HN Explorer

Ask HN: What's a product you wish more people knew about?

24 points by nodoodles ↗ HN
Any hidden gems that haven't received enough attention or popularity? Any category, even JS frameworks (I'd nominate SvelteKit).

Few of mine: 1) Dishwasher with automatic detergent dispenser. Such a tiny improvement but huge difference (mine is Beko but brand irrelevant)

2) Samsung DeX desktop mode for Android phones. Surprisingly smooth experience with external monitor, keyboard and mouse. Looking for continued development to replace primary device in a few years (unless VR gets there first)..

3) Domestic again, and pretty well known, but induction stoves. Surprisingly many still don't use one..

15 comments

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otikik
Bidets. Or higienic showers. Or Japanese-style toilets. Toilet paper is not enough, folks.
readme
i have been a happy bidet owner for at least 5 years now and it's life changing

also you can install one easily, you just need teflon tape, and maybe a screwdriver to remove the toilet seat

i have zero doubts that it's also much healthier than the alternative

ravenstine
Even wet wipes are a million times better than toilet paper. They feel better, are more effective, and I know for a fact I use less of it than I did toilet paper.
Kaibeezy
Wet wipes cause a billion times more problems than toilet paper. Almost all contain plastic microfibers and degrade very slowly. They clog plumbing and septic tanks, and create environmental hazards in aquatic environments.

I wish people knew wet toilet paper is equally effective.

ravenstine
That's why you simply don't flush them. I've got a separate bin where I toss my wipes. The ones I buy are only ever made of plant fibers and contain no plastics and so on.

Yes, they can cause a lot of problems, and they shouldn't be marketed as "flushable". If you don't flush them, and if they're not cheap plastic, they're not necessarily bad. In terms of wiping your ass, they're superior.

Wet toilet paper may indeed be equally effective, but in my experience it's inconvenient and more difficult than either using wipes or toilet paper. Wet toilet paper collapses easily. Most wipes are designed to have enough integrity that, to put it bluntly, you don't need to worry about getting feces on your hands or drip poop water everywhere.

If you find wet toilet paper effective, that's great, have at it, but I think it stinks (figuratively and in this case literally).

d--b
I sure wish more people knew about my product, cause it’s preeeeeeetty sweet
jonathanleane
Waterpik, or some kind of analogous water flossing device. It's probably a sign of getting old, but I'm unironically excited about this purchase, even months after actually buying it.

I could basically never be bothered to floss the conventional way, but water flossing has become part of my nightly routine.

The amount of gunk that comes out from between your teeth even after brushing is pretty staggering.

mettamage
Brand recommendations? Or is waterpik a brand?
btzo
Waterpik is a brand
jonathanleane
Yep, I just have the brand waterpik. I think there are some much cheaper knockoffs on eBay that are probably just as good though.
sorum
I love mine. The only sad part is that my dentist's team explained to me that it wasn't a _replacement_ for regular flossing, but an addition to it.

I lived a few glorious weeks in bliss, thinking that regular string flossing was in my past.

jonathanleane
Sorry for the late reply - not sure if you'll see this.

But I think the jury's out on that. Check out https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24282867/

No idea how legit this research is though - I think one of the authors works for WaterPik, so take it with a grain of salt :)

Either way, I know I'm too lazy for string flossing, so for me it's either the WaterPik or nothing.