Evening Latte

A fair number of things are stored coiled: extension cords, hoses, string lights, A/V cables, etc. And they’re often stored stacked on each other where they congeal and form unholy Gordian knots that put a halt to projects until they can be untangled.

For small-diameter flexible cables (power, A/V, etc.), I’m a fan of making a quick half hitch with one end. It’s quick, free, easy to untie, keeps everything separated, and doesn’t leave anything attached to the cable during use. But for hoses, ropes, and other things that either can’t be tied or come untied easily, I’ve started using cable cuffs.

These are just a couple pieces of plastic hinged together. The two ends form a simple ratchet connection that is released by pressing on a part of the receiving side. One of the draws is the simplicity: the important part (the ratchet) doesn’t rely on a spring or complex mechanism to keep tension, just the shape of a piece of polymer plastic.

My first ones were definitely impulse buys. I was walking around a big box store and saw a bunch on an endcap. I figured it was worth $8 to try a couple, so I got a small Cable Cuff Pro and a medium MegaCuff. They’re very similar, but based on a quick search, Cable Cuff Pro seems to be the “name brand,” and its longer handle is easier to carry.

Even if you don’t have a use for one right now, this is one of those things that is good to put in your utility drawer because there will probably be a situation where it will be useful at some point.