What have you paid more for, but only had to buy once

ryantaylor56781 on 05/07/2018 - 10:36

We've all heard the term, 'the poor man buys twice'. Now, I love a bargain, but for items prone to wear and tear or breakdown, will often pay a bit more for something I think will last rather than the cheapest of the cheap.

However, this week I've had my hot water system (7 years old), washing machine (2.5 years old), water tank pump (6 years old) and pool light (5 years old) break. All were fairly new and were on the more expensive side in the hopes they would last. My 'pay more, pay once' philosophy has taken quite a hit.

So my question is, in this day and age of planned obsolescence, what is an item you paid a bit more for that your feel will last you a lifetime (or already has)?

General Discussion

Comments

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 05/07/2018 - 10:45
    +13

    Before we answer your question, I think you need an electrician to check out your house. Did you diagnose the faults? I'm no statistician, but more than 2 electrical devices conking it in a week is suspicious.

    Or failing that, a paranormalist. Or pest control. Or can you think of a person whose faith prohibits them from using electronics?

    • FireRunner on 05/07/2018 - 12:07
      +1

      Or can you think of a person whose faith prohibits them from using electronics?

      Amish neighbours?

      • HighAndDry on 05/07/2018 - 12:23

        Jews on the Sabbath?

    • ryantaylor56781 on 05/07/2018 - 12:33
      +1

      Haha, good call about the paranomalist. Unfortunately the problems are not connected, each had there own unconnected faults. Just a bad run of luck for the week.

  • thetrain on 05/07/2018 - 11:12
    +4

    Tools

    Buy a good quality pair of tools and they'll last a lifetime. Nothing beats high quality bits of metal for durability.

  • Godric on 05/07/2018 - 11:15

    my jaffle maker that i've had for years, still goes strong

  • Ocker on 05/07/2018 - 11:15
    +2

    A marriage license

    • Ugly on 05/07/2018 - 12:48
      +4

      Let me guess - you're still paying for it

  • chumlee on 05/07/2018 - 11:17

    My Pioneer plasma TV.

    12 years and still going strong

    • xylarr on 06/07/2018 - 12:12

      Can it pick up the newer digital channels that broadcast using H264 vs MPEG2?
      I got rid of my Pioneer because if that.

      • chumlee on 08/07/2018 - 09:29

        Not sure.

        I really only watch the news, AFL and couple of other shows on free to air. Mostly i stream content

  • JimB on 05/07/2018 - 11:18

    Hot water storage system- . about 6 of our family members installed Aquamax with Stainless Steel tank in 2000 when building new houses. Not one has had to be replaced with the exception of a pressure relief valve.

    If you don't have a Stainless Steel tank make sure you replace the anode.

    2.5yo Washing machine should be replaced under warranty.

    I pay extra for
    - tools, in particular drill bits.
    - solid timber floorboards.
    - tapware.
    - terracotta roof tiles.
    - appliances

    Electronics is a bit hit and miss… sometimes you pay extra for top quality electronics and appliances, however, because they are more complicated and have more features there are more things to go wrong!

    • ryantaylor56781 on 05/07/2018 - 12:43

      Tank was stainless, unfortunately it was a heat pump type and the compressor died.

      I agree about the tools. It is something I have generally gone cheap in the past, but am slowly building up a collection of decent gear.

  • ego22 on 05/07/2018 - 11:47

    My parents bought a kelvinator chest freezer 36 years ago. Was the most expensve in the store. It has only been off for 5 days (moving) in the last 36 years. Never missed a beat.

    • AlienC on 05/07/2018 - 14:10
      +1

      What is the storage and power usage like?

      I am thinking of making one of those super high efficient chest fridges in the nearby future (basically a chest freezer with a thermostat diy mod to regulate temperature at fridge range).

      Pros: Uses a lot less energy than a standard refrigerator because the cold is kept in when you open the chest fridge from the top rather than from the side where all the cold "falls" out and it has to cool everything again to get it back to fridge range temperatures.

      Cons: Have to adjust to different orientation of fridge storage and have a new method of compartmentalization.. also bend down/over

  • vinni9284 on 05/07/2018 - 12:12
    +3

    However, this week I've had my hot water system (7 years old), washing machine (2.5 years old), water tank pump (6 years old) and pool light (5 years old) break.

    It seems like everything that has broken down is related to the water system.

    Check your water system/pressure

    • ryantaylor56781 on 05/07/2018 - 12:40
      +1

      Good advice, unfortunately not in this case.

      Hot water system is a heat pump (works like the opposite of an air conditioner - was an issue with the gas)
      Washing machine was an issue with the drainage pump ceasing up
      Water / tank pump was an issue with the rain/main tank switch (none electrical)
      Pool light was one of the LEDs has died

      Just an unlucky run :)

      • HighAndDry on 05/07/2018 - 12:51

        Hahaha that does sound like some bad luck. I think though, with the complexity of a lot of today's electronics it's not so much how long they last (because it comes down to luck whether one of thousands of components fails), but support and warranty service in the event something breaks - at least for the top tier brands. At the lower end, something lasting for as long as these ones lasted for you is already a long time.

