# Gadgets you bought and are thrilled with **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 16, 2010, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896 "2010-07-16T11:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![History\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/41 "2010-07-18T00:49:46Z")
Another vote for Logitech’s magnificent universal remotes. I’ve got an off-brand HDTV that no other universal remote would work, but the Logitech does. Maybe not 100%, but then the remote that came with the TV worked far less frequently. And now I don’t need separate ones for the Tivo (another great gadget), the Xbox, the speaker system, or the DVD player. And further cheering of the iPhone. Had mine for years now (with an upgrade to 3GS earlier this year) and can’t imagine not having it. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/42 "2010-07-18T01:33:12Z")
> [@longPath](#): > > I still love my Roomba. > We don’t don’t use it as much as when it was new but it’s very cool. Yes, my Roomba! Mine may need replacing soon. I love the concept, too - _I own a robot that vacuums my floors._ ---
**Author:** ![wakingdream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@wakingdream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wakingdream)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/43 "2010-07-18T03:51:19Z")
Definitely my iPhone. I got the original the day it came out 3 years ago and now have an iPhone 4 (no reception problems either). I just can’t imagine not having it. I’m also thrilled with my iPad which is what I’m using to type this, but it wasn’t as big of a leap over my laptop as my iPhone was over the cell phone I had before. I also love my KitchenAid stand mixer. I use it for everything. I especially like not having to knead pizza dough by hand anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/44 "2010-07-18T04:14:13Z")
I’m short. I’ve been short my whole life. I’m short and I’ve got short arms. I can’t reach a damn thing. I finally, after years of grumbling, because I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m short, bought one of those stupid reachers that make you looks so helpless. I bought [this model here](http://www.amazon.com/Duro-Med-Aluminum-Reacher-Magnetic-Tip/dp/B0009STNME/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1279426202&sr=8-1). It’s 32" long and it has a magnetic tip in addition to the pincer. Finally I reach things that fall behind my desk or where my taller roomies put them. I wish I’d bought it years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/45 "2010-07-18T04:33:00Z")
The GB500. ---
**Author:** ![Acantha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Acantha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acantha)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/46 "2010-07-19T11:55:55Z")
netbook kitchenaid mixer ipod LOVE LOVE LOVE the wireless mouse for the netbook. Oh! the little organizer baskets for the chest freezer. I guess those are sort of a gadget. ---
**Author:** ![Acantha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Acantha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acantha)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/47 "2010-07-19T12:07:05Z")
> [@wakingdream](#): > > Definitely my iPhone. I got the original the day it came out 3 years ago and now have an iPhone 4 (no reception problems either). I just can’t imagine not having it. I’m also thrilled with my iPad which is what I’m using to type this, but it wasn’t as big of a leap over my laptop as my iPhone was over the cell phone I had before. > > I also love my KitchenAid stand mixer. I use it for everything. I especially like not having to knead pizza dough by hand anymore. do you have a good dough recipe? my computer tech dude didn’t do the data save when he ‘fixed’ my PC last time and my recipes were lost. Stupid me didn’t back them up. :smack: I thought I found my pizza dough recipe online but the last batch I made didn’t seem right. (I would have PM’d you but you don’t do PMs) ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/48 "2010-07-19T13:01:02Z")
iPhone. Grind and brew coffee maker. Both are essential. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/49 "2010-07-19T14:01:28Z")
1. Foodsaver. I freeze a lot of food and this thing has saved me tons of money. 2. Kowa spotting scope. I’m a bird watcher and have wanted one of these for years. Finally got one for my 40th birthday. Just used it last night to check out the moon with my niece/nephews. They were blown away. That alone made it worth every penny! 3. GPS. I used to have lots of driving anxiety- especially after moving, but my Garmin solved all that! 4. iPod/portable Bose speaker system. Instant, movable great music! ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/50 "2010-07-19T14:06:17Z")
1. Foodsaver. I freeze a lot of food and this thing has saved me tons of money. 2. Technivorm coffee pot. Best coffee I’ve ever made. 3. Kowa spotting scope. I’m a bird watcher and have wanted one of these for years. Finally got one for my 40th birthday. Just used it last night to check out the moon with my niece/nephews. They were blown away. That alone made it worth every penny! 4. GPS. I used to have lots of driving anxiety- especially after moving, but my Garmin solved all that! 5. iPod/portable Bose speaker system. Instant, movable great music! ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/51 "2010-07-19T16:20:45Z")
The Egg-Rite timer is the lowest tech gadget I own, but I would not want to boil [eggs](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=egg-rite&x=10&y=16&ih=4_2_0_0_2_0_0_0_0_1.159_266&fsc=-1) without it. I give it as a wedding or shower gift to every new bride. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/52 "2010-07-19T16:32:19Z")
The Amazon Kindle, for those of us who live a few time zones from a Barnes & Noble, it is a godsend. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/53 "2010-07-19T17:33:44Z")
My HTC Tattoo Andriod phone. It’s a modest smart phone, but I use it to organize my life better. Expenses tracking, notes taking, getting directions, estimating time of arrival etc. I doubt I am even beginning to make good use of it yet! ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896/54 "2010-07-20T03:00:49Z")
Stir-Crazy popcorn popper…prefer to use my own butterlike-product and Canola oil over whatever they put in the microwavable popcorn brands. El cheapo letter-opener with serrated edges…has been just the perfect tool so many times. Satellite radio, cause local radio mostly sux. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gadgets-you-bought-and-are-thrilled-with/546896.md?page=2)