What are you still using that you got a long time ago thinking it will do for now?

[thepastisanothercountry]

I've just put the veg on to steam and realised that I bought the steamer pan I'm using for a fiver in 1999. It was from an end of line / bargain type shop and I remember thinking it would be useful until I got something better.

I didn't think I'd still be using it several times a week in 2021!

An MFI table that was bought as a stop gap kitchen table in 1994.
It's now in my study and used most days.

My actual kitchen table is one my parents bought in 1985 in a sale of flood damaged items.

I’ve a dish towel which is 25 years old and has now (about 5 years ago) been downgraded to a cleaning cloth.

The desk I made out of old bits of wood at the start of lockdown 19 months ago and thought I’d have replaced by now. But it’s still doing the job so heyho.

And the 25 year old cooker that I didn’t want when I moved in as it was crap (no digital clock or fancy gubbins) and yet I still have it and it’s actually fine!

A cheap induction suitable non stick multi purpose pan from Aldi when I got an induction hob. Subsequently I bought an expensive set of saucepans pans and two frying pans but the cheap one gets far more use.

There’s a random pans in there, sorry

I wanted a Mouli grater but was in Ikea 20 odd years ago...

Pizza cutter the roller kind that belonged to a boyfriend I had until 2001. I sharpened it last year.
It was used on a first Ish date when the pizza fell out of the oven and he was really embarrassed. He was a lovely man I wish I was still in touch with.

A bottle opener from when I worked in the fat cat in Leicester city centre around 20 years ago.

The tommee tippee weaning pots from the dds when they were little. Expect I'm not the only one.

A cheap, basic Hotpoint washing machine, bought in 1999. The plan was to use it until it died, then invest in a fancier one. It has had a new door locking mechanism and a couple of new sets of bushes, but 22 years later it stubbornly refuses to die. In that time, I have owned five TVs, six cars and god knows how many mobile phones.

Basic battery operated Argos food scales about 12 years ago, cost about £4. I was skint as had just separated from ex DH. I thought it would do till I could afford something better. Still going strong.

This kitchen table that pizza cutter man and I mashed together from random bits in IKEA in Nottingham in about '99. It's been from there to Leicester to torquay to years in storage then a dozen addresses in Plymouth. I'm not letting go now.

I'll raise you pink and white striped st Michael bedsheets from the 70's that my mother kept just in case and handed them over for the caravan when we bought it. They make me smile.

A comb, that I bought at Butlins when I was 15, in 1995, still use it every day, strangely attached to it!

A purse I bought for a fiver in Greenwich market when I was 21. It's 21 years old now...I've never been very fond of it but it does the job.

Leather biker jacket I bought in top shop in 1998. It's shit state but it's been on every notable night out with me.

@puffylovett

Pretty much everything I own

I relate to this

Bought a cheap kitchen table and four chairs in Homebase 14 years ago, thinking they would last me six months or so until I got something nicer. They’ve been used every day, multiple times a day, since. The chairs are padded and withstand scrubbing, and the whole thing is a perfect size.

When I moved into my house there were two wardrobes and a mirror left behind that I thought I could endure until I got something better - that day has yet to come.

A large bath towel that I bought from Primark when I first moved to this country 13 years ago. I had 4, when I finally moved on my own I thought I'd finally upgrade, bought 2 nice soft John Lewis ones and got rid of 2 towels and thought I'd hold on to the other two until I could afford some more from JL. And have decided that they're still the best towels and won't be replacing them.

A white plastic soap dish from Asda for about 50p when I moved into this house nearly 15 years ago. It's not particularly attractive but I can't bring myself to care enough to replace it with something nicer.

Some cheap plastic kitchen utensils when we first moved into our flat. That was 21 years ago...

A hand held food mixer that cost about £5 from Tesco 20-25 years ago. It was part of their value/basics range.

I only bought it to make up the amount as I had a voucher to use up.
I use it quite often and sometimes prefer it to our big expensive Kenwood food mixer!

I have an electric dutch oven and lots of cooking dishes and utensils I received as wedding gifts back in 1974 (dumped the abusive man 5 years later, kept the stuff) that are still going strong. I even have a juice squeezer and a meat grinder that were wedding gifts to my late mum in 1947 that are still in great shape and work perfectly.

They don't build shit like they used to.

Skoda Fabia bought new in 2005. I am 50 this week and have had that car since I was 34

I've still got the tin opener my mum bought me when I went off to uni, 30 years ago!

My house!

Moved here in the late '80s with ExH, and bought it as a cheap do-er-upper. We didn't like it all that much, so planned to fix it and move on. I'm still here and still don't like it. With another DH now though.

My patio. Ex H fitted it as a temporary one 20 years ago and I still have not had it replaced properly. Ditched the cheating husband though - should have had it replaced then, and buried him under it, lol