So the idea of “buy it for life” is to buy items that are durable and last for a long time, things you could buy once and have your whole life, which can save money and be good for the environment
What are some of the top items you recommend for this?
The top answer for me is always a good cast iron pan. Doesn’t have to be expensive but should be quite heavy. It’s not just buy it for life either, it’s buy it for future generation’s lives.
Sand the crap out of any new pan can make a ‘meh’ pan into a ‘muah’ pan. A lot of them aren’t nearly as smooth as they could/should be. We bought a cheap one that was quite bumpy, sanding down was a night and day difference.
I think one of the things a lot of people miss in the bifl mentality is the requirement of maintenance, care, and in this case alteration. My post mentioned knives and watches and boots. Learning the right tools and techniques and treatments for those things is just as important as buying the right thing. Good post, I never would have known sanding down a cast iron to make it smoother would make it a better performer.
I heard that the bumps were there to help the seasoning stick. Actually, looking it up and the point seems moot - with people disagreeing as a matter of preference. So there is a bit of nuance there.
I actually have a Lodge that has gone smooth just from the daily use of repeated oiling and scraping and of course carbon buildup.
I had a lodge that I didn’t do anything but cook on, didn’t have any issues. The ex got that one. Had an old crappy one that I couldn’t get to non stick the way my lodge did, then I sanded and seasoned it well before next use. By far my favorite pan years later.
It’s kinda funny just how strong folks’ opinions are on this.
I’ve also done rock salt scrub + reseason in oven, and that’s completely turned around whiny pans.
There seem to be a thousand ways to get the pans to behave like we want, but the most important being continual use.
Especially with bacon 🤤
The smoothness of the pan means nothing. Whatever oil you use should be sufficient to keep anything from sticking, and it’s not like .2mm of height difference is going to change the conductive properties of a honking great slab of metal to a honking great slab of meat.
I used to think the same thing, then I tried it with one of my crappiest pans for shoots and ladders. It’s my best pan by far and probably won’t need to buy another one.
Never scrap cast iron pans! You can damage factory seasoning and then it will rust in a second.
Easily dealt with by seasoning yourself. It’s not hard to get a nice initial season, then add some bacon for the good stuff.
It is impossible to replace factory seasoning at home. Cast iron is pale grey metal, black stuff you see is seasoning. Once you scratch black stuff until you see grey, your cookware becomes useless pile of rust.
Here to rep the ceramic gang. Perhaps not as long lasting as cast iron, but I still have my first ceramic pan from 6? 7? years ago. Still as good as the day I got it. If you like non-stick and don’t want to deal with maintinence or fear of fucking up a cast iron, ceramic is an excellent alternative with plenty of longevity.
The only consideration for care needed is just to hand wash it over putting it in the dishwasher. Which you should already be doing for nonstick. People say you can use metal utensils on ceramic but I’ve never tested that
This is my jam. I love buying only quality gear. I’ll just rattle off some of my personal favorite.
Thorogood American Heritage waterproof wedge sole work boots. Around $300. I’m a tradesman, so I actually chew through them enough to keep a fresh pair for indoor jobs, and my outdoor pair for rough conditions. If you don’t work in heavy construction like me, they’ll last you a lifetime, and when tradesmen like me see them on you’re feet we’ll give a nod/grunt of approval. They’re even union made.
An old school mechanical can opener from OhSay. I’ll never own another can opener.
Pocket knife. Benchmade Bugout in s30v steel. Get a water stone and learn to sharpen it on YouTube. A sharp blade should be in everyone’s pocket. Some minimal care will keep it going for most of a lifetime.
Trayvax element, ascent, or venture wallets. The one my wife carries is my old one, 15 years on it and it’s easily got 40 more.
A hanks leather gun belt. It’s made to be strong enough to support a firearm in a holster, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used without one. Extremely high quality, thick durable, great hardware.
A quality mechanical watch. A tool watch. I run a Sinn, but there are many brands where you can find a serviceable mechanical watch for anywhere from $300 to $3000 and much much higher. The glycine combat 6 is a great starting point, you can find them used for maybe 275, their sapphire crystal is almost impervious to scratching and the stainless steel case is as well. I just had my old one serviced and hand polished to look like new, and I have no doubt with a service every five years it would last me a lifetime of daily wear. Looking for sapphire glass and a sellita or ETA movement from any number of brands will afford you plenty of aesthetic variety.
I might post more later if I’m not busy. Let’s hear some more!