    • Micko179 on 07/07/2018 - 05:09

      Maybe it's his pool! Flooding his water system?! I should tell the neighbours to disconnect their pool from the water system before all their stuff stops working too!

  • Ozbargainite on 05/07/2018 - 12:23
    +1

    Honda Lawnmower.

    • Micko179 on 07/07/2018 - 05:11

      I've had a few hundred of them! Admittedly, I didn't 'have' to buy any more than 1, not until after the floods anyway!

  • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2018 - 12:43
    +1

    haven't had to buy a second wife yet…..

  • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2018 - 12:51
    +1

    Dress shoes and knives.

  • Gronk on 05/07/2018 - 12:55

    Active noise cancelling earphones.

    Bought a pair of Sony h.ear noise cancelling headphones on special, I think from memory they were marked down from $300 to ~$120. At about the 18 month mark, one of the wires started coming out from the battery unit so they were replaced under warranty by the retailer.

    I'm not sure if it was because I opted to take a store credit instead of cash refund, but I was refunded the original (retail) price, so I went with a pair of Sennheiser CXC700's for an additional $50 - which I thought was decent given they retail for ~$350.

    Earlier this year had issues with one side of the Sennheisers dropping out, so once again replaced under warranty by the retailer.

    Ok, so that story doesn't really support the stance that more expensive is better, just keep your receipt :)

    • HighAndDry on 05/07/2018 - 13:18

      The fact that both times the issues were repaired free under warranty means it still pays to buy reputable brands from reputable retail outlets. The actual product may not last as long, but your dollars still did.

  • Youfah Mizzum on 05/07/2018 - 13:00

    20 years ago I bought a Kleenmaid SpeedQueen washing machine.
    Still going strong. Was around $1,100 at the time, but I reckon the big bucks have paid off. Has had a repair twice in that time - I think just some wear & tear on belts.

    Bought a Sony 47" LCD television about 9 years ago. Still going strong & a great picture - better than many when I go browsing through HN even now.

    Bought a Hoover fridge about 23 years ago. Bottom mount 410 litre. Not particularly pricey at the time but it was still going strong. My own lack of care caused the seals to get damaged but I only replaced it about 8 months ago. Now I have an LG which I really hope lasts as long as the Hoover. If the seals weren't damaged I would still have it now.

    I built a new house 8 years ago & got a new dishwasher. The cheapest I could find - dishlex, I think it cost me about $420. Still cleaning perfectly & running like a dream. Daily use, sometimes twice daily.

  • battler on 05/07/2018 - 13:06

    Engel fridge

    (similar thread from a couple of years ago)

    • HighAndDry on 05/07/2018 - 13:13

      Whoa. >30 years? Damn thing's probably older than most of us here…

    • Micko179 on 07/07/2018 - 05:18

      I have several of them, some under 5 years old with complete new cooling systems! They're all made in Thailand now, & nowhere near what they used to be like!

  • HighAndDry on 05/07/2018 - 13:22

    Two things, though not sure if the second counts.

    So first, KitchenAid mixer. Going strong a few years now and apparently they're bullet proof. From research, it pays to get a reliable mixer because not only does the quality of the motor mean you can mix more things, it also means it's less likely to burn out with heavy use or over time. So fingers crossed that keeps up.

    Second thing - my computer. Not the best example though because performance wise it's fully obsolete, but since I don't play games as much, the fact it still works means to me it's still usable. Picked out the parts myself and put it together myself, making sure to choose, again, bigger brands and researched more reliable models, with enough cooling. No overclocking and put it together myself so I can DIY small things like upgrade graphics and RAM, and cable managed so it has good airflow (for cooling again). It's lasted me 10 years and still going, so worthy investment.

  • GG57 on 05/07/2018 - 13:43
    +1

    I don't want to hex myself by saying; as soon as you do it will break.

  • AlienC on 05/07/2018 - 13:58
    +1

    Would have to say my tablet

    Huawei Mediapad M3 8.4 inch wifi only

    It cost a bit more than much cheaper options but I feel I paid the right price for its futureproof features that it had at the time such as 1440p screen resolution and 4gb ram (although I already knew this wouldn't last very long)

    It was more of a good value choice though from Amazon US at the time 2017 Feb than buy once pay twice kind of mentality thinking.. I am usually good with finding the best value products when it comes to some tech like pc parts, gaming laptops and mobile phones nowadays.

    The TV is my next step to find as there is so much to read about and choose from I still have hard time comparing all the options and criterion.

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 05/07/2018 - 16:35
    +1

    Jacket and hiking/walking boots.

    I have a gortex jacket that has traveled the world with me. It's probably 10-12 years old and still in impeccable condition. I think I paid £400-500 for it.

    • bighead on 06/07/2018 - 08:30

      I concur. A well made jacket will last decades. Mine is coming on 10 years soon. Used couple times a year. Camps, snow etc.

