I like to buy good quality products which are reliable and durable.
I was wondering what are some of the best built quality products/brands you ever bought? Which lasted for years (high life expectancy compare to direct competitors)? which are also good value for money?
@Cwong14u: If I sounded bit peeved, eh, my intentions were not. Anyways, all I wanted to say was I kinda don't eat much Korean food in Australia so I kinda have no clue in that. Guessed you were not a Korean, since you'd probably know where to grab one in Sydney, if you were one. Korean communities there are fairly massive, I've heard. I guess Strathfield is where I'd start doing my research in.
That said, I see no reason to get one unless you eat tonnes of Kimchi (my family has one in Korea, but that's because we make our own and you need to make massive amount for it to worth it).
Ay-up lighting system for bikes - Probably the best packaged item, too. But it has copped a beating and still going strong after about 4-5 years
PC I put together years ago. i5 2600k, GTX 580 - still going strong, albeit not able to play latest games.
2600k is actually an i7 not an i5 and that cpu will last you forever. Just upgrade the gpu with an rx480 and you will easily play any of the latest games on high detail for the next couple years.
Sorry, it's a 2500k - would that still help me with GTA V on a 1440p monitor?
Your advice brings me great joy that I won't need a whole new rig.
Yeah 2500k is still a kickass CPU and would easily handle any game (except total war which is cpu limited due to bad engine and other similarly poor coded game engines). Just aim for a minimum of 8GB ram and get a good video card (AMD RX480 or Nvidia GTX 1060 are best value atm) and you're set for the next couple years.
These 2 video cards are brand new and put the previous generation cards to shame. You get better than the $600 cards performance from the last generation for almost half the price now. Perfect time for an upgrade đź‘Ś
I was going strong with an i7 2600k (5yrs old) and a GTX 970 until last month when my motherboard died and I replaced my board and cpu so have an i7 6700k now. Cost me around $1000 and in gaming the performance is no different. I imagine in your case it'd be much the same so don't waste money on CPU/mobo/ram just stick to upgrading the video card :)
Good advice, thanks.
I'm yet to play GTA V and Battlefield 4, so want to get something for that (and Battlefield 1)
My 2500k is overclocked and I have 8GB ram.
I have been out of the game for 6 years so have a lot of catching up to do.
Cheers.
I have the 2500k also and it's probably the best CPU decision I've ever made in hindsight.
Can confirm. My 2500k has seen 3 gpu, 2 mobos, 1 psu and 3 ram upgrades. Not all out of necessity mind you but I have no cpu dramas playing the latest games.
Similar, but first gen i7 930, really good mobo. Going on 6 or 7 now. New ssd, pretty much new computer.
"I like to buy good quality products which are reliable and durable.". Good on you. The majority of people fall into one of 2 categories:
Cheapskates you don't care about quality/features/longevity/aesthetics and simply purchase the lowest priced item them can afford (most KMart/BigW/Target items fall into this category).
Status shoppers who purchase whatever is currently cool in order to improve their subjective experience of their of social superiority.
I usually purchase mid-priced items , on special if possible, after having researched the particular item/brand. I don't let my decisions be dictated by parasites with degrees in marketing. Generally, if a company spend a lot of money on advertising, I assume it is to make up for a lot of quality, and go out of my way the eschew the products and services that company peddles. Quality products don't need blanket advertising - word of mouth is enough to sell their products.
Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic have very good build quality on their headphones. Swan speakers are great, as are Dell IPS monitors. Charles Thyrwhitt shirts are well made and are often on sale for ~$40 AU. Jhayne Barnes apparel are often composed of amazing fabrics (they can be picked up cheaply on Ebay). Aldi's underwear, socks and winter gear might not be beautiful, but are well made (their woolen products don't cause itchiness the way low grade, coarse wool does). Intel CPUs have proven very reliable, and my last Asrock Z97 motherboard is still 100% after 5 years of relatively heavy use. Logitech keyboards never seem to wear out. My computer desk, a gift given to me 27 years ago, is still being used, though the laminate has worn down to the wood over the edges where I more my hands.
Does anyone have recommendations for chairs? The foam on Officeworks chairs is rubbish.
I don't fit with either of those 2 categories. I feel left out now…
So which one do you fit then?
