Top 10 Most Useful Things

The criteria for this list is that the entry not only be useful, but  be something that I use all the time.  I have a lot of awesome gadgets that are really good at what they do, but only serve a very limited and occasional purpose.

1.  Duct tape

I know, I know – the obvious choice.  I put it first, so we could get it out of the way.  Still – you can fix a lot of crap with duct tape.  Earlier tonight, I took apart my broken cell phone and taped a busted component back into place because it was too delicate for me to solder.  Worked great.

Leatherman Juice S2 - this is the one I have, only mine is red

2.  Leatherman

For years and years, I was a die-hard Swiss Army Knife guy (Victornox only – Wengers are for losers) but there is simply no way to argue with having a pair of needle nose pliers at your disposal at all times.  I do wish it had tweezers, though.  Even Survivorman was won over – in the early episodes he has the familiar red knife, but in all of the more recent ones he has gone to a Leatherman.  If it is good enough for Les Stroud, it is good enough for me.

3.  Wikipedia

Haters gonna hate, but Wikipedia rules.  For all of the whining about inaccuracies and everything else, it is concise, thorough, and usually well referenced.  This is what Al Gore invented the internet for.  Well, maybe this too.

4.  The Joy of Cooking

How to cook everything.  Good, straightforward, simple, and delicious recipes.  I have a million cookbooks, but I never make anything without at least checking the Joy of Cooking, and often as not, I end up using its recipe.

5. Super Target

Honestly, other than gasoline, there is nothing that I purchase that I can’t buy at Super Target.  I am still not used to the layout, and so I often revert to my regular Target, but the allure of a full grocery section (in all of its retro Gemco glory) is starting to make me a full-time convert.

6.  Windows Hotkeys

CTRL-Z = Undo  CTRL-X = Cut  CTRL-C = Copy  CTRL-V = Paste  CTRL-A = Select All

There are many others, but I use all of these constantly, and they work in almost everything except AutoCAD.

7. Freezer Bags

Better than tupperware.  Great for marinating meat, storing flour when the paper bag breaks, transporting toiletries, storing crayons, piping frosting, rebagging tortillas, and lots more.  Also make great freezer bags.

8.  Pieces of wire

Toss-up here between paper clips and wire hangers, so I just split the difference.  I have fixed a lot of stuff with pieces of wire, and the poking, pulling, and mounting properties are pretty great, too.

9.  A cast-iron skillet

You can’t beat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for making damn near anything.  I have a lot of fancy expensive pots and pans, and I use my $10 cast iron skillet 90% of the time.

10.  Hot sauce packets

They make everything taste better.  Del Scorcho was my favorite for a long time, and is still right up there, but I just discovered Tapatio in packets.  The center console of my truck is filled with these.  I was even able to eat the food at my grandparent’s retirement home thanks to my 92 year old Grandpa’s proprietary hot sauce blend (2/3 Tapatio, 1/3 Tabasco).

Also receiving votes:

Vise-grips, channel-locks, DVR, a stick, Wonder bar, Post-It Notes, random bits of crap I found in a parking lot, The Wind in the Willows, a hammer, Sharpies, a sturdy screwdriver, iPod

I am sure that someone will bring up the iPhone.  I would be more inclined to agree if:

1.  Everybody wasn’t always complaining about how their iPhone is broken

2.  I could afford one