Inspired by this interesting thread:
Once Great Firm’s Names Now Appearing…On Low-End Junk?
What firms are not junk? Pick any consumer or prosumer product and what company sells high quality high value products? Or at least what labels are out there that signify high quality? I need a Christmas shopping list!
Leatherman. Solid, high quality, dependable, amazing customer service.
Apple.
Optoma.
A second vote for Leatherman.
Makita and Ryobi cordless tools.
Citizen Eco-drive watches.
(all from personal experience)
Stihl chainsaws (and other gas-powered tools).
(Surely this is headed toward IMHO.)
Zippo lighters
Marmot sleeping bags
Ecco - Shoes.
My Coach leather wallet is 5 years old and you could, almost, put it back on the shelf and sell as new.
St. Croix makes a damn good men’s sweater.
Want to make the women in your life get warm fuzzies from you…Martin and Osa clothing - they specialize in soft feeling clothes.
Under Armour
Asics running shoes
Michelin and Goodyear tires
Pottery Barn
Honda marine engines
Formula boats
Coach
L.L. Bean
Tilley hats
Paradise On A Hanger shirts
Fenix flashlights
Duluth Trading Co.
I’ll second L. L.Bean. They went bad for a while, putting out way too many catalogues, kind of poor construction, but they’ve managed to come back.
Sorrelwinter boots
Henckel kitchen knives
Rapala fishing knives
Microplane graters
KitchenAid mixers (not so much their other products)
Ekornes furniture
Keen shoes
I think this is better suited for IMHO than GQ.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Some of the low-end Ryobi tools are junk. I’ve never owned or heard of a Makita tool that is of poor quality.
Unfortunately, I’ve had bad experience with three Citizen Eco-drive watches. In all of them the drive failed well before its life expectancy. Two of them were within warranty and were repaired at no cost. OTOH, as inexpensive as they are, Casio watches never seem to fail.
Philster - Some Goodyear tires are junk.
Birkenstocks.
Maui Jim Sunglasses
Outstanding product, and even better customer service. I broke a frame recently and sent them in for repair along with the processing fee. For no apparent reason, they waived the fee! I opened the box to find my shades good as new, along with the uncashed the check I had sent!
I don’t know if it signifies high quality, but the hook design on Nite Ize cell phone cases ensures they never fall off my belt. Every other brand I used has fallen - at least once, and usually pretty often. I think I’ve had 6 Nite Ize cases with no cell phones ever hitting the floor.
Any Columbia jacket.
They are warm, comfortable, damn near totally waterproof, and usually thin so they are easy to store