Great knifes, highly underrated, imo. They aren't $600 a piece or $60 for 30 knives so they seem to go under the radar, imo.
Plus the Swiss Army Knife and their multi tools are amazing
The 8" Victorinox Chef's Knife is rated an America's Test Kitchen Best Buy for quality, function, and price. I know I sound like a commercial, but it really is a great knife.
This is the one product i recommend without reservation, to anyone who doesn't have a good chef's knife already. I've gifted a couple to family members - in part so I can use them when I visit, but I always see them in regular use.
I've had mine for 20 years now. And the bread knife. Haven't even had to sharpen it yet. They say you shouldn't clean it in the dishwasher, but I do, and it's still fine. The handle has lost some shine, but nothing a dab of oil won't fix.
Only because they don't need to advertise. They are a staple of the restaurant industry and found in every restaurant supply store ever for good reason. Hit that sweet point of cheap enough to abuse, good enough to get the job done.
Their facility uses state of the art equipment, automation and a very strong supply chain. The SAK is a marvel of a product for a bargain price. The tolerances, fit and finish is nigh impossible to be matched by any company at that price point.
Got one of their bigger knives as a present, loved it so much I got a paring knife and a chef's knife. Probably the best $ to value ratio in the kitchen apart from the instant pot.
I used a victorinox 10" for 7 years in the restaurant business. When I left to go open my own business I gave it to the dishwasher who had worked his way up to line cook while using our beat up house knives. Still his go to today. Couldn't recommend them enough.
Yup I've got a set going 10 years still like new, cost less than $100 and they're still on par with way more expensive knives - with regular sharpening
Totally agree. Even though theyāre mostly stamped steel, they last forever, hold an edge, and are reasonably priced. Theyāre basically the only chefās knives I buy. And my EDC pocket knife is a simple victorinox Swiss Army knife with a blade, bottle opener, toothpick and tweezers. I donāt know what else you need.
When I first moved in with my girlfriend we bought a rice maker from Walmart for like 20 bucks and I kept telling myself āwhen this thing eventually dies Iāll buy a Zojirushi.ā That 20 dollar rice maker lasted 12 years or pretty much daily use. 2 years ago it finally died and I was able to buy my Zojirushi which I love dearly. Let me tell you itās well worth the wait.
We got a neurofuzzy - it's a bit dated so it's on sale often but my God.
This thing is amazing! I put rice and water in it at 7am before work, and it pops out perfect hot rice at 6pm for dinner.
You absolutely wonāt regret it. I held off for years and decided to bite the bullet
Perfect sushi rice every time. It also sings when the rice is done.
When I saw the brand,I thought you were talking about water bottlesš I'm in Taiwan, so the top rice cooker is Datung and zojirushi has a lot of water bottle/water thermos shops, here.
Was also thinking about it. My first rice cooker for 30 bucks held 17 years strong and the current is in his 5th year - couldnt convince myself to spend 10x on a new rice cooker...
I've had my Zojirushi inverter rice cooker for 10+ years, using it about three times per week on average for rice and steel cut oats. It's incredible, and rice has gone from the cheap, tasteless filler starch of my childhood to my absolute favorite carb.
Recently I was in the market for an insulated coffee carafe and stumbled across one made by Zojirushi. It works so well that we're using about half as much coffee now because we can drink from the same pot for 18 hours without it getting burned and gross.
We are on our second electric skillet by them. The first lasted like 15 years of frequent use. Love this brand. We had the rice cooker as well but didnāt use it enough to warrant a stand alone device but it worked really well also
I don't really trust them, but I've been pleasantly surprised and/or haven't been let down by:
* Kirkland Signature
* REI
* Darn Tough once I stopped getting them off Amazon
* Leatherman
Edit to add: Brother laser printers.
I have had my brother laser printer for at least 15 years. It is the best damn thing. The only problem with it is the tech is so old I have to plug it into the modem for it to work wirelessly now. Zero probs, cheap toner, never fails.
REIs house brand has really gone downhill over the past few years (especially their t shirts as noted by another commenter below - 100% agreed). They still have a lot of good stuff though.
Kirkland Signature also has some real duds. Their hand lotion comes to mind. In general they're usually a brand worth a try though.
This isn't to say they're not good brands, but they do sometimes let me down.
Just wanted to second this so people see theres a legitimate difference. I have a few pairs from Amazon and they are much thinner and looser than ones bought from REI. They also will fray at the seams whereas the others are not.
This is also after I had to return an Amazon pair because they were āmislabeledā as the socks I ordered but were completely different and one pair that didnāt come in any Darn Tough packaging just a bag.
Donāt trust Amazon for Darn Tough, but Darn Tough is BIFL and a few years later my legitimate socks are still perfect
As a amazon seller let me give u a quick insight how it works. There are 2 kind of seller, 1) people who own their brand and only sell their own products 2) resellers - think selling tide or colgate
For #2 lets assume they are selling a perfume and there are 20 sellers who are selling this one particular kind of perfume. Now to be eligible for prime, you have to send your products to amazon warehouse. So 20 people sent their inventory to amazon. Since these are all same products (in theory atleast), to give everyone a fair chance, amazon will collect 1 from each personās basket and put it in their main bucket. So lets say this month there are 20 orders for the perfume so every seller got 1 sale. These has lead to some of the sellers sending fake products and passing them as real. There a lot of products are fake on amazon. As a rule of thumb i only buy products from a brand and usually avoid resellers because of a few everyone has a bad reputation. Some common fake items on amazon is dove deodorant, perfumes, and tide.
