The first one that I think of is Little Tikes. We bought one of the classic orange push cars over 30 years ago and it’s still going strong. It’s been out in the elements the whole time and has seen generations of kids in it. It’s a little faded but otherwise in fine condition.
What others are there?
Of course, Craftsman tools with their lifetime warranty.
That warranty is pretty well defunct now. It is nothing like it use to be.
I had a Craftsman Shovel snap and they will not honor the old warranty unless you have the receipt and it is 100% rust-free.
Eveready had a reputation for long-lasting batteries.
Among cars, Volvos are known for their durability. At least in California where cars don’t get exposed to salt, I still see Volvo 240s on the road pretty regularly, and they stopped making that model 30 years ago.
Is that an actual reputation or was it just a marketing campaign?
At one time Maytag washers did live up to their old marketing campaign with the bored repairman. But I am pretty sure that stopped being true when they merged with one of the other big appliance makers.
Tupperware has a reputation for lasting forever.
I’d also include Levenger leather goods and Rotring pens.
Radio Flyer - maker of the little red wagon.
Lenox gas furnaces. These things were/are reliable and easy to repair.
I’m still wearing my Timex Indiglo ladies’ wristwatch that I got in 1995. It has indeed taken a licking and kept on ticking.
Oh, and Singer sewing machines were traditionally known for their longevity.
Yeah, some brands have had marketing campaigns that try to push the idea that they’re long-lasting: Maytag, Timex, Energizer
You have to be careful though, there are machine for sale that are “Singer” that have nothing really to do with the old reliable company. I’m not sure what the cutoff year is, but I’m pretty sure it was over 20 years ago.
Toyota (and Lexus) brand cars. Its not uncommon to see models from the 90s still on the road.
I’m going with:
Until and unless they disappoint me, I have no plans of veering away from these brands, each of which has served me very well.
mmm
A lot of companies get sold; and many of those ride on the old quality reputation for a while, while no longer producing that quality. Eventually the change catches up with the reputation, but it can take a while.
Snap-On does them one or six better. WHEN your craftsman tool breaks, you take it back to the store for a replacement. IF a Snap-On tool breaks, the dealer comes to you to replace it. Plus they hardly ever break, even with serious abuse.
Of course they cost an arm and a leg, but they last forever. Fortunately I inherited my Snap-On stuff from my dad, who sold them to mechanics for a living.
I don’t know if they have a reputation for longevity, but I’ve always found Panasonic (and by extension their Technics audio equipment brand) have always been rock-solid for me in all things electronic. Stereo receivers, printers, tape decks, CD players, speakers, etc… have all worked well beyond the point when I was ready to upgrade to something better. Or in the case of my 2010 Panasonic plasma TV, still soldiering on without issue.
Tonka trucks. How many kids can one of their toy trucks outlast, I don’t know. But those things are well made.
For electronics folks, Hewlett-Packard (then Agilent, now Keysight) test instruments.
Tonka Toys.