Gift guide · 2026
Gifts hackers have owned for years
Nobody picked these. We counted what programmers and engineers recommend in Hacker News comments, how long they say they've owned it, and how many regret it. Every pick has the Hacker Approved badge.
Owned for ten years and still recommended
Owners report a median of a decade or more.
- Lenovo ThinkPadDurable, easily repaired laptops with excellent Linux support, often bought cheaply used, though critics say build quality, keyboards and trackpoints have declined from the classic models.332 recommend · owners report 10 years
- Pebble smartwatchRecommended for week-plus battery life, an always-on readable screen, physical buttons and an open, hackable platform with a devoted community; critics cite hardware durability issues and the Rebble dispute.117 recommend · owners report 12 years
- Ubiquiti UniFiProsumer Wi-Fi access points and switches with central management, remote administration and optional self-hosting; critics cite buggy routing, IPv6 gaps, poor support and pain beyond standard setups.100 recommend · owners report 10 years
Linux From Scratch by the LFS ProjectBuilds a deep understanding of how Linux components fit together by compiling everything by hand. Critics say it is more cookbook than explanation.72 recommend · owners report 20 years
Accelerando by Charles StrossReaders praise its prescient ideas about digital minds, space travel and the future. Critics most often say the characters feel thin or unlikeable.71 recommend · owners report 20 years
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienPeople recommend it for its prose, its rich sense of place, and the way it keeps rewarding rereading. The most common caveat is slow passages, especially the songs and Tom Bombadil chapters.66 recommend · owners report 15 years- Toyota CorollaPeople recommend the Corolla as a cheap, reliable, fuel-efficient car that lasts for years with basic maintenance. Critics find its tech and driving dull.63 recommend · owners report 11 years
- MikroTik routerRecommended for detailed control and strong performance per dollar, with a steep learning curve and a clumsy interface that suits people who already know networking.59 recommend · owners report 10 years
- Nokia N900Fans recall a pocket Linux computer with a great slide-out keyboard and desktop-level software. The most common caveat is its cheap, plastic build quality.58 recommend · owners report 16 years
Built to last
Owners report a median of five years or more.
- MacBook AirA light, silent, fanless laptop with long battery life and enough everyday performance for years, though it throttles under sustained heavy loads and base RAM and storage feel tight.633 recommend · owners report 5 years
- Apple TV 4KRecommended as a fast, private replacement for spammy smart TV software, controllable with one remote via CEC, though Apple pushes its own promotions and it is pricey.323 recommend · owners report 5 years
- YubiKeyA physical 2FA and passkey key that keeps secrets on the device and blocks phishing, best bought in pairs; critics cite patchy site support and no syncing between keys.206 recommend · owners report 7 years
- ESP32A cheap microcontroller with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, strong docs and many examples, often preferred over a Raspberry Pi when no OS is needed; battery projects can struggle with power draw.190 recommend · owners report 5 years
- Kobo e-readerAn open, hackable e-reader that needs no account, sideloads EPUBs via USB or Calibre and borrows library books free, though some report sluggish firmware and flaky non-Kobo EPUB handling.154 recommend · owners report 7 years
- Garmin watchRecommended for battery life lasting weeks, accurate fitness and health tracking, and phone-independent utility, though many find the interface clunky and dislike the proprietary charger.123 recommend · owners report 5 years
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090A used RTX 3090 is the go-to card for running local LLMs, with 24GB of VRAM, strong price-performance, and better speed than Apple hardware, though used prices have climbed.116 recommend · owners report 5 years
- Nvidia Shield TVA long-supported Android TV box that plays local 4K media well with audio passthrough and app freedom, though its 2015-era chip lacks newer codecs and the interface shows ads.113 recommend · owners report 9 years
- Apple iPodLoved for its click wheel and simple, polished offline interface, with old units still working years later; critics cite clunky iTunes-dependent syncing and glitchy, unreliable hard drives.102 recommend · owners report 6 years
Books they keep pressing on friends
Recommended in at least half the months of the year.