  • engineeringprof on 05/07/2018 - 16:45

    MacBook Pro - durable build in the 2013, lasts well
    Dress shoes
    Hiking shoes
    Gore-tex jacket
    Mattress - worth every penny/sheets/towels
    Le creuset pots - enamel has lasted 20 years, other brands 1 year

    • minklet on 06/07/2018 - 10:04

      I would agree as i had a 2012 model macbook pro that lasted ages, and I could upgrade the ram and ssd. The newer models tho, the build quality has significantly dropped imo. My 2016 model old one is not holding up anything like as well. I would move away from them if I liked the alternative OS' out there.

  • shortblack9 on 06/07/2018 - 09:46

    Miele Washing Machine (bought in 2006 with Amex points. Serviced this year and still going strong)

    Miele Vacuum cleaner - last one I had didn't die, it got replaced because I was told "it looks ugly, you need a new one".

    Bamix Stick blender - the original and still the best. The only replacement I get are for the blades which can get misplaced if not stored correctly.

  • Ozpit on 06/07/2018 - 10:16
    +1

    If it gets used a lot, it's always worth paying extra for quality as the odds are it will be worth it in the long run. These appliances are still going strong:
    Kelvinator fridge: 35 years (re-gassed early in its life)
    General Electric washing machine: 35 years (new motor and timer early in its life)
    Aquamax hot water with stainless steel tank: 20 years (never missed a beat)

    Fridge and hot water were made in Oz, washer was made in Canada. Fridge and washer were inherited from parents, who always paid a bit extra for quality.

    Back in the day, appliances weren't intentionally engineered for a limited life, as they often seem to be today. Back then, some just used better quality components and you paid extra for an expected longer and trouble-free life.

    Let's face it; most things today could be made to last a hell of a long time, if not a lifetime or longer (maybe with an occasional small fix). But in most cases, it doesn't make economical sense for manufacturers to do so.

    Of course, some people simply can't afford the extra that quality buys.

  • ozbjunkie on 06/07/2018 - 17:55

    PSU for PC - seasonic - 2009, daily use, 1 replacement in warranty period.

    Scarpa hiking boots - 2007 - irregular use camping, hiking, skiing.

    Glasses - designer frames - 2007 - daily use.

    Laptop - Asus - 2010 - 2x mobo replacements under warranty. Still going strong enough for browsing and light gaming.

    That's all I got for now.

  • Kandrew on 06/07/2018 - 23:03

    My last Asko washing machine lasted me 19 years, including all of the cloth nappies for 3 children.
    I have a Sunbeam toaster with a quartz element, bought in 1994, still going strong.
    And I’m a little upset about this one: my mum bought an 8 speed Breville blender with a glass blender jar in 1973. Blender is still working well, but the rubber gasket between the blade base and the glass jar is now so thin that it won’t seal. And Breville don’t stock the replacement gasket! They told me that I’ll have to buy a new blender.

    • Micko179 on 08/07/2018 - 06:29
      +1

      Make a new gasket!

      • Kandrew on 11/07/2018 - 00:34

        Sorry for the late response.
        Yes, I’m hunting down the correct thickness (off cut) rubber at the moment so that I can do just that.
        If I have to purchase a full sheet of rubber for the gasket, I might as well buy a new blender. It’s ridiculously priced stuff!

    • Ozpit on 08/07/2018 - 09:17

      There will be a seal that fits (made for something else) out there somewhere. You'll just have to hunt it down.

      • Kandrew on 11/07/2018 - 00:36

        I searched for a while and then gave up. I’m now on the search for an off cut of the right thickness.

  • Micko179 on 07/07/2018 - 05:35

    Downstairs - Kelvinator 500litre Stainless Steel fridge $3500 when new - 23 years old, been through floods & still going strong(although does need new seal as it runs much more than it needs to)

    Upstairs - Samsung 580 litre Stainless Steel fridge around $4k new - roughly 6 years old, started falling apart after about 1 year, broken drawers in both fridge & freezer section, icemaker keeps clogging up, fridge evaporator keeps icing up & freezing the cold water function until fridge stops completely (now most of the plastic trims inside are broken due to incompetent Samsung 'Technicians' & having to continually fix it!

    Shed - Kelvinator 220 litre fridge >30 years old, been through floods & still going strong but handles starting to fall off due to rust!

    Fisher & Paykel washing machine - $1199 when new 25 years ago had to spend around $400 on it every 14-18 months or so for about 15 years, then gave it up as a bad joke! Never again!

    Hot water - Bosch LPG instantaneous & was around 20 years old when replaced for a bigger unit(current one around 8 years but going solar soon)

    Water tank - expensive when new (>$2k) >15 years old

    Solar inverter - Solar River (True Value Solar) 3rd one in 5 years - IMHO True Value Solar = buyer beware!

    ENGEL fridge - I do have one >25 years old still going strong but it saying that, I have ones under 5 years old that have died & been completely refurbished.

    '69 Camaro, 1969 so you do the maths!
    '72 Torana - as above!
    '79 Sandman Ute - restored 20 years ago!

    Oh hang on we're talking about appliances aren't we?

    Drizabone oil skin riding jacket, >25 years still going strong

    Ugg Boots - >25years still going strong

    Appliances! I get sidetracked too easily!

  • Chubbsmcfatflabs on 10/07/2018 - 13:17

    leatherman..

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