I’ve got 3 on my list.

  1. BT-PAN Access Point - Kinda ridiculous, but I’d like to have one. I’ve also found a few BT-PAN-enabled dial-up modems, but I’d have no way to connect those up. Some of those could even be connected to USB printers for wireless printing. Not particularly useful anymore, I just find those devices interesting.
  2. Dot matrix printer - This one isn’t even as ridiculous. I really love that sound and how the text they print looks. Sadly, if I am looking for new ones, a basic 9-pin Epson dot matrix is around €200. But the ribbons are cheap as chips. In fact, often even cheaper. Just imagine casually handing out a document printed on dot matrix to someone nowdays.
  3. Nano pocket drone - Something like FQ777-124. Maybe a toy like that is a bit childish, but it still can be fun. In fact I already tried to order this one. From 4 different sellers, twice on AliExpress, twice on Amazon. I never got it :(
    • golli@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I like the idea, but I fear that I would quickly run out of things to print that I actually need. After then I’d start looking for applications. And the one thing I don’t need in my life are more small (or large) plastic things.

    • 👍Maximum Derek👍@discuss.tchncs.de
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      1 year ago

      Fixing and adapting things around the house is what I like most about having a 3d printer.

      I’m pretty sure the first printer is now paid for itself by doing that. Just because of things I haven’t had to pay to replace. As of this summer I’m up to 3 printers and I can’t claim I’ve paid for all 3.

    • z00s@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Me too until I had access to one through work. I’ve found PLA to be quite brittle and not very useful for anything other than items that sit on a shelf

      • stealth_cookies@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        A lot of it is just knowing how to design around the limitations. I 3D print practical parts all the time and usually don’t have any issues with them. If PLA doesn’t work for what you want to print PETG is pretty easy to print as well and is a bit more resilient.

      • Sentientted@monero.town
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        1 year ago

        Polymaker pla pro is a great pla. I have printed plenty of functional things with it and they all hold up really well. If you really need something more durable nylon 6 would be a good option to look at.

    • kubica@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Same, but I would be picky and not want a small one. But still would end up as a decorative object, so…

    • neal33@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Do it! I recently purchased one and love it. Feel free to ask questions if you have any.

        • Rockslide0482@discuss.tchncs.de
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          1 year ago

          Check your library. Mine has one available to use at many of the branches in my area. If I ever come up with something to print instead of buying one I’m going to try that out. Then if I decide to get really into it, I’ll have practical knowledge to know what I’d actually want to buy.

          Instead, I’ve just never done any 3D printing, which is also fine.

            • Rockslide0482@discuss.tchncs.de
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              1 year ago

              I don’t think it’s necessarily universal in US libraries either. I’m not in a big city, but overall our library system is pretty good. They have a number of branches with “maker labs” so there are things like Cricuts, sewing machines, laser cutters, audio recording/production equipment and 3D printers you can rent. I’d recommend at least checking around.

        • neal33@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          Great for fixing items around the house. Anything that is plastic or could be replaced with plastic can usually be printed. Also great for hardware and jigs. I’ve had mine for a bit over a month now and have been constantly running it. Check out printables or thingiverse to get an idea of what people are printing. Both are websites people upload models to.

    • limeaide@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I want one too but I’m scared I won’t use it. I’m holding off until I meet someone with one and see it in person

  • 👍Maximum Derek👍@discuss.tchncs.de
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    1 year ago

    A Flipper Zero. I probably have the components to make something functionally equivalent, but that form factor, all-in-one nature, and simple UI look nice.

    I have no need for it, I just want to tinker.

  • kubica@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    It might sound dumb, but I thought for a long time if it was worth to buy a tablet or not. Because I suspected I wouldn’t even use it if had it. Then I found a great sale that helped me confirm my suspicion.

  • Bye@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    A cnc laser cutter with enough watts so it could cut thin metal but also acrylic and wood and stuff.

    I would love to make rc airplanes, and medieval armor, and fun stuff like that

  • eezeebee@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago
    1. A bike. My last one was stolen off my apartment balcony
    2. A kayak. Nowhere to put it though, and the balcony is out of the question thanks to 1.
    • QuinceDaPence@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      They have folding kayaks if that would suffice. There’s also some types that break into pieces and slide into each other like cups taking a 12 foot kayak down to like 3 feet.

      I’d avoid inflatables in most cases though.

        • QuinceDaPence@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          $500 for an Oru Lake

          $280 for a Tucktec 10’

          There are other models but those seem to be the most popular.

          They can absolutely get crazy expensive and started that way but have come down in price a lot.

            • QuinceDaPence@kbin.social
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              1 year ago

              Same, I’m also currently looking for a kayak and it surprised me as well since when I last looked there wasn’t one under 1k.

              Now of course they are limited compared to a normal kayak but for someone in an apartment that has no other options it would at least get them something until their living arangement allowed them to get a proper one.

              And if all you ever want to to is casually hang out on flat water it really doesn’t limit you at all.

              • lol3droflxp@kbin.social
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                1 year ago

                I know a guy who has one with stabilising air pockets on the side so it can actually be used along the coast for fishing but that one is super expensive

                • QuinceDaPence@kbin.social
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                  1 year ago

                  It would probably/possibly work without them but the issue with folding kayaks on the sea or rivers is more impacts, there’s a lot of rocks in the fun rivers and in the ocean/sea there’s reefs and other abrasives.

