Good “Buy for Life” Brands
Good “Buy for Life” Brands
Some that come to mind are:
Benchmade - knives Darn Tough - socks Carhartt - good work gear Doc martens - footwear
What are some good reputable brands that you have had for 5 years + with little to no issues or with a lifetime warranty.
Doc Martens are now Chinese made IIRC and don’t last.
Solovair is the the company that used to make Martens and you can still buy that style there. I hear they’re much better than Martens, but also occasionally a mixed review that they didn’t last very long.
I’ll offer a mixed review for carhartt…while they used to be strictly workwear, they’ve started putting up retail spaces in designer clothing areas. Prices have shot up. I had a belt from them that fell apart pretty quick with normal wear. Got a work shirt that’s doing pretty good though. IMO they’re headed down the same road as a lot of brands that get popular - price hikes with decreased quality.
Lenovo ThinkPads
I bought an old model in 2013 and it lived in my backpack through 7 years of school and university. It was dropped hard enough to permanently bend the heatsink, the disk drive cover snapped off, and it regularly overheated from throwing it in my bag without turning it off. It ran windows, dozens of Linux distros (up to 3 at once) and now it's a hackintosh for when I need a Mac. I'm confident I could buy spare parts and repair it myself if anything important broke.
Doc martens are not so great quality now. The general consensus is that Solovair are the spiritual successor (in terms of quality) to what Dr Martens were. This video has more info: https://youtu.be/vkhCcvfVHRs?si=21bH9fSvkNgmjwm1
For laptops O would recommend framework laptops. The idea is that they have upgradable and repairable.modules. You can follow them on mastodon too: @frameworkcomputer@fosstodon.org And we have a Lemmy community too: !framework@lemmy.ml
For the Euros- if you need to replace any parts in your toilet, buy Geberit.
I frequently have to replace cheap flush mechanisms and filler valves, and I always replace with Geberit.
I have Geberit flush mechanisms that were installed in the 80s and if they start to leak, you pop them out and replace a washer. No tools required
Speed queen washers and dryers. LGs and Samsung's drop like flies in comparison. They are expensive but they are made in the United States and last donkeys years. I've heard of people moving out after 10 years, and taking their speed queen dryer with them.
Also, in general, hand made Japanese knives. Any knife will keep cutting if sharpened but most of "sharpness" is thinness of the blade. That's why we don't use meat cleavers for daily prep. Japanese knives are made to be thinned and polished, as the edge will become thicker with repeated sharpenings. Other knives will get thicker and thicker and become complete carrot crunchers. These can be thinned too but it's much more difficult with only sharpening stones.
Additionally the handles are easily replaceable by anyone, western style handles require destructive disassembly of the existing scales and rivets.
I’ll throw a weird one in here. If you want to do any smart home automation stuff, Lutron. Their stuff is famously bulletproof and generally “just works” and almost never needs troubleshooting.
It can be a little pricy for a light switch, but it will work with just about any platform you want to use. Also, all of their wireless switches work without internet.
USB-Cable - Anker
3 years ago I bought a double pack of usb-C to A cables on Amazon. Description mentioned a lifetime warranty so I took a screenshot for future. The only thing Anker wanted to know was the production number (which is on the packaging) and a proof of destruction of the old broken cable. Not a single usb cable survived longer than a year at our household despite Ankers.
Already mentioned in thread, Anker cables. It has very good threaded covers that are strong and hard to damage. Internal copper cables and the USB ends are also very well made so there is no chance for it to fray or crack.
Bought a pair pack over 6 years ago. Still haven't used the second cable because the first one is as good as new.
Also NGK spark plugs lol.
Tools are kind of a cheat, they’re pretty solid chunks of metal and even halfway decent tools will work a while with care. There are absolutely lemons out there made of junk metal that will shatter.
