Ever Buy Stuff That You Probably Don't Even Need?

[LanghamP]

6 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

 

4.  $65 Instant Pot Duo 7 in 1.  Apparently these are all the rage.  Toss stuff in, and it cooks it in record time.  Get one.  It’s gotta be good.

 

 

I got one of those two years ago, and use it almost every other day especially during the winter.

I don't use it for complex stuff, just things like making rice, meats, simple soups. A lot of leftovers.

Note that it doubles as a slow cooker, but the glass cover is like ten bucks extra. You need the glass top, as I went for a year without it.

I would like to point out that $65 or even a $100 is pretty good, as I went through two mechanical pressure cookers that each cost nearly $100, and both blew up on me when I did something wrong, plus it's extremely hard to tell how cooked your food is. With the instant pot you just use the keyboard and it's done. 

In my opinion the Instant Pot is modern technology at nearly its best. After my coffee maker, it's easily my most used kitchen electric appliance, and it's not even close.

The rice it makes is phenomenal, way better and faster than any other rice maker, and I think that's because it cooks under pressure.

For a lot of vegetables, I set mine to zero time so the moment it pressurizes you release the pressure valve and immediately take out the food, else the food is too soggy.

[Dingfelder]

Nothing yet this time.  

Never heard of #2.  Hope it works out; the main thing with so many games is not whether they are good but whether other people are playing them too.

Re Instant Pot, this has become a real fad.  I hope the brand is good. I had a cuisinart version before, and no matter how careful you were, the seals wore out extremely quickly and were expensive to replace.  Hopefully your brand improved on that.  The basic idea is great, as is that of a regular traditional pressure cooker.

 

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

The Nvidia Shield is like a supercharged Android mediabox, but it can stream games.  Sort of like Netflix for gaming!

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815351008&Description=nvidia shield&cm_re=nvidia_shield-_-15-351-008-_-Product

[Dingfelder]

Wow is that super creepy.  I went onto Netflix after reading this thread and though I had never even heard of Nvidia Shield, it immediately popped up in a sidebar of things I might be interested in.

[RayRay]

On 11/23/2018 at 1:34 AM, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

 $65 Instant Pot Duo 7 in 1.  Apparently these are all the rage.  Toss stuff in, and it cooks it in record time.

I was barely able to resist buying one of these (since they go on sale every black friday). 

I don't need one, but still had a hard time convincing myself otherwise...

Hard to resist an 'instant' slow-cooker. (Mind boggling!)

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Resistance is futile!  You will get one eventually!  It’s actually a fast cooker and a pressure cooker all rolled into one.  Plus it can slow cook too I think?  I haven’t gotten mine yet, but everyone who has one seems to rave about it.

It is creepy how Google, Youtube, etc follow your traces online.    Big brother IS watching.

I got my Nvida shield today, and man it’s a hoot to play the games available on it.  I played Fortnite (got killed many times), Tomb Raider (gosh my boobs are ample), Batman Arkam City (kinda fun), Mini Ninjas and Sonic Racing.  And those are all free!  There’s a ton more.  Definitely worth the money.

I’ve installed PIA for my vpn, Cotomovies, Morpheus TV, Tea TV, Popcorn Time (bittorrent streamer), and a bunch of other media apps.  This box blows all my other ones out of the water in terms of an entertainment centre.  Get one!  

[Dingfelder]

I had a hard time resisting, too.  Was thinking of buying a toaster oven and/or a roaster.  Will probably buy a Amazon Fire TV cube, since it's half price and I was going to buy the new 4k Fire Stick anyway.

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

I hear good things about the Fire TV cube, and I think there are games you can play on it as well as an available controller.

https://m.androidcentral.com/nvidia-shield-tv-vs-amazon-fire-tv-cube

With the Shield the games are run on the Nvidia servers so they don’t rely on the mediabox’s CPU speed.  The framerates are high as well as the processing power so it’s like having the latest gaming rig streaming the game right to your TV.  Your controller inputs are sent online to control the game on their server.  It’s quite a neat and smart setup.  For a bit extra, it’s well worth the money!

[Dingfelder]

That sounds like a useful way to do things.  

[Dingfelder]

Now there's a wi-fi version of the Insta-Pot on sale at Amazon for Cyber Monday, so people can hack into your kitchen and burn your rice.

[LanghamP]

On 11/24/2018 at 9:13 PM, RayRay said:

I was barely able to resist buying one of these (since they go on sale every black friday). 

I don't need one, but still had a hard time convincing myself otherwise...

Hard to resist an 'instant' slow-cooker. (Mind boggling!)

