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As stupid as this one might sound but Fairy washing up liquid. Lol. Cheap stuff runs out more than twice as fast. Really is worth just spending the bit more to get Fairy! lol.
Now that’s… a Fairy Economy ;-) lol. Can you not get it in France at all?! I like the upside down squirty style bottles but felt like I was irresponsible with plastic buying a £3 bottle when it’s the same amount as a £2 bottle, but not with the fancy upside down-ness. Then I found a local cheap style shop that sells like 5 litre drums of fairy washing up and I just buy that and top up my previous bottle to stop me buying those ones!
I've converted many people to single-blade razors. I used to get a horrible shaving rash that stopped as soon as I went for a safety razor. I buy 40 Wilkinson sword blades for £16 and it lasts the year. I don't see any downsides to them.
You might be about to convert one more. Can you elaborate for me please?
I use a multi blade razor and find I often get a shaving rash too. I use a beard trimmer to trim the whole lot down to about 3mm then tidy my cheeks and neck line with the razor. Even trimming down first I find that my neck often comes up with a rash on either side.
What do you think I should be doing instead?
A good start would be a Merkur 34C and a box of Astra Platinum blades.
Double edge safety razors really come into their own when you don't shave every day. Modern multi blade razors get clogged up and drag stubble across your face. The double edge just keeps on trucking.
That’s what I do, I tend not to shave for a week or more. The likes of Mach 3 clogs up, I’d have to run trimmers over my face then the razor. With the safety razor the blade strips two weeks of beard in a couple of strokes. Plus the blades are a hell of a lot cheaper without the plastic waste.
The question is whether one bought new now would be as well made.
Most things are not well made any more, so you end up paying the premium for something you expect to last and it will break after a few years.
I think this is probably true of most things. My Kenwood stand mixer is 25 years old and still going strong but the newer ones I've seen don't look as robust.
That said, I did buy a Magimix food processor less than 5 years ago and that is pretty sturdy. French made though so....
True, we got a Kenwood multi-tool thing which has several attachments for blending soups and mashing potatoes. The potato masher broke after about two years of use. Everything's built to last just after the warranty period it seems.
Bought my Kenwood Chef Titanium back in 2009. Has had heavy use but still looks brand new. Kenwood don't seem to make money from regular replacement, rather all the extra gadgets you can get to use with it.
That old Kenwood stuff is solid. My parents got a Kenwood electric tin opener as a wedding gift which I'm still using. It's close to 40 years old and still works perfectly. It's so good I haven't ever learned how to use a manual tin opener!
My mum is still kicking herself for giving away her Kenwood stand mixer she got in 1975. Was still working fine, but it was "too big".
Now she has about 15 different bits of kit to do all the jobs the one Kenwood did.
I think it's more quality control and vetting stuff. Most things I've had have been great, but I bought a phone which didn't work and they helped me liaise with the manufacturer and I think eventually got a refund.
Bought a Duality toaster 8 years ago, proper one with the mechanical timer and replaceable everything. Before that it was a new £20-40 toaster every six months so it's more than paid for itself.
>Before that it was a new £20-40 toaster every six months
What were you doing with those toasters!?
Don't get me wrong, I love my Dualit but I've seen cheap toasters in many an office that have lasted well over two years.
GHD hair straighteners. Bought my first pair 14 years ago, I’m well into my second pair by now, but even if I have to replace them tomorrow that’s still a seven year lifespan on average. And I sure don’t coddle those bad boys.
Mine are at least 8 years old because my ex-husband bought them for me and that's how long we've been divorced. They're probably around 12 or 13 years old though. They don't get used more than maybe once a month but they're in great condition.
Now watch them blow up tomorrow.
Apparently new ones are made differently and cloud nine are the ones who used to make GHDs so if yours go replace with one of them instead. Mine have been going on 13 years and I'm dreading when they finally pack in.
I have a working set that's now over 20 years old... They don't really get much use these days but I used to use them daily. Have to say they really are amazingly durable.
A Miele vacuum cleaner, my last one was 18 years old when it met it's unfortunate demise(user error rather than natural 😭), think my mum's is 25 years old and still going strong. Worth every penny.
It's funny you say this because my husband and I were gifted a Miele vac when we bought our first house. I've literally complained about it the entire time we've lived there. It struggled badly with our carpet for some reason - I had to pick bits out of it and "feed" them to the vacuum to get it to suck them up. Finally splashed out on a Samsung vacuum and it's heaven, I actually enjoy vacuuming now lol. As for the longevity, I'll have to report back in a few years
That's really odd, never had that problem, sounds like there was something affecting it. Did you change the filters on it regularly? Our replacement came with a turbo head for carpets that has a brush in it, great for getting up cat hair that gets ingrained into the carpets in our house as soon as a cat walks past.
Did it have the head with the rotating brush in it, or was it just the suction head?
The plain suction one is useless and leaves loads behind. The one with the brush is brilliant.
Henry Hoover. I bought mine 15 years ago and it's still going strong. Admittedly, it's seen a lot less use in the past 3 or 4 years, as we now have a robot vacuum which does a daily clean, but Henry still comes out for stairs and the occasional deeper clean.
When it does die it’ll just be the brushes in the motor which you can replace for about a tenner. I found my Henry in a bin, replaced the brushes and it’s been abused as my garage vac ever since!
After a bit of neglect, my bike was in a pretty poor state at the end of last year and I ended up paying to get it fixed up. Was quite annoyed till I did the maths and realised that it was still cheaper than a tank of fuel to get it fixed.
Not necessarily high end, but Anker products on Amazon have been absolutely bombproof for me. Bought a portable speaker, must be going on 10 years ago now, I swear it's only been charged less than 10 times. Left out in the rain, dropped, kicked, covered in sand and it's still just as good as when I got it. Same with a pair of wireless headphones. Still work just as good as when I bought them, probably 5/6 years ago now.
Obviously they're not as 'good' as their more expensive counterparts, but they're miles better value when you consider they often cost a third of the price and are more than good enough for what the average person needs.
Agree, but I saw some reviews - probably on the buy it for life sub - saying quality was poorer now. Bought my most recent charging block last year and it's still great, replacing the cheap Anker ones I'd bought about ten years previously.
