My magnificent seven
Humans consume a lot of stuff. Too much of it is interchangeable, forgettable or (worse) disposable. But over time we all discover certain products that actually enhance our existence. These are mine.
I’d planned to post something rather different today. But writing it turned out to be quite a lot more involved than I’d anticipated (!) and then I had a crisis of confidence in the whole idea, so decided to park it for the time being.
Instead, I thought I’d delve into one of my ongoing preoccupations: the stuff we really can’t live without – and, importantly, what it might say about us. As tidy-home guru Marie Kondo famously declared, the things in our homes should ‘spark joy’.
What’s below is my personal and therefore highly subjective selection. While I can’t claim for a second that any of these is a revolutionary discovery, all have been thoroughly road-tested for their joy-sparking properties.
I’m always really interested to hear about other people’s everyday essentials, too. So do drop a line in the comments if you’d like to share them.
1. Arket luggage
I travel quite a lot, and am always looking out for smart luggage ideas. I’ve been a staunch check-in bag refusenik ever since Virgin Atlantic left us high and dry on a family trip to New York, and pride myself on being able to get everything I need into cabin-compatible sizes for trips of any length.
A few years ago I bought one of those Insta-famous polycarbonate wheelie cases. It was expensive, quite heavy even when empty, and completely fell apart after only a few journeys. But then I clocked a friend using one of Arket’s soft nylon travel bags for an overnight stay and was instantly sold.
You know how every now and again you come across products that are way better than they have any right to be? These are they. Sized in durational increments to suit short trips – 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours – I bought the 48-Hour Tote (currently £97) pre-Covid and have used it pretty solidly ever since. The range has now been expanded to offer a number of ingenious configurations. I recently picked up a fabulous 12-hour version (£119) that can be adapted within seconds to be either shoulder bag, tote, or rucksack. The design, build quality and durability of all the products are outstanding for the price. I love their socks, too.
As a side note, last week my son and I stopped for soup and sandwiches (£10 lunch deal) at the vegetarian café in the Arket store on Regent St. First time I’ve eaten there – and I was amazed by how good the food was. This is a brand that really knows what it’s about. The entire experience is consistently excellent and always feels somewhat elevated.
2. iA Writer
The best writing and editing tool you can get for your computer. I realise I have been using it virtually every day since it first launched (then in iPad-only format) in 2010.
The beauty of iA Writer is that it strips away all of the hideous and unnecessary features that make software like Microsoft Word so frustrating, allowing the user to focus purely on the words on their screen with no distractions, while saving everything to the Cloud automatically.
The original version was fabulously hair-shirt – with only one text style (akin to a classic typewriter font) and basic spelling/grammar checks. There have been a handful of extra functions added over the years: a couple of alternative fonts, a ‘focus mode’ that highlights the sentence or paragraph you are in while greying out everything else, syntax and style checking. I believe there’s also a new feature that lets you identify and isolate text generated by AI tools like ChatGPT, if that’s your bag. Oh, and Night Mode for the weirdos. But these aside, the core program remains remarkably consistent with its creators’ original mission.
I’ve noticed that it’s become quite widely used by web developers and UX designers because it’s got a ‘markdown’ facility that enables them to format text and turn it into code very easily. But non-techies needn’t be bothered by any of that.
iA Writer works beautifully and I couldn’t imagine life without it. You can download it (for either Mac or PC) in less than two minutes via the developers’ website or the Apple App Store. May it never change.
3. Tom Ford spectacles & magnetic clip-ons
These have been genuinely life-changing. As a full-time specs-wearer, my particular bête noire has always been the need to carry separate prescription sunglasses – and the constant switching between clear and tinted lenses while driving.
Once upon a time I had a pair of Armani glasses that came with a dinky spring-loaded clip-on for sunny conditions. But the style was quickly discontinued, and for decades – literally – I couldn’t find anything similar. Then my local optician got a couple of frames by Tom Ford (one for men, one women) that included tints you simply slap over the front of your clear lenses, attaching themselves with concealed magnets in the top corners. Genius!
So, no more fumbling for sunglasses with one hand while holding the steering wheel with the other. No need to take your eye off the road. Infinitely safer and easier. They’re very well made – and sufficiently compact that when not in use, you can just slip them into a shirt or jacket pocket. I can’t understand why more optical manufacturers don’t do this. It’s such a simple, elegant solution.
4. Ear, by Nothing
I never really took to headphones while I worked in newspapers, since the nature of the job was to be constantly interacting with other people and it would have been counter-productive to cut myself off from the ongoing newsroom conversation. All that changed when I started working in creative agencies, and realised that when people weren’t actually in meetings, they were often working in more self-contained ways and wanted to shut out office distractions by listening to their own music – a habit I soon adopted.
