(Part 2) Top products from r/GoodValue

Look at the used list from the universal-radio.com site. Try to ignore 1990's-era design--this is a good site that sells enthusiast and professional-grade radios. Go down and explore your options for radios within your price range.

The Grundig G8 Traveler is good, as well are many other older, tried-and-true Grundig models.

Almost anything from Crane is good. I bought one of these as a gift (actually got a lightly-used one through universal-radio.com), and it has reception like you wouldn't believe. FM was perfect, and the AM reception was so good, you wouldn't mind listening to AM music.

Sangean also makes some famous pocketable models.

Oh, and always try and read reviews on radio enthusiast blogs. Check out the comments here for some very useful commentary on pocketable radios.

edit: Here's a nice review of the Sangean DT-400W. I'd go either with it or the DT-200VX if you're looking for something that's pocketable.

To go with this, here is a good value knife sharpener. It's good for about 40 knife sharpenings, which is plenty for me for its cost. It allows me to sharpen all of my knives twice a year (which means a single set of blades is good for about 2 years), and it has cheap replacement blades too.

Would also recommend a honing steel like this to use each time you use your knives to extend time between sharpenings.

There are lots of ways to clean the boots, using saddle soap is probably your best bet. Obenauf's is your best bet for protecting them.

OP, I know that this is old, but if you're still looking for something to cool you down, I'd look into a window fan. I own this model, and I can't imagine I would be able to function without it. You can set one fan to blow air in, and the other to blow air out. It keeps air constantly circulating. I can't say that it will work as well as a window AC unit, but it is much cheaper to buy, and run.

Panasonic 120V ones are the gold standard, IMO.

They're not made anymore, but you can buy them used pretty easily. Totally worth the $30 or so.

https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-KP-310-Electric-Pencil-Sharpener/dp/B00005QY0H

I attach this to a normal pair of earbuds with a little bit of tape. Pretty good mic for under $10. I use it when I play MMO computer games.

Eureka Mighty Mite. Amazing vacuum for $60. I have it for my 2k Sq foot house and it has incredible suction and is easy to use. Always go bagged and stay away from bagless vacs.

https://www.amazon.com/Eureka-Mighty-Canister-Vacuum-3670G/dp/B00002N8CX

Are you set on electric? This thing only takes a few turns to sharpen a pencil so sharp and perfect its like a surgical tool. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IEDY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_iP3OBbBDD5MY7

My father, whose opinion I respect when it comes to tools, bought a Hitachi framing nail gun for his fence project and some other tasks. It worked very well for him. It's pricey but it will last a long time.

Do you think you will do any other tasks or is this a one-time use? Maybe some tool rental places will be a better option for a one-time project. Or perhaps check CL for used tools, as pneumatic tools tend to last a long time.

http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-NR83A2-2-inch-4-inch-Framing/dp/B0000CCXUV

https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-BISTRO-Water-Kettle-Electric/dp/B00851LRR6/

If you just want to cook dried noodles, you don't need a hot plate. Pour boiling water into a bowl/cup with the noodles and wait a few minutes. If you need more precise temperature control, just drop one of these in it and turn it off just before it hits the right temp. I used this exact setup to heat water for French press coffee and noodle cups for a few years years. It works fine.

If you want even cheaper, go to Goodwill and buy a small $5 drip coffee maker, hopefully Mr. Coffee or Black and Decker and not some random brand you've never heard of. Just put everything in the pot, fill the reservoir with water and turn it on. The water doesn't come out boiling hot, but it's hot enough. You don't even need a bowl, just eat out of the pot. Plus you can also make coffee in it, just wash it out really well right away after each use.

I don't know that brand. I would trust the Bosch Compact Mixer more myself.

I got this style of pyrex https://smile.amazon.com/Pyrex-Simply-Store-6-Piece-Storage/dp/B0000BYCGF/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1517964810&sr=1-6&keywords=pyrex+glass+storage+containers+with+lids&dpID=31fSbQ2wVOL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch and It's held up very well. the cheap plastic lids don't last but what lids do. you can buy fancy gasket ones with a vent cap too. I've had the identical anchor ones but these are worth the price imo.

I'm not 100% sure if the same exact model but I got a set of these
I carry them in my bag for work. They're very thin, light, and pretty durable. I'm no expert blade smith by any means but a set of the extra fine/fine and coarse/extra coarse have taken a few mangled edges back to life.

I've been using this one for 6 months just for zoodles, it works very well. I hear the 4 blade version isn't as good as the 3 though. It has other blades for other stuff but I haven't had any reason to use them yet.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007Y9WHQ

I have one of these, got it on sale for $100 at a local store. It's powered, 100 watt (it's ample power for the driver, it rattles my windows) and 10 inch.

Excellent value IMO, but if you're looking for an audiophile level sub I'd look at more expensive stuff. It gets a little muddy in it's higher frequencies, and just worse in general if you really turn it up. You can use the built in low-pass filter to get rid of some of those higher frequencies if you want though. I turn the knob about halfway, but my bookshelf speakers have large woofers, so you may want turn it less (like 1/3).

We bought a whole house humidifier last year (that attaches to the ductwork) but because my furnace is in the vented attic (horrible design) it just doesn't seem to work well. A couple days ago I ordered this one
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G0LDRI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
so I'll try to get back to this thread to evaluate it.


I was torn between the honeywell and the vornado posted in this thread, we'll see how it does for the ~1000 sq ft house

I would go with this one over a simple heating element, because you have no need for a pot to go with it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00024JQ3Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1501028210&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=electric+hot+pot&dpPl=1&dpID=416tOhw3ngL&ref=plSrch

I recommend that you just replace the sensor - Replacement outdoor temp sensor(from Amazon under $20) and put a piece of tape over the battery port IF they are falling out.

IF you really want a new battery powered unit, consider this one - http://www.amazon.com/La-Crosse-Technology-WS-8117U-IT-AL-Temperature/dp/B0000VYDKM/ It has no backlight, but No battery powered atomic clocks come with an always on backlight.