To clarify for others:
Hanks makes many belts that are not specifically gun belts. The one I have came with a 99 year warranty (I think they all might?) and after several years of daily wear, sometimes in rough work conditions, I pretty much believe it’ll last that long.
To further clarify, the only thing that makes it a “gun” belt is that it’s built like a brick shit house. There’s nothing “tactical” or meal team sixxy about them. Just good tough belts.
Love my Thorogoods. I don’t need them for work, just for awesome, and I have no doubt I will never have to do anything but minor maintenance on them.
A “quality” mechanical watch can be had for far less than that. Get a frickin’ Invicta for $100 or less. A Pro Diver uses the exact same Seiko movement you’ll find in TONS of watches upwards of $1,000. Watch snobs will shit their pants in anger, but the movement is what it is and it can be serviced as readily as anything.
The reason invicta watches usually cost around $100 dollars is because they generally, though not always, lack a sapphire crystal. Mineral crystals scratch very easily and are unsuitable for daily wear unless you work from home or something. Shit I ruined one changing my laundry once.
So you destroyed it to the point of not working, or you put a tiny scratch that only a total bitch would care about into the glass which can be easily replaced?
BIFL does not mean “maintenance free for eternity.” Shit needs to get fixed sometimes.
Happy to see this community, I really liked it on Reddit
As long as it’s “you can buy this as a long lasting product”
Rather than “my great grandad bought this lump of solid metal and it’s still a lump of solid metal!”
Had that ever been posted? More likely, I recall seeing posts about brand new purchases that were dubiously bifl. Items that just seemed high quality, but in fact were probably just ads for marked up regularly obsolescent stuff
Quality tools in general. Be disciplined in storing them well and in one place.
A good chef’s knife and gear to keep it sharp. You will never want to go back.
Cast iron pan has been said. A good multi layered stainless steel pan (so layers all the way, not disc bottom). Indestructible and doesnt give you cancer like teflon.
A leatherman or similar multitool.
Good binoculars, if you’re into that kind of stuff.
In addition to the chef’s knife, a good sturdy butcher block style cutting board. Oil it regularly.
And soft wood is good wood. The butcher block is there to protect the knife
Just going to emphasise a negative here: no Teflon. In fact if you have some already you should plan to dispose of it as soon as you can afford another pan.
Ideally your local municipality can advise you on how to safely dispose of them.
True words right here. Say no to cancer pans.
AFAIK seasoning is just burnt oil, how is that not dangerous? Honest question, since quality studies are not seem to be available in this field.
I actually found this an interesting read.
Thanks, it was indeed an interesting read, but sadly it has the same non-scientific fuzziness around my key question: “Nobody knows exactly how much comes off over time, nor do they know what the health effects are of eating tiny bits of this type of broken down fat.” “The risks, if any, of eating tiny amounts of seasoning every day for years is unknown. But they’re probably not very large.”
It’s not burned, it’s polymerized. It’s not dangerous because there’s nothing fundamentally dangerous about the oil to begin with.
Oil contains carbon atoms, so when it gets heated and the molecules break down, some of the carbon gets set free. This is what makes used oil darker than the fresh stuff. And that carbon is the same as the one on burnt food, which is a known carcinogen. I’d love to find a study about the concrete amounts of probable or proven carcinogens transferred to foods cooked in seasoned cast iron vs teflon, because I’d prefer the everlasting quality of cast iron - but convincing a doctor who works with cancer patients every day requires solid evidence.
Recommend looking into cast carbon pans!
A used steel case or Herman miller chair. (Unless you can afford to buy new) Instead of a godawful PU leather spine shattering gaming chair.
The chairs may not last a lifetime but are very durable and will help your spine last your lifetime.
Their CEO took a bonus and told employees in a video to work hard instead of being in “pity city” when they were left without bonuses.
https://www.npr.org/2023/04/19/1170669245/millerknoll-ceo-andi-owen-video-bonuses
Even more reason to buy used. The CEO might be a cunt, but that doesn’t change whether it’s good for your body.
The point is that a chair designed for ergonomics of sitting at a desk all day will do you much better than one designed to look like it belongs in a racecar.
That advice stands whether that’s Haworth, Steel case, Herman miller, or any other serious office chair brand.
Working somewhere that had only Herman Miller chairs fucking broke me.
Almost like ergonomics is individual and not a fucking brand name.
I’ve yet to find a “serious office chair” that actually properly supports MY spine the way my supposedly shitty “gaming” chair does.
