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!)

Built in technology related obsolescence really winds me up with moulded parts that can't be repaired/replaced yes Dyson I'm looking at you comes in a close 2nd place.

Just for example, I currently use a Macbook Pro. It works absolutely fine, it's still faster than any laptop I've ever used and the only indication that it's getting on in years is that the fan kicks in more frequently than it use to (but still not very often). However, thanks to Apple's obsolescence preference by the end of next year it'll be no better than a fancy paper weight because Apple will no longer allow IOS updates which in turn slowly disables the software I use on the machine. Likewise for my mobile phone. It's fine, immaculate condition and still fast, however it has also been disabled from future IOS support meaning as my apps start to fail I'll have no choice but to buy a new model.

It should be illegal to build in a 'death date' for technology. IOS/Android/System upgrades should be sent to all devices for the user to choose whether to apply or not.

Likewise building machines with parts that cannot be repaired/replaced should be illegal. Both things need to happen to try and halt the flagrant overuse of resources in the name of consumerism.

If you want a smartwatch for running etc I recommend a Garmin Forerunner. I have the basic 35 model and it is a workhorse. It has GPS and that's enough for me.

We recently retired a 26 year old Miele washing machine and replaced like for like.

My cast iron frying pan will, I imagine, outlive me. Its black and not covered like le creuset.

Like others we buy antique furniture. You can get scratch solution and water mark removers that are very effective and get things French polished once every decade or so.

The house we bought hasn't been updated since the 90s and all the carpets are Axminster and still really good! The kitchen is 70s and perfectly useable but no idea what brand. They obviously spent a fortune at the time (granite worktops etc) and never had to buy again.

My enamelled roasting tins keep on trucking with no perceivable wear after 10 years - moderately no-stick and don't buckle either. Such little reassurances can be a comfort in life.
Thinking about clothes, it's horrible and stressful not to be able to trust your clothing to stay respectable and in one piece. That's why I treasure a good pair of jeans.

Our Thomas Lloyd leather sofa is still going after 18 years. When we bought it someone said to us that we'd be sick of the sofa before we had to get rid of it because they last so long.

Problem is people have replaced "value for money" with "cheap".

And from the manufacturers side, very few want to make a product that will last for 40 years. They want something that will last just long enough to make it look better than the "cheap" end of the market but not long enough that no one needs to buy from them twice.

Following this thread with interest- products with the unique selling point of being built to last and repairable will corner a currently untapped market for customers who are both environmental and thrifty.

Timberland boots.

Low tech versions of things - I have a simple pedometer instead of a Fitbit. It even survived being put in the washing machine though it's not supposed to be waterproof.

My Ford Fiesta lasted 14 years and was only written off because a man in van ignored a give way sign.

@Lockheart in this case I did want a fitness tracker rather than a watch and thought Fitbit would be good since that is their raison d’etre!
@silentpool the Fitbit malfunctioned within 2 weeks of starting using it. They did replace it but it was a palaver sending it off and waiting for a new one and I wasn’t impressed that it had broken that quickly. Then the strap broke within a year (and not the half of the strap that they provide you with a spare of). I looked at replacing it with a cheap copy strap from eBay or Amazon but read reviews saying using a fake strap can make it no longer waterproof so I shelled out £24 including P&P for a real strap (and there were only 2 colours available, not the nice grey I had bought it in) - but it was tempting just to buy a whole new Fitbit for £50-75 in the sale instead of spending that much on a strap, but that would have felt wasteful. But not sure why their straps are so shoddy and only last a year when they cost that much!

I have a 1990s top loader washing machine (Fisher Paykel). It's too small for our family, but cycles are only 30mins so I just wash lots of loads. I think about replacing it with a bigger, more efficient model, but I just want to see how long it will live. Most of our furniture is handed from my Nanna who died just before we bought our home. Nothing new outlast her old gear.

@Lockheart now it’s not classy or built to last decades but I would actually put IKEA wardrobes in the excellent value for money category - I have 15 year old wardrobes from there that look as good as new. Indestructible.

