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I’ve mostly stopped schilling for my former employer, but they do make really great knives.

Ninja 12-piece set

I have the little mini santoku, and use it constantly. Also have a set of the steak knives, which I use for trimming vegetables and fish and whatnot. The set that I linked to is just an example, you could buy a set or mix and match a la carte. The sets come with the “NeverDull” block, which has a semi-automated honing steel built into the block. It’s kinda gimmicky, and designed for super novice cooks, but it functions well.

I actually have that Zwilling set that you linked to. I like them a lot, no complaints!

Which would you prefer, the Zwilling set or the Ninja? Those seem like a pretty nice deal as well. Appreciate all the helpful responses!

Eh, I don’t think I would ever buy a set again. There’s always a few knives you’ll never use.

Get a good 8 or 10" chefs knife, a paring knife, a good bread knife, and a good meat slicing knife and you’ll be mostly set. and maybe a filet knife if you do a bunch of meat trimming (like brisket for smoking).

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Cost aside, I’d go with Zwilling. Slightly heavier knives, which I prefer. Plus the knife block is more premium looking, at least to me.

If you’re motivated by saving a few bucks, the Ninja knives would be just fine.

This is a super valid point. If I owned no knives and needed to build out a functional knife drawer, I’d buy a mini santoku, a meat slicer/trimmer, and a serrated knife. Fatboy’s opting to go with a larger chef’s knife, I’m choosing a smaller santoku. Your heavy-duty, workhorse knife is all about preference.

Yeah but imagine having all those knives in one block! That’s really what most sets contain, plus shears and steak knives. I also like a Santoku for general use.

Part that stinks on the Ninja is that I would need to buy the 14 piece to get a bread knife but I like the wood block set better and generally prefer that look.

We have more draw space than counter space so our knives live in a knife holder thing in the draw or in their sleeves so no need for a block.

New request: a tablet that is good for kids. Daughter dropped my old iPad a couple of times and it’s looking pretty grisly. Mostly want something that can run video apps and can maybe stand up to a little abuse, lower price than a iPad is a plus. She had an old Kindle Fire(?) that someone gave her but it’s now outdated and can’t run apps, is something like that worth it?

Edit: Ended up getting a Samsung A7 Lite with a pretty nice discount thanks to my employer (probably the only thing my job has going for it lately).

This is a bit of a niche product, but figured I ask on the off chance anyone here has one they like. Looking for a towel warmer. Either a rack or bucket, and not super expensive. It’s way too cold in my bathroom and I want a warm towel when I get out of the shower.

We installed an Amba heated towel rack in my wife’s bathroom and she of course loves it. But it was stupidly expensive and required an electrician to install. I’m perfectly happy with a $30 ceramic space heater in my bathroom.

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Yea the Amba rack is a bit more than I’m looking to spend unfortunately, although I would love that setup. In the past when I shared a house with someone who preferred it to be freezing year round I would use a space heater and/or heated blanket wrapped around my towel. Figured it’s time to step up my game a little bit though and lower the fire risk at the same time.

I’m shopping all things hexbug for a 2 year old. Anyone have any recommendations?

Not sure what the difference is in the age ratings for the bugs as opposed to the playsets as they vary from 2-8 minimum.

Welp, the musk flavor speed stick I’ve used since I started using deodorant a bit over 40 years ago has been discontinued and now costs $50/stick via ebay. Everything else smells bad to me and I’m not sure what I’m going to replace it with. I like citrus scents and checked out some of the natural products on Amazon, but I don’t have any experience with them and am looking for some recs.

Try this brand. The Grapefruit & Musk scent and the Tonka Bean/Lemon are both really good, with the first being my favorite. Works really well as an antiperspirant and smells good without being overbearing. They have a few other scents including another citrus based one too.

Aluminum-Free Natural Deodorant for Men by Bravo Sierra - Long Lasting All-Day Odor and Sweat Protection - Grapefruit & Musk, 3.2 oz - Paraben-Free, Baking Soda Free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free https://a.co/d/8cpnfmY

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Anyone have a favorite, effective car interior stain removal product? I’m just looking to get coffee stains off of seats, hopefully without just smearing the stain around more.

Does anyone have a strong opinion on futon vs sleeper sofa vs day bed? I’ve finally got an office and want something to sit on (95% of the time) that can double as a guest bed (5% of the time). It seems like all of the options I’ve found are either uncomfortable to sit on or uncomfortable to sleep on or both.

I remember having fair luck with hydrogen peroxide. You may want to be careful since it might bleach some colored fabrics: dilute it, spray it on to control and minimize the amount you apply, try it on an inconspicuous area first, remove it with a damp cloth after applying, that kind of thing.

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I would consider using a vinegar mix for it. There’s definitely some good youtube videos on cleaning out dilapidated cars.

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If none of the above work just pour coffee over the whole seat until it’s evenly stained.

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Day beds are pretty uncomfortable to sit on, and as for futons…No.

I’d get a sofa sleeper and then some type of foldable plywood or reinforced cardboard platform to slide under the crappy mattress when in use.

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Why not just get a sofa that is comfortable to sit on and good enough for naps and an air mattress for when you have guests?