Home & Consumer Tech
Smart home, consumer electronics, and everyday tech
242 episodes · Page 6 of 11
#3072: What Archival Actually Means in Your Pen
The AP seal isn't a durability guarantee. Here's what makes a marker truly archival.
#3071: Marking Tiny Tech Parts: Beyond the Paint Marker
Paint markers lie about line width. Here are three better ways to label tiny components.
#3064: How Salt Destroys Leather (And How to Stop It)
Why some leather goods last a decade while others fall apart in two winters — the science of maintenance.
#3062: Saving Antique Veneer: Hide Glue, Scrapers & Gel Stains
Practical advice for refinishing antique furniture with failing veneer and mismatched wood tones underneath.
#3058: How to Get 15 Hours of Light From Your UPS
Turn your UPS into an emergency light source with the right LED bulb, NUT, and Home Assistant automation.
#3055: Pegboards That Actually Work for Your Desk
How to size, mount, and accessorize a pegboard for cable management and small-item storage without buying the wrong gear.
#3043: Cold Water Without Plumbing: A Renter’s Guide
Compressor vs. thermoelectric cooling, countertop vs. floor units — what actually works in a Jerusalem summer.
#3037: How Ancient Clean Beat Modern Soap
Before daily showers, humans used oil, scrapers, and public baths. Here's what clean meant for 99% of history.
#3024: How to Incrementally Back Up Google Photos to Your NAS
Build a quarterly backup pipeline for Google Photos using the Library API, hash deduplication, and your NAS.
#3019: Dry Red Wines Without the Tannic Punch
A practical guide to finding dry, low-tannin red wines in Israel — from Carignan to Gamay, with shop tips and a note-taking system.
#3016: Sleeping with Strangers: Medieval Inn Life
Medieval inns weren't dirty hotels—they were legally regulated public utilities where you shared a bed with strangers.
#3015: The IKEA Showroom Living Experiment
Can you nap in an IKEA bed or work from a display desk? The answer reveals a masterclass in retail psychology.
#3011: Why Grape Wine Won the Monopoly Game
Why pomegranate wine and other fruit wines can't compete with grapes — and which exceptions actually broke through.
#3007: Why a 3-Star Hotel in Italy Feels Nothing Like a 3-Star in the US
Star ratings aren't standardized globally. Here's why a 5-star in Rome differs wildly from a 5-star in Beverly Hills.
#2997: The Science of Great Hot Sauce
Why does one hot sauce taste complex while another is just gritty heat? It comes down to fermentation, particle size, and chemistry.
#2996: How the Instant Pot Conquered the Kitchen
The physics, safety engineering, and microcontroller that turned a terrifying appliance into a verb.
#2995: The Chickpea's 10,000-Year Journey
From Neolithic fields to vegan meringue — the surprising story of the world's second most consumed legume.
#2987: How Epoxy Actually Works (It's Not Just Stronger Glue)
What makes epoxy different from superglue? The answer involves crosslinked polymers, amine hardeners, and bonds stronger than the materials they join.
#2976: Industrial Supply vs Hardware Store Secrets
Why industrial suppliers sell better products for less money than hardware stores — and how anyone can shop there.
#2973: How to Make Moving Almost Effortless
Pro tips to make your apartment move seamless, save money, and cut moving time in half.
#2971: How Much Fuel Does Your Suitcase Really Burn?
Baggage fees aren't about fuel savings. The real story is a $5.7 billion profit center dressed up in green PR.
#2966: When Did We Stop Making Our Own Clothes?
Mass-produced clothing is only about 150 years old. Your great-great-grandparents likely wore handmade clothes.
#2962: Why Command Strips Fail (And What Actually Works for Renters)
The physics of why adhesives fail, the law on nail holes, and a decision tree for hanging art without losing your deposit.
#2960: Small Camera vs Phone for Baby Videos
Can any compact camera beat a phone for capturing newborn moments in low light? We break down the options.