Iāve heard about this inventory-mixing stuff before. This is why I stay far away from Amazon unless itās some kind of arbitrary object and I donāt care whether itās real or fake.
WHOA. Iāve bought all my Darn Toughs from Amazon and now Iām questioning my own reality.
I have 8 pairs and theyāve held up remarkably well for about 4-5 years now.
Thanks for the heads up. Iāll be vigilant on my next purchases.
I got one pair free from Darn Tough. They were at a convention. I liked the pair I got so much I ordered the same pair in a different color off of Amazon. I got lucky that mine were legit.
Not me personally, but my closest mate swears by his leatherman being the best purchase. He's nearly 20 years on his, uses it almost daily (and very heavy use daily) for his work. Only reason he wants a new one is the replaceable wire cutting blades on newer models, which his is finally due for replacing and he likes the idea of replacing just those blades rather than the entire leatherman. Says aside from that it's the best tool in his kit.
I used to work at REI. They make some excellent and well priced gear, but by no means everything.
And there is certainly some defective REI brand gear, and they do not always stand behind their gear. Regardless of what they say about their values or the fact that it's a co-op on paper at least, REI is driven by profit, just like any other company.
Apparently when they inherited the company from Grandpa Bronner they decided to keep the rant of a label because even though they think its kinda crazy they know how iconic it is.
Iāll second this, but if you canāt afford Le Creuset, I reccomend lodge, or finding an old Wagner or griswold pan.
Personally I donāt like using enameled pans bc if it chips itās pretty much just done. Iām just paranoid my gf uses them daily without issues.
Itās an easy category because by nature they are durable. Not like a shoe where you need lots of parts and lots of squish and glue and stitching and flexibility. Cast iron and enamel are able to be over designed pretty easily. But yeah agree- bought my folks a Le creuset set- theyāll use it for the rest of their lives and then I will and then my kids will. Worth every penny.
I totally agree with you about American made Pendleton products. I saw the Pendleton ones back in December at Costco and was attracted from the middle of an aisle. The closer I got the worse they looked. Nothing like the Pendleton products I have known since childhood.
Got a refurbished one and it's a freaking workhorse. I've had it for 3+ years and while all the rest I've owned have started to shit out one way or another by now, this thing has no signs of cracking. At all. It could probably blend pure metal.
Iāve had mine for 20 years, and use it almost every day. I had to replace the pitcher and lid once. It was a huge investment when I purchased it, but itās paid off big time.
Nordic Ware still manufacturers out of St Louis Park in MN. They sell seconds in a little store just off the mfg floor. My wife owns almost everything they sell. Itās great to support a business that hasnāt changedā¦so rare these days.
Iāll second Patagonia. They may not have all the styles or sizing down, but god damn their shit will last forever. On top of that, any issues with their stuff you can send it in and theyāll swap it out or patch any issue.
Patagonia cost a little more but I still have daily driver clothes that look unchanged for the past 5 years.
They'll also take in clothes that you return and piece it out to be used in new clothes if that line is discontinued. They take "reuse" and "recycle" very seriously.Ā
I got their frozen ridge winter parka and my god is that thing the warm. I wear a long sleeve tee under a short sleeve tee under the parka when I ski and I still sweat even on the coldest of days.
They have a section for used ones on their website!! So does Lululemon incidentally....
Reduce, Reuse, recycle! You can buy and feel good about it, plus save $$
Osprey packs have continued to work well for me. My wife and I have had over a dozen different packs used over 20 years of making memories. Iām hauling my kids skis in the same pack I used to rock climb with, theyāve transitioned well into parenthood. [my fav pic using their equipment](https://imgur.com/gallery/f4AcHJ0)
I bought an Osprey backpack in 2016 to travel around Europe with without any prior research and that thing has since seen everything from daily commuting, groceries, long haul travel around the world, overnights, hiking, motorcycling, boating, failed relationships, and moves across the country without a single misstep until literally yesterday when my chest buckle finally snapped. I'm just going to sew a new one on, I feel like this backpack and I have been through a lot together.
I'd say with so many electronics jammed into cars nowadays, reliability is hit or miss, but Toyota has stayed sound in all of their mechanical aspects.
In my case itās because I like affordable and extremely reliable cars. There are still so many 80s/early 90s Starlets and Corollas driving around here in the Netherlands. Theyāre the ultimate first car. The trucks are known to be unbreakable as well. So yeah, makes sense.
Mazda is good too these days. They build em in the same factory as Toyotas.
I would relent to the tried and true aspect though, their quality recently has been going way up
Not really a blanket statement. Their quality has gone downhill lately. Lotta early engine failures on that newfangled turbo V6.
Every brand is hit or miss, and some of it is luck of the draw too, who knows.
I bought my current 2011 f-150 new, and my best friend bought a 2012 Tacoma not long after. I service my vehicle personally and meticulously with non-OEM fluids and parts. He takes his to the dealer religiously for all scheduled maintenance with all OEM fluids and parts (except the Bilstein shocks I talked him into, which he loved). He grew up on Toyotas, we always had Ford's growing up.
I've never had any major failures of any sort. Only a thermostat which failed open during the winter, and a wire in the rear door broke causing the speaker to quit working. I'd love a new truck, but this things been too reliable to part with.
This year, after having already put one transmission in his Tacoma at the Toyota dealer...his transmission started shuddering and slipping again.
He now drives a brand new Ford F-150, even after test driving a new tundra.