Our washing machine is a basic, entry-level Hotpoint, bought in 1999. It has one dial and three buttons and absolutely no electronics, computers, gadgets, gimmicks or anything of the sort. It has had a couple of sets of bushes and a new seal, but apart from that it’s still going strong, and I have no intention of replacing it until it finally dies.

@Chunkymenrock amazing recommendation for uk.buymeonce.com thanks!

Insurance companies writing off cars needs to be addressed too. We have a 13 year old car, bought from new, full service history, very low mileage in imaculate condition. Slight dents/scratches to one side caused by another driver's stupidity, and insurance company have written it off. For the sake of a thousand pounds or so, they could have repaired it and it would be on the road for another few years. Instead it's now going to the scrap yard. What a monumental waste of resources.

@Frenchfancy good to know about the KitchenAid mixer - my DP owes me one of these from my last birthday (I can’t decide on the colour but I will get on it now!)

Yes, my classic dualit toaster is 17 years old. It's had a new timer and, recently, a new element.

My magimix processor is a similar age. The on-off switch broke, last year. It's a simple mechanism and a bit of plastic attached to the external on button that pushes the actual switch inside had snapped. In theory it would be easy to swap out the switch unit with a new one only the right ones were nowhere to be found as they had changed the aesthetic with updates to the range. DH ended up re-building the prong that had snapped and it's holding, for now. The pulse button is fine but sometimes it's necessary to just switch it on and let it do its thing for a minute or two.

@Bunnycat101 I agree re: baking trays. And also non-stick pans. Although I think this may be my fault for putting everything in the dishwasher. I think the dishwasher does destroy things quite quickly

My kitchenaid isn't quite as old and doesn't see a lot of use. We've had to change the grease, though, as that was leaking, and I have to watch it like a hawk when it's kneading as the bolt has a habit of working loose.

And like the apple laptop, I have a 6 year old Dell laptop. It's a bit slow, these days, though has been improved by a solid state drive and it had a new battery a couple of years ago. It does what I need it to do, though. Only I won't be able to put windows 11 on it.

Couldn’t agree more with the OP. My particular bugbear is the bathroom and kitchen units that are meant to be dried after use, as they can’t handle splashes of water! It’s ridiculous.

I bought an old kenwood chef about 10 years ago and it's still going strong, its actually from the 1960s!

Baking trays are a pain so I might invest in some enamel ones and have started building up a cupboard of Denby for when my pre-teen moves out as all my 'good' stuff tends to be broken by the kids! (looking at my now 22 year old DS who broke by 15 year old large disney mug I bought when he was 2!)

I've spent much of the day mooching through the "BuyMeOnce" website and have fallen head over heels in love with a knife. I messaged DH about it and he sighed heavily and muttered a bit.

Fortunately he has zero concept of money so I can float the idea of a £90 paring knife as "a bit more expensive" without him questioning it

My first ever washing machine AEG lasted for 15 years and my Kenwood mixer is still in use after 35 years, even though husband used it to mix plaster in (unbeknownst to me obviously).

@Grayskelly - I have a Fisher & Paykel top-loader too! It's not as old as yours, but I would say it is around 16 years old, and it's only had one minor repair and it goes well. I'm hoping to keep it running for a few years yet.

If you have something that is working fine except for a wee broken plastic hinge or button etc, you may be able to fix it with either sugru
sugru.com/buy/sugru-mouldable-glue?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-qGNBhD3ARIsAO_o7ykIYUPaQZV34aHlbwxtox4bis6i2BWq2v77PADlhj0Xu5tlf26FHp8aAg_UEALw_wcB
Or Fixits
www.amazon.co.uk/Fixits-Pack-Mouldable-Sticks-Protecting/dp/B07KW7F57L/ref=asc_df_B07KW7F57L/?hvlocphy=9045270&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=218092154549&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-747605782036&hvrand=2649613899112091692
Sugru sticks well to other surfaces and is heat resistant.
Fixits soften in hot water and can be useful when you need to have 2 or 3 goes at getting the shape right.