To think that very little is built to last and truly value for money?

[Drivingslowtosavefuel]

I would love to buy quality over quantity, things built to last, things that offer really good value for money.

I am not talking about spending megabucks so maybe I am not spending enough to get really nice things that last - but every time I try to buy something a little more expensive than I am naturally inclined, I generally end up disappointed and wish I had just bought the cheaper version as the expensive one doesn’t seem any better or last any longer.

Recent disappointments include iPhone, Fitbit, every laptop I have ever owned, all clothes over £100 (I will manage to snag them the first time I wear them because of their delicate fabric and then they are basically ruined whereas at least my cheaper clothes look better for longer).

Are there any brands or products which you swear by as something really reliable, good value for money and built to last, not just to end up in landfill like most products these days? It could be anything - electronics, clothes, accessories, home etc. Bonus points if it will withstand 2 children under 2 (within reason!)

Everything you have described is delicate and needs handling with care.

Don't buy delicate items and fabrics. I recommend wool, leather and cotton (also denim) for clothing and shoes. A good quality tweed coat, for example, is practically bomb proof.

Buy a proper watch, not a fitbit.

Buy solid wood antique and vintage furniture, not chipboard mass-produced pieces (although my IKEA stuff does surprisingly well). If something has lasted 200 years of wear and tear you know it's going to last.

In other words, buy things made out of lasting materials which can be repaired.

Yes many manufacturers are making items less durable.

My gran’s tumble dried from the 80’s is still going strong. I’ve got through three in the last decade.

My cobblers refused to put new soles on my boots because he said it wasn't worth it and that they were made to be thrown away 🤔. I hate waste like this.

If a product does not reach a fair lifespan, I contact them and complain (This is within reason of course). Generally I get my money back or a replacement and I hope the message gets through to the companies!

OP what is wrong with your FitBit? I've found them to be very good about replacing it to be fair. If it's the band's breaking, I buy new ones off eBay.

There's a website called buymeonceuk for just this! Sorry, I can't do links.

Ooh chunky, that's exactly the website I need in my life. Like OP I've recently started to look at buying things that will last, for example we have just bought a Dualit toaster which cost more than my first car, but which should last me the rest of my life.

It is however slightly disconcerting to think this may be the last toaster I will ever buy

Sebo vacuum cleaner. Bought ours in 2005, man in John Lewis told us to buy one over a Dyson as they last! Now 16 years old, I tend to get it serviced every few years too.

I just had new soles put on a pair of relatively cheap rain boots that were leaking. Good for another 10 years I figure.

I don't see why a cobbler would refuse.

I couldn't agree more. The consumerist society is frightening

@LoveFall

I just had new soles put on a pair of relatively cheap rain boots that were leaking. Good for another 10 years I figure.

I don't see why a cobbler would refuse.

I took DDs boots she spent a fortune on out of her part time salary when she was a student as they needed a zip mending. It was extortionately expensive. He said they weren't worth it.

Some brands are well known for making it easier to repair things - Miele is one. My Miele vacuum is like a tank and will last forever, I think. I will spend more on appliances who respect the right to repair in future.

The other thing that's worth considering is avoiding the high tech versions of appliances. A dishwasher repairman told me that it's the versions that have the fancy displays etc that break down most often and give him the most work/are more expensive to repair. So I've tried to buy the dumb versions - with dials etc and they do seem to hold up. Less to go wrong, I suppose.

I also maintain my appliances - clean dishwasher, washing machine etc, replace batteries in laptops etc to extend their lifespans.

@silentpool

Some brands are well known for making it easier to repair things - Miele is one. My Miele vacuum is like a tank and will last forever, I think. I will spend more on appliances who respect the right to repair in future.

The other thing that's worth considering is avoiding the high tech versions of appliances. A dishwasher repairman told me that it's the versions that have the fancy displays etc that break down most often and give him the most work/are more expensive to repair. So I've tried to buy the dumb versions - with dials etc and they do seem to hold up. Less to go wrong, I suppose.

I also maintain my appliances - clean dishwasher, washing machine etc, replace batteries in laptops etc to extend their lifespans.

Me too. It's taken a lot of experience to get where I am tbh. The stuff I used to buy was shocking. I wish the money I spent was in my bank account instead of it being stuff in landfill somewhere.

