when they tend to make low budget hardware.

So I'm sick of supporting fast fashion and could really use some new clothes, especially jeans. I was inspired by the work wear post earlier however I think all the recommendations were US based which aren't that useful for me in the UK. Any suggestions for brands or shops where I can get something which will last? I don't mind paying significantly more for good quality if it's actually good and not just a brand logo.

EDIT: Thanks for all the suggestions everyone I'll have a good look at these.

I've only recently been able to be picky about my clothes and now been trying to find a good pair of jeans that wont rip or tear.

I do a lot of labor so my jeans usually get pretty beat up, i don't really expect a pair to last forever but i haven't had a solid pair last more than a couple months without getting a tear. Every pair i have has both knees ripped open. I'll fix them with a patch but they always rip in a different spot.

I'd spend $200 on a pair that'll last at least year.

I have a large kitchen aid stand mixer, and I love it... But sometimes i want a small mixer where i do not have to lift the 500 pound beast onto the counter.

Something this style:

Pros: Still does everything I want it to. Has great battery life still. Pretty accurate for a wrist measure, when measuring heart rate. Also has built in GPS, and even Garmin Pay although I never got it to work. Screen is perfectly visible in sunlight

Cons: Proprietary charger. I've had to switch the watch band 2 times.

Anyone that can recommend a high quality repairable automatic soap dispensor I can use in the kitchen for dishsoap. It should be automatic such that when i put the brush or sponge under it, it gives a small dose of soap.

I have looked at the simplehuman one, but after watching a video on how to replace the battery I just cannot with good conscious buy it. It is literally designed to not be opened.

I know any pump like this will not last me a lifetime, but I want something that last for as long as possible.

As the title hints, it should be available in EU. Any recommendations i can find online and on reddit are all just useless amazon products and listings of all amazon products. It must be possible to find something better and in EU.

Looking forward to hear if anyone knows about a good product.

Until recently I had an old projector inherented from a university to use for movie nights, but after a rather expensive bulb change the picture started flickering and it is now pretty much unusabe. So I am looking for a new one.

Things I want:

• HDMI or DisplayPort
• A standardized bulb of sorts, if possible - changing the bulb in my old projector was very specific and therefore expensive
• Reasonable brightness - I want to project across the room onto a white wall
• Somewhat silent - we have the projector behind us watching movies, so it's good if it's not very loud.
• Available in Europe
• Affordable

Things I do not want:

• Smart functionality or any form of spyware

It doesn't need to be super compact, but a smaller form factor is of course an advantage. Most importantly I just want a no-nonsense projector that does the job, is as repairable as possible if something breaks, and ideally doesn't cost a fortune.

If there's a projector that's reliable enough that it can safely be bought second hand that would be great.

Edit: I would ideally not pay much more than €600, and I am not very picky when it comes to picture quality - I just want to watch some movies now and then without having to buy a piece of trash with Android on it. I want a projector because I don't want a TV in my living room, not because I want a full-blown cinema experience at home. I'm sorry I didn't make this clear right away!

A recent post by xcel reminded me that I need a mechanical pencil. Ideally the same size as a normal pencil and ideally ~15 USD (200 ZAR) since anything above that price has a habit disapearing from my desk.

Sorry for lack of detail in first post.

The pen I am looking for is in essence a more durable, refillable version of the uni ball jetstream 101.

I like the pen a lot, as it is also good for maths as well as writing , unlike a fountain pen. However I am annoyed that it is not refillable, and I really just want a pen for life to stop constantly having to buy a new one every 3-4months.

I make buy-for-life, plastic-free, and customisable accessories with free delivery and repairs. I try to keep versatility in mind; nothing has a tag, a seam, or a pre-fold so you can wear them as you like!

I opened this shop this month and it's still a work in progress, because it's a one-person slow fashion operation. The idea is that you only have to think about colours and measurements once, then you never have to worry about buying another beanie/mittens again. I offer free repairs for reasonable wear and tear damage, you just cover the shipping.

Stripy Ribbed Beanie

Great for everyday wear and ideal for hiking and camping. Made from 100% alpaca wool.

