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?
Same! My factory second P54V20A has been going strong since early 2011!
I still have one which I bought in 2007 and works as good as new. Recently upgraded to a 65" Samsung LED. But have the Plasma in the garage as a standby for emergencies, not worth selling it second hand.
We have one of these Panasonic Viera 50"'s as well - you may WANT to retire it if you hook it up to a watt meter, I did about 4 years ago and realised it was sucking down about 800w continually (26c per hour to run) - it worked out cheaper for us to retire the TV to the kids lounge area (seldom used) and buy an LED tv which uses less than 60w (1.9c per hour to run).
(The heat coming off the front and the multiple fans at the rear were a hint that this wonderful TV may have a slightly hidden achilles heel)
What series Viera, the older ones used heaps of power, the later ones are much more efficient.
I bought a Okanao (nothing) branded 55" FHD TV in 2011 as well (accidentally broke the old TV moving in preparation for flood which didn't actually affect us). The only problem with it is the the power button takes more force to activate than it did 5 years ago.
Have you any ideas on what you will replace it with when the end comes? I see all the TV sales and I do wonder what's next best
The "HDR" panels are worth waiting for. They allow the movie editors to darken/lighten certain areas of the screen rather than having a uniform back light every individual pixel is sublit. It allows for some insane contrast.
I think you are describing what OLED is, not HDR.
bought it 8 years ago, I'm waiting it to break, so my gf let me buy a LCD, now OLED :(
I'm here to listen if you need.
Same. Great picture and works flawlessly.
Whirlpool fridge, USA made model.
Cost a heap in the day but we've had it for around 18 years, still going great.
Temp setting is still at a low 2 for both sections since new.
Every now and then I look at fridges when I am at places like JB or Masters and never see an interior layout as good as ours.
dreading when the time comes for a new one as I am betting it wont last like this one. I dont think you can buy whirlpool fridges in Oz anymore
Apparently, old fridges were much better. Now manufacturers have strategy like planned obsolescence.
I see that in TV's too. TV's used to last at least 10 years (Panasonic plasma has) now people think it's great if they last 3 or 4.
How are the seals though?
Perfect. Fridge is still excellent, temp hasn't changed.
Nokia 3310. If you drop it, the shell and battery might pop off and that's ok because you can connect it back together and it continues working.
Agree. Those Nokias were built like nothing else. When my son was a toddler he pushed it through the bars of our 13th floor balcony, at the bottom was a moderate sized garden with thick hedges so instead of trying to find it I decided to forget about it - until a week later he did the same thing with the car keys….. Crawled thru the hedges and found the keys and phone ….. Phone still intact - and working !
Battery probably wasn't even flat :P
These days, if you drop an iPhone, siri would never forgive you. Funny because her name sounds like sorry.
Motorola defy smart phone was the same. Bullet proof. But a crappy overall phone to use.
Can't be as bad as the Razr…
Pioneer plasma TV. 9 years on and still works perfectly and they only now making TV's of equal picture quality with the OLED's
And I bet you won't get 10 years from rhe new models.
With you on that. Bought a Hitachi ALIS plasma 10 years ago and still as good as new. They don't make em like they used to!
Miele cat & dog vacuum since 2008. Has taken a fair beating from the kids but works perfectly. My Panasonic Viera lcd 2007 still going strong in the bedroom.
A pair of doc martens back in the day. Cost me a months wages at my after school Job in a supermarket but they are still going strong 20 years later :)
when it comes time to replace them, make sure to buy the "made in England" version. The ones from China and Vietnam are meant to be of lesser quality.
Definatley cant kill my leatherman or weber kettle bbq those two things will probably out live me
I've broken two leatherman, but their warranty is "no questions asked" 👍🏻
Basic rules of how/what to buy:-
Pay peanut, get monkey.
Anything NOT made in China!
Check reputation - I use Choice, Google, Whirlpool
Check also warranty and the treatment of how claims are managed
Total cost of ownership is important for (the likes of) electrical
devices (energy efficiency/star ratings).
How do you manage to stick with rule 2?
he makes everything with his own hands
Plot twist: He's Chinese! ;)
maybe this is just perception. marketers spend their lives on pricing strategies and ways to exploit such perceptions. see kotler's pricing model. as a general rule though it seems logical..but I think we are all here to seek out the holy grail…pay peanuts and get gorillas
In the mid-80s…
I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD40 headphones. They're still great.
Believe it or not, Akai had two amazing boomboxes in the mid-80s. The PJ-35 and PJ-55. I passed my 35 on to my sister but not sure if she still has it :/
Honda cars were at their peak back then so I bought one in 1991. Lovely, but it was stolen in 1997.
Back in the 21st century…
I bought this shower head from Bunnings not expecting much. No leaks, really nice shower. I bought two @ $18 each last year, but even at the current price it's a bargain IMO.
