Comments on: What's the coolest thing you've gotten in the last half-year?

Question: What's the coolest thing you've gotten in the last half-year?

davebug — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:02:53 -0800

I'm looking to update my birthday wishlist and need some specific inspiration from a broad spectrum of people-types. What's the coolest thing you have bought or been given in the last 6 months that cost between $10 and $200?

By: grouse

grouse — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:14:33 -0800

BioBrite Sunrise Alarm Clock

By: purpletangerine

purpletangerine — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:20:43 -0800

GPS

By: arianell

arianell — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:25:24 -0800

A tiny lemon tree.

By: salvia

salvia — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:31:13 -0800

Got my bike working well.

By: ghost of a past number

ghost of a past number — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:34:05 -0800

One of these, though mine doesn't appear on the page right now. I am not an expert on this kind of thing by any stretch, just an avid consumer.

By: larsks

larsks — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:38:21 -0800

A Leatherman Skeletool CX

A really nice waterproof commuting bag (mine is from Chrome, but there are many other choices.

A Le Creuset dutch oven.

By: SuperSquirrel

SuperSquirrel — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:39:57 -0800

Car seat covers (to protect from dog fur and muddy paws)

Every time I use them, I send silent thanks to be the best in-laws ever.

By: typewriter

typewriter — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:40:31 -0800

A pen that is also a mechanical pencil.

A pen that comes with its own LED light for writing in the dark. (ie. in the theatre, taking notes.)

Buffalo jerky.

Giant Pocky. It's not just Pocky, it's GIANT Pocky.

But in truth, all I really want is someone who will come by my house and clean it.

By: SuperSquirrel

SuperSquirrel — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:40:53 -0800

Delete "be" in that last sentence.

By: worldswalker

worldswalker — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:53:13 -0800

This and this.

By: namewithoutwords

namewithoutwords — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:04:01 -0800

This Double LP repress of Dear You by Jawbreaker.

This water bottle.

This Complete Far Side collection.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:10:55 -0800

Refurbished Ipod Touch.

Ok, I don't have one, but it *would* be the coolest thing if I had one. Otherwise I'd score a high quality air pistol.

By: paanta

paanta — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:21:05 -0800

fenix l0d q4 - 1 AAA battery flashlight, as bright as a 4 D-cell maglite.
boker subcom pocket knife - superbly small but ergonomic pocket knife
A new chef's knife from here, made from pre-war steel forgings: http://www.thebestthings.com/knives/sabatier_nogent.htm

By: ifjuly

ifjuly — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:39:49 -0800

A 2 year subscription to New York Review of Books. A subscription to Saveur.

A cumbus, an e-bow. A well-seasoned cast iron griddle. A Le Creuset dutch oven.

By: orthogonality

orthogonality — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:38:54 -0800

A good massage.

By: hattifattener

hattifattener — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:56:58 -0800

I really like my Utili-Key, but I think it might have been under $10.

A nice teapot.

By: DandyRandy

DandyRandy — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:40:12 -0800

Book Gem - every reader needs one.

By: beachhead2

beachhead2 — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:46:16 -0800

Since a few have answered: "Le Creuset dutch oven" (it is one of my favorite things.... Evah), I will answer a Zojirushi Rice Cooker. I love that thing. Rice. Perfect. Every time.

By: mahoganyslide

mahoganyslide — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:51:41 -0800

If you're in the Bay Area, then I suggest a membership to the Commonwealth Club.

By: Korou

Korou — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:54:23 -0800

Tiny picture cards from MOO.com. They also have postcards, stickers, greeting cards, note cards, and business cards.

You might have seen these related questions already:

What's the coolest thing I can buy for $200? (August, 2008)
One Hundred Dollars (April, 2008)
Interesting purchases for $30-$50. (May, 2007)
$200 I need to buy something! (March, 2006)
Fun for under $100 (December, 2004)

I love these questions!

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:54:49 -0800

ideas...

The flexible roll-up keyboard, which never gets crumbs between the keys, easy to clean.

Mini plasma ball. Has three settings, off, one full on and another that responds to music/sounds.

Chromolux lightbulbs.

Etch-a-Sketch pen.

'Journey Into Satchidanana. by Alice Coltrane

Carapan Body scent: fir balsam, lavender, bergamot, cedar, patchouli and vanilla, mmm, amazing smell.

Miracle fruit from the Miracle Fruit Man for a Miracle Fruit party.

By: radioamy

radioamy — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:48:12 -0800

Agree with larsks that Leathermans are awesome! I have a Juice Xe6 and I love it.

By: phrayzee

phrayzee — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:11:35 -0800

JBL Reference 220 earbuds (on clearance real cheap) and a 750GB hard drive for my ever-expanding iTunes library (speical weekend sale at Fry's).

By: vytae

vytae — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:56:49 -0800

High thread-count sheets. Two sets, even, so you can still change the sheets if you don't have time to do laundry that day.

By: not that girl

not that girl — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:07:24 -0800

Alphasmart Dana

Field Guide to Spiders and Insects of North America (you can imagine my glee when I identified the spider in the kitchen as a Sow-Bug Killer and the one in the bathroom as a Stealthy Ground Spider. It's way cool.)

By: Gratishades

Gratishades — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:16:06 -0800

Ant farm.

By: dirtdirt

dirtdirt — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:18:19 -0800

Fluke

By: jaimev

jaimev — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:14:45 -0800

Amod AGL3080 GPS data logger (for geotagging digital photos).

By: mismatched

mismatched — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:57:06 -0800

I recently bought a Flip Ultra video camera, and it would be a great birthday present.

By: AloneOssifer

AloneOssifer — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:48:52 -0800

When a friend gave me a Nintendo DS as a gift I said "What do I need this for?"

Three months, and eight games later, I can't imagine NOT having one.

By: Sufi

Sufi — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:13:17 -0800

A portable XM Radio pack

By: SlyBevel

SlyBevel — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:35:25 -0800

1. I had my Buckingham Nicks LP framed. It looks awesome. I ended up ~$200 into it by the time it was done.
2. A Skeletool CX. Yeah, they're that good.
3. An XD-40 pistol. !!BANG!!