The Instant Pots go on sale every month, and with a Gizmodo coupon they usually run 55 or so. It's a mass produced product coming off a Chinese assembly line and so thinking you need to buy it now is silly. That goes for any mass produced item...

I found having two of the inner metal container (whatever that is called), and the slow cooker transparent lid to be useful, so that way you can still use the pot on one side while using the other pot as a container.

You can also use the pot as a hot frying pan, on the so-called saute setting, being very useful as nothing splashes out of the tall sides.

[RayRay]

1 hour ago, LanghamP said:

The Instant Pots go on sale every month, and with a Gizmodo coupon they usually run 55 or so. It's a mass produced product coming off a Chinese assembly line and so thinking you need to buy it now is silly. That goes for any mass produced item...

I found having two of the inner metal container (whatever that is called), and the slow cooker transparent lid to be useful, so that way you can still use the pot on one side while using the other pot as a container.

You can also use the pot as a hot frying pan, on the so-called saute setting, being very useful as nothing splashes out of the tall sides.

They may be all the rage, but I really don't know much about them. There were 7 or 8 versions available at different prices... It's hard to tell which ones come with a slow cooker lid and whatnot.

I imagine the one with Wi-Fi includes just about everything. But, do I need Wi-Fi to cook something?

Scenario:

At work and put something in the pot to cook for later.  I'm about to go home, so I go to the internet to tell my Wi-Fi pot to start cooking... 

My internet is blocked by security software at work, so I have to use my phone instead.  However, my phone reception is bad, so I try again on my way home. 

Trying to connect to Wi-Fi pot, but having trouble with the password. Oh, no... My pot has been hacked! 

I get home and discover all my home appliances have a virus. My refrigerator is defrosting, all my ice cream has melted, and the towels I left in the dryer are now way too fluffy!

Is it worth it?

[LanghamP]

1 hour ago, RayRay said:

 

I imagine the one with Wi-Fi includes just about everything. But, do I need Wi-Fi to cook something?

 

I think a timer would be more reliable. Mine comes with a delay timer.

I'd just get this one. Lot cheaper than my first one.

Instant Pot Ultra 6 Qt 10-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1MP2PY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZBz.BbHQ6F2Q9

[Dingfelder]

I'm curious as to how they hold up over the long run.  The Cuisinart one I had years ago (this is not at all a new concept, despite the publicity blitz) turned out to be an unexpectedly expensive nightmare, as the seals failed early and then started failing almost instantly, at $20 a pop.  Since then I've read reviews talking about seal failure on Amazon, and the seals look like the weak point in this style of cooker.  

I'm curious whether this particular pot somehow got the seal problem right and made durability no longer a real problem.

[LanghamP]

37 minutes ago, Dingfelder said:

I'm curious as to how they hold up over the long run.  The Cuisinart one I had years ago (this is not at all a new concept, despite the publicity blitz) turned out to be an unexpectedly expensive nightmare, as the seals failed early and then started failing almost instantly, at $20 a pop.  Since then I've read reviews talking about seal failure on Amazon, and the seals look like the weak point in this style of cooker.  

I'm curious whether this particular pot somehow got the seal problem right and made durability no longer a real problem.

My old pressure cookers went through seals every six months or faster, and this is because the seal is a simple rubber ring that must be crushed in order to seal, but in order to close the lid the lid must be turned while pressing hard against the seal.

The Instant Pot uses a v-shaped and very lose seal that expands under pressure, so you don't have to torque the lid into the pot.

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

8 hours ago, RayRay said:

They may be all the rage, but I really don't know much about them. There were 7 or 8 versions available at different prices... It's hard to tell which ones come with a slow cooker lid and whatnot.

I imagine the one with Wi-Fi includes just about everything. But, do I need Wi-Fi to cook something?

Scenario:

At work and put something in the pot to cook for later.  I'm about to go home, so I go to the internet to tell my Wi-Fi pot to start cooking... 

My internet is blocked by security software at work, so I have to use my phone instead.  However, my phone reception is bad, so I try again on my way home. 

Trying to connect to Wi-Fi pot, but having trouble with the password. Oh, no... My pot has been hacked! 

I get home and discover all my home appliances have a virus. My refrigerator is defrosting, all my ice cream has melted, and the towels I left in the dryer are now way too fluffy!

Is it worth it?

https://instantpot.com/product-comparison-chart-3/

You don't need an Instant Pot, you need a home and work IT consultant that is available on call 24/7!  