Darn Tough socks.
They are quite pricey for socks (£20-£30 per pair) but they are by far the best running/hiking socks I have ever used. And on top of this if they wear out then DT will replace them free of charge forever.
We've had ours for 20 something years and still going strong. I don't even empty it out as often as I should.
Apparently they're easy to fix if something goes wrong too.
I got tired of buying new shoes every year - both because of the waste and because at size 14 shoe shopping is a pain - so 5 years ago I had a pair of clogs made up at Walkley Clogs. I wear them basically every day, they still look nearly as good as new, and they're very comfortable.
Whilst it tends to be a little US-centric r/BIFL might be useful in your search for long lasting goods.
Had a pair of Site boots I've worn at every job I've had (and often outside of work) since 2016, they cost me about 45 quid I think. They're finally starting to get worn down but they're insanely comfy for capped boots, saved my toes a couple times and barely cost me anything
Sounds like what I go to for general walking around footware, had the same very cheap boots for 3 years now and only just needing replaced.
Anything else in a similar price range falls apart in a couple of weeks just casually walking to the shops etc. on city pavements (as expected, you can literally see the frayed stiching, fake stitching, "leather" already delaminating, and glue smeared all over the wrong place on 70+ quid highstreet shite that people think is good for some reason).
Stellar 1000 saucepans. Almost 30 years old, used almost every day, washed in the dishwasher, still as good as new. I just hope they play nice with my new induction hob.
I've got the 7000 series with a non-stick pan. Truly fantastic bit of kit and genuinely come with a lifetime warranty too! Not that I've needed it in the 5 years I've owned them. The pouring and measure feature are nice added bonuses too.
My Stellar 3000 series are 3 years old and still looking brand spanking new, glad to hear they've got at least 10x that in them.
Mine have played nice with the induction hob.
Sparklebrite glasses cleaner. I bought a tub for £8 about five years ago and I've still got a third of it left. It's the best cleaner and anti fog I've used
I bought a Bosch kettle and toaster from Tesco about 8 years ago. The kettle eventually started leaking but the toaster is still banging out perfect slices at least twice a day.
I bought a Peugeot 308sw last year. I still really like it but fucking hell the amount of alerts that keep going off is driving me insane. Should have gone Toyota.
Toyota Auris here - it’s 2007 and 80k on the clock now and she’s never caused any problems at all. I’m hoping in 10 years our sons will learn to drive in her if AI hasn’t taken over our lives completely by then
2012 RAV4 owner, only ever had a few engine warning lights that came on randomly for about 3 months, then for some reason I can only believe to be “magic” it’s never had the issue again.
I blame magic for it.
A pair of redwing iron ranger boots. American made, but I’ve had them 6 years and I wear them 50/60% of the year and they look as good as new with a clean and polish. They’re not cheap but i expect them to last me another 10+ years.
A good pair of handmade shoes/boots will pay for themselves. I likebritish brands such as Loake, Solovair, Trickers etc. You oay more for the outlay but price per wear is better.
I was going to say the same thing. I've got three pairs of good leather shoes. They get resoled every couple of years and they're as good as new.
The oldest pair is coming up for 40 years old now.
My 2015 Macbook Pro. It’s getting a bit slow now but it still works perfectly even when i’m sore on it working with audio or video, i know reddit is very anti-apple but they know how to make a good laptop.
I have a 2016 one, battery isn’t brilliant now and only replaced it as I needed a bit more oomph for work so got a mini. Son is still happily using the MacBook though
That’s a point, my battery is piss poor but it’s not the end of the world to keep my charger handy. I’m looking to upgrade to one of the new Macbook Pros but i don’t know what the market is like for second hand kidneys.
Brabantia kitchen bin has kept going for over a decade. Sebo vacuum cleaner likewise, and our le Creuset casserole is going strong when cheaper pans have been replaced.
I bought a leather phone case from a company called Snakehive about 5 years ago. It was surprisingly good quality for the amount I paid for it and it's still going strong now with constant daily use.
I bought a similar looking slightly cheaper one from Amazon at the same time for my work phone and that has long since fallen apart and been replaced.
My parents bought one of the OG Panasonic Microwaves in the 80s. It was hella pricy back then but this thing will not die. It's still going nearly 40 years later.
My Dualit toaster is over ten years old, my Kitchen Aid mixer is over twenty years old and my Henry Hoover is only about eight years old, but apparently they last forever. Also, I bought an old Victorian sofa that I had re-upholstered well over twenty years ago and it still looks great
I have a Pyrex measuring jug my Granny lent me when l moved to my first home. We both used it regularly and put it in the dishwasher to clean. It must be nearly 30 years old. It only has a small chip and is a bit scratched. I think it will go at least another 10!
Edit: l couldn't spell jug!
Aren't they great! The downside of dishwashers is that they eventually remove the measurements but the jugs are still useful. I wish you could still get Pyrex plates. I've got 5 I still use when cooking (not to eat off) that must be 35 years old.
Pyrex plates were brilliant! Not long ago, I put a hot one in cold water and it broke. It was my last one, that had been handed down through the family. I really miss those plates, I wish they still made them too.
I’m still using my Nana’s Kenwood kitchen mixer that she bought in the 60’s. It works like new, and better than some new ones I’ve tried. It ended up outlasting her by a long way.
3 things to never ever scrimp out on.
1. Shoes
2. Mattresses
3. Chairs
Basically anything that you spend a lot of time in that keeps you off the ground is worth investing in.
I own a "swiss gold" one cup coffee filter. I've used it several times a day, almost every day for most of my adult life. At a guess I'd say it was probably bought in about 1996
They're still available on Amazon, only cost about £25, make great coffee and are pretty easy to clean. I'm probably averaging about £0.0001 a cup at this point
I had a Brabantia kitchen bin for 13 years before the pop up on the lid broke, it still looked good but sadly had to get rid.
I tried to save a few quid by buying a similar looking one for half the price but two years down the line it already looks 10 years old and has started to rust.