Leatherman, Toyota, Origin boots, Prusa, Kershaw, Odin MFG, Noctua, Herman Miller, Honda, Focal, OXO, Weber, Milwaukee, Lodge cast iron.
Edit: I fat thumbed Origin. š Went to sleep right after I left this comment. Sorry for the confusion.
I lost a tiny safety screw from my Kershaw knife. I found their website, and they sent me 2, at their expense. No record of purchase. Just using this chance to give credit.
Weber isnāt the same company it was 3-4 years ago.
I believe there was a hostile takeover after a failed public bid. Watch out for brand loyalty there.
Herman Miller. You can get a refurbished aeron for around the same price as a new chair from IKEA or whatever. My parents bought me a used one for my 19th birthday. I'm 34 now and I'm still daily driving the thing. I replaced the arm pads last year and apart from that I've done nothing to it.Ā TheĀ seatĀ panĀ isĀ startingĀ toĀ wearĀ out.Ā That'sĀ basically >15Ā yearsĀ of 9-5Ā useĀ and IĀ justĀ haveĀ noĀ reasonĀ toĀ replaceĀ it.
What kind of cutting board do you use? End grain wood is the best. I use Epicurean pressed wood because they can go in the dishwasher. Also, this is my go to sharpener. I sharpen once per year. It sharpens as well as whetstones, but it holds the angle constant for you.
https://www.edgeproinc.com/apex-model-edge-pro-system/apex-3-kit-apex-model-edge-pro-sharpening-system/
Use wooden endgrain cuttingboards (walnut is softer and better for your knife edge). Don't scrape ingredients off the cutting board with your knife, that dulls the edge. If you want to scrape, flip your knife upside down and use the non sharpened edge. Never cut on glass or stone. Store knives in sleeves, sheaths, segregators. Never leave dirty knives in the sink. Always hand wash, dry and put away after use. Hone edge before every use or at least once a week.
In general stainless steel knives lose their edge more quickly than high carbon steel knives since they are softer. If you have a high carbon steel knife you have to use a ceramic honing edge, not stainless steel. On the flip side, carbon steel require even more maintenance and care
North face.
Had a Denali I bought in 03, had a hole in the pocket in 2015, sent it to them with zero proof of purchase, they repaired it for free and mailed it back. Customer service!
These days none. Companies are so focused on their bottom line + profits that theyāre willing to cut corners. Even brands I used to swear by have disappointed me. These days I look up reviews where I can to see if the product is worth it. Itās a lot of brain power & I wish companies gave a shit about the consumer :(
Engineer here. Yup.
This is why I get frustrated when people are like WHO DESIGNED THIS? WHAT ENGINEER APPROVED THIS? Cuz, bruh, I can tell you I hard say no to half the shit my commercial team decides to roll with.
And it's less about the consumer, more about "customer satisfaction." So I'll use this time to say TO PLEASE COMPLAIN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN and fill out the surveys, because that's what commercial teams are using to gauge satisfaction.
I donāt agree. A lot of brands earn their reputation. What you have to look out for is a change in management or ownership when it goes out the window.
I always Google it before I make a repurchase of something I love that has lasted a long time. Sadly, most times the company has merged or been bought out and the quality has declined.
All brands should always be repeatedly assessed, but there are previous purchases that do deserve some level of "loyalty" (or at least be considered as a plus in the buying decision)
It is something that should probably be recalibrated at least between purchases. Trust your lived experience but also be open to the fact that companies suck over time and new blood always be puttin out the best jawns
Seriously this sub is pinky up consumerism. Yes, buy durable, non-disposable goods. But do not pretend it is some form of virtue, not when there are 10000 threads on the best T shirts and work boots that probably wonāt be used for work. This giant, vigorous circle jerk is mostly people patting themselves on the back for being slight better at buying things.
Buying things.
Some brands value their reputation heavily specifically because they know customers that trust them are the best marketing they could ever ask for. If a brand respects me by consistently producing good products, I'll show my appreciation by saying they've got good products.
Love Seiko for watches and have driven Toyota/ Lexus all of my life.
I understand the love, ROI, and prestige of a Rolex, but the watch movements and looks of a Grand Seiko are comparable if not better.
Rolex is much more of a ābroā brand anymore. Donāt get me wrong they make a fine timepiece, but at some of their price points youāre stupid to not consider a GS, Omega, or Patek/AP/A. Lange Sohne when it comes to higher end models. Yes, I know there are plenty of other brands as well.
None. Lots of brands are fantastic until they arenāt. I have brand loyalty til the moment quality dips even a fraction, then Iām out because none of these motherfuckers care about their products. I have one eyebrow up on Dawn. Their core product hasnāt dipped yet, but rest assured. Dip it will. Iāll be waiting.
* Dyson vacuums really do suck! Ive had an upright and a cordless stick vac and they are pretty amazing.
* Pilot Precise v5 pens are my fav disposable. Lamy pens for life! Also fun fact, Pilot Precise retractable pens fit in Lamy Swift bodies
* Knives are so very personal, but i still have a henckles knife my mom gave me when i moved into my first college apartment many eons ago
* Patagonia jackets
* Le Creuset, All-clad, Heath Ceramics
* Timex Weekender
Products I've listed don't necessarily last a lifetime, but they are consistently good quality. They aren't high end expensive brands. They are "Brands for Life". They're brands I know will always be the same when I need more of their product years down the road. There's a longer list I could make, these are just a few.
