/uses

Inspired by Wes Bos (as I found his resource very useful) this is a quick rundown of the things I use day to day for work / general messing around.

Editor + Terminal

I've been all in on Visual Studio Code for a few years now. Before that, I was using Sublime Text 3. And before that, it was TextMate.

In VSCode, I'm using Dracula and the Material Icon Theme. I keep thinking about Dracula PRO but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

For my font, I'm trying out Monaspace at the moment which seems pretty good. I seem to be cycling through mono-space fonts, having tried Inconsolata & Dank Mono before.

After experimenting with a few different terminals, I've switched back to iTerm2, but frankly, I normally use VScodes built-in terminal.

For my shell, I'm using ZSH, again stealing Wes's setup, and I'm pretty happy with that.

I've been using Fig for a few months now and like it, especially as I can't remember my branch names half the time.

Desktop Apps

My go-to browser is Firefox these days. I quite like being the only person on a team with a different browser, good for catching obscure bugs before they go live.

For design stuff, I'm now fully onboard the Figma train. It's great, and I hope Adobe doesn't ruin it.

Hardware

I have a 14 Inch Macbook Pro (2021). Having had an M2 Air for a short time for work, I don't think I'd buy a Pro model again. These chips are insane, and the fans are never turned on.

On my desk is a Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Monitor (U3419W) I managed to pick up from a PhD student who was selling it for far too cheap. It's very heavy and not 4k, so there is an upgrade down the line.

For input, I'm using the combo of a Logitech MX Master 3 mouse and Logitech MX Keys. I spent years on the Apple Magic Keyboard & Mouse, but I find my wrists less painful after a few days of hard work with these, which I attribute mostly to the mouse.

Desk

My Desktop is a stupidly heavy bit of wood rescued from an office refurbishment job in Bristol. A friend saw a load of wood going in the bin, so just chucked it in his boot and gave me a call. For legs, I'm using Flexispot EF1 which I like, especially for the price.

I'm using Full Fully Jarvis Dual Monitor Arms, with a laptop stand on one of the arms. I was lucky enough to be given this by a friend, and don't think I'll go back now.

To hide a few old drill holes I'm using a Dotgrid Black deskmat, mostly as it had a good review from David Darnes.

Audio

At home, I have a Numark tt-1700 turntable, which I was given by my step-brother. It's not my ideal turntable, but for now, it works. That's hooked up to a ProJect Phono Box E phono stage. To switch between my laptop and the record player I use a JDS Labs OL Switcher, which feeds into a set of Kanto YU powered speakers.

It's a small/cheap ish setup, which I'm planning on investing a bit more into this year. A proper DAC is next on my shopping list, probably from JDS Labs.

On the go, I'm using a pair of Apple Airpods Pro. I can take or leave the noise cancellation and the price tag, but the seamless pairing/switching between my phone and laptop is hands down the best feature.

I've still got a pair of Shure SE215s, but I mostly use these with the Playstation so as not to disturb others in the house.

Gaming

My go-to console is a PlayStation 5, but I only really play 3/4 games a year. I picked up a PS Plus account to play some classics on the cheap.

I keep thinking about a Steam Deck, but not pulled the trigger just yet.

Coffee

This was the big lockdown hobby that now dominates my life. After putting it off for a long time I ended up getting a good price on a Gaggia Classic (2019), which I've modded with a couple of accessions from Shades of Coffee.

I pair this with a Eureka Mignon Zero grinder, which doesn't look super pretty, but had good reviews and I'm happy with it. The dream is a Niche Zero.

For filter brewing, I use a Hario V60 or an AeroPress, which for both I have a variety of paper, metal, and cloth filters. When travelling, I'll normally carry a MiiR Pourigami if we're going somewhere without access to a good brewing system.

As for techniques, I'll do whatever James Hoffmann recommends.

Other

My phone is a iPhone 12 after spending 10 years on Android. I'm hoping to make it last as long as possible, but a 16 might tempt me.
I also have an iPad 6th Generation which I mostly use for looking up recipes in the kitchen or watching movies on public transport.
My daily backpack is a handmade Daysack by Big Top. It's fully waterproof (rain-wise), I've had it for 9 years and I imagine it'll last forever.

Liam Richardson