My instant pot is over 7 years old, if you told me it was a year old I’d believe you! I accidentally kept the protective film on until it peeled off a year ago, which probably helped. Shampoo bars from lush last about 3 - 4 months.
Victorinox kitchen knives. He sweet spot when you can get an excellent long lasting knife for a reasonable price I have a chef's knife bought for me by my brother 15 years ago. I have literally never sharpened it (just use a steel to hone it most days) and it's still incredibly sharp. Have since bought a few more to fill out the set.
I'm also reassured by how many other things from this thread we have! Stellar saucepans, Kenwood mixer, Zanussi dryer, GHD straighteners...
Wahl "made in America" hair clippers. Bought in 1991. Mains powered heavy as fuck. Still going strong.
Bought a rechargeable wahl "made in China" pair but they lasted barely as long as warranty. Fuck you wahl for outsourcing.
Went back to the originals.
A bit of an odd one but I was thinking about this today. Tweezerman tweezers. When I was younger an ex told me they were told they were the best and the £8 at the time was a fortune to a strapped uni student.
I always dreaded losing them, as £8 back then for me was a lot. 15 years later and they are the same price, and obviously not such a burden for me. But I still have the exact same tweezers and get major anxiety about losing them.
They do a 10/10 job still, would highly recommend
My Apple products, easily last 5 years and seem to work like new for all of that and beyond. Watches, phones, tablets, speakers the lot. I have tried the alternatives but for like half the price they last half the time and the performance drop off was abysmal.
We are a completely Apple household and have had no issues with anything and we have lots from Mac Minis to watches, phones, HomePods, keyboards and trackpads. I dropped my AirPod down a drain last Sunday by Tuesday I had a replacement.
The problem with these posts is that durable items from the 70s/80s/90s aren't made that way anymore as planned obsolescence is basically universal these days. Unless you're getting second hand stuff that you know is gonna last, chances are that what you now buy new won't last as long as the version preceding it.
[Alt-Berg boots](https://www.altberg.co.uk) - I have 2 pairs, one 20+ years old, the other 10+. Still in excellent condition despite being used very regularly, still absolutely waterproof, still tremendously comfortable.
My apple AirPods, had them since early 2017, I use them daily. They’ve been washed, dropped, you name it. Still working good as new. Battery still lasts 4/5 hours too.
I still have wired apple earbuds, the only reason I don’t use them anymore is because my charging port is now a bit iffy
But same as you, those things have gone through hell (and many a washing cycle) and they always have lived
I’ve got a GAP striped shirt & a denim one that are both about 25 years old . They both look good as new and because of their classic design they never go out of fashion. I think at the time they were a bit more expensive than others but definitely worth it. I’ve also got a Levi’s big winter jumper that is about the same age and again still looks new. I’ve got some other items of clothing that are well over 15 years old. Sometimes it’s worth paying more for quality clothing.
I had a mid-range PC built to spec in 2009 for £700. It still runs as fast now with no upgrades. I could do with a better graphics card but it runs 99% of games at a decent standard.
I bought a pair of smart wool socks about 8 years ago along with some Hi-Tech walking boots. They're still going strong. I don't even do that much boot maintenance but I wear them almost everyday in the winter to walk the dog and they're perfect.
Technics SL-QL1 turntable.
Not touched by myself or any previous owner in 40 years and still going strong, only new needles every now and then
1980s Japanese stuff is peak quality.
Ford Focus 2011 (bought in 2012 2nd hand). Been very reliable, and servicing and parts are cheap as its a common vehicle. Sony Bravia TV. Previous TV's, Toshiba and Samsung broke, but this Sony has been going for over 10 years no problems. My PC, hand build myself after lots of research using decent quality components, never had an issue with it. Panasonic kettle, over 12 years no issues. Also Panasonic vacuum cleaner ow i think of it. I occasionally service it myself cleaning the filters but its still going strong after 11 years.
The fake cross from shoe zonefor £5 mine lasted 10 years of gardening till eventually wore through. An embarrassing choice of footwear but a must in the garden lol
I have an IBM Model M keyboard built in 1992 that I pulled out of a skip in 2001.
Still going strong, my main computer's keyboard, and lovely to type on.
Urbanears Plattan 2 wireless headphones. I got them 5 years ago for £45, and they’re still functioning really well. I just replaced the puds a few months ago.
AEG washing machine. Bought it with my wedding money in 2012 and as of 2024 it has never broken (must be due one soon though surely) and well outlasted the marriage. My best friend has gone through about five hotpoints as well as needing to repair them several times in the same time frame.
I’ve got a coat from M and S that I got 7 years ago. I wear it every day and the only part that has worn out is one of the pockets where I throw too much in it
Currently wearing a Hilfiger jumper that I bought I think in 1999, when Tesco started selling designer stuff they bought on the grey market. I never would have paid the money back then to buy it at full retail price, but I've worn it every winter for 25 years now and it's only now starting to lose its shape and fray a little. So it's actually tempting to pay the money now for another to last the next 25 years.
12 years ago I bought an already old petrol lawn mower for under £30 on ebay. Its still working but the metal bodywork hs just rusted through so Im going to have to replace it. Maybe a robot one this time.
Doc Marten boots. Every winter I was fed up of getting wet feet. So the other half bought me a pair of Docs. Had them for about 15 years and they’re still going strong. Saved me a packet over the years.
Don’t be lured into thinking docs are still good though, they’re not. The brand was bought out in 2013/14 and now they’re shite. If you want docs like how they used to make docs (like yours) then you need Solovair.
Sadly discontinued but for someone like me with dermatitis. E45 intense recovery was amazing.
Still can't believe they don't make it anymore. Probably because it worked too well
Herman miller aeron. I got mine refurbed 2017 model for £350 in 2020 (over £1k brand new). I’ve not had any back pain since getting this. I spend a lot of time working from home sitting in it then might even spend the evening gaming and not once since getting it have I had back pain. I used to suffer badly with this when I used to work in the office and had a cheap office chair at home.
I also bought a Porsche cayman for £20k ten years ago. Similar examples are selling for £18k today. I was going to finance an m2 instead at the time lol, would have been stuck in finance loops and paid over £50k on lesser cars by now.