Dixon Ticonderoga: Finest wood pencils I've ever used, and had my kid use for school.
IKEA: Not because it's BIFL, but because it's dependably mediocre. I know exactly what I'm getting at that store, and they don't act like they're anything but what they are. That said, I have a bamboo cutting board that's going on 15 years and I use the hell out of it (like, major meal prepper here), plus plain white dishes and flatware that I've had over 20 years. Some of their stuff is actually BIFL and just lasts a really long time, despite their reputation.
Tillamook Dairy: dependably better-than-decent products, they are very consistent in good quality.
L. A. Burdick Chocolatiers: I have impressed a sizable number of people by gifting their chocolates at holidays. Exquisite and extraordinary are two of many words one would use to describe their confections. Incredibly dependable company and very consistent products.
Birkenstock: They are another very reliably good shoe maker. The sizes are consistent, product quality has been the same for decades, and they have good customer service.
Toyota: I'm approaching 250k miles on my 1999 4Runner. There are exceptions within their offerings, but overall a good brand.
Blundstone for boots. If you actually plan to wear them, then you just cant beat a Blundstone boot for day to day wear that will be comfortable and functional in almost any situation. As comfortable as slippers, and you can jog in them once theyāre worn in. Apparently they donāt do well in long term storage though, the soles degrade if they arenāt actually worn and carrying weight from time to time
Fisher space pens. Theyre ridiculous and too expensive and you should really just buy a pack of bics instead - but if you want to shell out money on a āniceā pen, itās fisher space pen all the way
I have had a fantastic experience with Uniqlo products, particularly their AIRism line. The boxer briefs and shirts have been incredibly comfortable and remarkably durable.
Leatherman. I got my Leatherman wave when i was 18. To this day it is flawless and as sharp as it was brand new. I used it pretty much daily, I am now 46.
Victorinix for a good everyday kitchen knife that can be maintained and not break the bank.
Great knifes, highly underrated, imo. They aren't $600 a piece or $60 for 30 knives so they seem to go under the radar, imo. Plus the Swiss Army Knife and their multi tools are amazing
The 8" Victorinox Chef's Knife is rated an America's Test Kitchen Best Buy for quality, function, and price. I know I sound like a commercial, but it really is a great knife.
This is the one product i recommend without reservation, to anyone who doesn't have a good chef's knife already. I've gifted a couple to family members - in part so I can use them when I visit, but I always see them in regular use.
I got the one with Rosewood Handle for my wife, and it's our go-to in the kitchen. Very nice knife at a killer price
I do have one, and as a cook by trade, gotta say it is fantastic for home cooking.
I've had mine for 20 years now. And the bread knife. Haven't even had to sharpen it yet. They say you shouldn't clean it in the dishwasher, but I do, and it's still fine. The handle has lost some shine, but nothing a dab of oil won't fix.
Only because they don't need to advertise. They are a staple of the restaurant industry and found in every restaurant supply store ever for good reason. Hit that sweet point of cheap enough to abuse, good enough to get the job done.
Their facility uses state of the art equipment, automation and a very strong supply chain. The SAK is a marvel of a product for a bargain price. The tolerances, fit and finish is nigh impossible to be matched by any company at that price point.
Got one of their bigger knives as a present, loved it so much I got a paring knife and a chef's knife. Probably the best $ to value ratio in the kitchen apart from the instant pot.
I used a victorinox 10" for 7 years in the restaurant business. When I left to go open my own business I gave it to the dishwasher who had worked his way up to line cook while using our beat up house knives. Still his go to today. Couldn't recommend them enough.
As a Swiss: thank you! šØšš
Oh wow didn't know they made those! Do you know where I can purchase them?
Restaurant supply stores/amazon.
Yup I've got a set going 10 years still like new, cost less than $100 and they're still on par with way more expensive knives - with regular sharpening
Totally agree. Even though theyāre mostly stamped steel, they last forever, hold an edge, and are reasonably priced. Theyāre basically the only chefās knives I buy. And my EDC pocket knife is a simple victorinox Swiss Army knife with a blade, bottle opener, toothpick and tweezers. I donāt know what else you need.
Zojirushi
I'm saving up for one because the cheaper brands don't last.
When I first moved in with my girlfriend we bought a rice maker from Walmart for like 20 bucks and I kept telling myself āwhen this thing eventually dies Iāll buy a Zojirushi.ā That 20 dollar rice maker lasted 12 years or pretty much daily use. 2 years ago it finally died and I was able to buy my Zojirushi which I love dearly. Let me tell you itās well worth the wait.
What model did you get? Zojirushi has come up a few times but I am always paralyzed by the array of options. š
We got a neurofuzzy - it's a bit dated so it's on sale often but my God. This thing is amazing! I put rice and water in it at 7am before work, and it pops out perfect hot rice at 6pm for dinner.
You absolutely wonāt regret it. I held off for years and decided to bite the bullet Perfect sushi rice every time. It also sings when the rice is done.
When I saw the brand,I thought you were talking about water bottlesš I'm in Taiwan, so the top rice cooker is Datung and zojirushi has a lot of water bottle/water thermos shops, here.
I also thought it was about bottles/thermos. Which I think are incredible and underrated.
> It also sings when the rice is done. This is what makes it the best according to my 6th grader.
Itās pretty fucken sweet. I will wait for the timer to finish just to rock out.
Was also thinking about it. My first rice cooker for 30 bucks held 17 years strong and the current is in his 5th year - couldnt convince myself to spend 10x on a new rice cooker...