The photos of the boomboxes look great. First time i ever saw one from the 80s.
Yeah, Akai took a risk with the design by putting everything on top where it could get dusty. The only difference was single/double cassette between the two. They came in silver (linked), black and red. I had a red one.
It also had an RCA AUX in. A CD player was almost winning for a young person in '87. I ended up using it for five years before handing it on.
No OzB/internet then. I saw this being plugged by Donnie Sutherland on Sounds in 1985. The sales guy I bought it from was trying to upsell me to National (Panasonic) or AIWA, arguing that they were better quality.
"Well, it's just a question of what might last you three years, and what might last you ten years!".
Ironic that an AIWA mum used in the kitchen shat itself about four years later. Akai just kept going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e2ovDwL2NI
30+ yrs later it's still working in my kitchen and using its original light bulb.
Remarkable.
I'd have been quite happy to have Vic Nicholls in my room back then. But not the microwave!
I have a similar (but different) shower head. Between 6 and 8 years, the little rubber nozzles went brittle and snapped off.
I'm a big fan of cheap shoes, like the $12 or $20 ones from Big W, Target and K-Mart. I have never liked buying brand name shoes, as I do a lot of walking and they get a lot of punishment and I don't look after them, they get used and worn quickly. As one would expect, these shoes often develop problems after a few months.
When I visited the United States in 2012, I wore a pair of $20 Big W sneakers which were pretty new. We did a lot of walking around NYC on 30+ humid days and these shoes literally started developing holes in the soles (square blocks of rubber just started coming out) and the rear of the sole inside started to collapse in on itself. A bit of a surprise at how quick these shoes started falling apart. I telephoned Big W from the hotel room to ask them to ship over a replacement pair and they just laughed at me and hung up (just joking!).
We ducked into Walmart to see about getting a cheap replacement and found some USD$8 black and green sneakers (the AUD was USD$1.12 at the time!).
I cannot adequately describe how incredibly comfy these shoes were, and how long they lasted for years with no defects or problems whatsoever, except some tread wear, including another 4 weeks touring the US. It's only in the past few months in 2016 have I considered throwing them out, as they have since become home/outdoor shoes to do chores outside.
Since then, all the cheap shoes in Australia bought from department stores have always developed the same problems with holes in the underside and collapsing soles inside. I understand it could be just me and the way I walk or the way my body is, but I don't see why Walmart was selling $8 sneakers which last forever, and us Aussies get this cheap rubbish! The Walmart shoes were no-name brand, cheaply made, but they were really built to last. I'll never forget them!
Why do you keep buying cheap ones in Australia if they are not good?
Enjoys contributing to landfill more than buying shoes. Let's be real.
Thanks for the detailed product review!
You should go to rivers I got some shoes with padded insole, leather upper, leather lining / inner and leather sole for $62 down from $80. Being full leather they will last a lot longer than crappy Kmart ones.
Do you reckon TransportPosters is going to pay $62 for a pair when he/she maxes out at $20 (and expects a replacement pair to be shipped halfway across the world)? :)
Yeah why get a pair that will last you multiple years when you can change color 3 times a year :p
Quite the opposite, I have always preferred quality shoes. Clarks - my workhorse - bought in 2006, still running strong. Now trying Ecco - one pair bought 5 years ago, used 2-3 days a week, still looks like 6 month old pair. Amazing
Sidchrome socket/spanner set, bought for my first motorbike 45 years ago, still used regularly, still complete.
Tessa T2 lounge suite, bought new in 1979, still in daily use and you can still buy the same model.
what brand is the motorbike?
did the lounge need any repair? still look good today?
Bike was a Kawasaki G4TR Trail bike 100cc, it's the Sidchrome set that is still going strong, the bike left long ago. pity.
Lounge still looks good and has had no repairs, although a couple pf the seat cushions have some small tears in them. Quality leather and Aussie hardwood.
Still use sidchromes the grandfather handed down. Would never touch the made in Taiwan Sidchromes of today
Sony black screen Trinitron. My father bought it in 1986. Still going strong.
30 years that's crazy.
Yup, not used much now. Had one repairs to replace the tube…
how does that count as "still going strong" if you had to repair it? lol
[@djc926](/comment/3875833/red
So, if you repair your car, does it not count as going? That was the only repair in 30 yrs.
That is a big difference between repairing your car or servicing your car. I wouldn't be braging about my car, if I had to replace the engine.
@boomramada:
There is a life for everything. How can you not understand it?
Ok, should I just take the printer analogy? The cartridge was replaced, and the printer works fine?
The TV just works fine after one replacement.
Last and closest try - a projector, and BTW, its lamp has a life too. Normal people would still say that projector worked for ten years even if they replaced two lamps.
You are funny, even in your printer example, cartridge is consumable.
That is like your car example, replacing tyres ? and replacing engine is two different things.
