What cheap item have you bought that has stood the test of time?

[Hawdyerwheesht]

I'll start. I was making muffins this morning and realised that my cheap poundland muffin tins from 10 years ago are still serving their purpose.

2 square glass oven dishes from Asda about 15 years ago. They were £1 each, usually pretty much every day and still look brand new.

A purple wide toothed comb that I had free with an early issue of Shout, so early 90s. I use it every day.

My nanna's wooden spoon

A mug that my best friend bought for my birthday at uni, so almost 25 years old

One of these cheese graters from IKEA.

Our basic Hotpoint washing machine. Made in Britain, purchased in 1999 for about £150, no fancy clever features whatsoever, has had a new door mechanism & a couple of sets of bushes, still going strong. We will only buy a new one when replacement parts become unobtainable.

1983 - early generation Panasonic microwave, cost a months wage at the time….lasted nearly 40 years, still worked brilliantly, only replaced recently because it just just looks bulky

Ikea basics cot; cost £35. Did all 3 children.

One of my tea-towels has “people’s friend 1984” on it 😂

I had a Kenwood food processor, bought 30+ years ago when my first born went onto food, so I could process it. I've just replaced it.

I also have a Wella comb that I got free in a copy of Jackie, it must be over 45 years old and I still use it every day.

My sofa was free (being given away) and is so comfortable!

I have had loads of stuff off freecycle type fb pages over the years and have had some fad things.

Oh loads! Just at a glance around my kitchen...

Sainsbury's own brand microwave bought 12 or 13 years ago for £30.

BHS kettle bought as a bit of a stopgap 10 years ago.

Asda own brand toaster bought for under a tenner 4 years ago.

Hotpoint Aquarius washer (considered cheap for a washing machine) nearly 11 years on. Only needed a few minor repairs over the years.

Hetty Hoover bought to mark a new start/ new house in 2013.

I am a firm believer that in general if you look after your stuff it will last and I can't understand the "buy cheap, pay twice" attitude so many people believe is gospel.

I expect at least 2 or 3 years wear out of even Primark and supermarket underwear and tee-shirts and I'm rarely disappointed. Loads of people on Mumsnet probably don't have as high expectations for Boden!!!🤔🙄😆

A Kenwood that belonged to MiL. It’s been sprayed to match our kitchen and must have been bought in the 60’s.

Small wooden backed hand mirror. Free in a gift set from The Body Shop in the 90s. Probably a dewberry scented set. I use it daily for my make up. It's at least 25yrs old.

Leather jacket I got for my 18th birthday in 1999. Looks pristine, I wore it daily for years. Can't wear it these days, too fat, but it's still in my wardrobe!

I have a comb a got free on the front of Mizz in about 1988. Still use it every day and I guess it cost about £1.20?

My mum and dad still have the same one too. Still going strong

Pair of boots bought for £10 from Dolcis in the 1990s. Still so comfy.

Compact mirror with magnified glassine one side. Paid a pittance 30yrs ago on the market. Still use it daily.

that was meant to be replying to @Identifyingasadolphin

I had a Kitchen Devils knife from 1998 and it only snapped a year or so ago. The new Kitchen Devils ones are rubbish though, not nearly as sharp and sturdy.

Also an IKEA Malm dresser from about 2007 and we passed it on via Freecycle last year (so 15 years with us and there was nothing wrong with it). Used everyday by me and my husband. The new ones aren't built the same sadly and I doubt my daughter's will last as long.

I have a colander I bought second hand in a junk shop when I was a student nearly 40 years ago, still use it regularly. Unlike many others it has a single long handle, more like a saucepan handle and is much easier to use than the ones with two small handles.

I've got a garlic press that I bought for 50p in 1986

A running jacket from Lidl for about £4.99 which I bought over 15 years ago. Still going strong despite being washed at least once per week.

My mum still uses a 25+ years pink wide tooth comb from Just 17 magazine

I have some vests from Dorothy Perkins that must be over twenty years old, still look pretty good.

I bought a metal colander off the market for uni for about a pound when I was 19... I'm 41 now & it's still fine. Also have my Salter mini kitchen scale, & a second hand fish slice, both bought for uni. No idea how old the fish slice was but it doesn't appear to have aged at all.

Snap! I have and use the same comb. There was a thread on here a couple of years ago about J17 and similar mags, and there were quite a few Mnetters still using that J17 comb.

An IKEA pan - I've managed to break (in two) a Le Creuset pan but my bargain IKEA one is still going strong