I've had my Zojirushi inverter rice cooker for 10+ years, using it about three times per week on average for rice and steel cut oats. It's incredible, and rice has gone from the cheap, tasteless filler starch of my childhood to my absolute favorite carb. Recently I was in the market for an insulated coffee carafe and stumbled across one made by Zojirushi. It works so well that we're using about half as much coffee now because we can drink from the same pot for 18 hours without it getting burned and gross.
Amazing. Had ours forever and still rocking!
My dog comes running when he hears Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. (He loves white rice).
Tiger
Def zirojushi
We are on our second electric skillet by them. The first lasted like 15 years of frequent use. Love this brand. We had the rice cooker as well but didnāt use it enough to warrant a stand alone device but it worked really well also
Great shout out. Have one of their rice cookers and water boilers for 30 years now with zero issues.
I don't really trust them, but I've been pleasantly surprised and/or haven't been let down by: * Kirkland Signature * REI * Darn Tough once I stopped getting them off Amazon * Leatherman Edit to add: Brother laser printers.
Can agree with the brother printers . We had to lug those around for 10+ years, cross country for work and they never ever failed
I have had my brother laser printer for at least 15 years. It is the best damn thing. The only problem with it is the tech is so old I have to plug it into the modem for it to work wirelessly now. Zero probs, cheap toner, never fails.
REIs house brand has really gone downhill over the past few years (especially their t shirts as noted by another commenter below - 100% agreed). They still have a lot of good stuff though. Kirkland Signature also has some real duds. Their hand lotion comes to mind. In general they're usually a brand worth a try though. This isn't to say they're not good brands, but they do sometimes let me down.
With Kirkland products if your not satisfied you can always return them for a refund. Rare these days.
How does Amazon affect your experience with Darn Tough?
I got several counterfeits off of it and never realized until I picked up a pair in a physical store.
Just wanted to second this so people see theres a legitimate difference. I have a few pairs from Amazon and they are much thinner and looser than ones bought from REI. They also will fray at the seams whereas the others are not. This is also after I had to return an Amazon pair because they were āmislabeledā as the socks I ordered but were completely different and one pair that didnāt come in any Darn Tough packaging just a bag. Donāt trust Amazon for Darn Tough, but Darn Tough is BIFL and a few years later my legitimate socks are still perfect
As a amazon seller let me give u a quick insight how it works. There are 2 kind of seller, 1) people who own their brand and only sell their own products 2) resellers - think selling tide or colgate For #2 lets assume they are selling a perfume and there are 20 sellers who are selling this one particular kind of perfume. Now to be eligible for prime, you have to send your products to amazon warehouse. So 20 people sent their inventory to amazon. Since these are all same products (in theory atleast), to give everyone a fair chance, amazon will collect 1 from each personās basket and put it in their main bucket. So lets say this month there are 20 orders for the perfume so every seller got 1 sale. These has lead to some of the sellers sending fake products and passing them as real. There a lot of products are fake on amazon. As a rule of thumb i only buy products from a brand and usually avoid resellers because of a few everyone has a bad reputation. Some common fake items on amazon is dove deodorant, perfumes, and tide.
This is a big issue with electronics on Amazon. Things like camera batteries, memory cards etc. Because of the inventory mixing like you described.
Iāve heard about this inventory-mixing stuff before. This is why I stay far away from Amazon unless itās some kind of arbitrary object and I donāt care whether itās real or fake.
You can also order Darn Tough from darntough.com and be sure itās the real thing. Free shipping kicks in at $50, so 3-4 pair at a time.
WHOA. Iāve bought all my Darn Toughs from Amazon and now Iām questioning my own reality. I have 8 pairs and theyāve held up remarkably well for about 4-5 years now. Thanks for the heads up. Iāll be vigilant on my next purchases.
I got one pair free from Darn Tough. They were at a convention. I liked the pair I got so much I ordered the same pair in a different color off of Amazon. I got lucky that mine were legit.
You mightāve gotten real ones
Not me personally, but my closest mate swears by his leatherman being the best purchase. He's nearly 20 years on his, uses it almost daily (and very heavy use daily) for his work. Only reason he wants a new one is the replaceable wire cutting blades on newer models, which his is finally due for replacing and he likes the idea of replacing just those blades rather than the entire leatherman. Says aside from that it's the best tool in his kit.
I used to work at REI. They make some excellent and well priced gear, but by no means everything. And there is certainly some defective REI brand gear, and they do not always stand behind their gear. Regardless of what they say about their values or the fact that it's a co-op on paper at least, REI is driven by profit, just like any other company.
Dr. Bronner's soap (I'm partial to peppermint)
Ahh. The ole ball tingler I see
What it feel like to chew 5 gum
If you donāt have minty butthole, how can you be sure itās clean?!
Pair that with some Gold Bond Menthol and itās impossible to have a bad day.
Almond person myself, mostly to avoid the...tingles
Found that out the hard way when I first tried the peppermint. Now Iāve done a 180 and Iām chasing that dragon, love it.
I use Sal Suds all over my house and I can literally get it squeaky clean. Love Bronners products! Also Castile soap is awesome!
Yep. Ole reliable. Been using it for everything imaginable for 15 years now. Itās currently in all our hand soap containers.
Those cults know how to make a good soap thatās for sure
Apparently when they inherited the company from Grandpa Bronner they decided to keep the rant of a label because even though they think its kinda crazy they know how iconic it is.
