Which premium brands do you think should not be premium?

[Cheeseandlobster]

For me it's Morning Fresh. I thought it was shite a decade ago. Bought it again recently and it is still crap. It doesn't lather and my usual Aldi own brand is far superior. How on earth has it survived this long?

White Company. Purveyors of hideously overpriced poor quality tat.

Dyson vaccums
Clarks school shoes and children's sandals
Boden fabrics and manufacture quality
M&S school uniform is OK but nothing more. Sainsbury's is better.

I don't want to see M&S fall but I can never find anything I like in there.

My Henry works better than my shark or dyson

@MissChanandlerBong90

White Company. Purveyors of hideously overpriced poor quality tat.

I do like their posh bedding though!

I used to do quite a bit of work in France, selling machinery via an agent to manufacturers. My agent also represented companies selling to the fashion houses, and he therefore had seen their factories. He said never to buy Louis Vuitton, couldn’t say exactly why as he’d signed all sorts of confidentiality agreements, but it’s pretty obvious. The others were ok, and Hermès was the best, and the one he’d buy ( if only he wasn’t a lowly agent etc).

Disagree with Havainas - currently wearing a pair at mo, bought in Miami three years ago, lived in them past three summers, they keep their shape, no heel imprint on them, toe hasn't snapped and the pattern still there on the top not worn out . Some else mentioned Miele, am sorry my mother in law has a mile washing machine 20 years old still going strong, her sister has just changed hers after 30 years. My hoover is used nearly every day and its a miele, love it. Don't get the passion for Henry people have, my mother in law has it and i hate using it when at her house, its big, bulky and the suction no where near as good as my miele. Agree with Karen Millen, anything Bohho takes over its gone down hill big time.

Havanias have lasted me 4 years and still have plenty of life in them.
Miele is top quality.
Eufy cordless vacuum cheaper than the Dyson and just as good.

@Thewiseoneincognito

I love my Dyson, it works fantastically, a quick clean of the filter and it’s like new every time. I think some of the hate on here is from those whose budget just reaches a Vax 😉

I've had a few dysons and I've been a huge fan of them from way back. But the latest cordless one is complete shite compared to a cordless shark. I've still got a now very old Dyson animal and that still works well, but its heavy and I cant be arsed lugging it upstairs. So I bought the cordless thinking it would be good. Sadly it's not. The charge point v the 2 batteries and charger from shark. The holding the on switch v switching on and it stays on from shark, they both weigh similar but the Dyson is weighted wrong for me, it's an actual effort to hold the Dyson upright and when carrying upstairs I hold it in the middle, shark is more evenly weighted and is easier to carry around by the handle, slightly bigger dust vessel on the shark and finally the little very delicate filter at the top of the Dyson, not easy to wash and once you've removed it more than a few times its loose in its place and very very easy to lob in the bin as you empty the dust vessel. I've had both shark and Dyson roughly the same amount of time (a year and a bit) and I've to clean a filter every time in the Dyson, ive cleaned a filter twice or three times on the shark which I use more. For fairness the Hoover cordless is pretty much useless.

I used a Dyson vacuum cleaner a few years ago when I was helping someone who had one (they were upstairs, unwell and I was cleaning for them downstairs). I can't say it did a bad job of cleaning the floor, but oh my word! It was so heavy and cumbersome! It was like trying to wrestle with a paralysed rugby player. I cleaned a living room, hallway and kitchen linoleum. I then had to have a sit down for ten minutes. I couldn't do the upper stairs and upstairs because I just couldn't lift the thing. Thankfully, my ill relative said not to worry about it.

At home, I have an unbranded, bagless Dyson dupe. I won't say it's the best vacuum cleaner in the world, but at least I can manage it. I personally like bagless vacuum cleaners because you can just transfer the dust from the drum to the bin and you don't need to buy disposable bags. I hate buying stuff just for the sake of throwing them away. I'd love a Henry, but I refuse to get one for that exact reason.

perception varies and whether something is "premium" or not is often driven by fashion.