Mainly because the concept of a “serious office chair” is horseshit. A chair is either good or bad and sucking off one particular name over and over doesn’t change the fact that a well-made uncomfortable piece of shit is still and uncomfortable piece of shit.
I use steelcase, who have an extremely adjustable chair in the leap and the gesture.
Perhaps you weren’t using the correct size for your body. I know that the aeron comes in three sizes as well as the old and new models.
It’s not about the brand name, they’re well known to be adjustable for the individual, as well as being well made.
Or maybe they’re just not the magical pixie dust so many people that don’t own them think they are. Multiple sizes of Mirra and Aeron killed my upper back. As it turns out, having shitty mesh doesn’t actually support your back so much as it just wedges it into a vaguely U shape. I tried “superior office chair” after “OMG AMAZING OFFICE CHAIR” and the only thing that doesn’t leave me reaching for pain pills are good quality gaming chairs, which are typically stiffer.
Because, again, ergonomics is an individual thing and not a fucking marketing point. An “ergonomic” chair is only “ergonomic” if you happen to personally fit that manufacturer’s definition of “ergonomic.”
It tends to mean that it’s adjustable to your own body. Which gaming chairs rarely are.
I’ll add Haworth to that list. Especially their Zody chairs. I swear by them for having to sit 8 hours a day on.
I was tempted by the Haworth fern but never got to try it, and never saw one used.
And they are repairable for reasonable prices for the things that do break.
I worked in a building full of Herman Miller Aeron chairs, which cost more than $1000. I did not find them comfortable. The plastic frames dug into the back of my legs.
This isn’t to say that everyone will find them uncomfortable or that they’re bad. But don’t buy a chair based on a brand. Sit in the chair.
Yeah that’s a common complaint with the aeron. Mesh held in place by plastic simply isn’t as comfy as a cushion. It works for some.
But yeah, definitely go to a furniture showroom and try out the different models to see what suits your body first
You’ll have people here recommending specific brands or manufacturers.
Don’t fall victim to this. Brands change. Manufacturers change.
Learn how to recognize a good product from bad.
Currently, right now, I can recommend the first version of the LTT backpack. The construction is solid. Gusseted and reinforced frickin’ everywhere. The straps are solid. They’re attached to the main body of the pack with thick, heavy fabric and not just sewn directly on. They’re also reinforced with rivets. The zippers are solid. The interior has a couple of soft pockets for scratch-prone items. There are multiple laptop/document sleeves. The main compartment is way larger than it first appears. The only issue I’ve had was with the shitty carabiner-style zipper pulls that everyone knew would break. Replaced them with some paracord. Problem solved.
I have no doubt this particular backpack will last me forever. But that’s no guarantee anything they make in the future will.
Do not worry about point of origin. Quality can come from anywhere. Shit can come from anywhere. It’s all down to the what the brand and manufacturer are looking for.
Watch out for “bait and switch” brands that pop up out of nowhere, sell direct only, and initially offer a very well made product. So many times they find some modicum of success and then immediately turn to offering multiple tiers of products, with their initial “good” products skyrocketing in price as they push the margins higher and higher. There are a TON of small shoe brands that fit this bill, unfortunately.
I don’t have specific suggestions, but rather something to look for when shopping for cars. And it’s something that people who aren’t gearheads or mechanically inclined can do.
If you are worried about the engine in a potential automobile purchase being troublesome or not, look for a vehicle that uses an engine that’s used in multiple other things. There’s a Toyota V8 that’s used in trucks, luxury cars, forklifts, and even small aircraft, and it’s a decent engine. The Ford 3.7 is used in F150s, Mustangs, generators, and other equipment. (Although I’d avoid this one in a front wheel drive car)
Past examples would be the 300 I-6 that Ford made for decades, which was used in trucks, boats, tractors, forklifts, generators, and various types of farm equipment. When a manufacturer makes an engine that will be sold to other companies to be installed in their equipment, they seem to take more time to make it less terrible.
Chiming in to say if you’re in the market for a car (new or used) consumer reports is an indispensable resource, well worth the subscription price. I just cancel after I’ve bought a car. They have a catalogue going back decades and keep info on older cars up to date with longevity stats and common problems.
Car forums are a huge help too. Name a car and there’s a group of people who have made it their life’s work to provide quality information on maintinence, repairs and minute quirks about it.
Also, just buy a Toyota Corolla if you want “an car” that won’t shit the bed on you.
Source: I’m broke and have to buy cheap cars from shady used car lots or troll Facebook marketplace
I agree with all of this, even though I’m not a fan of consumer reports because of the samurai scandal.