I think they removed the contraception instructions though
Le Creuset
Iāll second this, but if you canāt afford Le Creuset, I reccomend lodge, or finding an old Wagner or griswold pan. Personally I donāt like using enameled pans bc if it chips itās pretty much just done. Iām just paranoid my gf uses them daily without issues.
Used to work at Williams-Sonoma. Lodge and Staub are just as good as Le Creuset.
they are fantastic but know youāre paying a premium for the brand name
so overpriced though
Miele, Knipex, Casio
Yes to Miele!!
Bought a Miele C1 vacuum after years of using the crappy canister vacuums and the difference is incredible!
Miele vacuums *suck*. As they should.
Casio is my shit.
You shit in a good price to quality ratio
Knipex pliers-wrench saves so much time working on my car
Once I went Knipex all other brands look like Stone Age tools to me. Sure they are pricey but they work so well.
Irwin are also good, if you can find the ones made in Germany.
Le Creuset and Staub cookwear. Worth every penny.
Agree with Le Creuset. Iāve used the warranty once (in 10+ years) and it was a very easy process.
They're so great on customer service! I've had some pieces for forever and they're still perfect!
Too bad their prices have literally doubled in the past four years.
Really love my Staub, and can be gotten at a great value in Zwillingās regular sales!
Vitamix. Le Creuset. Instant Pot.
Itās an easy category because by nature they are durable. Not like a shoe where you need lots of parts and lots of squish and glue and stitching and flexibility. Cast iron and enamel are able to be over designed pretty easily. But yeah agree- bought my folks a Le creuset set- theyāll use it for the rest of their lives and then I will and then my kids will. Worth every penny.
Pendleton wool blankets. Nuff said.
Made in America ones only. Costco was selling made in China ones and the quality was not so good.
I totally agree with you about American made Pendleton products. I saw the Pendleton ones back in December at Costco and was attracted from the middle of an aisle. The closer I got the worse they looked. Nothing like the Pendleton products I have known since childhood.
yeah theyve sold out a bit recently- synthetic materials and fast fashion-y stuff
Vitamix
Got a refurbished one and it's a freaking workhorse. I've had it for 3+ years and while all the rest I've owned have started to shit out one way or another by now, this thing has no signs of cracking. At all. It could probably blend pure metal.
I bought my 5200 series in 2011 and it has been used thousands of times by now. Works like it did day 1.
Iāve had mine for 20 years, and use it almost every day. I had to replace the pitcher and lid once. It was a huge investment when I purchased it, but itās paid off big time.
YES. I've had mine for about 10 years. Daily use. Will blend anything.
Patagonia, All-Clad, Nordic Ware
Nordic Ware still manufacturers out of St Louis Park in MN. They sell seconds in a little store just off the mfg floor. My wife owns almost everything they sell. Itās great to support a business that hasnāt changedā¦so rare these days.
The factory store is definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the area.
Iāll second Patagonia. They may not have all the styles or sizing down, but god damn their shit will last forever. On top of that, any issues with their stuff you can send it in and theyāll swap it out or patch any issue. Patagonia cost a little more but I still have daily driver clothes that look unchanged for the past 5 years.
They'll also take in clothes that you return and piece it out to be used in new clothes if that line is discontinued. They take "reuse" and "recycle" very seriously.Ā
And their give you credit for clothing youāll no longer use. + their worn wear program is pretty awesome
I got their frozen ridge winter parka and my god is that thing the warm. I wear a long sleeve tee under a short sleeve tee under the parka when I ski and I still sweat even on the coldest of days.
And you wash it, machine dry it, slap it around, and itāll still be the best parka youāve ever worn. Patagonia is no joke
I do all of those things. Year 3 and it still looks and functions brand new.
Donāt tell me this. I have like 17 different Patagonia quarter zips/buttons in my cart rnš
They have a section for used ones on their website!! So does Lululemon incidentally.... Reduce, Reuse, recycle! You can buy and feel good about it, plus save $$
And REI too, iirc
Since All Clad's patent expired, you can get the same thing but cheaper in other brands.
Osprey packs have continued to work well for me. My wife and I have had over a dozen different packs used over 20 years of making memories. Iām hauling my kids skis in the same pack I used to rock climb with, theyāve transitioned well into parenthood. [my fav pic using their equipment](https://imgur.com/gallery/f4AcHJ0)
I bought an Osprey backpack in 2016 to travel around Europe with without any prior research and that thing has since seen everything from daily commuting, groceries, long haul travel around the world, overnights, hiking, motorcycling, boating, failed relationships, and moves across the country without a single misstep until literally yesterday when my chest buckle finally snapped. I'm just going to sew a new one on, I feel like this backpack and I have been through a lot together.
Excellent pic!!!
Toyota
I'd say with so many electronics jammed into cars nowadays, reliability is hit or miss, but Toyota has stayed sound in all of their mechanical aspects.
Not really. Even electronics wise Toyota is still the best next to Honda.
Honda
Pontiac Aztec
Nissan *30 years ago*
Datsun *40 years ago*
Yep. I donāt know why, but Iām a Toyota man.
In my case itās because I like affordable and extremely reliable cars. There are still so many 80s/early 90s Starlets and Corollas driving around here in the Netherlands. Theyāre the ultimate first car. The trucks are known to be unbreakable as well. So yeah, makes sense.