So a shout out to Harbor Freight. Buy their Icon brand or Doyle hand tools. They are often good enough for some serious mechanics, and absolutely good enough for the home wrench slinger with normal use. Yeah, there are a lot of upper tier tools like Gearwrench that will last forever, but HF stuff will get the job done for cheaper and last just as long.
The normal kitchen aid stand mixer. A no-brainer.
A nespresso-made nespresso. Not the cheap ones made by breville or whatever that are sold at Target. Our Nespresso has been seeing fairly regular use for almost 2 decades. Don’t expect it to literally be BIFL, but it’s doing great.
Strongbags. Designed for flight crew, but anyone can buy it. Super-durable gear for travel. Maybe not fashionable in the trendy sense, but it’s well made and as close to BIFL as you can get. Doesn’t have the trendy cache of Fjallraven and the like. Had one of their coolers for 15 years now.
An odd one: Bestek. Bought one of their car power adapters. 12v with 3 12v sockets and 4 USB out. Damn thing won’t quit. Charges all the family’s devices on road trips plus runs the dashcam.
Kent comb. Yeah, it’s just a comb. However, that cheap shit at the chain drug store (like Goody) cracks, loses teeth, and is just cheap. Unless you deliberately abuse the Kent comb it will last a lifetime.
Used to be a fan of Benchmade; kinda seems like they went cheap more recently.
For footware, I've had pretty good luck with Danners - they had an ABU compliant stitched sole boot that was super comfortable; one pair got me through 4 years of active duty, and remain my go-to pair of work boots. The ABU uniform was phased out since I separated, so if you're lucky you might be able to find a crazy good deal at at military surplus store; otherwise I'm sure they've got a newer OCP boot now.
Columbia (especially their winter gear). Never failed and kept me warm.
I recently bought some "cheap" underwear at Walmart. I really don't like Walmart and avoid going there but I decided that underwear lasting for a decade or longer is just too long. So I'm intentionally NOT doing BIFL with underwear, socks and other things. Because it just seems cleaner and healthier to replace that stuff more often.
With many things I do prefer better quality, BIFL-class products:
LEDs are a much better value even than CFLs bulbs and incandescent are actively eliminated in my house.
I have a Deere mower that seems like it will never die.
Corelle dishes seem to last forever, I have had many of mine for 30 years.
Victorinox knives (pocket and chef's).
KaBar and Morakniv knives.
Kohler plumbing fixtures.
Rotel or McIntosh audio equipment.
Vitamix mixer.
DeWalt, Makita, Craftsman, Milwaukee, Husky and Hitachi tools.
Deckmate or stainless steel screws for outdoor use.For pots and pans, buy Demeyere. The Demeyere Apollo pots and pans I bought 21 years ago still look just about as good as the day I unboxed them, and I am rough on my cookware. I have a little weathering along the edge of the heart conductive disk on the bottom of some pans, but that is it.
They sit dirty too long and get crusty. They go right into my dishwasher. They fall out of my lower cabinet onto my tile floor all the time. None of this phases them. I bought them over two decades ago because I had an employee discount at a cookware store and the company rep classified them as, "dishwasher recommended." As an avid home cook and occasional caterer, these pans, a Le Creuset Dutch oven, and my grandmothers' cast iron are my daily workhorses.
You are going to pay through the nose for Demeyere pans, but they will last long enough for your kids to cook with them after you are gone. You can get their least expensive line of regular pans, cry once, and be good for life.
You might see used Demeyere indoor smokers, asparagus steamers, egg poachers, and other similarly oddball pans in online market places. Ignore those. They were a cheap line made in a different factory at one point. They are not the same quality. All of the regular style Demeyere pans (skillets, sauce pans, woks, sauciers, etc.) are excellent, and I would not hesitate to buy them used.
It's not at all in the vein of work wear, but I have had Klipsch speakers all of my life and have never had any issues with any of them. My dad has some enormous old school Klipsch speakers from the 60s that are almost as tall as I am and are still crisp, clear and deep. I am rocking Klipsch throughout my house as well. They're very expensive but I appreciate the clarity.