I agree with @Lockheart - some things are made to last, it's just a matter of finding them. I do hate the way things are made to throwaway these days, but there are still good quality things. I buy most of my furniture (wooden) second hand and find it often better crafted than the more modern versions. We have a man who fixes washing machines in the town I live in - he's very busy and I don't know what we will do when he retires.

As a non smoker, who does not allow others to smoke in the house, l really think this is so over the top.

Re above: wrong thread! 🤦‍♀️

I’ll try again! I think there is a huge lack of uniformity in quality on different items within the same brand.

I would disagree about meile. We had a DW that broke a week after the guarantee ran out. It cost £££ to mend (we could have bought a basic DW for the price). A year later it broke again. Took it to the dump and bought a Bosch which is still going 10+ years later.

My vote is for KitchenAid. My stand mixer is about 20 years old. It is used almost daily.

Generally avoid any High Street brand because quality will have dropped when the company scaled up. Buy from small craft makers if you can find them and expect to pay more. Or buy commercial versions, not domestic.

For bedlinen, got to a commercial wholesaler like those who supply the NHS. Decent sheets should last a lifetime.

Very little is made to last these days, it's such a shame.
Our vacuum cleaner has broken after 3 years and can't be repaired. I'll be looking to replace it with something from a manufacturer who will repair rather than building for planned obsolescence. @silentpool I shall look at Miele, thank you.

In terms of your query OP, Fitbits also don't seem to last if it's the actual Fitbit and not the band. My last one did about 2.5 years before it stopped charging. I'd go for a watch for longevity unless you really want a fitness tracker. In which case, I'm not sure it's worth the extra spend on a fitbit.

I try and get my kids stuff to last, clothes wise I tend to spend a bit extra for frugi, kite, mini Boden, because the quality is far superior, they're made to last and when well looked after, they really do. Plus I can sell them on when they've been worn by one or both and still be in good condition. With supermarket clothes, the seams have often twisted and all sorts.
In terms of toys, I love plan toys for longevity and similar brands. Again, they hold a good value for selling on as well as lasting. We brought a cheaper dolls house last year and the top has broken already, yet my DC are pretty gentle handed.

My husband and I tend to use our clothes for the maximum wear. The pjs I'm in at the moment we're brought from Primark when I started uni at 18, I'm 34 now, and apart from a seam repair,you wouldn't know it. However things I'd buy more recently, certainly wouldn't last.

Modern tv's only seem to last 5 or 6 years. (Well, mine do, anyway!). And modern furniture, especially if it's flatpack, seems to be absolute rubbish.

When I bought my first house, I bought second hand because I was skint. My Edwardian dressing table, a c. 1920's rolltop desk and some other bits of cabinetry are perfectly fine, nearly 40 years later, but modern stuff I've bought in the intervening years has only lasted a few years.

If reupholstery wasn't so expensive, I'd buy old sofas and have them recovered, but that costs shedloads.

Yes. I used to have a career in business that gave me lots of insight into the purchase of goods from China and Hong Kong. It's all one big con to keep people in servitude, the people involved in the production and those who consume it.
All my furniture is from antique shops. None of it matches but it is generally handmade and has already stood the test of time. Mass production has a lot to answer for.

How I agree! I think ALL white goods come with built-in obsolescence. My tumble dryer went wrong within a few weeks, we were advised to reject it. The repair man said 'they come from Turkey in a container and just get bashed around. It's why you get ones that give up so soon'. I mean !!!
And why do TVs not work without a remote? Who thought of that ?
End of complaint.

We bought some cheap Billy bookshelves from IKEA 25 years ago. They’re still going strong.
Sofas however don’t last.

We always try our best to buy goods that will last and fix them when they break. But its hard. Got a new TV (sony) about 7 years ago. The streaming functionality stopped working after 4 years (so no netflix, prime, iplayer etc). Out of guarantee of course. It was due to its software not being able to accept the latest updates! So a 4 year old TV which cost £1400 only worked for 4 years. Utterly shocking. We ended up buying a DVD player with built in streaming software to connect to the TV so that we could keep using the TV.

Big companies should not be allowed to manufacter items which its known will only last a few years. Its ridiculous.

As others have said, we also try to avoid goods that are overly engineered (ie ovens that connect to a smart phone etc) - as its just more things that will go wrong. Do love the Miele appliances though as can always get parts for them. Washjng machine and tumble dryer are almost 10 years old now and still going strong!