It's more of a spectrum…
Raynor ergohuman. Bought mine 8 years ago for close to $900 but its still comfy as ever. There a v2 now which you can get for ~$500
My Altec Lansing ADA 305 computer speakers from 1998 are still kicking it. I remember watching The Matrix video CD in the computer and myself and mates ducking when the bullets start flying. :)
I also have a Bose Acoustimass 7 and Model 100 from 1996.
An old 5.1 Kenwood home theatre amplifier. It is still going around 13 years after purchase. It would very often be left on overnight, so the on-hours are very high and probably equate to an equivalent of 20 years use. The cat would sleep on it for warmth and so the thing has a bunch of cat hairs inside it too. I only just recently upgraded hence not using it anymore at the moment.
I was waiting for it to die for years so I could justify upgrading but it just won't! I feel like it will be good for another 20 years…
My 1986 General Electric fridge, weighs a tonne, was built properly,
Weber kettle BBQ, Miele Washing machine, Loake Shoes made in Uk.
Samsung galaxy note 2, from 4 years ago. It can't play pokemon go due to lower version of android (no update from Samsung).
Install Cyanogenmod on it.
There's a good custom rom scene for the Samsung flagships, you should have no problem running marshmallow on it :)
ThinkPad T series.
Purchased in 2001. Still works fine, but I don't use it as the CPU is very slow comparatively :-)
32" Sony LCD Tv purchased back in 2001. Gave it to grandad after upgrading to a 55" Sony 2 years ago. It is still going as good as day one and not a single repair needed.
I bought some circular pots and pans on a half price kit from Harris Scarfe, and 2.5 years of almost daily use, still going great!
No loose handles and the surface is still non stock.
I was going to say my Stanley hammer with 2 new heads and 3 new handles but someone above used a similar story
I didn't even notice, Circulon yes, iPad sees a brand name and changes it to a word.
Lenovo T series laptops from 90s
I guess they were called that other brand back then… What was it? IBM?
My 2007 Volvo S80 and my 2010 Volvo C30
Bloody Volvo driver
Thinking of getting a V60 so I can go to the beach/snow instead of running into issues with my golf gti and lack of AWD,
Would you rate volvo's from that aspect?
Neither of my cars are AWD but they do make a cross country model of both the V60 and V40. Could ask the guys on this Facebook group or on /r/Volvo
Had a Volvo 850. There is nothing tougher than the way they make those cars, though they weigh a lot.
This vid is someone deliberately crashing one again and again and again: https://youtu.be/u7V-G3PiRUc
Nintendo 64 and all it's games. Bought when they first came out. Just need to blow out the dust now and then, and bash the cartridge into place in just the right way of course. The controllers need a refurbish though.
Apparently there's a cartridge you can get now with an SD card slot in it.
To save the wear on your legitimately owned games, of course.
Also I've heard there's a rubber part you can replace in the joysticks but I don't know the details.
. microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse combo. bought it roughly 10 yrs ago, the mouse stopped working properly 2 years ago, but im still using the keyboard now. still looks new as you can unscrew the back of it and take the keys out to wash them. battery lasts around 6 months as well :)
. got a foldable sunshade from my first car which was in 2003 which is still frequently used and looks mint as well
. benq laptop from 2005, still going strong!
. toasty machine from when i was a kid, so that thing would be around 20 yrs old i guess, still use it every weekend :)
Logitech Z520 Speakers. Got them for a bargain: $25 delivered. It's from logitech_australia and it was when ebay groupbuy first started in 2011. Still using them now.
Apple refurbished MacBook Pro since 2011. Still using today. Previous HP lasted 2 years only!
Game consoles have been getting a mention. I forgot mine.
2003 XBOX (V1.2 IIRC) still running despite a hard life. It's also because (or despite) the attention I've lavished upon it. I finally started modding it a few years ago:
Samsung 616T DVD-rom drive — reads everything, unlike standard Philips drive.
80mm fan upgrade. Original worked but was noisy.
2TB SATA drive with IDE/SATA converter has been on standby for over a year. Components for HDMI-out conversion also awaiting deployment.
I fear more fiddling will ruin it because I'd be pushing my luck.
Hotpoint tumble dryer. Went strong for over 10 years (gets A LOT of use in our house) before being recently replaced. Even then I think we could have got away with a new fan belt.
Samsung LCD TV still going well and 6 years old.
We also have a 1998 Toyota Corolla that we bought as a second car about 18 months ago. Everything works perfectly and it recently sailed though another rego check.