Fingerless (Mismatched) Mittens

Perfect if you do a lot of things with your hand(s) but still need to keep them warm. You can also buy just a single mitten if that's all you need. Made from 100% alpaca wool.

This is why I chose alpaca wool:

• Natural, breathable, water-repellent, and flame-resistant
• Extra warm: the hollow cores of alpaca wool trap air in miniature thermal pockets, and the fabric remains a thermal insulator even while wet
• Featherweight: lightweight and thin without bulk
• Long-lasting: strong and sturdy fibres less prone to pilling than sheep wool or many plastic fabrics
• Hypoallergenic: contains less lanolin, making it safe for sensitive skin
• Anti-bacterial: prevents unpleasant odours and goes a long time without needing washed
• Sustainable: this is a durable and regenerative material. Alpacas also have padded feet which are easier on the soil and use less water than sheep

You can find MossyFibres on Etsy, eBay, and Pixelfed. Feel free to email me at mossyfibres@posteo.com if you have any questions, requests, or ideas :)

I am an anarchist at heart and have previously worked in a non-hierarchical worker's cooperative, so pure profit is not my goal. I wish to supply people with warm, beautiful clothing that should last them a lifetime - but like everyone, I have bills to pay and a belly to feed. Everything takes time to make by hand, so the prices are a bit higher than the high street, but for that price you get customisability, 100% alpaca wool, and free repairs.

It may look like a beat-up old pair of hiking boots, but in fact it's a pair of beat-up old hiking boots with new soles, lining, heel-counters, shanks, hardware, laces and one hell of a cleaning and reconditioning job.

Around 4 years ago I bought this pair of Danner Lights. They were worn fairly close to daily, and have some hard miles on them hiking and backpacking.

Sent them in to Danner for their recrafting service. 4-6 weeks and a couple days for shipping later I just got them back.

They're just the tiniest bit snug because of the new lining, but otherwise these are unmistakably my boots that have broken in to fit my feet, but the soles still have treads on them.

Also, Danner customer service was great to deal with. When I shipped my boots out to them, I got the notification that they had been delivered, but after a day or two I hadn't gotten the email from Danner to confirm they received it. I wasn't exactly worried, I figured it would probably take them a couple days to open the box and get my boots checked in, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to give them a call anyway.

After a reasonable number of rings, my call was answered by an actual human.

And one with no heavy accent, who didn't mumble into the phone, and had no attitude problem, and most astoundingly, actually worked for Danner at their office.

But so I asked if there was any way he could confirm that my boots had been delivered to the right place. He took my tracking info, looked it up, and was able to tell me that yes, they had them, because he knew the guy who signed for them.

And then he gave me a direct number to the recrafting department in case I needed to follow up with them any further (I didn't feel any need for that, but after recently going through hell trying to get in touch with anyone at the local delivery hub for a company that was supposed to deliver some new appliances for me with no luck to figure out what the hell was going on with repeated delivery delays, I really appreciated that)

It's kind of sad that I'm so used to automated menus, outsourced call centers, and customer service reps who clearly want to be doing anything else but helping me (not that I blame them, I don't want to work either) that that's all it takes to make a customer service experience feel great.

If I have any complaints at all about my experience, it's that the white stitching around the soles was replaced with brown. I thought the white looked pretty sharp, but these are hiking boots they're just going to get dirty anyway.

But anyway, I'm really happy with my experience, and I'm looking forward to hopefully another 4+ years with these boots.

something below $100? or I can go above

My cheap no-name Chinese backpack is finally falling apart, after over 20 years of absolutely solid service.

I want something that will last at least another 20 years, will hold a modern 16" laptop (e.g. Macbook), and will also let me toss a pair of jeans and light jacket in, when I ride home from work in the spring and fall afternoons.

I'd like to avoid American brands if possible.

Looked online at the SwissGear 5698 and Endure, but don't know how well they're built, or if they'll hold my junk.

Any recommendations?

Over the last few years I've gone through a couple Logitech MX Verticals. My current one does technically work, but just like the last one the cheap rubber coating has started disintegrating and is pretty nasty at this point.

