Ask HN: What devices should people have in the home but usually don’t? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What devices should people have in the home but usually don’t?

7 pointsleephillips9 comments

My example: an electrical multimeter. Check batteries, diagnose broken power cords, check voltage level at the outlet. I can’t imagine life without one.

What should everyone have but most people don’t?

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A small, multipurpose (type "ABC") fire extinguisher. These work for basically all common types of fires, including grease fires in a pinch (if you don't have a way to starve it of oxygen).

Examples:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/First-Alert-Tundra-Fire-Extingui... ($13)

https://www.firstalertstore.com/store/products/First-Alert-R... (larger and rechargeable, $37)

Yes, I always have one. And when I lived in a house I had one on each floor.

I have a suspicion that in most cases a bucket of water (or a vase) would be more useful.

Depends on what’s burning. Fire extinguishers are generally more effective and safer. For some kinds of fires, water can make things worse.

In life or death situations where seconds count, it’s best to not have to think about a decision tree.

You never want to try to put out a grease fire with water, for instance.

A carbon monoxide detector, especially if you have a gas furnace or gas appliances.

Smoke detectors are nearly universal these days, but CO detectors aren't as common.

20 liter want tank. When the mains burst in midwinter, all pipes and sewers freeze too. Most horrible situation. Mounds of frozen shit and people queuing for hours for government water.

And the water must be purified (with 10 drops of chlorine). You can test the water condition yourself, if the inside of the tank feel slimy, there is something growing.

A dremel. You never need one until you do. And then it's the only tool that will do what you need done.

A camping style LED light for power outages. One of the good designs out now works as a flashlight or a lantern. I have one in every room.

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