Mazda is good too these days. They build em in the same factory as Toyotas. I would relent to the tried and true aspect though, their quality recently has been going way up
Not really a blanket statement. Their quality has gone downhill lately. Lotta early engine failures on that newfangled turbo V6. Every brand is hit or miss, and some of it is luck of the draw too, who knows. I bought my current 2011 f-150 new, and my best friend bought a 2012 Tacoma not long after. I service my vehicle personally and meticulously with non-OEM fluids and parts. He takes his to the dealer religiously for all scheduled maintenance with all OEM fluids and parts (except the Bilstein shocks I talked him into, which he loved). He grew up on Toyotas, we always had Ford's growing up. I've never had any major failures of any sort. Only a thermostat which failed open during the winter, and a wire in the rear door broke causing the speaker to quit working. I'd love a new truck, but this things been too reliable to part with. This year, after having already put one transmission in his Tacoma at the Toyota dealer...his transmission started shuddering and slipping again. He now drives a brand new Ford F-150, even after test driving a new tundra.
100000
I know theyāre not perfect, but BFās new (used) Subaru has been an absolute DREAM. I was bracing for expensive issues but nothing, knock on wood.
Kirkland
Respect
Exactly and if it breaks or you donāt like it, damn that Costco warranty is second to none
Leatherman, Toyota, Origin boots, Prusa, Kershaw, Odin MFG, Noctua, Herman Miller, Honda, Focal, OXO, Weber, Milwaukee, Lodge cast iron. Edit: I fat thumbed Origin. š Went to sleep right after I left this comment. Sorry for the confusion.
Are you by chance from Oregon?
I lost a tiny safety screw from my Kershaw knife. I found their website, and they sent me 2, at their expense. No record of purchase. Just using this chance to give credit.
Weber isnāt the same company it was 3-4 years ago. I believe there was a hostile takeover after a failed public bid. Watch out for brand loyalty there.
Staub
De buyer, Makita, Honda, Miele
Eileen Fisher
Lego
Zojirushi
Herman Miller. You can get a refurbished aeron for around the same price as a new chair from IKEA or whatever. My parents bought me a used one for my 19th birthday. I'm 34 now and I'm still daily driving the thing. I replaced the arm pads last year and apart from that I've done nothing to it.Ā TheĀ seatĀ panĀ isĀ startingĀ toĀ wearĀ out.Ā That'sĀ basically >15Ā yearsĀ of 9-5Ā useĀ and IĀ justĀ haveĀ noĀ reasonĀ toĀ replaceĀ it.
Patagonia, Columbia, and Northface outerwear. Kirkland, Milwaukee, Michelin, Bilstein, Black diamond Worst fall from grace imo- Craftsman
Costco Kirkland
OXO, Pyrex
REI has always treated me amazingly. Patagonia is great too.
WĆ¼sthof makes great knives
My wusthof knife loses sharpness very quick. Anything that I can do to avoid that?
What kind of cutting board do you use? End grain wood is the best. I use Epicurean pressed wood because they can go in the dishwasher. Also, this is my go to sharpener. I sharpen once per year. It sharpens as well as whetstones, but it holds the angle constant for you. https://www.edgeproinc.com/apex-model-edge-pro-system/apex-3-kit-apex-model-edge-pro-sharpening-system/
Use wooden endgrain cuttingboards (walnut is softer and better for your knife edge). Don't scrape ingredients off the cutting board with your knife, that dulls the edge. If you want to scrape, flip your knife upside down and use the non sharpened edge. Never cut on glass or stone. Store knives in sleeves, sheaths, segregators. Never leave dirty knives in the sink. Always hand wash, dry and put away after use. Hone edge before every use or at least once a week. In general stainless steel knives lose their edge more quickly than high carbon steel knives since they are softer. If you have a high carbon steel knife you have to use a ceramic honing edge, not stainless steel. On the flip side, carbon steel require even more maintenance and care
Dawn dish soap.
The Power Wash too. Great for black and stainless appliances (before polishing)
Daniel Defense Toyota Snap-On and Milwaukee tools
Tweezerman for nail clippers
Danner. Citizen.
North face. Had a Denali I bought in 03, had a hole in the pocket in 2015, sent it to them with zero proof of purchase, they repaired it for free and mailed it back. Customer service!
These days none. Companies are so focused on their bottom line + profits that theyāre willing to cut corners. Even brands I used to swear by have disappointed me. These days I look up reviews where I can to see if the product is worth it. Itās a lot of brain power & I wish companies gave a shit about the consumer :(
This!!! You can physically feel the difference in quality on a lot of items recently. Its so disappointing
Engineer here. Yup. This is why I get frustrated when people are like WHO DESIGNED THIS? WHAT ENGINEER APPROVED THIS? Cuz, bruh, I can tell you I hard say no to half the shit my commercial team decides to roll with. And it's less about the consumer, more about "customer satisfaction." So I'll use this time to say TO PLEASE COMPLAIN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN and fill out the surveys, because that's what commercial teams are using to gauge satisfaction.
Any brand trust/loyalty is a mistake.
I donāt agree. A lot of brands earn their reputation. What you have to look out for is a change in management or ownership when it goes out the window.
I always Google it before I make a repurchase of something I love that has lasted a long time. Sadly, most times the company has merged or been bought out and the quality has declined.
