Tools I Use - And Why These Specifically

People often ask me what AI tools are best. The answer isn't about which is "the best" overall. It's about which is best for a specific thing. Each tool has its role, its context.

My Tool Division

Perplexity - roughly 90% of my searches (estimate) Zed + Claude - programming and technical things ChatGPT - non-technical things, household, garden

This division isn't random. It developed naturally based on what worked best for me where.

Perplexity: My Entry Point to Every Research

I use Perplexity for research, but it's not my primary workflow - I also work directly with Claude or ChatGPT without it. It's just one approach among many.

Advantages:

• Quick summary with source links
• Can easily copy entire response with links
• Helps with categorization (e.g., choosing right car seat group by height)
• Finds API names I need

Limitations:

• Often lacks latest data
• Sometimes "invents" sources that don't exist
• Tends to be superficial on technical topics

My workflow:

1. Give short question with context (5-10 seconds)
2. Get summary + links
3. Verify dates and primary sources
4. Take only relevant parts (not everything!)
5. Insert as context into next tool

Tip: If Perplexity doesn't find what you're looking for, try Google and then put results into Perplexity for processing.

Zed + Claude: Where Real Work Happens

Zed.dev is my main editor for AI work. Why Zed and not Cursor or Copilot?

Zed advantages:

• Excellent UX for context work
• Can edit prompts during execution
• Easy to add/remove files from context
• Claude model is "intelligent" - can find relevant files

How I use it:

• For clear tasks, I let Claude find files automatically
• For complex tasks, I add context manually
• Always write "this is from Linear" or "found on Perplexity"
• Edit prompts directly in editor, not via messages

Real example:

Linear issue #XYZ-1234: fix email validation
(Linear is our project management tool for tracking development tasks)
Context: ValidationHelper.ex lines 45-90
Claude found: 2 validation implementations
Me: edit prompt to specify the first one
Result: precise fix in 30 seconds

When Claude fails:

• Files with similar names in different directories
• Too much context (more than 3-4 files)
• When it doesn't know which library version we use

ChatGPT: My Home Assistant

I use ChatGPT for everything non-technical. Why not Claude or Perplexity?

ChatGPT is best for:

• Writing and editing texts
• Home projects (garden, recipes, repairs)
• Explaining things to kids
• Brainstorming and ideation

Real uses:

• Vegetable planting plan based on our soil
• Electricity consumption analysis (but Claude did that)
• Help with kids' homework
• Presentation preparation

Tip: For technical things rather Claude, for creative ChatGPT.

Combinations That Work

Perplexity + ChatGPT:

• Research via Perplexity
• Processing and writing via ChatGPT
• Example: article about new technology

Perplexity + Claude:

• API documentation via Perplexity
• Implementation via Claude
• Use less often because Zed has good search

What I never combine:

• ChatGPT + Claude (doesn't make sense, they have different uses)

Tools I Don't Use (And Why)

GitHub Copilot:

• Zed + Claude gives me more control
• Copilot is good for autocomplete, not for bigger changes

Gemini:

• Tried it, but didn't find use case where it's better
• Maybe that changes with new versions

Midjourney/DALL-E:

• Don't need to generate images
• When I need them, I use ChatGPT (has DALL-E)

How to Choose Tools

1. Start with one - not all at once
2. Give it a month - you need time to develop habits
3. Look for fit - not every tool suits everyone
4. Don't pay immediately - try free versions
5. Specialize - each tool for different thing

What It Costs Me

• Perplexity Pro: Free via Revolut Premium package
• Zed Pro: Usage-based pricing where I use Claude, pay per prompts, roughly $50-100/month
• ChatGPT Plus: $20/month
• Total: $70-120/month

Is it a lot? Not for me. I save hours weekly. ROI is huge.

Tip: Start with free versions. Pay only when you hit limits.

Practical Settings

Perplexity:

• Pro search enabled
• Prefer Academic sources for research
• Focus on Latest for current topics

ChatGPT:

• Custom instructions with my writing style
• Web browsing disabled (prefer Perplexity)
• Memory enabled for context repetition

Conclusion: Tools Are Just the Beginning

The best tool is one that:

• You use daily
• You understand its limitations
• You can effectively combine

It's not about having all tools. It's about knowing how to use the right ones for the right thing.

In the next article, we'll look at how to introduce AI to a team - not as a toy, but as part of workflow.

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Oliver Kriska has been using AI tools daily for over a year. His approach: specialization instead of universality.