Groove Life makes some fucking solid belts. And if you do actually manage to destroy it somehow, they have a lifetime warranty.
If you toke and like resin carts, Eleaf batteries are amazing. I was going through whatever I could find at smoke shops about once or twice a month before I got an Eleaf. I've had this thing for 2 or 3 years now... So long I can't even remember exactly. It lasts for days and charges in like 10 minutes if you have a quick charge capable charger. Plus it's compact and also has voltage settings.
Iron Lodge Cast Iron Skillets I have purchased a few and have yet to need a replacement.
At this point, I don't generally give trust to brands but products. Too many companies that used to be a name to trust have decided to monetize that trust (or get acquired by another company that doesn't see the value in maintaining that trust), but they might still have good quality products in their lineup along with the cheap ones.
Though I've also done well with the "just buy one to see how important it is to have quality in this particular thing". I just sold my old cordless drill after owning it for about a decade. It was weak but I didn't even really notice that until I wanted to drill a hole through a stone counter top. A bought another cheap corded drill for that, but have since also bought a quality cordless drill set that might even allow me to sell the corded drill.
And if you need quality, look for stuff marketed to professionals. People who use their drill every single day aren't going to be using the ones that can't hold a charge or break after 20 hours of usage. Booster Juice doesn't have shitty blenders where the connection between the motor and blade wears down with each use such that the motor spins but the blades do not before 3 digit uses, or even 4.
Looking around my immediate environment, I see very few things that aren't
A. already 30 years old made by companies that are essentially defunct and if the brand does even still exist it's transitioned to another parent company as a zombie brand that produces identical temporary garbage to the rest of the industry, like my Kenmore 80 series washer and dryer.
B. Modern shit with a single-digit year life expectancy, like any computer hardware I have, my cell phone, my printer, etc.
C. Isn't from a company that has completely pissed me off glares at my very, very last Dell products
D. I didn't make myself from scratch, like an increasing amount of my furniture.
The only item that falls in my eye line that I can say "buy it now and your grandchildren will actually want it" is my Revere stainless steel frying pan. It's not as ragnarok proof as cast iron but it also won't cave in my glass cooktop. I think my grandmother bought mine in the 80's, you can still buy them today.
I do want to mention my Kitchenaid mixer. The unit itself is well made, I've made at least one pizza a week with it for the past...six years? It's a quality power tool. I dislike the company and their product range. They have a tendency to discontinue attachments in favor of incompatible and worse ones. For example, I'm aware of three different meat grinder attachments, one metal one and two plastic ones only one of which the food mill attachment is compatible with, and they did their best to prevent people from learning that, because the difference between the plastic one you probably already have, that was possibly packed in with your mixer, and the one that's compatible with the food mill, is like, a few millimeters in diameter here and there. If I show you their marketing pictures (of white plastic on that White Marketing Void background) you couldn't tell them apart, and the model numbers are very similar. That has rubbed me the wrong way in a bad place.
I know it's only one data point, but I was gifted a Zanussi fridge freezer by my best man as a wedding present in 2004. It is still going strong. I will never buy any other brand if and when the time comes.
Lee Valley makes durable tools and various other stuff. These measuring cups and spoons are going to end up in my will.
This maybe a bit of a niche thing but I am using Sandisk Clip Sport mp3 player (although it has lossless FLAC support too) for something like 10+ years of nearly everyday use with no problem, which is crazy.
Also another weird thing is this cheap wireless mouse from A4Tech that lasts still for now like 8-6 years with no single issue. I maybe just rolled natural 20s on random cheap Chinese crap and got a perfect specimen or maybe it's actually good. I have no idea.
Don’t think I saw this one yet, but Briggs & Riley luggage. Lifetime no-questions-asked repairs for all functional damage, even if intentionally inflicted.
They’re also just very good. The BIFLness is cool but I’d have gone with another if it weren’t also the best in general. Super practical design.
