As in, channels where the presenter is laid back, calming, and the content is slower paced and chill. My go two examples are LGR for retro computer stuff, and Hainbach for experimental tape music.
Ishitani Furniture (no talking, plus an occasional pet): https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC7FkqjV8SU5I8FCHXQSQe9Q
He does great work!
He doesn’t really talk in his videos, but I really enjoy watching Philippe Faraut sculpt in clay. Guy has masterful technique.
I recommend Technology Connections to anyone who enjoys learning about how stuff works. I really appreciate the way this guy explains things for laypeople.
SummoningSalt is super interesting if you like learning about speedrunning. My only gripe is that the videos are all really chill, but tend to have clips of people breaking world records and flipping out, like “FUCK YEAAAAAAAHH WOOOOOOO FUCK YEAH LET’S FUCKING GOOOOO FUUUUUUCK” and it can be very jarring, lol. But I do enjoy seeing those clips in the videos.
Grand Illusions is a fun channel where an older British gentleman named Tim presents curiosities, puzzles, toys, and the like.
Honorable mention: while I don’t watch many of his videos these days, Smarter Every Day is fantastic STEM content
Bobby Fingers is good if you want sculpting with chill narration. (And bonkers subjects)
LockPickingLawyer
Steve Wallis (Camping With Steve)
Math Queen
bigclivedotcom - I have no idea what he’s talking about 90% of the time but he’s generally a relaxing watch.
Ali Spagnola and Aging Wheels aren’t quite what you’re describing in terms of being calm and chill but I still love their stuff.
Seconding others’ recommendations for Technology Connections, TheCrafsMan, Cathode Ray Dude, and Techmoan.
I mostly watch guitar luthiers on youtube nowadays as a background for when I do stuff like washing dishes and such, so I don’t want to listen to people yelling.
My favourite channels are twoodfrd and Doug McCormack for this reason exactly: they’re laid back, constructive and politePretty much exactly Bob Ross if he were a nice Canadian lady doing nails…
Cathode Ray Dude
City Planner Plays is quite literally the Bob Ross of city building games. He uses his actual professional knowledge of city planning to build really creative and compelling stuff, and he makes it seem easy enough that you want to try doing it yourself. He has commissioned a library of chill lofi beats that he plays in the background of all his videos, which adds to the vibe immensely. And on top of that, he seems like a sincerely pleasant guy, just having fun doing a thing he enjoys doing. It’s an absolute gem of a channel.
The Lock picking lawyer. Too bad the videos are so short; he has a very soothing voice.
And, of course, the OG Bob Ross. I do oil pastel drawing, and often take inspiration from his works.
“Tally Ho” comes to mind, where a guy turns a famous wreck into a boat.
Pask Makes - Australian wood- and metalworking guy who does the most elaborate and intricate things with absolute chill.
Dashner Design and Restoration - also woodworking, finds old and neglected mid century modern furniture at thrift stores and restores them beautifully.
Maybe tangential but FutureCanoe - meme-y cooking channel, super relatable and relaxing mostly because his voice sounds like existential dread.
Most of what I would have suggested has already been posted by others, but I can say Kruggsmash’s Dwarf Fortress stories do this for me. The Waddlesquash/Kingdom of Autumn series he did (with the pumpkin mod) is particularly laid back, but even the action-heavy series are calming to watch/listen to.
Baumgartner Restoration. I watch it like bedtime stories.
Michael MJD: Retro tech youtuber with a very calming voice and video style. Often installs operating systems on unusual devices.
Techmoan: Tech youtuber focused on old audio equipment.
Ashens: British Youtuber, who has been reviewing mostly poundshop tat and occasionally other random items in front of a brown sofa since 2006.
Geowizard: British Youtuber who does online Geography quizzes like Geoguessr and sometimes goes on adventures. The former part is probably more relevant to your question, though even his adventures have a nice, calm narration and music (that he wrote himself).
The Trek Planner: Finds interesting spots on Google Earth and hikes there, usually in the deserts of the Western US. Videos are usually more focused on the journey than the destination, so there will always be lots of nice views of nature. Honorable mention also to Desert Drifter, who did similar videos but unfortunately passed away recently.
Second Geowizard. Chill British dude.
His Geo Detective bits are exactly what OP is looking for. No competition, just using his knowledge, skills, and luck to help people find things, usually from historical pictures of their loved ones.