Anyone have good recs for a vertical mouse that won't start crumbling like a dry cake in my hand? I'm not picky on buttons or anything, just work with a bunch of spreadsheets at work. The vertical mouse is just much better for my wrist.

Forged scissors are a good purchase if you are looking for scissors that will last your entire life. They are resharpenable, reparable, and contain no plastic or coatings that wears out.

These are made by Fiskars and are stainless steel but you can find some that are made by hand with other steels.

I use these for cutting paper, thread, fabric and thin leather.

#buyitforlife #tools #oc

Looking to get a coat as my last one has stuffing coming out the sides, but its lasted for a solid 10 years. Looking to get a coat that has multiple layers and an outer shell to use for various weather in winter biking for commuting. Looking to wait towards end of season to try to find some end of season sales, but want to know brands that are durable and have some warmth, my old coat is down since I sometimes bike or walk around in -20 degree with wind chill. Something water proof and wind resistent would be great for outer layer as my current coat is really only good for warmth only and end up acting more like a sponge in sleet or if I wear it on a day that it rains suddenly.

Hey everybody, I hope you're all doing well.

My significant other and myself are enjoying asian food on regular basis and want to switch to proper chopsticks instead of reusing the single-use ones.

Since we don't have any knowledge about anything, what's matters what not, I wanted to ask you if someone can recommend any or at least give any advice what to look for and what to avoid.

Plus points if it's available in the EU.

Thanks for your time, have a nice one

I am looking to get a budget exercise bike for my wife and I to use. Neither of us are super active but want something basic and simple that we can use for 30 minutes or so a few times a week to keep us in shape. We have a new baby so need something at our house that is fast and simple. Doing some research I was thinking about getting this YOSUDA exercise bike with Magnetic resistance bike

I want something that is magnetic to reduce wear and tear and will fit our sizes. (I am 6 ft 1" and she is 5 ft. 1"). It says it works for 6 foot so it should work for me if just a little small. Has anyone used this? Do they like it? Is it cheap junk?

I'm less interested in Unicomp/IBM's novel buckling spring technology (as cool as it is) and more that they're built well, are corded and not wireless, offer replacement parts on their website, and have a mail-in repair service.

Unicomp's Model M keyboard was my first choice for a long-lasting keyboard, but now I want to lessen my dependence on American-made companies (especially since Unicomp is based in Kentucky) and wanted to see if any alternatives existed. I've heard good things about Cherry, but I don't fully understand their business model or how to order their products.

I have weird flipper feet, so I find myself limited to brands that offer 4E width (typically 10.5 @ EEEE ) does anyone have any recommendations? Any style goes as long as they offer closed toes

Hello! I'm looking for a reusable water bottle with certain characteristics, and am hoping for some recommendations:

• Made of stainless steel, or another long-lasting, non-degrading material that doesn't change colour or absorb the flavour of the drinks inside
• You would trust it not to leak in your bag
• Supports both hot and cold drinks
• Has a straw
• Individually replaceable difficult-to-clean parts (e.g. straw, mouthpiece)
  • Bonus points if these parts are sold separately
  • Extra bonus points if there are interoperable multiple vendors for these parts! (not sure if that's realistic, but I'll include this anyway :))
• Easy to clean, either by hand or in the dishwasher
• Sold in the UK
• And of course, that lasts a long time!

I'd ideally like one with all of these characteristics, but feel free to comment bottles that don't match perfectly, in case that's useful to others.

Edit: thank you so much everyone for the suggestions! I ended up buying a Klean Kanteen Classic Water Bottle. It arrived yesterday and so far so good! Will edit again if anything goes wrong with it in the next 10 years :D

After spending 200$ for a supposedly premium Philips blender which broke in less than one year after having been sent to assistance, having parts replaced and broken again, been repaired by me and after I spent thousands of swear and curses, I am really this ' ' close to smashing it with an hammer and crucifying it to scare the other Philips products away from my kitchen.

Since those were 200$ wasted, and my parents and grandparents kitchen stuff worked sometimes for 30 years before breaking, where can I get my grandparents gear? Should I just resort to smashing vegetables and fruits by hand with stones?