Hmm I wonder when my Instant Pot will be arriving.  I've got all my other Black Friday items pretty quickly.  Darn Star Trek Bridge Crew isn't on the list of available games on GeForce Now, the streaming game service on my NVidia Shield.  There is a ton of other ones though.  It's nice not to have to buy/assembly a pricey gaming PC with an expensive video card that will go obsolete just to play a few games.  It doesn't work with VR gaming though - that's a shame.  Oh well, we've got a few VR gaming spots in town where you can rent a booth with an HTC Vive Pro and shoot some zombies!

[Dingfelder]

I did order this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N8RAZB1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Aroma rice cooker/multi-function pot.  Always liked rice cookers, but am getting more into brown rice and quinoa than white rice these days.  Trying to make the carbs I eat healthier.  If this contraption can do those more fussy grains well, I'll be happy.  Plus there's other stuff too, like being able to sautee in the same pot you do rice in, or even slow cook. 

In ancient times, I used to make dinners of rice and steamed veggies, usually with a piece of chicken stripped from the bones and mixed in, too.  Incredibly easy and very easy to maintain weight or even lose it when doing that, and all the veggies made me feel great.  I'm going to try that routine again, methinks.

Cooking rice on the stovetop isn't hard, but it is less reliable than using a rice cooker and way more fussy.  Even the simplest rice cookers usually do an excellent job.

[Rehab1]

Most stuff recently purchased here has a real purpose. Not  my recent acquisition. I couldn’t pass up this vintage kid’s saddle listed on EBay last week.Maybe I’ll attach it to my Z10. Then it will have purpose.

 

[RockyTop]

I read most of this post yesterday and no one ever mentioned by far the most obvious. I am afraid to say it because I am afraid I will be banned from this site permanently. The truth is few people really NEED one. You see one and your brain tricks you into thinking you have to have one. They are very expensive and dangerous. They take a lot of time and skill to mount and if you make the smallest mistake you end up on you hands and knees in tears questioning all your decisions. I guess you already know what I am talking about so I am just going to say it. A wife. 

[Rehab1]

35 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

They take a lot of time and skill to mount and if you make the smallest mistake you end up on you hands and knees in tears questioning all your decisions. I

I think it may time for you to trade in your old model for an updated 2019 version. 

[Scatcat]

On 1/22/2018 at 3:20 PM, LanghamP said:

I bought the same thing about ten years ago, and those plants need a ton of sunlight.

I found mine almost uselessly hot as putting a slice into soup or such made it almost inedible.

Mash, mix with vinegar and salt, and sprinkle sparingly - like the tabasco from hell it is...  

I love me some Bhut Jolokia. Compared to Habanero they hit you like a fright train, while the Habanero sneaks up on you like an assassin. Less fruity and much more juggernaut brutal.

[Unventor]

8 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Most stuff recently purchased here has a real purpose. Not  my recent acquisition. I couldn’t pass up this vintage kid’s saddle listed on EBay last week.Maybe I’ll attach it to my Z10. Then it will have purpose.

 

Hehe maybe you need to get Red Dead Redemption 2 ( consol game) for the winter to go with that saddle.

[Unventor]

4 hours ago, RockyTop said:

I read most of this post yesterday and no one ever mentioned by far the most obvious. I am afraid to say it because I am afraid I will be banned from this site permanently. The truth is few people really NEED one. You see one and your brain tricks you into thinking you have to have one. They are very expensive and dangerous. They take a lot of time and skill to mount and if you make the smallest mistake you end up on you hands and knees in tears questioning all your decisions. I guess you already know what I am talking about so I am just going to say it. A wife. 

Sounds expensive 😉 and from what I read most are not EUC friendly.

Btw @Rehab1 and @Marty Backe how are that EUC test/training going for your wife's?

[Unventor]

On 11/23/2018 at 11:16 PM, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

The Nvidia Shield is like a supercharged Android mediabox, but it can stream games.  Sort of like Netflix for gaming!

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815351008&Description=nvidia shield&cm_re=nvidia_shield-_-15-351-008-_-Product

Yes but can you stream EUC videos on it and..can you design marty-Ts on it? And last test, can you watch livefeeds from @Marty Backe and @Duf ?😏

[Rehab1]

46 minutes ago, Unventor said:

Btw @Rehab1 and @Marty Backe how are that EUC test/training going for your wife's?

I can’t speak for Marty but my wife will never attempt to ride again. Her entire training process lasted only a few days.

I’m jealous of the groups of riders that get together on the weekends and have fun cruising around. I had high hopes riding with my grandson but he is so involved in sports that he doesn’t want to injure himself. Also seeing his grandpa busted up may have affected him psychologically.