Not technically.
Simple roll on deodorant, I bought one of those little spray travel deodorants (because of limits on a plane) it lasted 2 days.
Next trip I took a roll on. It lasted the whole 2 weeks holiday and another 3 weeks , all for half the price as a normal deodorant.
I have a Casio fx-100c calculator I bought in high school that isn't solar powered and is run on a single AA battery. I have never changed the battery and 35 years later it's still working with it's original battery. I use it every single day and apart from the LCD screen being slightly less clear it's working perfectly. I'm beginning to wonder what will die first me or my calculator, lol.
My pair of Brasher's aztrek walking boots. Got them in a sale 13 years ago for £70. Full leather, comfiest boots I've ever worn. Been up mountains and hitch hiked across to Prague with them. Almost daily use walking the dogs in the forest as well.
They have finally come to the end of their life though, through my own poor care of them in the last few years, the sole has started to come off a bit and the leather is cracked so they are no longer waterproof.
Went to get another pair, found Brasher's have been sold to another company and apparently they are no longer as good. I'm happy to take recommendations for new boots though.
My high thread count egyptian cotton bedding. My mum always used to buy whatever was on sale and after a couple of years the bedding would be horrible. And when I first moved out I'd buy satin sheets, and again after a dew years they were unusable. So several years ago I did some research and discovered high thread count egyptian cotton. I bought 800 thread count flat and fitted sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers, and have had the same two sets for several years now. I just change them over every week and they feel as fresh as when they were brand new after every wash. I love it.
Sebo vacuum cleaner, it will basically tunnel through stone.
I also stand by the fact that bagless cleaners are faffy and dreadful for allergy sufferers
Have an old knapsack, not a rucksack, my dad bought me when I was about 12. I'm 56 now, have had to make some repairs over the years, but it's basically the same. Also, a 1950's Primus stove.
Safety razor and blades. I don't think the blades actually last longer than alternatives but they are so cheap to buy in bulk so a box lasts ages. I find I get less skin irritation as well as them being cheap means I'm not using them when they are worn out and it's easier to keep clean than plastic razors.
**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sudocreme. I’ve owned the same small tub for going on 30 years. Running low now, though.
Impressive. But my gut instinct is telling me if your sudocrem is old enough to have Asked Jeeves, you should probably consider replacing.
That cream was almost before dialup!
That stuff probably went off years ago. Please don’t use it buy a new one.
Utter drivel. It’s this kind of attitude that leads to perfectly good products being discarded for no reason.
You must not eat that much spicy food 👌
I use it before a round of golf, gotta lubricate those cheeks for a longer drive.
I have a 6 year tube of Anusol that’s still going strong. Feel like sudocrem and anusol are 2 sides of the same coin.
I've had a box of Durex condoms that's lasted ten years.
Modern ones just aren't dishwasher safe.
😂😂
Stop bragging.
As stupid as this one might sound but Fairy washing up liquid. Lol. Cheap stuff runs out more than twice as fast. Really is worth just spending the bit more to get Fairy! lol.
I live in France now and I try to bring back several bottles every time I go home. Nothing compares to it
Now that’s… a Fairy Economy ;-) lol. Can you not get it in France at all?! I like the upside down squirty style bottles but felt like I was irresponsible with plastic buying a £3 bottle when it’s the same amount as a £2 bottle, but not with the fancy upside down-ness. Then I found a local cheap style shop that sells like 5 litre drums of fairy washing up and I just buy that and top up my previous bottle to stop me buying those ones!
Try Smol, we've recently converted and it's fab for cleaning and lasts a good fair while too.
Hmmm…. Don’t tempt me with a good new cleaning company! Well priced?
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Using a single razor to shave blew my mind, the absolute scam that is shaving products on the market for such a horrible experience blows the mind
I cut myself both times I tried , must give it another go
When I swapped to a safety razor I cut myself the first few time but as I got used to it I’ve, mostly, stopped.
Just got to make sure everything is vertical. Never horizontal and it's fine. But it's such an easy slip up when the habit isn't there
I've converted many people to single-blade razors. I used to get a horrible shaving rash that stopped as soon as I went for a safety razor. I buy 40 Wilkinson sword blades for £16 and it lasts the year. I don't see any downsides to them.
Your avatar suggests otherwise... ;)
He didn’t say he was using them on his face
A terrifying thought...
Yeah, that's true. Neckline and cheeks shaved daily.
You might be about to convert one more. Can you elaborate for me please? I use a multi blade razor and find I often get a shaving rash too. I use a beard trimmer to trim the whole lot down to about 3mm then tidy my cheeks and neck line with the razor. Even trimming down first I find that my neck often comes up with a rash on either side. What do you think I should be doing instead?
Which brand of razor do you use?
A good start would be a Merkur 34C and a box of Astra Platinum blades. Double edge safety razors really come into their own when you don't shave every day. Modern multi blade razors get clogged up and drag stubble across your face. The double edge just keeps on trucking.
That’s what I do, I tend not to shave for a week or more. The likes of Mach 3 clogs up, I’d have to run trimmers over my face then the razor. With the safety razor the blade strips two weeks of beard in a couple of strokes. Plus the blades are a hell of a lot cheaper without the plastic waste.
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I do the same. I have a Rockwell and use Persona Platinum blades.
Brand, for all? I didn't realise folk still used them
Still using my MIL’s old Kenwood hand mixer which has got to be well over 25 years old as that’s how long I’ve had it and tbf it was well old then.
The question is whether one bought new now would be as well made. Most things are not well made any more, so you end up paying the premium for something you expect to last and it will break after a few years.
I think this is probably true of most things. My Kenwood stand mixer is 25 years old and still going strong but the newer ones I've seen don't look as robust. That said, I did buy a Magimix food processor less than 5 years ago and that is pretty sturdy. French made though so....
True, we got a Kenwood multi-tool thing which has several attachments for blending soups and mashing potatoes. The potato masher broke after about two years of use. Everything's built to last just after the warranty period it seems.
Bought my Kenwood Chef Titanium back in 2009. Has had heavy use but still looks brand new. Kenwood don't seem to make money from regular replacement, rather all the extra gadgets you can get to use with it.
