Welcome to another year of my “best of” lists. I’m throwing it all into one post this year, so the list is a little shorter than years past. I have my reasons.
So here are some of my favorite apps, tools, and physical objects from 2018.
The design/photo editing solutions from Affinity are my favorite new software of 2018. Complete replacements for Illustrator and Photoshop, available for both desktop and iPad.
I realized that most of my favorite apps for 2018 were coming from Setapp, so I’m going to save a little time and just send you there. For $10/month (with family and team plans available), there’s just too much good stuff on Setapp to ignore it. Here’s an incomplete list of the apps on Setapp that I use regularly:
Bartender
BetterTouchTool
Capto
CleanMyMac X
CodeRunner
Dropzone
Flume
Forecast Bar
Forklift
Gifox
IconJar
iThoughtsX
Marked
NotePlan
Paw
Permute
Renamer
Screens
Sip
TaskPaper
TeaCode
Typeface
Ulysses
Yummy FTP Pro
iOS
Some of my favorites on iPhone and iPad from the last year:
I 100% blame John Voorhees for this one. I had to delete it off my phone because the Screen Time stats were horrifying. But if you’re looking for an addictive game with excellent design and gameplay, and one you can pick up any time, this is it. There’s a fair chance it will ruin your life.
And along the same lines as TapMeasure, this AR app lets you build floorplans by quickly scanning the corners of rooms and attaching them together. Want to measure the square footage of your entire house? Get this one.
This app has prevented many missed medication doses for me. Gives me reminders on my watch and my phone, and even notifies a third party if you don’t mark them as taken within half an hour.
A Chrome extension for tab (and full session) management. If it were available for Firefox I might switch browsers more permanently, but it’s enough on its own to keep me on Chrome.
I know, I mention these every year. Seriously great collaborative mind mapping (MindMeister) and project management (MeisterTask). My favorite feature is the ability to instantly turn a mind map into a kanban board…
($25) I wrote a review of this one back in June. It lets your Aeropress make espresso. It’s awesome.
And if your Aeropress is aging and slipping when you press, do yourself a favor and spend the $8 on a replacement plunger gasket. It’ll make it feel like new again.
($12.49) This is pretty OCD. Little plastic wedges you can carry around to fix any wobbly table. If you work at coffeehouses, these are great. I doubt they’ll impress your date, so maybe wait until they’ve gone to the bathroom. Thanks to Joe Kissel for pointing me to these.
($12.99) If you want a great work lamp/camping light, this thing is awesome. It’s a super bright flashlight that can slide open to become a lantern. A powerful magnet at the end makes it easy to attach to work surfaces and get light right where you need it.
And if you’re camping (or dealing with a power outage), GearLight LED Lanterns are $16.99 for a 2-pack. Compact and sturdy.
($88) Currently unavailable, but I have to mention it because it’s my favorite yoga mat yet, and I’ve been through a fair number at this point. Great thickness for me (great padding but not so thick it feels like standing on a pillow) and excellent surface traction. Expected to restock in February.
($19.99) Whenever I post yoga pictures I get questions about the gloves I wear. They’re weight lifting gloves with wrap-around wrist support. Great for traction with sweaty palms and a little support for RSSI wrists. My previous brand was Harbinger, but when the velcro wore out I tried these Trideer and I’m really happy with them.
($9) Recommended to my by John Gruber years ago, I just replaced my set this year after losing the fingernail clippers somewhere. Best toe/fingernail clippers ever.
($55.53) This is for a select audience, but if you keep your hair short and like to cut it yourself, this clipper is amazing. It fits in your palm and makes it easy to get to your head from all angles, with a rounded blade to handle the curvature of your head. Not bad for a quick beard trim, either.
($30) Another one for select audiences, but if you own a compatible Audi, this is the best solution for a magnetic phone mount I’ve found. Also available with Qi charging.
($275) The first mechanical keyboard I’ve ever truly loved. Check out my review to see why.
Well, that’s going to be it for this year. Time and money, you know. Hopefully you find something new in here!
As always, not to be confused in any way with MacKeeper, the devil’s scrotum of Mac apps. ↩
BrettTerpstra.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees when linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