                  Whereas with a rotomolded kayak its durable enough to even be used for rentals in those conditions. You pretty much don’t have to give a shit with a rotomold since they can take a lot of abuse.

      • eezeebee@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Yes. It’s the second floor. I was surprised and not sure how they managed to get down with it. It wasn’t a new or expensive bike by any means, actually an old used one I repaired with salvaged parts.

  • Dubious_Fart@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    An electric bike.

    Always wanted one. Will never, ever happen though. The thousands of dollars they cost will always be better spent on bills/food/meds/doctors appointments.

      • Dubious_Fart@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        every decent conversion kit I’ve seen has been around a grand, and still requires you to buy a decent bike to put it on, plus puts the onus on me to not fuck everything up.

        • boogetyboo@aussie.zone
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          1 year ago

          Ah fair enough. I had second hand info from my partner who was looking into it. He already had a spare bike to convert and he didn’t think it was too expensive to do - favoured the option over buying an actual E bike that he wasn’t positive he’d use much.

    • Jayb151@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I felt the same, so I built one for around 5-600usd. If you have a bike, you can turn it into an e bike.

  • j4k3@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    E-bike. I’m faster than most of them on a road bike, and the limited range would drive me nuts, but I would like to have one for running errands

    A hardcore ~$10k Xeon workstation with an Nvidia A100 GPU for AI stuff

  • paddirn@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    A hidden shelf door, ie “Murphy Door”. No practical purpose for this other than maybe privacy/security for my master bedroom. I just think it’d look cool as hell to have a hidden door.

  • AstronautOnEverest@mander.xyz
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    1 year ago
    1. Vintage typewriter - still looking into brands and such as there are so many up for sale on the market. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
    2. Reed diffusers - a not-too-expensive splurge. Lavender would be nice.
    3. A pretty suncatcher to hang on my window and take advantage of all the sunny days we’ve been having
  • eleefece@kbin.social
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    1 year ago
    1. A stand mixer, I’ve always wanted one but don’t have the space or the money.
    2. A dreamcast, I foolishly sold the one I had and I miss it a lot.
    3. An iPad just to try Procreate. I’ve seen videos that make it look like the bees knees and it really catches my attention.
    • toiletwhole@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      I have a stand mixer that I acutely never use. It’s decent and almost new.

      Maybe I can get it somehow to you.

      • eleefece@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Thanks! I appreciate the intention but considering that I live in Mexico, probably with the shipping cost I could afford a new one, hahaha.

    • AtomicPopsicle@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      I’m with you on the iPad for Procreate. I also just want something I can take to bed or outside so I can draw, and the drawing tablet I have only works on desktop/laptop with too many wires running across, so I usually only use it for graphic work or cleaning up sketches

    • room_raccoon@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I love my stand mixer! I don’t have room either, but I still carry it back and forth to and from the kitchen to use it all the time. It’s pretty difficult to carry for me but still less work than kneading for ten minutes.

  • Brkdncr@artemis.camp
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    1 year ago

    A small construction excavator. I hate having to move dirt and gravel around with a shovel by hand.

    A trailer. Would also come in useful for the aforementioned item.

  • wisefoolkp@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    My list of tech that I plan to get eventually someday:

    1. A dragon box pyra
    2. A gpd micro pc
    3. Pine phone pro
    • Cralex@lemmy.one
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      1 year ago

      If you work hard, I’ll bet you could have the Pyra in Two Months™️

      • wisefoolkp@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Thinking of getting the pine phone pro first since its the cheapest of the lot and it being shipped early is more certain than the pyra.

    • Dubious_Fart@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      lava lamps scare the shit out of me… every one I’ve had has blown up. No I didnt futz with them or use the wrong wattage light bulb or anything.

        • Dubious_Fart@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          I’unno. They just blew up. I assume they got to hot some how, blew the stopper like a geyser and had hot wax and whatever liquid all over the ceiling and floor and wall and everything.

          3 differnet lava lamps. one actual, legitimate lava lamp, two different knockoff ones.

  • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Thermal Camera.

    They’re just so cool. Super useful for checking the effectiveness of stuff like insulation or heat sinks, and can be used to find hot spots you didn’t know existed.

    I just have trouble justifying dropping $300 on something I would only get maybe an hour max of usefulness from before it sits in a box for years.

    • Poogona [he/him]@hexbear.net
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      1 year ago

      I got to use a thermal cam for research out in the desert for a summer photographing rattlesnake ambush sites, it was awesome.

      (From what we could tell the snakes in fact did not use thermal cues for their ambush sites, just their eyes. But I got to play with a thermal cam)

    • stoicshrubbery@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I did this but with an infrared thermometer gun. As far as everyday use goes, it’s super helpful for cooking.

    • MR_GABARISE@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Seems like the kind of thing that could be rented out like those carpet/sofa cleaners. Except it’s probably too costly of a gadget to trust a layman to handle with care?

  • TheMightyCanuck@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Steamdeck. My laptop is outdated and having hardware issue; I also can’t justify buying a decent PC tower. I have consoles but I miss a lot of the PC only games like the wargame series and HOI4.

    • cynar@lemmy.world
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      I’ve a deck and it’s an amazing bit of kit. Valve hit it out of the park with it. I’ve found very little it can’t run, and the controls are excellent. The fact it has a full Linux desktop available and lets you play around with things is just icing on the cake.