Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.

I get asked a lot about the tools I use to stay productive, or buy to fool myself into thinking I’m being productive when I’m really just procrastinating. Here’s a list of the stuff that actually helps.

Workstation

  • 16” MacBook Pro, M1 Max, 64GB RAM (2021)

    My old Intel MacBook had opinions about how many tabs I should open. This one lets me run 50, plus Excel and Spotify, without breaking a sweat.

  • Apple Pro Display XDR (Standard Glass)

    The only display on the market if you want something HiDPI and bigger than 27”.

  • Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

    Nothing flashy—just works.

  • Apple Magic Mouse

    Once you get used to it, everything else feels clunky.

  • Herman Miller Aeron Chair

    If I’m going to slouch in the worst ergonomic position imaginable most of the day, this is the chair that lets me get away with it.

  • Deskhaus Apex Pro

    And when I finally decide to stand, this is the desk that doesn’t make it a hassle. No wobble, no fuss—just up, down, done.

  • Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX

    Good speakers make everything better. If I’m at my desk, these are on.

  • Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

    When the house gets loud, these make sure I don’t notice.

Dev tools

  • Cursor

    I held onto Atom for as long as I could. Went to VS Code like everyone else, then switched to Cursor for the AI.

  • Tailwind CSS

    Spent years overthinking class names and writing way too much CSS. Tailwind fixed both—just build and move on.

Design

  • Figma

    Thought it was just for design—turns out, it’s for everything.

Marketing

  • Zurb Foundation for Emails

    This actually makes email dev bearable—even keeps Outlook in check.

  • Semrush

    The data’s good. The data’s also… debatable. Use accordingly.

  • Sendgrid

    It doesn’t try to do too much. Just send the emails.

  • Trello

    Keeps projects organized without turning into a second job.

  • ChatGPT & Claude

    It's 2025—AI should be the default. ChatGPT for speed, Claude for depth.

Mobile

  • GrapheneOS

    Privacy-focused, secure, and stripped of everything unnecessary.