Engine, gear box consider as core component of your car, just as TV tube is core component of your TV, its not a consumable.
In your theory every electronic device/car can last for ever??? you can keep replacing items.
The LG flatrons were good to.
shoes. I've had mine for about 8 years and still going strong. only pair of shoes that I've been wearing too. cost me about $30.
Brand?
Nevada. Thought my previous pair a Nevada only lasted 15 months.
I have a 23" Sony LCD computer monitor I bought in 2000/2001. Cost a fortune at the time, but it's definitely lasted well!
If it last for 16 years. Sound like good value for money.
Most Sony gear all my walkmans have taken a beating and lived and my z series phones dropped so many times underwater many times thrashed on and still going strong
Never thought of this but most if not all z series phones are a bit "rugged". Which make them a great purchase.
Laptop Sony Vaio CR357. Bought second hand in 2008 with a broken screen. Fixed it, and since then been using it daily at home, runs Windows Vista on an SSD. The only bummer is the hardware virtualization disabled in BIOS.
Good purchase a brand new entry-level laptop will not last that long. I had a few brand new cheap laptops, they last between 1 to 4 years.
I bought a broom about 20 years ago, i forget the brand. It hasn't skipped a beat though. Its only needed 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time!
As they say. "look after your broom"
It's not that reliable if you have to replace a part almost every year.
Haha Cheers Dave
Trigger?
I once owned Ecco shoes for 7 years.
Model is still around I see it in shop windows.
Vitamix. Simple Human rubbish bin. Macbook pro.
How old?
My Macbook Pro 2010 is still alive and kicking too. Just had to have to internal battery replaced this year.
I'm still surprised my logitech G15 Keyboard and G5 mouse are still going strong after being used daily for the last 9+ years. Neither have ever caused me any issues and have multiple spills on the keyboard.
My ATH-M50s are at least 8 years old and still amazing and feel great. Survived countless drops and have had zero issues with them.
Happy with the durability of my RM Williams boots.
My dad has had his for 30 years.
I bought a pair of RM Craftsman boots when I was 17. Didn't have a clue how to look after them and by the time I did I figured it was too late for my boots so I just waited for them to finally die before I got something else. I'm 34 now and still waiting.
Should probably resole them actually - covered the soles in Kwik Grip glue 7 or 8 years back because I'd worn through the leather on the balls of my feet and you know, they're not worth trying to save. The glue's still going strong and gives me better grip to boot, it does look like I stood in something horrible though.
'covered the soles in Kwik Grip glue',
That's surely an Ozbargain pro tip.
My pair of levi jeans have lasted me 14 years. (Almost half my lifetime!)
Gee , what sort of Ozbargainer can maintain the same waistline for 14 years?
Someone not interested in hungry jacks, kfc and pizza hut/dominoes vouchers in ozbargain i bet.
Only grey potato bake?
iphone 5s. I bought it outright when it came out and I have never had a problem with it
Sunbeam iron - 13yrs old so far and like new…possibly due to low level of usage…hahaha…
Aldi Dryer - 6yrs and hasn't missed a beat so far, doesn't seem to use as much power as our old one did either, been very happy with it for the price it was.
Omega bench top dishwasher - have had it for about 5yrs and run it a couple of times every day without any issues. I love it.
Birkenstock sandals/thongs - they last forever.
Ipanema thongs - very comfortable and last much longer than your usual thongs.
Target kids clothing - I find it lasts well and wears better than a lot of other brands.
Dunlopillo latex pillows - never lose their shape or springiness. Myer often has these on sale for 30% off, I'd never pay full price as they're regularly on special.
Oral B Triumph Professional electric toothbrush
Bought a pair brand new for $50 more than 10 years ago.
Still work as new and hold charge for at least 2 weeks with daily brushing.
Probably clothes (my mother has a shop and she knows people in that area). I kinda think branded socks last longer (I've seen non-brand ones breaking few months in), that said it's possible that I am missing out on some good non-brand socks. My 8 years old jacket still is one of the warmest one I own and it's mostly intact. I usually wear it when I go for a night walk when I am at Korea in Winter (I've seen -15 degrees, though it's mostly around -5 to -10 ish).
My mother told me that LG washing machines are decent (I had my fair share of annoyance with LG, but I am sure their white goods are decent). The fridge we have at home still works (it's not working well currently though) even after going to and back from Beijing (from Korea). We had that fridge for around 15 years, and I think we may have shorted its lifespan in China (different power frequency and we used water dispenser there).
Do you have a kimchi fridge? Where's the best place to get one in sydney?
I wouldn't have a single clue. Not from Sydney and I tend to not have much Korean food in Australia. I think they are overpriced and I hate meeting with Koreans in Australia (had bad experiences with them).
Panasonic Viera 50" plasma. The only thing in my life that's had any consistency for the last 5 years