The Best of Average

I’ve spent years chasing the “best” - reading reviews, comparing specs, convincing myself the premium option was worth it. Then I noticed a pattern: the products I actually loved weren’t the most expensive ones. They were what I call “the best of average” - products sitting at that sweet spot where spending more gets you diminishing returns.

These are the things professionals buy with their own money, not their company’s budget. The cookware line chefs use at home, not in sponsored posts. The luggage flight crews wheel through airports thousands of times. The tools electricians grab when the job actually matters.

They typically cost 60-80% of the luxury alternative but deliver 90-95% of the performance. They’re the “boring but right” choice - the Toyota Corolla of their category. Not flashy, but after five years, you’re still using it daily while the trendy alternatives are in a landfill.

This isn’t about being cheap. It’s about recognizing that past a certain point, you’re paying for a logo, not performance. The products below are my personal picks - things I use, recommend, and would buy again without hesitation.

Chair & Desk Setup

  1. Herman Miller Aeron – The chair every programmer eventually buys. Twelve-year warranty, breathable mesh, and it actually supports your back. Not cheap, but amortized over a decade of daily use, it’s one of the best investments I’ve made.

Audio

  1. AirPods 4 with ANC – The sweet spot in Apple’s lineup. Good enough noise cancellation for coffee shops and flights, without the bulk of over-ear headphones. They just work.

  2. Apple EarPods (USB-C) – $19 wired earbuds that never need charging. I keep these plugged into my MacBook for calls. Zero latency, reliable mic, and they won’t die mid-meeting.

Hardware

  1. MacBook Pro 14" – The best laptop Apple makes for actual work. The 14-inch hits the portability-performance balance perfectly. Great screen, all-day battery, and enough power that I never wait for anything.

Software

  1. Raycast (launcher) – I use Raycast for all my system controls, text snippets and clipboards. The core features are free, with Raycast Pro available at $8/month ($96/year) for advanced features. I end up using Raycast and Spotlight both simultaneously.

  2. Logseq (note taking) – A knowledge management tool. During lockdowns, I was introduced to knowledge management (Zettelkasten) by apps such as Obsidian and Roam Research. I loved Roam Research but was worried about the longevity of the company and data privacy. I switched to Logseq, which is unrestricted, open-source, and syncs to your iCloud. Most importantly, the data is locally stored.

  3. Readwise Reader (read-it-later) – My preferred read-it-later app. I have been a long-time Pocket user, but the folks at Readwise have just outdone every other vendor in the market. Also, Readwise helps you sync all your highlights in one place.

  4. Anki (flashcards) – I use Anki as a personal memory system for spaced repetition. Someday I will write about how Anki has changed my life. Meanwhile, you can read Michael Nielsen’s amazing post about Augmenting Long Term Memory with Anki.

  5. Cleanshot (screenshots) – I take screenshots very often. Although the native Mac screenshot application works for most users, it is pretty basic. I want to annotate my screenshots and even record small GIF videos, especially when working with developers/designers to give feedback on a live application.

  6. Setapp (bundle of Mac apps) – A value for money bundle of good Mac applications such as Bartender, Cleanshot, Paste and many new apps. I also get to try new apps which I would not have tried without Setapp.

  7. 1Password (passwords) – The password manager that gets out of your way. Family sharing, passkey support, and it works everywhere. I stopped thinking about passwords years ago.

  8. Claude Code (AI coding) – An agentic coding tool that lives in my terminal. It understands my codebase, executes tasks, and handles git workflows through natural language. The best AI coding assistant I’ve used.

  9. Apple Mail (email) – The default mail client. No fancy features, no subscriptions, no AI writing my emails. It just sends and receives mail, which is all I need.

Camera Setup

Coming soon

Bags

Coming soon