Household
Pencil
My favorite pencil is the rOtring Rapid Pro. I'm a sucker for 0.5 mm and this pencil is made of solid metal so it has some heft to it. The knurled grip makes sure you can confidently hold onto it even if your hand gets sweaty, and best of all, it has a retracting tip. I kept dropping my old pencil and bending the tip, causing poor functionality. It also comes in a very nice looking black, but I got the brighter color because I thought it would be easier to find if I drop it somewhere dark, like under a car seat. Buy Price: $30
Pen
I'm sure the pen version of the Rapid Pro is great, but the pen I've been using for many years is a chrome Cross Classic Century. The pen I use was actually my dad's, so it has sentimental value. I like that this pen is heavy, yet has a small diameter. The one I have actually has a better grip area than what seems to be available today, which is odd. I'm also bummed the chrome is starting to wear off, revealing the brownish brass(?) beneath. One of these days I may just make some stainless steel pens and pencils that will last forever. Buy Price: $16
I got tired of my coffee and tea getting cold super quickly, so I decided to buy a vacuum insulated mug. I've heard great things about the Yeti Rambler, but the price is outrageous (although they seem to have come down since I last looked at them), so I got this knockoff from THE BOSS. It has been a game-changer. It keeps drinks hot or cold for hours, doesn't need a coaster since no condensation forms on it, and it holds a satisfying 30 ounces (a 20 ounce version is also available). The only downsides are the relatively massive size and that you can't put it in the microwave. Buy price: $20
We also bought some stainless steel straws to use with this mug. They are nice and avoid creating plastic waste. Buy Price: $10
Universal Remote
I'm sure most of us have way too many remotes floating around the living room. The Logitech Harmony 350 is the solution. It is their simplest model, but it does everything most people will need. Even the initial setup is easy using the Harmony computer program. The fancier ones have screens on them, but all those do is kill the battery life. Our first set of batteries lasted over a year. Buy Price: $35
eBook
I fought getting an ebook because I have lots of paper books I haven't even read yet, but we received a Kindle Paperwhite as a gift. I have to be honest; it is pretty great. It's so much nicer to hold than a regular book because you don't have to use two hands to keep it open. It has definitely increased my reading. It's also nice because you can download many books for free, legally or otherwise. Buy Price: $100
A necessary accessory for the Kindle is a case. We got this one, which is much cheaper than Amazon's official case, and it works great. The prices seem to change on these things pretty frequently, so pay attention. Buy Price: $10
Deodorant
I've heard most deodorants have a bunch of nasty chemicals in them, so we've made a point to use products that are as non-toxic as possible. We first tried Tom's, but found it to be ineffective. We eventually found Arm & Hammer Essentials, Fresh scent, and we love it. It's effective, appropriate for men and women, and is mostly natural. There may be a couple questionable ingredients, but it's the best we have found. Buy Price: $18 (for six)
More to come.
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