In this age of third world outsourcing and planned obsolescence it’s rare to find a product well made and meant to last. What are some things that fit that bill?
Maglite 4 D-cell flashlight- cheap, rugged, and makes a handy cudgel in a pinch
KitchenAide Mixers. Solid, strong, and oh-so-heavy. My mom still has hers from ages ago, and I hope to inherit it when she buys the new one with the grinding attachments like she’s been talking about.
A really good set of knives.
Craftsman tools
Luggage made from ballistic nylon–indestructible.
Lands End cloth briefcases: mine has been all over the world and shows little wear.
Cast iron cookwear.
Guns from any of the 1st line manufacturers. Firearms from HK, Colt, SW, Remington, Ruger, Walther, et. al. will last for generations.
I’m driving a 1962 Studebaker. It weighs about 3400lbs. It was meant to last. I don’t think my 2003 Dodge P/U will last as long.
Steelcase office furniture
I just discovered this. Shockproof Nail Polish. It lasts 10+ days! A fucking miracle! I was beginning to think it was impossible to make a polish that lasted more than two days.
1920’s Style Death Rays
Well, someone had to say it!
Snap-On tools
Actually, there are quite an array of tool manufacturers who make their tools to last. You can generally tell which they are by the ridiculously high prices and the unlimited free replacement lifetime warranty.
John Deere lawnmowers.
Carhaart jackets.
Wolverine boots.
Specifically:
1966-1977 Ford Bronco. Slightly larger than a Heep, and 2.5 tons of all American Steel. Over 200,000 miles on the tranny, never a rebuild and still shifts like it was new.
Generally:
Any American car built before 1983.
I must find this wonderful product.
Nalgene water bottles. Always get lost before they’re anywhere near wearing out.
Dr Marten’s shoes. Only managed to wear out one pair, so far, and that took some doing.
Solid oak furniture.
HP calculators.
Buck knives.
Great thread. I generally agree with all of the ones mentioned before, especially the Doc Marten’s (after 5 years of constant daily use, they’re just now starting to lose some of that spring in the sole but the leatherwork is still strong.)
But this one made me cock my head like a dog and go “hruuuh?”
The pair of Wolverines I had (in fact, the boots I wore before my Doc’s) died before a year was up. As in, sole falling off from tears in the side and at the heel, toe scuffed down to the steel, sole so dead I needed constant use of Dr. Scholl’s inserts for comfort and support, etc.
The Doc’s were a joy to wear, even right out of the box and not yet broken in. Amazingly comfortable.
The Dun King
It survives sledgehammer attacks. How much more durable can you make a keyboard?
Dodge Darts and Plymouth Valiants. God love em.
Incidentally, I see Pintos, and even Pinto station wagons, all the time.
zippo lighters
Cross pens
Ancra tie downs
Dopp bags
unclviny
Birkenstocks will do you a good long time, and you can replace the soles and all. I had mine for ten years, wore 'em pretty much exclusively in the summers, and never replaced anything or did a scrap of maintenance on them. My mother finally made me throw them out and get new ones.
Good furniture should be heirlooms. I have beautiful Sumter Cabinet Company furniture that even has all-real-wood drawers.
Also, silver, china, all those fancy wedding gift things.
Steinway pianos.
Klein hand tools
Puma knives
Victorinox knives
Wusthof Classic knives
Levi Jeans
Pendleton shirts
Older Volvo cars
Guild guitars
Honer Blues Band harmonicas
Armstrong flutes
Chemex coffee systems
Pyrex bowls and containers
Panduit all-metal tie wrap guns
Kennedy tool boxes
Gerstner machinist’s chests
Swagelok vacuum fittings
Vibram high carbon Montagna bloc soles
Optimus 8-RF camp stoves
Bausch and Lomb Ray Ban aviators
Nikon F-1 SLR cameras
Nikon Nikkormat SLR cameras
Old TEAC reel to reel tape recorders
Fatar MIDI controller piano keyboards
ECKO Flint kitchen implements
Le Creuset enamel cooking pans
Descoware enamel cooking pans
Copco enamel cooking pans
Merritt & O’Keefe gas stoves
Wedgewood gas stoves
Old Deitzgen drafting sets
Old Keuffel & Esser drafting sets
Old Gilbert Erector Sets
Old Tinkertoy sets
Lincoln Logs
Royal Copenhagen China
Holmegaarde glassware
Kastrup glassware
Lundtoft metalware
Mason jars
Sabine guitar tuners
Classic black case Simpson voltmeters
Old Mil-Spec Textronix oscilloscopes
Old Mil-Spec rubberized cloth ponchos
Old Hallicrafter short wave radios
Starrett machine tools
Velveeta
Twinkies
Don’t understand the fuss over Doc Martens. I bought one pair–never again. They were uncomfortable from beginning to end, and they lasted less than a year. Everyone told me they’d last forever, but after fewer than 12 months the leather was cracked and the soles no longer gripped wet, greasy floors like they did new.
Good thread, cainxinth. Also, Zenster, you have a very good list, although I’d personally add juice boxes and guitar string packages :).
Seriously, though, I’d add:
Kenmore refrigerators
GE Clock Radios (okay; sample set of one, but $16 for 17 years of clock radio service is pretty impressive)
BMW motorcycle engines
Fish tank air pumps (most brands)
Master Locks
Fluke voltmeters
HP lab instruments (specifically, spectrum analyzers)
I also have a set of Acoustic Research speakers that have been going strong for the same 17 years, but since I don’t crank my stereo, maybe my listening habits have something to do with the speakers’ longevity.