That's exactly right, MrsAvocet. There are quite a few examples here (like Mulberry) where the business model changed from sightly stolid and staid to high fashion, with consequences for durability. The White Company and Boden both used to be better quality than they are now. I think Cadbury's have also changed the Dairy Milk recipe. When I was young, before the days of artisan chocolate, we thought Lindt was as posh as it got.

Sighed at all the references upthread to 'old' Dorma and Christie. I had some sets of towels that lasted for years. I've not found anything made to those standards now.

Don't apologise for the premium/branded confusion Cheeseandlobster. Let's face it, manufacturers try to turn anything into premium these days, even something as basic as washing up liquid.

Pandora again - cheap metal and just total crap.

Pandora I think is overrated and Boden overpriced and not worth the high prices.

You CANNOT put chocolate in a compost bin!!! It has (albeit a small amount of) dairy in it!!!

Lindt 90% is vegan.

@DynamoKev

BMW and Mercedes

Haven’t had a BMW but Mercedes definitely not overrated. So nice to drive and look great. Great power. I love mine.

Jo malone diffuser definitely overrated - stinks to high heaven and actually made my eyes sting. Had to put it out into the hall. Voya ones are a lot nicer.

Aesop - friend got me the hand wash and hand soap for my birthday. I can barely smell it when I use it. So expensive and for what!

White Stuff is really overpriced and often terrible quality.
Boden is too expensive, but I get round that by buying it on Ebay or in charity shops!
Dyson - expensive rubbish. Give me Henry Hoover any day.

@SticksAndStoned

I meant what branded products are inferior to non brands

Ah, gotcha.

I've got a contraversial one...

While I like Bailey's, Tesco's Finest salted caramel equivalent is better.

Say what? I have never heard of it but it sounds dreamy. I am an Aldi girl but I feel a Tesco trip coming on

Dyson. I got rid and bought an Argos own brand bagged cylinder for £39.99. Was impressed when on first use it literally lifted the vinyl off the floor and I had to turn the suction down! Five years later I still have it.

If you want to buy one, they are now £44.99. Small and white.

Lurpak.Lidls dupe is better.

@ILoveShula

I suspect that brands may produce different quality for different outlets or markets. Are the cheap Nies and Ascs in Sp* Dir* the same models and quality as the ones in a top sportswear retailer?

Actually I think you have a point here. I bought some really really nice fitting Reebok's from sports direct years ago. They were lovely but lasted barely a few months. Nowadays I buy my reeboks directly from their website and they last all year. I do wonder if the rejects get sent to the likes of sports direct to be sold at not that cheap a price. I'm currently thinking of trying nikes to be honest. I get plantar fasciitis often and I know plenty of padding in the shoes help. Nike look like they might have more padding. I'm also very heavy on footwear, I walk a hell of a lot, miles and miles every day. I'd be happy enough to pay Nike prices if I could know that they would last.

Also agree on Dyson. Love how light the cordless is but suction is dreadful after 4 years use. Bought a Miele which is old fashioned (ie cord and bag) but amazing.

Joules - their baby clothes are amazing quality. Their sheets & adult clothes are just hard and stiff.

Say what? I have never heard of it but it sounds dreamy. I am an Aldi girl but I feel a Tesco trip coming on

I don't think you'll regret it! Being the finest range, it's not the cheapest - but it's worth it.

Jaguar, possibly the worst car I've ever had, no end of problems with it. I'm on my third Skoda now and never had a problem, drives like a dream, just wish it had the plush carpets of the Jaguar.

I laughed at the morning fresh, I buy it for 69p from home bargains.

Hotel Chocolat, I used to be a fan, now I find it to be waxy.

agree with @Molecule, it's a different world for the Houses bought by the £bn holding companies but, IME, the craft standards at Hermes are second to none for a large craft factory. Other Houses can be a bit of a mixed bag with different standards for clothing, leatherwear and jewellery i those Houses that have broad ranges, for example.

Not premium, because they're pretty cheap, but more; popular, they claim to be "nations favourite": Richmond "sausages", don't see how, they're not exactly doing the stereotype any good that sausages are made from pigs arseholes and eyelids, because Richmond's tastes exactly like they do.

Does anybody anywhere have anything good to say about Dyson?

I love the Dyson I just bought my year old grandson. It keeps him busy throughout the day and it withstands everything he does to it.