Washer/ Dryer: Speed Queen. Yes, the machines you use in a laundry mat. The washers are not the absolute best at cleaning, but they do a good job. More importantly they will sit there in your laundry for DECADES and clean your clothes. Mine just turned 10 years old and it still works like new. It replaced a GE front loader that died at 6 years of age.
Stove/ Cooktop: Wolf. Contrary to popular belief, they are not just a luxury brand the “Joneses” buy. They are actually well built and great performing culinary tools. I have a DF304 that is 13 years old and I love it. I will never part from my Wolf and it will probably outlast me. I may move to an induction stove at some point.
I used to sell appliances and the number of idiots coming in whining that their $300 Amana “only” lasted six or seven years was saddening. Every single time they would bitch about how “Well my grandma’s Derpomatic washer lasted for like thirty years!” and I would ask them how much grandma paid for the thing. Oh, you don’t know? Well good thing the internet knows. Is that the one she had? Yeah? It was $300 too! In 1962. Meaning it was about $3,000 in current-day dollars. Buy a fucking Speed Queen if you want that kind of longevity.
Oh, you don’t have that kind of money? Well then go bitch to your boomer-ass parents about how they ruined the world and leave me out of it.
Reminds me of the old saying: “It’s expensive to be poor.”
Durable goods should be just that, durable. Everything should be rated for their number of cycles before expected failure. Which Speed Queens are, it’s 20,000 cycles or some such. At ten years of use, I’m just a touch under 6000 cycles as a rough estimate.
I paid $750 for a GE front loader in late 2006. In 2013 it was replaced by my current washer that I paid… $800.
Of course the Speed Queen is an old school washer with a mechanical timer. It doesn’t have WiFi, it isn’t pretty, and it doesn’t play ‘Also Sprach Zarathrustra’ when a cycle ends. Why people want that I have no idea, as most of these fucking idiots have no idea what the hell ‘Also Sprach Zarathrustra’ is in any case. Unless you tell them it’s the theme to 2001 A Space Odyssey.
Speed queen is very good. For ranges I would throw Blue Star in the running. Usa made, high quality.
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You can also use it to discipline your husband.
or a high-quality cast carbon pan
I am currently sitting next to my Swiss Gear backpack that I’ve owned for 15 years now? It was used when I got it - my parent’s work place was moving, and in cleaning the offices to prep a lot of people were getting rid of stuff, they all decided to put together a “free to good home” pile. High school me thought it was dorky and didn’t look brand new but free is free and my parent insisted I’d appreciate the quality someday.
Highschool, University, Grad School, months of field work, personal use, bad weather, multiple cross-continent moves, exclusive status as my go-to airline carryon, weekend trips, road trips, and it’s now my “work bag”. It still basically looks EXACTLY like it did when I got it, too - clearly used but by no means old or in bad repair.
My employer offered to replace it “with something a little less bulky” but all I can think is… Why? Love it.
Edit: Its previous owner’s line of work is also notoriously hard on luggage, and I’m guessing it had been through several years of abuse as a go-bag before I got to it even - probably worth a decade of any other circumstance’s use.
I had my Wenger backpack (Swiss Gear parent company) for 10 years. Had to replace it this year because it was used and abused on a daily basis. Never had anything that lasted more than 2 years before this one.
same discussion on other communities:
https://lemmy.world/post/2642565?scrollToComments=true
https://lemmy.world/post/2642580?scrollToComments=true
edit: mixed up the links
My go to knives are Mora and Opinel. Have only had to buy new ones because I lost it.
For a backpack, Frost River is a bit expensive, but they are practically bulletproof.
I have a minor one… Simply Human trash can. Got tired of throwing out plastic trash cans every couple years and bought a stainless steel one. It was more expensive than one plastic, but it is going strong. It has lots of nice little design touches too, like a hole to allow air to escape so that the bag can fill the trash can cavity and removable inner frame to make it easy for cleaning.
Kohlers are similarly nice in my experience.
Hammer, screwdriver, pliers, 12-20mm chisel, and maybe a #4 pattern plane. Basic tools that will last forever, even the cheap ones, but more importantly will let you fix a wide range of wear and use-related issues in other things to extend their useful life.
I not sure if they are “BIFL”, but I’ve got five pairs of Darn Tough socks I bought five years ago that still feel new.
No other sock aside from Smartwool has lasted me this long ans stayed so comfortable.
With the lifetime warranty, yes, they’re BIFL.