It took me some time to realise that over-ear ‘cans’ were making me a bit too removed from the action, as well as being uncomfortably bulky. And so began my quest to find a well-designed, comfortable pair of Bluetooth-enabled, noise-cancelling in-ear buds, with proper hi-fi sound, that could stand up to extended use – and wasn’t as pricey as AirPods.
I regret to say that I did shell out for some shockers along the way. But eventually I came across earphones made by a new-ish company called Nothing that’s backed by a bunch of ex-Apple and Google VC types. The buds live in a neat little transparent charging case which connects to a standard USB-C cable, and there’s a very easy-to-use app for connecting, setting the EQ, etc.
They’re super comfortable, the sound is excellent, and the battery life extraordinary (great for travelling). I’m now on my second pair (the first lot lasted a couple of years) for which I paid £129, although they’re frequently discounted through the makers’ own website. Comparable quality to Apple’s entry-level model, but much better value.
5. Peloton Bike+
I used to swim every day at the pool round the corner. Then the pandemic happened and I had to rethink. Buying a Peloton exercise bike felt pretty extravagant, but my rationale was that the purchase price (about £2,200 then) would be amortised over time. Four years on and I’m pleased to have proven myself right.
Yes, I’m aware that many thousands of Covid-era bikes are now gathering dust in the world’s garages and spare rooms, and that the company’s lustre has faded somewhat as former members have drifted back to the gym. But I still climb aboard mine at least three or four times a week and am properly devoted to it. There is a £40 monthly subscription on top of buying the equipment itself. But that covers our household’s three regular users – and it’s a fraction of what we were were all paying between us to use Virgin Active in the Before Times.
You quickly identify your own favourite instructors and classes among the thousands available. There’s strength training, stretching and conditioning, yoga, pilates and meditation, as well as cycling – plus, you can access it all from wherever you are in the world. The brilliance of Peloton’s proposition is the way it combines engineering and tech, entertainment and fitness, gamification and community. The stats and metrics are useful in all the right ways. You can connect and compete with your friends. It integrates neatly with your phone/watch, etc. And crucially, it’s a lot harder to make excuses for not exercising when you don’t have to pack a gym bag and leave the house to do it.
Incidentally, I just checked Ebay, and you could easily pick up a pre-owned Peloton bike in VGC from about £400, which is phenomenal for such a high-end machine.
6. Cos Regular Fit T-shirts (black)
Anyone who knows me knows that I love a plain black cotton T-shirt. My wardrobe is full of them. I’ve tried and worn many different versions over the years, but the most reliable and affordable I’ve come across are those from Cos. They’re comfy and fit really well (not too short), they keep their shape and colour in wash after wash, and they aren’t bank-busting (£19 each, or £55 for a pack of three).
I read recently about the frankly horrifying quantities of water it takes to produce a single cotton garment – and none of us can really plead ignorance when it comes to the labour practices of the big clothing companies. Thankfully, Cos is by no means the worst offender, and has been awarded 4/5 for sustainability on the ‘Good on You’ ethical fashion index, although plainly there’s more progress to be made. Not that the luxury brands are any better.
My hunch is that ultimately we will all need to pay a bit more for our basics, but that in the meantime we should buy things that last and don’t immediately end up in landfill. On which basis these are actually an excellent purchase. Oh, and they do also come in colours other than black.
7. Marvis
One of the most relentlessly photographed lifestyle accoutrements of recent years, I had instinctively dismissed this distinctively retro-packaged toothpaste as (and I quote) “pure marketing bollocks”. But then I stayed in a snazzy hotel that provided mini-tubes in the bathrooms and immediately got what all the fuss was about.
Marvis doesn’t just look like something from a bygone age when quality counted for something, it tastes like it, too. After a couple of invigorating brushings, you don’t want to go back to the suddenly rather artificial feel of Colgate.
Of course it’s pricier than the mainstream brands – you’d be disappointed if it wasn’t. But it’s widely sold in supermarkets across mainland Europe for much less than UK pharmacies (and in lots of cool continental flavours), so you’ll probably thank yourself for grabbing a few packs next time you’re passing through. I’m a great believer in finding ways to make everyday chores and rituals a bit special.
Many thanks for such a wonderful collection of brilliance. The luggage is my fave. So much so I have treated myself to the amazing 72hr beauty. And the little packing cubes to match. You have also reminded me of how good Marvis toothpaste is. Thank you for writing my favourite list on here. Please write more in the future.
Fab article! Will look
For the asker bags and those glasses!