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?

@IronTeeth
Interesting! They’re the best for me, though to be honest these days if you get a reasonably high end phone they’re all much of a muchness.

iPads however are in a league of their own for tablets IMO

@Foxyloxy1plus1 which Beko cordless do you have? I have Beko washing machine and fridge freezer, both cost under £250 each, and they've served me well.

I don’t know the model number, but it has 40 minutes run time, loads of tools and the docking station is neat. I noticed the difference the first time I used it and the drum had far more fluff then I was used to from the Dyson. It needs emptying more often, but it’s easy to do.

We have Beko washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge, freezer and dishwasher.

Thanks, will have a look :)

Dyson here too - I've bought two unbelievable expensive ones in case the first time was a fluke. No loss of suction my arse, they were both useless within 6 months (and I tried all the messy washing out the filters business). Would never buy again.

i think the problem with alot of the brands mentioned is that they started small, built a good reputation, then sold out to a big company that wanted the kudos and ran them into the ground. maybe they thought that in the time of fast fashion and disposable/replaceable everything, that quality ceased to matter. They made a big mistake

I’ve had a few dysons one after the other all lasted years and do the job very well. You do have to take them apart and clean them every now and again and I think the plastic parts are now more flimsy. The thing is when you change your Hoover whatever ‘brand new’ model is going to be better isn’t it so not really the time to compare. What I don’t understand is the love for Henry as I’ve used 3 or 4 of them in different houses and I might as well as not bothered turning it on! There’s nothing to sweep us the hair etc or have they changed the design?

It’s the inverse snobbery that makes me laugh, people determined not to like something just because of the name. To me higher end is largely about the money invested in design. A product slightly different to competitors. Personally I look for design and quality but at the top end people have money to burn, they don’t necessarily want/need items to last

Radley bags. Bought one, strap broke within 11 months. Sent it back for a repair, they couldn’t fix it so offered a replacement from their new range.

The replacement’s zip and clasp broke in 6 months. Sent it back for repair and they lost it. I was offered another replacement. That one lasted 15 months before the same thing happened - and of course was out of warranty.

Poorly made bags; excellent service though!

Cadbury’s - used to be delicious now totally rank

Clarks shoes - used to be premium now shockingly crap and cheap-looking.

Most women’s clothes brands - crappy seams, fraying, rubbishy buttons and zips.

Molton Brown.
I bought some in lockdown as a treat instead of my £1 supermarket shower gel.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, perhaps something that left my skin feeling soft or a nice scent that lingered for a few hours.
No it was exactly the same as the cheap supermarket stuff, got you clean and that’s it.
Another triumph of marketing over reality.

Mulberry bags. They aren't even lined, don't have protective studs on the bottom, no nice pockets. and have to treated like a newborn baby to keep them safe and undamaged.

My adult DSD has one. She saved for years to get it. It represents hard graft and her recovery from a serious mental illness that interrupted her education several times. For that reason I can understand why she loves it so much but there is no way on earth it was worth what she paid for it. Not that I'd say that to her of course.

Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner. I'm pretty cynical about marketing and will research to the nth degree if I'm thinking of shelling out for an expensive premium product, so I'm actually embarrassed that I fell for the Dyson hype on this one.

@supermoonrising

*Apple Dyson It's all good marketing*

Dyson, sure. Apple? Even if they’re not for you you can’t seriously argue that their phones, tablets, computers, and computers at least hold their own against anything their rivals offer.

Personally I don’t know anyone who having used an apple device has then gone back to something else. Whereas movement in the other direction has been huge the past decade+

IPhones are shockingly over priced. They are basically a land-line s they always need plugging in as the battery is so rubbish. I got the X and took it back and swapped for a Huawei. The battery lasts up to 48 hours even with moderate use. I'd never go back to an iPhone.

I do like my iPad though.

@CeeceeBloomingdale

I think a lot of these brands (Pandora, Ted Baker, Michael Kors) aren’t bad quality, the posters just don’t like the brand. Which is fine, they are marketing to my DDs not me, it’s not my thing either. Pandora is sterling silver though not base metal like suggested by a PP and bought in the sale is similar price to cheaper brands and good quality. I often buy my DDs the earrings and rings. There’s a lot of snobbery on the thread

Completely agree. There's always a fair bit of "let me be the first to say [ popular high street brand ] isn't premium at all".

Michael Kors became ubiquitous and therefore a real target for takedowns. Has the quality dipped as a result? I don't think so, although I'm neither an aficionado nor their target market.

It goes to show that there's a Venn diagram in British people's minds for "premium" - you can be accessible but not too much so, or your quality will be perceived to be worse even if your product hasn't fundamentally changed.

Bit surprised at stuff like Cadburys and washing up liquid being described as premium brands.....

Bosch whitegoods.....had a Bosch dishwasher put in with new kitchen and it was total rubbish

I often hear bad things about the Land Rover / Jaguar brand but we have a LR and Jag and both have been great, without problems and it's the only other brand that the customer service has been anywhere as good as my old Toyotas. Audi was atrocious and I will never buy another car from them because of it.

Our LR does go off road and is a bit of a workhorse but we've had it a good few years now. Jag is an Ipace which is a great electric car.

Uggs
North face
Dyson
Pandora
Tiffany's
Starbucks coffee

@DerbyshireMama

Louis Vuitton. I know nobody has thought it was "classy" for a good 10 years but it just looks sooo trashy and clearly people are still paying hundreds for it.

Tell that to my MIL, caked in it

Heinz beans used to be the best beans but they have messed about with them and the flavour just isn't right anymore, and too much sauce to bean ratio. Branston are the best now IMO.

Hunter wellies - used to be good but now shite, I've had my old pair for 15 years and they are still going. A bought a short pair last year and they have split and leak

North Face - were OK until they became the label of scrotes everywhere - now Canada Goose seems to have taken over that mantle

GHDs - same as the Hunters really, were great when they first came out, now they are rubbish and badly made

Disagree about the M&S Food. I really like it.

@Ozanj

Free People Selfridges Boden - it’s basically Joules for people who like to waste money Ted Baker Pandora Tiffanys - only their top end jewels are worth it Tesla

All of these too

Joules clothing, all the bright colours fade after one wash. Heinz pay supermarkets to have their products at adult eye level, their success is their marketing, their products are no better than any other cheaper brands.

Reformation
Yves Saint Laurent
Free People (I like Free People but it's horrendously overpriced)
Anthropologie brands generally

@SugarNyx

Free people. You see a normal boring tank top and it’s like £200!! Wtf is that about?

Frustratingly true! They have some lovely stuff but the prices 😓

Mint Velvet - I have a couple of tops purchased online last year and they could have been bought from Dorothy Perkins or similar Had I actually tried them on in a shop I'd have kept walking