A little entertainment01
The gaming projector had nowhere to stand.
Sloane wanted films in bed. Milo wanted his desk back. Their projector plan lasted until she opened the wardrobe.
THE STORY INDEX · 42 STORIES
Ordinary life.
Interesting complications.
The socket, setting, or bit of your floor plan that could change what goes in the basket.
Keeping house02
The robot had been put on the cleaning rota.
Dev penciled a robot into his cleaning turn. The carpet between the rooms made Lena ask which one could take over.
A little entertainment03
The borrowed soundbar had nowhere to connect.
Ellis had a projector, a console and a Beam on loan. Drawing their connections changed what he was willing to buy.
Everyday tech04
A charger for the workbench. A bag for June.
June wants her bag back. Tessa wants a charger that can stay home with the MacBook and phone.
In the kitchen05
Which dual brewer makes a carafe over ice?
Bea wanted an iced carafe beside the sketchbooks. On two dual brewers, the carafe and iced settings worked differently.
Everyday tech06
Brother QL-800 red and black labels need DK-2251
Theo wanted one red heading on his loan tags. The refill and a software setting would decide it.
Everyday tech07
Canon LiDE 400: scan an A3 drawing in two parts
Max wants a digital version of a larger drawing while keeping the paper whole. Canon’s two-part scan mode makes the smaller platen worth considering.
Made in the spare hours08
Clover Wonder Clips: hold vinyl edges without pin holes
Amal has a vinyl panel to prepare. A removable clip changes how the edges are held, with the familiar pins still useful for other fabrics.
Made in the spare hours09
The printer changed the whole project.
Nora had the printer and a drawing for the cutter. The vinyl changed what she would need to buy.
Made in the spare hours10
Cricut Mug Press needs sublimation-compatible mugs
Cass had a drawing in mind for two mugs. The coating would decide which mugs could take it.
In the kitchen11
Can the Cuisinart Smart Stick blend soup in the saucepan?
June wants to blend cooked soup in Mara’s saucepan. The shaft can do that when the pan and batch leave room at both ends.
Everyday tech12
Duplex printing does not mean two-sided scanning
Lena wanted both faces of the originals copied automatically. A duplex-printing label answered only half of her question.
In the kitchen13
Keep the moka pot. Check the base.
A magnet is only half the check. Sana’s small aluminum moka pot needs a plate that clears the cooktop’s minimum diameter.
Beauty, in practice14
The straightener was going abroad.
Noel wanted a straightener for home and a trip. Gold could come along, if drying stayed a separate step.
Everyday tech15
An eero 6 for the room with an Ethernet cable
Rae had a cable to the back room and an eero in the hall. The extra unit needed a socket that the Extender did not have.
In the kitchen16
Encore or Encore ESP when breakfast needs two kinds of coffee?
Amal wanted weekend espresso. His father wanted the familiar brewer to stay. Forty settings left something to explain.
Everyday tech17
Epson ET-2980 or Brother HL-L2460DW for automatic Legal duplex?
Wren wanted long puzzle sheets printed on both sides. Two features in the printer description needed to appear in the same row.
Out in the garden18
The rain barrel needs more than a timer.
Leo is planning a weekend away. The question is whether his watering setup needs a valve or a pump.
Everyday tech19
Why the AutoMax 100M takes 100 sheets in one mode and 10 in another
Wren has a loose paper stack to dispose of. Two feeding modes, a separate oil bottle and a tight budget shape the choice.
Made in the spare hours20
Can the MOTU M2 record your microphone and computer audio together?
Jules wanted a voice to join the music on Lena’s laptop. One word in the input list changed the interface choice.
Keeping house21
O-Cedar RinseClean separates fresh and wrung-out water
Jules liked the idea of separate fresh water. The place to dry the bucket mattered just as much.
In the bathroom22
Can Oral-B iO and Pro 1000 share replacement heads?
Emil and Rae had two working toothbrushes and a full refill tin. The names on the handles decided which pack belonged to whom.
Beauty, in practice23
Keep the original Airwrap and change direction at the barrel
Drew liked alternating sections, and wanted to keep a working handle. One compatible barrel changed the shopping question.
In the kitchen24
OXO food mill: straining out tomato skins and seeds
Silas wanted the tomato skins and seeds strained out of his soup. A hand-cranked mill gave him a reason to consider another kitchen tool.