The definitive “recommend me a *****” thread?

There are some questions asked so regularly on here, about ‘what <random item> should I buy’ that there is a strong consensus amongst the STW cognoscente as to the ‘correct’ answer.  This is a good thing, as we don’t agree on much!

To save people posting endless new threads asking what shizzle to buy, I propose that we create a definitive list, with a desired item and the ‘correct’ STWist answer. I offer a few to get you going, based not on my preferences, but on the answer being the most common given on here.  Rules, no quibbling over previous answers – it’s just a bit of fun!  Post a purchase question you have seen asked on here multiple times with the STW (not your personal) approved answer!

• What car? Skoda Octavia
• What axe? Hultafors
• What head shaver for slapheads? Remington RX-7
• What food mixer? Kitcthenaid
• What coffee grinder? Niche Zero
• What espresso machine? Gaggia Classic
• What bike rack? Thule
• What logburner? None you monster!
• What tubeless sealant? Stans
• What tyre levers? Pedros
• What tin opener? Khun Rikon

What thread for asking for recommendations please?

What large moka pot for serving two people a mug of strong coffee each?

I have a very cheap McAllister electric screw driver with torque settings. It struggles along whining and groaning with 5mm screw’s in pine and comes to a halt if there’s a knot in the vicinity. Do I want as more powerful electric screw driver or do I want an impact driver? General Diy some times finish matters more often not.

Bike (enduro): Geometron G1

Bike (non-enduro): Stooge

Salt and pepper grinder – Peugeot

Kramer gets it!👍

What coffee subscription has to be in there and Fiskars is now surely top axe to buy

Binos there is a new thread currently running

Turntable seems to only be Rega or if skint a Project

Browser: Not Safari. <ducks>

• What dehumidifier; Meaco (despite the Meaco proponents all happily discussing all the faults they’d had to fix).
• What pressure washer; Karcher or Nilfisk – FIGHT!!
• What ISP; X is unreliable crap and Y is amazing, with no downtime ever – where X and Y are totally specific to the infrastructure in your geographic location.

What expensive trousers?

Lovely – thanks! First post I saw when I logged back in.

What printer with scanner / photocopier that’s actually built to last and isn’t a rip-off for refills…? I’ll have to use the search function. 😉

£500 Coffee grinder

£200 kitchen knife

Well this isn’t quite panning out how I imagined! 🤔😆

We need the question AND the answer!

Knives – Wusthof Classic

What fountain pen? Lamy Safari/Al-Star
What antiseptic cream? Sudocrem obviously

What car tyres: Michelin Cross climate

What bike tyres: ????

What bike tyres: ????

Minion DHF and DHR2, EXO+ in whatever size you need. Rubber compound, though, depends on how deep your pockets are….

What bike tyres: Fire XC Pro

Worktop oil: osmo

Riding day pack – Osprey Raptor 14

Sealant – Stans

What large moka pot for serving two people a mug of strong coffee each?

Bialetti Venus – full stainless steel so doesn’t tarnish like the cheap aluminium ones, works on any hob, perfect coffee every time.

For me: what beard trimmer for around £50?

Lost mine somewhere during my most recent trip overseas. Don’t like actual shaving because I get crazy shaving rash. Not allowed to enter the marital home whilst sporting a full beard. Just need something that gives a uniform 5 o’clock shadow that I can then ignore for a few days.

[sirromj]

sirromj

Full Member

I have a very cheap McAllister electric screw driver with torque settings. It struggles along whining and groaning with 5mm screw’s in pine and comes to a halt if there’s a knot in the vicinity. Do I want as more powerful electric screw driver or do I want an impact driver? General Diy some times finish matters more often not.

Q: Do I want/ need an impact driver?

A: Yes

Q: What impact driver do I want?

A: Makita 18v

I have a very cheap McAllister electric screw driver with torque settings. It struggles along whining and groaning with 5mm screw’s in pine and comes to a halt if there’s a knot in the vicinity. Do I want as more powerful electric screw driver or do I want an impact driver? General Diy some times finish matters more often not.

What watch? Market stall digital.

What leader of the Labour Party? Starmer (at least there can’t be any disagreement about that one),

Drip on wax – Squirt

Hot wax – Putoline obviously. 🤣

What Allen Keys/Hex set?  Wera 

• What bread? Sourdough
• What pizza oven? Ooni
• Which biological anthropologist? Professor Alice Roberts
• What airfyer? Ninja

Q: Do I want/ need an impact driver?

I gotta ask….what is the difference between an impact driver and an electric screwdriver, and what use cases for each?

Impact drivers make a lot more noise, so must be more pro, like the Hope hubs of screwing things in.

What lights: Halfords bikehut 1800 (was 1600) or anything by Exposure

What girlfriend – the one who rides bikes.

What iPad for this forum? – Drac’s

vlad_the_invader

Full Member

I gotta ask….what is the difference between an impact driver and an electric screwdriver, and what use cases for each?

Electric screwdriver is basically the same as a drill. It just rotates.

Impact driver is basically a hammer and an anvil battering into each other creating a rotational movement from the successive impacts. The impact driver is delivering loads of high force impacts, one after the other. The screwdriver is just a motor turning smoothly.

Bit like hitting a spanner round in a circle vs pulling on the spanner. You’re going to get much more force from hitting it but as it’s not a sustained force it doesn’t damage the bolt. The impacts from the driver are relying on the torsional flex in the material of the fastener and the material of the bit to hopefully not damage and snap things.

If I was going to use and electric screwdriver, it would be to wind a screw into a pre drilled hole. I’d use an impact driver to drive screws straight into wood.

Impact driver is also useful for driving big screws or bolts into things. Lots of little impacts is far more effective than the high torque twisting of a drill or driver. Constant force would likely shear the head of the screw. Momentary force is less likely to knacker it.

Rucsac – Gregory

Posh android phone – Pixel

Normal android phone – latest Moto G

“there can’t be any disagreement about that one),”

You’re new here are’nt you

Louise ?

What what what?

Sheila Broflovski

Love this thread. Mark should work on sponsorship deals with all these brands.

Official Cordless Tool System of STW: Makita

Official Rechargeable Battery of STW: Ikea Ladda (Eneloop)

Official Smart TRV of STW: Tado

Official Kitchen of STW: DIY Kitchens? Or Ikea?

Please recommend me: Wirestrippers and a Battery tester. Also watching recommendations for a beard trimmer. Not been overly impressed with the Wahl stainless steel or the Panasonic with the built in sucker before that.

Well this isn’t quite panning out how I imagined!

Paradoxically, it’s panning out exactly how I imagined. Gruyere btw, And Galfer. But never at the same time.

Best supermarket craft beer:  Vocation

Best sensibly priced outdoor gear:  Montane

Best dog breed: Cocker Spaniel 😉