Miele vacuum cleaner. I have a large, hair shedding dog, 2 messy kids and a wife that is very serious about things being clean and tidy. Vacuum gets a lot of work and is still going strong after many years.
My 16GB iPod Touch 1st Gen…it just won't die!!! :D
Timberland Pro - best boots ever. Daily driven for three years straight through water, mud, and knee-deep snow. Worth every penny, but even better cause I got them for $120 instead of $300.
Any tips on its care?
Don't walk through water and snow, and they will last longer than three years.
Probably some leather oil to keep the leather from cracking as mine eventually did.
Get a good waterproofer
Let all mud dry, then brush off
Avoid letting them get saturated. If quite wet let them air dry properly
Remember they are shoes at the end of the day and don't worry too much
Separate Westinghouse fridge and freezers. Bought by my parents in late 1970's and perfectly operational until only disposed of in 2008 as they bought an all in one unit replacement. Made in Australia.
A simple product, yes, but will probably last for years to come : Pincinox pegs
http://stainlesssteelpegs.com.au/
Tag Heuer Classic - 12 years old and still going strong. Never missed a beat. Yearly service and it will last forever.
Raymond Weil Tango. My everyday watch and still looks and works like when it was bought 14 years ago.
Best kitchen items bought over the years:
Oxo good grip non spill ice trays https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-No-Spill-Silicone-White/dp/…
Oxo good grip salad spinner
Zeroll Ice Cream scoop
HydroFlask insulated bottles
Simple Human 38L bin https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/184964
Polar Bear Cooler bags http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/
Old reliable cars.
None of this plastic junk nowadays that:
-Can't be started without car battery.
-Falls to pieces if you shut one of the doors too hard.
-Hard to fix if there is a problem.
-Exhaust gas re-circulation, so you're losing fuel efficiency and running exhaust fumes back through your engine. (The Volkswagen Jetta disabled EGR, but go found out and had to do a recall)
-Not as sturdy and durable. (Older iron engines are easy to cast and it doesn't deform by thermal stresses)
Umm..Volkswagen cars was recalled because it failed the fuel efficiency test.
Not quite
On Friday, the EPA slammed Volkswagen with a massive, 500,000-car recall, noting that the manufacturer had designed its vehicles to deliberately hide their own diesel emissions and that the cars can dump up to 40x more pollution into the atmosphere than legally allowed.
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/214605-vw-caught-cheating…
jeez…. so many downvotes!
They failed gas emissions tests. Funnily enough, lower (bad) gas emissions doesn't always equate to better fuel economy. Automotive companies didn't just install defeat devices for performance reasons.
Agreed, got a 1965 HD Holden and still going strong.
Herman Miller office chairs. Great value over time.
My 9 year old Dell Laptop. It's been dropped and the only thing I've ever rep[laced is the hard drive.
Toyota Prius. 2005 Model, bought in 2012. I recently got it serviced and in four years haven't had to get anything fixed on it apart from things that are normally expected to wear down in that time - tyres, brake pads, and fuel filter. That's it. Rock solid, and cheap on fuel. Might not be the cheapest car to buy, but it is damn cheap to run.
MacBook Pro - Got new in 2010, only just replaced it three weeks ago. Six years of heavy use. DVD drive temporarily went to shit, but fixed itself (and who cares about DVD drives anyway). Battery life is crap by now but that's just lithium batteries for you. Other than that it's been great. Physically speaking it's phenomenal, the aluminium exterior still looks like when I bought it. I HAVE experienced some software bugs after a few OS updates, and they're the only thing that has really ever frustrated me about that laptop - but the hardware is rock solid.
Mizuno sports shoes. I bought a pair and wore them most days for 7 years for running and gym. Eventually had to give thrm up as they wore through the sole, but only in the last year. So damn comfortable as well.
I've had similar experience with New Balance shoes.
Snap on tools.
Sidchrome tools (australian made).
Holden astra TS classic 05, seriously the most reliable car owned. Purchased brand new and currently sitting on 114xxxkm, serviced always on time, no major faults or even small one just wear and tear like pads, tyres, battery (replaced once), wiper blades.
Wiha screw drivers, have a set of insulated ones lasted me 7 years and still going strong.
Jbs hand tools.
JBS hand tools are excellent for the price.
Re: Astra, buy your parts from Autovaux, cheap parts when the GBP down.
