Aaron’s Favorite Things
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. View our disclosure.
You might have already seen my wife’s list of favorite things. Now it’s my turn to throw the spotlight on some of my favorites. These are products that have lived up to my expectations, and I would recommend to anyone.
If you use the links on this page to purchase any of these items, Erin and I may receive a small commission. View our full disclosure policy to learn more about how we make our living.
Reusable K-cups make the top of my list, simply because I use them everyday, and they make so much sense money-wise. There are a hundred different types to choose from, but I prefer the genuine Keurig brand ones. They have twist off lids, unlike the ones with the flip tops that sooner or later break at the lid seam.
We finally upgraded our original Roku streaming device with the new Roku Ultra. This new one is exponentially faster, and has no problems connecting to our wifi network, which was sometimes an issue with our old one. It also has an enhanced remote that allows you to control the TV power and volume.
Our family uses water bottles daily. So, it’s nice having the right bottle brush for cleaning them. The Carlisle Long Neck Bottle Brush has a narrow brush head and a long handle that allows you to easily squeeze into skinny-neck bottles. It’s also angled to facilitate the cleaning of hard-to-reach areas.
We’ve owned our Epspon EcoTank ET-4550 printer for a couple of years now, and have never once had a case of buyer’s remorse. It’s a little pricier upfront than other inkjets, but comes with enough ink to print up to 11,000 black/8,500 color pages. Plus, the ink refill bottles are so cheap that you’ll never feel ripped off buying ink again. The 4550 model also scans, copies & faxes.
If your car has split spoke wheels, then the Mothers Brake Dust Brush is a must have. For way too many years, I wasted time trying to clean my wheels with whatever brush or rag I could manage to cram between the spokes at the magic angle. Use this one once, and you’ll love it forever.
There’s a wristwatch for everyone, and this one is the one for me. It displays the day of the week, time and date on the same screen. Plus, the time is displayed in large font, for near-sighted eyes. I always feel lost when I leave the house without it.
There are a ton of 12-volt air inflators out there — too many to choose from. Luckily, this Bon Air Inflator chose me. Actually, a gentleman hosting an estate sale was determined to not let me leave without buying it, and he succeeded. It has a lock-on metal air chuck, removable pressure gauge, and has proven several times that it can get the job done. Plus, its low-profile design means that it won’t gobble up much space in your trunk, or behind the seat of your pickup truck.
I wear several different styles and brands of jeans. When I come across a nice pair in my size for a couple of bucks at a yard sale, the deal is just too good to pass up. It’s part of the frugal lifestyle. With that said, Levi’s 505 Regular-fit Jeans are my favorite. They sit at the waist, have plenty of room everywhere to feel comfortable, and come in a multitude of colors.
One of my biggest pet peeves in life is when the kitchen trash bag punctures and leaks trash juice inside the bottom of the trash can. It’s even worse when the top section of the bag tears off, when you’re pulling it out of the can. So, .9 mil trash bags make my list of favorites. They’re just right–not too thick, and not too thin.
Our packaging tape of choice at the My Frugal Home Shop is Scotch Heavy Duty Packaging Tape. It’s strong and thick, yet easy to work with. It also resists slivering and tearing, so you don’t have to waste time trying to find the end of the broken tape, like you have to do with lesser quality tapes.
Our Samsung LED TV is almost nine years old now. We didn’t really have any brand loyalty with Samsung, when we bought it. But, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another Samsung when the time comes. Since its LED, it only uses 25-50% of the power of a comparably-sized plasma.
I wish that this windshield cleaning tool had been around when I was detailing cars as a 16-year-old. Well, better late than never. This ingenious little tool easily cleans the corners and everywhere in between.
I bought my 3.5 amp NOCO Genius battery charger several years ago, and use it to charge lawn mower batteries and car batteries. It charges 2X faster then ordinary chargers, and can even repair damaged batteries. It also happens to be one of the safest chargers on the market.
Erin actually picked out this Bissell Steam Shot Deluxe Hard-Surface Cleaner to clean the shower tiles, but I quickly claimed it as mine. It’s great at removing car window tint and stickers, and loosening the grime that spray cleaners won’t touch. Just fill the water reservoir (no salt required), and you’re ready to go in a couple of minutes.