- Project Hail Mary by Andy WeirA fun, hopeful science-driven sci-fi story about friendship, with an acclaimed audiobook and a faithful film adaptation; critics find the plot too convenient and the movie simplified.117 recommend · 12 of 13 months
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsAn insider's account of Facebook's executives and political dealings, praised as revealing and entertaining, though many critics say the author downplays her own complicity.106 recommend · 12 of 13 months
There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntmRecommended for its strikingly original premise and brilliant opening, a page-turner full of twists; many feel the second half meanders and repeats the same gimmick.98 recommend · owners report 1.5 years
Blindsight by Peter WattsA dense hard SF first-contact novel recommended for its unsettling exploration of intelligence without consciousness; many find the prose hard to follow and the vampires and plot distracting.96 recommend · 12 of 13 months
Dune by Frank HerbertInfluential science fiction admired for its deep world-building, fresh voice and ideas about power and machines. Critics find it long and dense, and say the later books decline.82 recommend · 12 of 13 months
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale CarnegiePeople recommend it as practical advice for making friends and handling social situations, especially for shy readers. Critics say the title and tone sound manipulative.67 recommend · 11 of 13 months
Hyperion by Dan SimmonsFans praise its ideas, religion and prose as top space opera. Common caveat: it ends on a cliffhanger.66 recommend · owners report 1 years
Children of Time by Adrian TchaikovskyRecommended for its alien intelligences, especially its spider characters and sci-fi ideas. Some find the writing shallow or unengaging.62 recommend · 12 of 13 months
Crafting Interpreters by Robert NystromPeople recommend it as a clear, practical introduction to interpreters and compilers, building two interpreters. Caveat: it focuses on dynamic runtimes, not compiled ones.60 recommend · 10 of 13 months
The Mythical Man-Month by Fred BrooksA classic essay collection on software project management, valued for lessons on team size, communication and conceptual integrity that people say still hold. Some readers find parts dated or aimed at management rather than coding.56 recommend · 12 of 13 months
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson and SussmanClassic computer science text that teaches how programs are built, using Scheme to explore abstraction and interpretation; critics say some of its examples are non-idiomatic and dated.55 recommend · 12 of 13 months
The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienPeople recommend it as an accessible classic that introduces Middle-earth well and suits children and adults alike. Critics say some illustrated editions, especially the Tove Jansson art, don't match readers' imagery of the story.49 recommend · 9 of 13 months
Gear people swear by
Few regrets: at least four people recommend it for every critic.
- Steam DeckA handheld PC that runs much of a Steam library well on Linux and is open to tinkering, though critics cite its bulk, modest power and mode-switching freezes.412 recommend · owners report 2 years
- Oxide Computer rackRecommended for programmatically managed, owned on-prem racks with storage, network and compute in one package. Critics cite high cost and dated hardware.92 recommend · 10 of 13 months
- Google TPUGoogle's custom AI chips, rented through Google Cloud, are recommended for cheap, energy-efficient inference and large-scale clusters. Common caveat: hard to program and behind Nvidia at top performance.73 recommend · 11 of 13 months
- Raspberry Pi PicoCheap, capable microcontroller board that people use for physical computing, prototyping and education; critics say it has limited RAM and flash and weak Wi-Fi connectivity.72 recommend · 12 of 13 months
- Commodore AmigaLoved for its graphics, multitasking and video features; critics say it cost too much at launch and its custom chips limited it.60 recommend · 11 of 13 months
- Apple M1 laptopRecommended for fast, cool, efficient performance that beats most x86 laptops and stays capable for years. Critics note weaker GPU results and gaps in software and Linux support.58 recommend · 11 of 13 months
- GL.iNet travel routerSmall travel router that handles hotel captive portals, runs OpenWrt and reaches home services remotely; critics prefer re-flashing stock OpenWrt.54 recommend · 9 of 13 months
- Casio watchPeople recommend Casio digital watches for battery life measured in years, low price and simple, durable use. Critics say the backlight is weak and the interface is hard to use.49 recommend · owners report 5 years
- Apple M1 MacStill fast enough for web dev, everyday work and Linux years after release, and cheap used. Critics note soldered, hard-to-upgrade storage.48 recommend · owners report 6 years
- Roborock robot vacuumStrong cleaning, mapping and long life for the money, with replaceable parts and easy setup. Caveats: data privacy concerns with a Chinese maker and getting stuck.48 recommend · owners report 6.5 years
- Casio F-91WCheap, simple, and durable digital watch that often runs for years on one battery, with a strong mod community. Critics say the backlight is weak and the strap is small.47 recommend · owners report 3 years
- AMD Radeon AI Pro R970032 GB of VRAM for much less than Nvidia cards, fast enough for local LLMs, with quiet, easy drivers. The most common caveat is weak vLLM support.45 recommend · 12 of 13 months
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