Yep, got a huge JBS socket set for $50 at a second hand shop. Reckon they're very old by now but as good as new!
Used Thinkpad x60. It's now older than 10YO. Battery is pretty shot now (about 3 hours in Fedora).
Used Dell D430. 8 years old. Battery is shot but I have Linux on it and use it as a guest computer.
I bought a new Lenovo 3000n200 in 2008(I think). I still use it as a daily driver PC
I swear, Linux is a godsend for people who use older machines.
i've got an atom netbook with linux. zippy as hell.
Have to say linux gives old pcs a new lease in life.
I have the first asus eee ps netbook 1000h model and with xubuntu running on it it is pretty darn good.
I have ubuntu on my mail laptop as well also win 8.1 too and yeh linux is better performance wise if you ask me.
US made sneakers, UK made Clarks (Clarks are hand stitched in Ireland)
All clothing is made in US or AUS or UK; even my socks and jocks
Fridge is Aussie made
Pay the premium, don't be penny wise pound foolish. T shirts have lasted me years haven't stretched or peeled… not like the target crap people froth over here which you end up paying more in the long run to replace
I actively avoid buying made in China/made in Vietnam sweatshop goods and will support local industry when I can
I think Citizen Eco Drive and Seiko solar watches are good quality, reliable and good value. Haven't had mine for very long, only about a couple of years, but one of the reasons why I got these ones over trendier, flashier brands is their apparent durability
Agree here. My Citzen Eco Drive turns 15 in September. I remember spending $1000 on it in 2001 and most people thought I was nuts. I wear it 24/7 even in the shower or when swimming. It hasn't missed a beat and the solar level is still 3 bars all the time which for my watch is three years of running in the dark. Amazing watch I hope to have for at least another 15 years.
Which type of eco drive do u have?
The Skyhawk
The Skyhawk digital version
My Hoover fridge was bought in 1992 and hasn't failed. I also reckon this Walkman pocket radio is the best value around. I use mine every day at work and it's probably close to 20 years old. http://www.sony.com.au/product/srf-59
Bought it around the same time, and failed last year, thank god :)
Now i finally get to use more energy efficient fridge.
King Gee work boots. Worn them about probably 3/7 days for going on 4 years and still going strong.
Pentax K50 Camera. Bought specifically to take to Antarctica due to it's weather sealing and temp rating. First excursion off ship and I had to throw the camera into the snow in an emergency. Picked it up, lens covered in snow and ice. Cleaned it off and worked like a charm for the remainder of the cruise (and still does).
my parent bought a kelvinator fridge when they were first married 50 years ago - has been running non-stop since (drinks fridge in the garage)
The Nokia 6120c mobile was bought in 2008 (a free handset on a $30/month mobile plan on "3") and still in use today from my elderly mother. It came with a high quality LCD screen, 2MP camera and the video camera uses an expensive CCD scensor rather than CMOS scensor. None of these features EVER failed to work. The Nokia 6120 was given Telstra's blue tick of approval for use in low reception areas. Its phone reception, battery consumption and processing power was amazingly cheap for its time. The phone has survived heaps of abuse.
The HTC Touch Diamond2 smartphone was bought in 2010 (a free handset on a $40/month mobile plan on Telstra) and used every day for almost four years. It was my regular phone for sports and sports photos. It had fallen out of my pocket while cycling a dozen times at full speed always resulting in the HTC phone coming apart into three pieces (ie. battery, back cover and front screen). However when I put everything back together it worked as if nothing had happened. The body was made out of aluminum and a gorilla glass screen. I loaded custom firmware to turn it from black and white into a colour interface. Later I flashed its Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system with a custom XDA Android 2.3 operating system
Its screen resolution, auto focus camera, radio, sound card, H.264 video exceeded the market leaders iPhone 3GS.
The Panasonic SA-HE90 5.1 surround sound receiver/amplifier was bought in 2005 (brand new $280, RRP $1000-$1200). Been in use every day for more than 10 years and still going strong today. It was considered an expensive consumer level surround sound amplifier. It had rare MOS-FET circuitry (same as car amplifiers) and clarity that competed with the best amplifiers (Total Harmonic Distortion 0.03%) and still exceeds todays speaker requirements. It has 3x optical inputs. Keeps up with the best audio standards that free to air digital TV has to offer (Dolby Pro logic II, DTS). Has three different circuits: Speaker A (for 5.1 Surround speakers), Speaker B (for large sized 4 Ohm stereo speakers), headphone only. This has save me big dollars in reducing the cost for stereo speakers and headphone listening. I've never read a negative review (customer or expert) for the Panasonic SA-HE90 or its surround sound decoding.