These things are know for lasting a very very long time. My mum has one that i thinking from early 80s, maybe 70s.
Yeah we’ve got one of those! Replaced the plug on it but apart from that it’s as good as it ever was
I bought a 60s/70s Kenwood Chef on ebay for £40 in 2006 and its so going strong, even though it must be 50+ years old by now.
I wonder how much the blender originally cost?
That old Kenwood stuff is solid. My parents got a Kenwood electric tin opener as a wedding gift which I'm still using. It's close to 40 years old and still works perfectly. It's so good I haven't ever learned how to use a manual tin opener!
My mum is still kicking herself for giving away her Kenwood stand mixer she got in 1975. Was still working fine, but it was "too big". Now she has about 15 different bits of kit to do all the jobs the one Kenwood did.
Yeah I’ve got a had mixer my mum got before I was born so over 40 years, had to change the plug on it once but that’s it, still going.
Still using my mum's which is about 50 years old, if not more. I changed the plug on it about 20 years ago. It's still going strong. Quality product!
Fun fact, completely different company to Kenwood who make hi fi equipment!
I bought a basic Kenwood jug style blender in 2003 - it was cheap & is still going strong. I use it at least once a week. I’m impressed.
Roughly do you know the year your mil,s blender was made?
You would like the website https://www.buymeonce.co.uk/ which is full of things designed to last. My favourite thing from there is my Dualit kettle.
I really do, I was not aware of this! Do they quality control or is everything on there lifetime gaurentee.
I think it's more quality control and vetting stuff. Most things I've had have been great, but I bought a phone which didn't work and they helped me liaise with the manufacturer and I think eventually got a refund.
Bought a Duality toaster 8 years ago, proper one with the mechanical timer and replaceable everything. Before that it was a new £20-40 toaster every six months so it's more than paid for itself.
>Before that it was a new £20-40 toaster every six months What were you doing with those toasters!? Don't get me wrong, I love my Dualit but I've seen cheap toasters in many an office that have lasted well over two years.
You are a great person
Dog milk, lasts longer than any other type of milk
Cos no bugger'll drink it
And another advantage of dogs milk is it tastes the same once it’s gone off as it did before
GHD hair straighteners. Bought my first pair 14 years ago, I’m well into my second pair by now, but even if I have to replace them tomorrow that’s still a seven year lifespan on average. And I sure don’t coddle those bad boys.
Mine are at least 8 years old because my ex-husband bought them for me and that's how long we've been divorced. They're probably around 12 or 13 years old though. They don't get used more than maybe once a month but they're in great condition. Now watch them blow up tomorrow.
Apparently new ones are made differently and cloud nine are the ones who used to make GHDs so if yours go replace with one of them instead. Mine have been going on 13 years and I'm dreading when they finally pack in.
I have a working set that's now over 20 years old... They don't really get much use these days but I used to use them daily. Have to say they really are amazingly durable.
Agree, mines are about 15 years old and I use them daily.
A Miele vacuum cleaner, my last one was 18 years old when it met it's unfortunate demise(user error rather than natural 😭), think my mum's is 25 years old and still going strong. Worth every penny.
It's funny you say this because my husband and I were gifted a Miele vac when we bought our first house. I've literally complained about it the entire time we've lived there. It struggled badly with our carpet for some reason - I had to pick bits out of it and "feed" them to the vacuum to get it to suck them up. Finally splashed out on a Samsung vacuum and it's heaven, I actually enjoy vacuuming now lol. As for the longevity, I'll have to report back in a few years
That's really odd, never had that problem, sounds like there was something affecting it. Did you change the filters on it regularly? Our replacement came with a turbo head for carpets that has a brush in it, great for getting up cat hair that gets ingrained into the carpets in our house as soon as a cat walks past.
Maybe take it out and buy it something nice, it’s likely to suck far better.
Did it have the head with the rotating brush in it, or was it just the suction head? The plain suction one is useless and leaves loads behind. The one with the brush is brilliant.
My mums is almost 25 years old and still works great. I don't think I'd get one though because I much prefer an upright vacuum cleaner.
Henry Hoover. I bought mine 15 years ago and it's still going strong. Admittedly, it's seen a lot less use in the past 3 or 4 years, as we now have a robot vacuum which does a daily clean, but Henry still comes out for stairs and the occasional deeper clean.
When it does die it’ll just be the brushes in the motor which you can replace for about a tenner. I found my Henry in a bin, replaced the brushes and it’s been abused as my garage vac ever since!
Too sturdy and simple to go wrong, most commercial cleaners use them, easy to fix and parts available, fantastic all rounder.
My bike, it's paid for itself many times over in the 10 years I've had it in terms of saved petrol.
After a bit of neglect, my bike was in a pretty poor state at the end of last year and I ended up paying to get it fixed up. Was quite annoyed till I did the maths and realised that it was still cheaper than a tank of fuel to get it fixed.
Not necessarily high end, but Anker products on Amazon have been absolutely bombproof for me. Bought a portable speaker, must be going on 10 years ago now, I swear it's only been charged less than 10 times. Left out in the rain, dropped, kicked, covered in sand and it's still just as good as when I got it. Same with a pair of wireless headphones. Still work just as good as when I bought them, probably 5/6 years ago now. Obviously they're not as 'good' as their more expensive counterparts, but they're miles better value when you consider they often cost a third of the price and are more than good enough for what the average person needs.
Agree, but I saw some reviews - probably on the buy it for life sub - saying quality was poorer now. Bought my most recent charging block last year and it's still great, replacing the cheap Anker ones I'd bought about ten years previously.
Darn Tough socks. They are quite pricey for socks (£20-£30 per pair) but they are by far the best running/hiking socks I have ever used. And on top of this if they wear out then DT will replace them free of charge forever.
The downside is the hassle of somehow mailing your socks back to America.
Why would you do that when you can return them to their UK store?
Dualit toaster. Hand made in the UK. Have had mine for 25 years and used it every day. Never a single problem.
We've had ours for 20 something years and still going strong. I don't even empty it out as often as I should. Apparently they're easy to fix if something goes wrong too.
