Normally we just filter the stuff between the tap and cup. And as a kid, we had to boil and store it, and just learned to tolerate the metallic/dirt taste at times. This was when soda peaked.
Somehow I never put the international explosion of Coke and Pepsi in this context. The things late-20th century Americans took for granted!
I would also like to run a bath by doing the same thing, and having the water stop when it's at the right level. Maybe there could be a heating element that keeps the water at the right temperature so you don't have to occasionally top it up with hot water.
I'm sure this already exists but I've never seen it anywhere.
I have one in my master shower and it's fantastic. Of course, the water starts out cold (because the water in the hot water pipes are cold) but once it's up to temperature, it's very consistent, even if you have a toilet flush in your house which would reduce the pressure of cold.
No, this should be considered a failure condition for a constant temperature shower. I don't care how they do it, just bleed the cold water into a separate pipe off to the side or something.
We have sent people into space, I want actual uniform temperature water.
the way I do it is just turn the shower on about 30 seconds before I get in, which works the same with half the piping and less energy loss due to circulating hot water (but some water loss)
- not drop the pressure of the cold water at all
- drop both the hot and the cold equally (due to house input being limited)
The hot water is fed by the same input pressure as the cold, so they are the same pressure system. A temperature drop on a toilet flush is a pretty big fuckup by the plumber in the bathroom.
For an extra bonus: You usually have three identical looking small bottles with 'shampoo', 'conditioner', and 'shower gel' only distinguished by a tiny label, something like black-on-brown or yellow-on-white. Good luck if you are wearing glasses.
https://www.hansgrohe-usa.com/articledetail-showerselect-the...
OK, here's something I use every day that's reliable and clever and works almost as if by magic, even though nobody appreciates it: a three-way light switch. Simple, elegant, interesting -- and nobody notices or cares.
Here in NL I think the roads are particularly well-designed. We have well-designed junctions that prevent accidents in a very passive way (good visibility, the ability to make eye contact with crossing traffic).
Only recognize Google apps and Apple hardware from the other comments - they are great.
The 'best design' is often something that's so frictionless and easy to use that it's invisible in day-to-day use. Everyday infrastructure like steps are something that's noticeable when they're off (e.g. spaced too far apart, or too steep); most are designed well.
It's easy to find things that are designed poorly. But much less tangible to find a 'best designed' item.