My good old Sony CRT TV which I bought 20 years ago was still running like new last year. We were still using it 1 year after they switched off the analogue signal by playing kids shows stored in a HDD. Had to upgrade to a 55" LED last year.
We bought a "National" brand hair dryer sometime in year 2000. Wife is using it almost on a daily basis and it has been going strong for the past 16 years until it meet its death 1 month ago. I think "National" becomes "Panasonic" later on.
I also have a "National" brand shaver and also bought in the same year 2000. It is still going strong. Not the best shaver in the world but I used it daily. Have not missed a beat yet. 16 years and going strong.
National hair dryer! We have stopped using ours but my parents store it in one of their bed-side drawers. It's their little precious one!
Nokia 3200, i just took it out of the cupboard to see if it still works, still had charge in the battery wow.
I bought a Hoover 5020D Auto Dry Sensor clothes dryer approximately 18 years ago. Used at least 3-4 times a week without a single problem. Always keep the rear intake grill clean, and always clean front door lint filter after every use. Best $200 I ever spent :)
Besides the dryer, my best buy ever is my Mazda R100 Rotary Coupe, I bought it sometime around 1993 in original mint condition except for the reconditioned turbo engine. Not had any problems with it. Not even a button or switch fail. Drove it a few times a week until not long ago when I decided that it's too much of a risk (might get stolen) so it's now stored in garage :)
If you cook, a good quality knife last forever, and I mean forever.
My mum bought this Wusthoff in her 30s. It's passed on to us now, still sharp, still latest model, still our main knife. Perhaps it's 50 years old now…
You also need only one chef knife, the rest is optional. Buying more or not depends on your kitchen space.
Victorinox is affordable and holds their own against knives 5x their price
Wusthof is a bit more exp
My first macbook.
7 years strong (late 2009 model) and still going relatively well. I would have bought 2-3 windows laptops in this time. Planning to upgrade when they refresh the macbook pro range later this year.
My Dell 2405FPW LCD monitor. Bought in a group buy 11 years ago (2005) and still being used perfectly daily.
1/ Miele S229 vacuum cleaner still working after 25 years although the cord won't rewind and the front swivel wheel is broken. Also running out of original bags.
2/ National rice cooker, also 25 years old.
3/ Aldi Akoya Notebook, 8 years old still working except faulty batteries. Replaced the HDD with SSD gave it a new life.
national rice cooker are solid. My one has been passed down from my parents college days.
Raynor Ergohuman mesh chair 8 years old still good.
Asus laplop, 6 years old with daily usage and still works perfectly.
Basically every Logitech product I bought.
Leatherman multitools. LED Lenser torches.
My old gal, the Samsung RV511 laptop. Bought new in 2011 for $500 and still going strong. The DVD drive faceplate fell off a few years back, and the left trackpad button is a little wobbly but she just shakes it off like Tay-Tay and keeps on truckin. She's currently hidden behind my telly and working as my media server. Bless.
My Sony Minidisc MZ N707 dont remember when think late 90s when i was in japan, was so hightech for me then and i still use it now when im on my flights.
Miele dishwasher 11yo and still going strong.
Panasonic ES8109S Shaver.
The only issue was the foil attachment around the blade edge cracking, which was about $40 to replace, other than that going on 6 years, no issues.
I have an older Toyota which is very reliable and simple to maintain, but I expect this. On the other hand I have an old ACER notebook which surprisingly has lasted quite well and also been reliable. All my friends joke that I got lucky on the ACER.
I found a good Australian country girl ten years ago, best investment ever. Some wear and tear (two kids), but still going strong, should last another fifty years
How well does it hold resale value though?
Should be pretty good, think the missus gets 75% of assets if we split
Hand sewn baby blanket my mum made for me in Iran before my brother was born 33-35 years ago. Although she denies it, she was obviously hoping for a girl because it's bright pink and as much as I've tried to mix it with other colours in the wash, the damn things indestructible and won't bleed colour.
I still use it to this day and I'm sure my mum is happy that I'll pass it on to one of my two girls, one day… Maybe
Relax man..do you even kimchi bro? I'm not even korean…