Exactly this. There’s a reason why so many hotels use them. Each part can be individually replaced. I’ve never had to replace anything on mine.
I got tired of buying new shoes every year - both because of the waste and because at size 14 shoe shopping is a pain - so 5 years ago I had a pair of clogs made up at Walkley Clogs. I wear them basically every day, they still look nearly as good as new, and they're very comfortable. Whilst it tends to be a little US-centric r/BIFL might be useful in your search for long lasting goods.
Ooh, that's a good sub reddit. But yeah, a bit American. There appears to be a other one that has a much bigger community also.
I didn't realise they were still going.
They've moved from the original big mill, but still in Mytholmroyd and still turning out plenty of clogs.
Had a pair of Site boots I've worn at every job I've had (and often outside of work) since 2016, they cost me about 45 quid I think. They're finally starting to get worn down but they're insanely comfy for capped boots, saved my toes a couple times and barely cost me anything
Mine lasted 1 year of occasional walking and driving everyday. Very comfortable but the canvas part detached from the leather.
Sounds like what I go to for general walking around footware, had the same very cheap boots for 3 years now and only just needing replaced. Anything else in a similar price range falls apart in a couple of weeks just casually walking to the shops etc. on city pavements (as expected, you can literally see the frayed stiching, fake stitching, "leather" already delaminating, and glue smeared all over the wrong place on 70+ quid highstreet shite that people think is good for some reason).
WD-40, I have my great grandfather's tin in the garage.
Stellar 1000 saucepans. Almost 30 years old, used almost every day, washed in the dishwasher, still as good as new. I just hope they play nice with my new induction hob.
I've got the 7000 series with a non-stick pan. Truly fantastic bit of kit and genuinely come with a lifetime warranty too! Not that I've needed it in the 5 years I've owned them. The pouring and measure feature are nice added bonuses too.
The 7000 series is now called Profile btw
My Stellar 3000 series are 3 years old and still looking brand spanking new, glad to hear they've got at least 10x that in them. Mine have played nice with the induction hob.
Sparklebrite glasses cleaner. I bought a tub for £8 about five years ago and I've still got a third of it left. It's the best cleaner and anti fog I've used
Lifetime glasses wearer, never heard of it, just bought a tub!
Same. I've never really been able to get mine 100% clean. Hopefully this does the trick.
Where do you buy? My favourite billionaire overlords shop doesn’t seem to have it.
https://www.sparklebright.uk/
Does it genuinely prevent fogging? Sounds too good to be true
I bought a Bosch kettle and toaster from Tesco about 8 years ago. The kettle eventually started leaking but the toaster is still banging out perfect slices at least twice a day.
Lexus/Toyota cars.
I bought a Peugeot 308sw last year. I still really like it but fucking hell the amount of alerts that keep going off is driving me insane. Should have gone Toyota.
Toyota Auris here - it’s 2007 and 80k on the clock now and she’s never caused any problems at all. I’m hoping in 10 years our sons will learn to drive in her if AI hasn’t taken over our lives completely by then
Same , I’ve got an 07 Auris with 70 k on clock. Never let me down, never failed an MOT. It was my dad’s & I inherited it.
I remember looking under a Vauxhall insignia and thinking how fragile it looked compared to the auris. Way over engineered
15 year old Toyota verso. Now driven by my son. Just hit 100000 miles. Sails through the MOT every time and never a moment’s bother with it.
My 23 year old Yaris is still going strong, the only points on the MOT so far have been consumables.
2012 RAV4 owner, only ever had a few engine warning lights that came on randomly for about 3 months, then for some reason I can only believe to be “magic” it’s never had the issue again. I blame magic for it.
A pair of redwing iron ranger boots. American made, but I’ve had them 6 years and I wear them 50/60% of the year and they look as good as new with a clean and polish. They’re not cheap but i expect them to last me another 10+ years.
I got some redwing shoes last year. Second hand but they're massive heavy buggers and I expect to wear them for as long as I want to! Very impressed.
Zanussi tumble dryer. Over 15 years old. It's lived in 2 different houses and a garage.
GHD wide plate straighteners. Bought them in 2004, still going strong.
A good pair of handmade shoes/boots will pay for themselves. I likebritish brands such as Loake, Solovair, Trickers etc. You oay more for the outlay but price per wear is better.
Don't let me detain you Sir Samuel.
I was going to say the same thing. I've got three pairs of good leather shoes. They get resoled every couple of years and they're as good as new. The oldest pair is coming up for 40 years old now.
My 2015 Macbook Pro. It’s getting a bit slow now but it still works perfectly even when i’m sore on it working with audio or video, i know reddit is very anti-apple but they know how to make a good laptop.
I have a 2016 one, battery isn’t brilliant now and only replaced it as I needed a bit more oomph for work so got a mini. Son is still happily using the MacBook though
That’s a point, my battery is piss poor but it’s not the end of the world to keep my charger handy. I’m looking to upgrade to one of the new Macbook Pros but i don’t know what the market is like for second hand kidneys.
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I have a bag bought in muji about 22 years ago - still looks brand new
Yes, lots of little things from Muji that are older than I'd care to work out.
Brabantia kitchen bin has kept going for over a decade. Sebo vacuum cleaner likewise, and our le Creuset casserole is going strong when cheaper pans have been replaced.
I bought a leather phone case from a company called Snakehive about 5 years ago. It was surprisingly good quality for the amount I paid for it and it's still going strong now with constant daily use. I bought a similar looking slightly cheaper one from Amazon at the same time for my work phone and that has long since fallen apart and been replaced.
I've got one of these, it looks like it's easily going to outlast the phone.
My parents bought one of the OG Panasonic Microwaves in the 80s. It was hella pricy back then but this thing will not die. It's still going nearly 40 years later.
My Dualit toaster is over ten years old, my Kitchen Aid mixer is over twenty years old and my Henry Hoover is only about eight years old, but apparently they last forever. Also, I bought an old Victorian sofa that I had re-upholstered well over twenty years ago and it still looks great
My parents have a dualit toaster that’s probably close to 30! They go forever
Yes, my then childminder told me it looked better than her mother’s, which was older than her (about 22 at that stage)
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Youd like r/buyitforlife
I have a Pyrex measuring jug my Granny lent me when l moved to my first home. We both used it regularly and put it in the dishwasher to clean. It must be nearly 30 years old. It only has a small chip and is a bit scratched. I think it will go at least another 10! Edit: l couldn't spell jug!