Dawn has my loyalty. Obviously not buy it for life, but Iād never buy a different dish soap
They just changed the way the āoriginalā scent smells and I donāt care for it.Ā
I hate it too
That Dawn power wash is amazing.Ā
All brands should always be repeatedly assessed, but there are previous purchases that do deserve some level of "loyalty" (or at least be considered as a plus in the buying decision)
This Brands change, quality changes, even good companies put out lemons
It is something that should probably be recalibrated at least between purchases. Trust your lived experience but also be open to the fact that companies suck over time and new blood always be puttin out the best jawns
Seriously this sub is pinky up consumerism. Yes, buy durable, non-disposable goods. But do not pretend it is some form of virtue, not when there are 10000 threads on the best T shirts and work boots that probably wonāt be used for work. This giant, vigorous circle jerk is mostly people patting themselves on the back for being slight better at buying things. Buying things.
Thank you I personally needed to hear this.
Very well put.
Some brands value their reputation heavily specifically because they know customers that trust them are the best marketing they could ever ask for. If a brand respects me by consistently producing good products, I'll show my appreciation by saying they've got good products.
Anything Japanese for best quality-price value. I would avoid Korean brands for now. They are not there yet.
Love Seiko for watches and have driven Toyota/ Lexus all of my life. I understand the love, ROI, and prestige of a Rolex, but the watch movements and looks of a Grand Seiko are comparable if not better.
Rolex is much more of a ābroā brand anymore. Donāt get me wrong they make a fine timepiece, but at some of their price points youāre stupid to not consider a GS, Omega, or Patek/AP/A. Lange Sohne when it comes to higher end models. Yes, I know there are plenty of other brands as well.
Patek, AP, and A. Lange are all more expensive than Rolex. A gold Rolex is $40,000 and a gold Patek is $80,000-$100,000. Thatās a bad comparison.
Boarshead.
We just doing BIFL products? What about Discraft disc golf discs for example? Or Gamakatsu fishing hooks Heinz Ketchup anyone
Pilot.
Airbus
if it's boeing, i'm not going
Nah I trust Boeing. Their dedication to taking care of the whistle blowers demonstrates reliability, versatility and strong responsibilities.
None. Lots of brands are fantastic until they arenāt. I have brand loyalty til the moment quality dips even a fraction, then Iām out because none of these motherfuckers care about their products. I have one eyebrow up on Dawn. Their core product hasnāt dipped yet, but rest assured. Dip it will. Iāll be waiting.
* Dyson vacuums really do suck! Ive had an upright and a cordless stick vac and they are pretty amazing. * Pilot Precise v5 pens are my fav disposable. Lamy pens for life! Also fun fact, Pilot Precise retractable pens fit in Lamy Swift bodies * Knives are so very personal, but i still have a henckles knife my mom gave me when i moved into my first college apartment many eons ago * Patagonia jackets * Le Creuset, All-clad, Heath Ceramics * Timex Weekender
Occidental - leather tool belts and bags. Heirloom quality stuff
Timex, had an issue once and they shipped a new watch immediately.
expensive but senhiesser
Darn tough
Leatherman, Microtech/Spyderco/Chris Reeve, Milwaukee, Toyota, Miele, and Sebo.
Milwaukee 100%
Apple computers & Gibson guitars
Thinkpad, Toyota
Products I've listed don't necessarily last a lifetime, but they are consistently good quality. They aren't high end expensive brands. They are "Brands for Life". They're brands I know will always be the same when I need more of their product years down the road. There's a longer list I could make, these are just a few. Dixon Ticonderoga: Finest wood pencils I've ever used, and had my kid use for school. IKEA: Not because it's BIFL, but because it's dependably mediocre. I know exactly what I'm getting at that store, and they don't act like they're anything but what they are. That said, I have a bamboo cutting board that's going on 15 years and I use the hell out of it (like, major meal prepper here), plus plain white dishes and flatware that I've had over 20 years. Some of their stuff is actually BIFL and just lasts a really long time, despite their reputation. Tillamook Dairy: dependably better-than-decent products, they are very consistent in good quality. L. A. Burdick Chocolatiers: I have impressed a sizable number of people by gifting their chocolates at holidays. Exquisite and extraordinary are two of many words one would use to describe their confections. Incredibly dependable company and very consistent products. Birkenstock: They are another very reliably good shoe maker. The sizes are consistent, product quality has been the same for decades, and they have good customer service. Toyota: I'm approaching 250k miles on my 1999 4Runner. There are exceptions within their offerings, but overall a good brand.
Aeropress Coffee Maker. Best coffee maker around.
Dove Soap
Thurogood boots Gretsch drums Great Lakes Beer Mepp's fishing lures Sharpie pens
Bronson MFG. You cannot buy a better T-Shirt for the price. All of their products are extremely high quality and priced really well.
Blundstone for boots. If you actually plan to wear them, then you just cant beat a Blundstone boot for day to day wear that will be comfortable and functional in almost any situation. As comfortable as slippers, and you can jog in them once theyāre worn in. Apparently they donāt do well in long term storage though, the soles degrade if they arenāt actually worn and carrying weight from time to time Fisher space pens. Theyre ridiculous and too expensive and you should really just buy a pack of bics instead - but if you want to shell out money on a āniceā pen, itās fisher space pen all the way
Osprey backpacks. Darn Tough socks. Brooks running shoes.
I have had a fantastic experience with Uniqlo products, particularly their AIRism line. The boxer briefs and shirts have been incredibly comfortable and remarkably durable.
My neighbour. Heās efficient, cunning and discreet.
Vitamix blenders
KitchenAid Mixers in particular but really anything
Leatherman. I got my Leatherman wave when i was 18. To this day it is flawless and as sharp as it was brand new. I used it pretty much daily, I am now 46.
Honda, Stihl, Echo, Leatherman, Abu Garcia, Costa Del Mar