Outdoor clothing in Europe - Mammut
-Good year welt leather boots in general last a very long time. I have a pair of chippewa boots that have lasted me since 2016 and they're still good. Haven't needed to resole them, they're very comfortable. I've worn them maybe 20-30% of the time(I let them rest at least a day between wears). -Straight razors and DE razors last a very long time, and they can both be significantly cheaper than regular disposable razors and electric shavers. -PIAA silicone windshield wipers (I think many silicone based wipers in general) are as BIFL as can be for windshield wipers. I think I have the same pair on my car from 2016.
Red Wing boots (only the classic ones). I've had my Iron Rangers for
6 yearsedit: 7 years now as my primary pair of non-athletic footwear. Occasional brush with a bit of conditioner and they look and feel amazing with no signs of slowing down. Will be replacing the sole when it eventually wears out but the original minilug is still going strongWinter Jacket - Klim I bought my jacket with the intent of never having to purchase another one. After speaking with many friends and the sales people at my local motorcycle/snowmobile shop, the consensus was a snowmobile jacket would last.
I chose Klim and have had this jacket since 2016 with no tears or rips. I did have an issue with the zipper but they replaced the entire zipper for free within the last few months.
I will recommend Klim brand jackets for a forever jacket. They are expensive though.
For socks I was introduced to Feetures and stand by them 100%. I can't speak for life yet, but I've had them over a year and they still feel like new. I've also never had a sock that fit my foot properly until I got Feetures.
Mission workshop bags. I love mine, it looks as good today as when I got it.
I think they were made on contract, but I got a pair of hiking/work boots almost 35 years ago and aside from the slightest rash on the toe-caps they look perfect. If I knew the brand I'd buy shoes and belts all day.
The Body Buffer by Manscaped. I don’t like any of their other stuff but my goodness that scrubber is legit. Easy to clean, doesn’t harbor bacteria, easy to grip, very durable, and it creates a nice lather
I have a samsonite laptop bag for 12 years. Used daily. Still looks new.
For espresso machines I would recommend Gaggia. I bought one that was at least third hand and from 2000. It still works great and if anything breaks all the parts can be bought online
Not buy for life but most things from decathlon and sandisk micro sds
Bosch electric drill. I’m not a tradesman or a professional, but I’ve had mine for over 30 years, doing household and hobby work, drilled holes in brick, concrete, wood, metal, and it’s never let me down.
Merrell,
Doc Martin, L. L. Bean, The North Face, Fjällräven for clothing and accessories.Bullhidebelts makes some really nice authentic leather belts that actually last because they aren't those synthetic belts with leather veneer like Gucci, Luis Vutton, or others push for stupid high prices.
Logitech makes some good quality pc peripherals that have exceptional battery life.
Invicta has also impressed me in recent years with their watches. I was gifted a clone of the Rolex Submariner and it's a very good copy without the high price of a Rolex. It's been so good that most Rolex owners I've met buy an Invicta watch as a daily driver.
Edit: Seeing the comments a bunch mentioned Doc Martin as junk now, so I checked and they did get bought by a Chinese company, so maybe not those any more.
A bit off the rails, since it’s not a particular brand. But anything leather (wallets, belts, pouches, etc). I’ve had my leather wallet for nearly 7 years, maybe more. I haven’t really taken care of it (though I should). It’s been through a lot, and it has held up so well. Leather also ages very well. Whether it’s scuffed or dented, it’ll still look good with added character. As long as you don’t lose it or cut it (and craftsmanship is good), you’ll probably have it for a very long time.
Been about 10 years now and my GoRuck gear doesn't even look used despite being carried any time I take a trip, which is quite often. Multiple continents, planes, trains, hiking, backpacking, etc. I'd say GoRuck (at least the American made stuff) is BIFL. knocks on wood
Gustbuster umbrella. Carbon fibre. Have it for 15 winters already.
Benchmade are horrible. If you're looking for a good knife, go with strider or extrema ratio.