What did you buy that improved your life?

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A bidet, an ebike, a tongue scraper.
The first means no more clogged toilets, no toilet paper needed, and a fantastically clean ass always.
Also comes with side benefits like being able to eat the hottest foods imaginable, not getting hemorroids or healing those ones you may already have, being able to wipe your ass with two broken wrists (if you mountain bike or are old), not getting forever chemicals on your asshole, and having an ass that your SO won't think is disgusting.
A commuter ebike, because it allows you to travel 1-45 miles stupidly easy, which saves a staggering amount of money on gas (uses pennies of electricity), parking fees, and wear and tear on your car. Side benefits include not being absolutely enraged in traffic, occasionally beating your own drive times in a car, and not having parking anxiety at popular destinations such as beaches, parks, downtown shopping, or ferries. Provides a decent amount of exercise as it basically becomes an exercise bike when the assist is turned off.
It also will allow you to get up hills without getting sweaty.
Tongue scraper- removes plaque from your tongue in cakes. Way better than mouthwash. Leaves your breath much fresher after meals. Works best at night, but also can remove bad morning breath. Get a small metal one. Dramatically changes your breath quality and makes your mouth feel cleaner. Great if you plan on doing some kissing.
- Is a tongue scraper really that much better than brushing your tongue?
  
  I have one and I'd say that depends.
  I bought the tongue scraper because when I switched to an electric toothbrush (oral-b), I felt it was not cleaning my tongue as well. Before that, using a regular toothbrush, I had no issue keeping my tongue clean and never needed the scraper. I do still like the electric toothbrush better.
  
  I used to use an electric toothbrush many years ago but heard it could cause receding gums so its storage. I like manual toothbrushes because you can buy the inexpensive ones and replace them frequently, electric heads are a little pricey to replace. Generally my tongue seems pretty clean but I'm going to get a cheapo tongue scraper and see if I notice any difference. Do you use one of the fancy copper ones or just the standard steel/plastic ones I've seen?
  
  Funny, I got an electric toothbrush at the recommendation of my dentist specifically because of my receding gums, and I've been told they look better but I can't say myself. I just like how much better my teeth feel after using it.
  I just have a plastic tongue scraper. It's already enough to scrape my tongue raw if I overdo it, I can't imagine needing a metal one.
  
  It works much better. Your tongue is like velcro, so a bristle brush doesn't really get plaque out. The tongue scrapers depress the bumps and scrape everything clean.
  (I have a cheap metal one so I can throw it in the dishwasher. Plaque can eventually kinda make it dirty, but the dishwasher cleans it right off without deforming it)
- I got the chance to ride an ebike at a city event here and it was absolutely delightful, I hate riding a bike but this was like a dream of a bike ride, so comfortable and it actually moved forward so fast with less effort, I loved it. But I think it would be stolen so fast if I chained it anywhere. Like I could ride it to work (they let you park them inside) but not to grab groceries. And they cost as much as a small motorcycle or scooter.
  
  They are really convenient for getting around the city! :)
  I got a 12mm thick chain from Oxford and a kryptonite ulock and so far, I've been fine (I live in a high bike crime city).
  It's really about making your bike unappealing to steal because of how long it would take to cut through a beefy chain in two places and a Ulock in two places. It can be done, though. I also have a bike horn that sounds if someone moves the bike.
  Aventon sells ebikes starting at $1,000, and Juiced Bikes go on sale for $1,150 (they are consumer direct unless you live in San Diego). Radpower and Lectric bikes aren't too spendy, either. Ebikes are getting surprisingly affordable!
  (My little electric commuter next to my traditional weekend mountain bike!)
  
  You may or may not have a good answer to this, but why are so many ebikes fat tire bikes, and why did you pick one? A fat tire is going to have more inertia, so it will take more energy, but the ubiquity of them, even for commuting confuses me.
  
  They are really good if your city has fucked up roads. Potholes, curbs, tram lines (or light rail) that are embedded in the road, even some older syle storm drains have slots wide enough to swallow bike tires that are over an inch wide. And the bike lanes are usually added to already worn roads or by storm drains, some old-style.
  Fat tires are also great for sand and loose gravel, which is present in the city I live in. Fat tires are also significantly more stable at very low speeds, which is good around pedestrians (eg, rolling slowly through crowded boardwalks where there are no bike lanes- only stroads).
  For an ebike, the rolling resistance is a relatively small tradeoff since the motor will overpower it. I don't really have a problem even with it turned off, though, as leg power is fine too. I primarily use the motor for the ultra steep hills here. Because riding up a long 18%+ grade sucks. (And motor power for dangerous road situations where keeping up with cars is mandatory, such as neighborhood bridge crossings without any bike lanes)

196 comments