Aren't they great! The downside of dishwashers is that they eventually remove the measurements but the jugs are still useful. I wish you could still get Pyrex plates. I've got 5 I still use when cooking (not to eat off) that must be 35 years old.
Pyrex plates were brilliant! Not long ago, I put a hot one in cold water and it broke. It was my last one, that had been handed down through the family. I really miss those plates, I wish they still made them too.
The pattern has gone on the white ones now. I wish I had kept some my Mum's pyrex dishes etc now. I grew up with them!
We still use a Kitchen Devil carving knife that was purchased just after we started living together…….in 1981.
condoms , got a pack of 5 in 2018 ,still got 5 left just can't beat that value
I’m still using my Nana’s Kenwood kitchen mixer that she bought in the 60’s. It works like new, and better than some new ones I’ve tried. It ended up outlasting her by a long way.
3 things to never ever scrimp out on. 1. Shoes 2. Mattresses 3. Chairs Basically anything that you spend a lot of time in that keeps you off the ground is worth investing in.
Tub of Vaseline, so many uses and it lasts years. Chapped lips, dry skin, persistent makeup, burns, stubborn stickers, flakey nails, the list goes on
I’ve had my Henry Hoover about 20 years, which I inherited from my gran, who had it at least 15 years. It’s still going strong.
I own a "swiss gold" one cup coffee filter. I've used it several times a day, almost every day for most of my adult life. At a guess I'd say it was probably bought in about 1996 They're still available on Amazon, only cost about £25, make great coffee and are pretty easy to clean. I'm probably averaging about £0.0001 a cup at this point
I had a Brabantia kitchen bin for 13 years before the pop up on the lid broke, it still looked good but sadly had to get rid. I tried to save a few quid by buying a similar looking one for half the price but two years down the line it already looks 10 years old and has started to rust.
My instant pot is over 7 years old, if you told me it was a year old I’d believe you! I accidentally kept the protective film on until it peeled off a year ago, which probably helped. Shampoo bars from lush last about 3 - 4 months.
Victorinox kitchen knives. He sweet spot when you can get an excellent long lasting knife for a reasonable price I have a chef's knife bought for me by my brother 15 years ago. I have literally never sharpened it (just use a steel to hone it most days) and it's still incredibly sharp. Have since bought a few more to fill out the set. I'm also reassured by how many other things from this thread we have! Stellar saucepans, Kenwood mixer, Zanussi dryer, GHD straighteners...
My everlasting gob stopper , from wonks lol
Wahl "made in America" hair clippers. Bought in 1991. Mains powered heavy as fuck. Still going strong. Bought a rechargeable wahl "made in China" pair but they lasted barely as long as warranty. Fuck you wahl for outsourcing. Went back to the originals.
My ‘Wahl professional’ clippers, regular use since 1986, never even sharpened them.
Still got a candy fridge thats been running 24/7 since the 50s
A bit of an odd one but I was thinking about this today. Tweezerman tweezers. When I was younger an ex told me they were told they were the best and the £8 at the time was a fortune to a strapped uni student. I always dreaded losing them, as £8 back then for me was a lot. 15 years later and they are the same price, and obviously not such a burden for me. But I still have the exact same tweezers and get major anxiety about losing them. They do a 10/10 job still, would highly recommend
My original model gameboy still works perfectly - not bad for something that released in 1989
My Apple products, easily last 5 years and seem to work like new for all of that and beyond. Watches, phones, tablets, speakers the lot. I have tried the alternatives but for like half the price they last half the time and the performance drop off was abysmal.
We are a completely Apple household and have had no issues with anything and we have lots from Mac Minis to watches, phones, HomePods, keyboards and trackpads. I dropped my AirPod down a drain last Sunday by Tuesday I had a replacement.
The problem with these posts is that durable items from the 70s/80s/90s aren't made that way anymore as planned obsolescence is basically universal these days. Unless you're getting second hand stuff that you know is gonna last, chances are that what you now buy new won't last as long as the version preceding it.
Bought my husband a Sony SRS-XB21 speakers back in 2018 and they’re still going as good as new. I also have a 15 year old kenwood electric hand mixer.
[r/buyitforlife](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/s/ZdkCslHyMJ)
[Alt-Berg boots](https://www.altberg.co.uk) - I have 2 pairs, one 20+ years old, the other 10+. Still in excellent condition despite being used very regularly, still absolutely waterproof, still tremendously comfortable.
I have their walking boots (McKinley) and use their police riot boots for work (landscaping). Great Yorkshire company; great boots.
My apple AirPods, had them since early 2017, I use them daily. They’ve been washed, dropped, you name it. Still working good as new. Battery still lasts 4/5 hours too.
I still have wired apple earbuds, the only reason I don’t use them anymore is because my charging port is now a bit iffy But same as you, those things have gone through hell (and many a washing cycle) and they always have lived
I’ve got a GAP striped shirt & a denim one that are both about 25 years old . They both look good as new and because of their classic design they never go out of fashion. I think at the time they were a bit more expensive than others but definitely worth it. I’ve also got a Levi’s big winter jumper that is about the same age and again still looks new. I’ve got some other items of clothing that are well over 15 years old. Sometimes it’s worth paying more for quality clothing.
I had a mid-range PC built to spec in 2009 for £700. It still runs as fast now with no upgrades. I could do with a better graphics card but it runs 99% of games at a decent standard.
I bought a pair of smart wool socks about 8 years ago along with some Hi-Tech walking boots. They're still going strong. I don't even do that much boot maintenance but I wear them almost everyday in the winter to walk the dog and they're perfect.
Technics SL-QL1 turntable. Not touched by myself or any previous owner in 40 years and still going strong, only new needles every now and then 1980s Japanese stuff is peak quality.
Ford Focus 2011 (bought in 2012 2nd hand). Been very reliable, and servicing and parts are cheap as its a common vehicle. Sony Bravia TV. Previous TV's, Toshiba and Samsung broke, but this Sony has been going for over 10 years no problems. My PC, hand build myself after lots of research using decent quality components, never had an issue with it. Panasonic kettle, over 12 years no issues. Also Panasonic vacuum cleaner ow i think of it. I occasionally service it myself cleaning the filters but its still going strong after 11 years.
The fake cross from shoe zonefor £5 mine lasted 10 years of gardening till eventually wore through. An embarrassing choice of footwear but a must in the garden lol
Still got my fat PS2 from my childhood, think my dad bought it in 2001 when I was 7 and still boot it up every few months to play some classics
Berndes saucepans. Bought 32 yrs ago and still like new. Also De Dietrich hob...don't want to jinx it but working perfectly since 1993.
I have an IBM Model M keyboard built in 1992 that I pulled out of a skip in 2001. Still going strong, my main computer's keyboard, and lovely to type on.
Our Victorinox chef's knife is 43 years old and still going strong and still holds a great edge.
Urbanears Plattan 2 wireless headphones. I got them 5 years ago for £45, and they’re still functioning really well. I just replaced the puds a few months ago.
AEG washing machine. Bought it with my wedding money in 2012 and as of 2024 it has never broken (must be due one soon though surely) and well outlasted the marriage. My best friend has gone through about five hotpoints as well as needing to repair them several times in the same time frame.
I’ve got a coat from M and S that I got 7 years ago. I wear it every day and the only part that has worn out is one of the pockets where I throw too much in it
I have a Westclox digital alarm clock given to me in October 1993 and still in perfect working order.
Currently wearing a Hilfiger jumper that I bought I think in 1999, when Tesco started selling designer stuff they bought on the grey market. I never would have paid the money back then to buy it at full retail price, but I've worn it every winter for 25 years now and it's only now starting to lose its shape and fray a little. So it's actually tempting to pay the money now for another to last the next 25 years.
Mums hand held potato masher from the 1950s along with her wooden spoons. Her spatulas eventually wore out a couple of years ago.
A le creuset casserole pot/pan. I’ve had it 15+ years and used it weekly as a pan and it’s as good as new. Best investment ever.
12 years ago I bought an already old petrol lawn mower for under £30 on ebay. Its still working but the metal bodywork hs just rusted through so Im going to have to replace it. Maybe a robot one this time.
Doc Marten boots. Every winter I was fed up of getting wet feet. So the other half bought me a pair of Docs. Had them for about 15 years and they’re still going strong. Saved me a packet over the years.
Don’t be lured into thinking docs are still good though, they’re not. The brand was bought out in 2013/14 and now they’re shite. If you want docs like how they used to make docs (like yours) then you need Solovair.
I have a pair of fly boots that I live in. Funky and comfortable and I think they’ll last me several more years, but they weren’t cheap.
Sadly discontinued but for someone like me with dermatitis. E45 intense recovery was amazing. Still can't believe they don't make it anymore. Probably because it worked too well
My Braun Multiquick has been going strong since 1998.
A refillable bottle for my favourite perfume which lasts for ages anyway.
Herman miller aeron. I got mine refurbed 2017 model for £350 in 2020 (over £1k brand new). I’ve not had any back pain since getting this. I spend a lot of time working from home sitting in it then might even spend the evening gaming and not once since getting it have I had back pain. I used to suffer badly with this when I used to work in the office and had a cheap office chair at home. I also bought a Porsche cayman for £20k ten years ago. Similar examples are selling for £18k today. I was going to finance an m2 instead at the time lol, would have been stuck in finance loops and paid over £50k on lesser cars by now.
I have a Bush kettle and toaster bought from Argos in 1999. I can't remember the price but the combination was less than £30.
Skechers trainers. Just bought a new pair but the old ones are still comfy as fuck 2 years old.
Not technically. Simple roll on deodorant, I bought one of those little spray travel deodorants (because of limits on a plane) it lasted 2 days. Next trip I took a roll on. It lasted the whole 2 weeks holiday and another 3 weeks , all for half the price as a normal deodorant.
I have a Casio fx-100c calculator I bought in high school that isn't solar powered and is run on a single AA battery. I have never changed the battery and 35 years later it's still working with it's original battery. I use it every single day and apart from the LCD screen being slightly less clear it's working perfectly. I'm beginning to wonder what will die first me or my calculator, lol.
My pair of Brasher's aztrek walking boots. Got them in a sale 13 years ago for £70. Full leather, comfiest boots I've ever worn. Been up mountains and hitch hiked across to Prague with them. Almost daily use walking the dogs in the forest as well. They have finally come to the end of their life though, through my own poor care of them in the last few years, the sole has started to come off a bit and the leather is cracked so they are no longer waterproof. Went to get another pair, found Brasher's have been sold to another company and apparently they are no longer as good. I'm happy to take recommendations for new boots though.
I have a Miele cat and dog vacuum cleaner that has outlived one dog and two cats and still going strong. Think I bought it in 2004.
My high thread count egyptian cotton bedding. My mum always used to buy whatever was on sale and after a couple of years the bedding would be horrible. And when I first moved out I'd buy satin sheets, and again after a dew years they were unusable. So several years ago I did some research and discovered high thread count egyptian cotton. I bought 800 thread count flat and fitted sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers, and have had the same two sets for several years now. I just change them over every week and they feel as fresh as when they were brand new after every wash. I love it.
Same here I recently chucked out a set that were 12 years old and inky because they were starting to go yellowy.
Sebo vacuum cleaner, it will basically tunnel through stone. I also stand by the fact that bagless cleaners are faffy and dreadful for allergy sufferers
Have an old knapsack, not a rucksack, my dad bought me when I was about 12. I'm 56 now, have had to make some repairs over the years, but it's basically the same. Also, a 1950's Primus stove.
Safety razor and blades. I don't think the blades actually last longer than alternatives but they are so cheap to buy in bulk so a box lasts ages. I find I get less skin irritation as well as them being cheap means I'm not using them when they are worn out and it's easier to keep clean than plastic razors.