# What brands are not junk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424 "2009-10-28T12:16:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/1 "2009-10-28T12:16:39Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/2 "2009-10-28T12:18:35Z")
**Leatherman**. Solid, high quality, dependable, amazing customer service. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/3 "2009-10-28T13:04:22Z")
Apple. Optoma. A second vote for Leatherman. Makita and Ryobi cordless tools. Citizen Eco-drive watches. (all from personal experience) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/4 "2009-10-28T13:25:34Z")
**[Snap-on](http://www.snapon.com/)** tools. **[Kelty](http://www.kelty.com/kelty/)** camping products. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/5 "2009-10-28T13:38:55Z")
Stihl chainsaws (and other gas-powered tools). (Surely this is headed toward IMHO.) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/6 "2009-10-28T13:41:12Z")
Zippo lighters Marmot sleeping bags ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/7 "2009-10-28T13:41:36Z")
Ecco - Shoes. My Coach leather wallet is 5 years old and you could, almost, put it back on the shelf and sell as new. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/8 "2009-10-28T13:48:56Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/9 "2009-10-28T13:53:15Z")
Under Armour Asics running shoes Michelin and Goodyear tires Pottery Barn Honda marine engines Formula boats Coach ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/10 "2009-10-28T14:01:49Z")
L.L. Bean Tilley hats Paradise On A Hanger shirts Fenix flashlights ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/11 "2009-10-28T14:24:34Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/12 "2009-10-28T14:28:44Z")
[Sorrel](http://www.sorel.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Sorel_US-Site?mid=paidsearch&eid=yahoo_us&nid=yahoo_paid_footwear_branded&did=10272009&uid=footwear_brand)winter boots **Henckel** kitchen knives [Rapala](http://www.rapalaworld.com/) fishing knives [Microplane](http://us.microplane.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=2) graters **KitchenAid** mixers (not so much their other products) [Ekornes](http://www.ekornes.com/us/ekornescollection/) furniture [Keen](http://www.keenfootwear.com/shoes/men/) shoes ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/13 "2009-10-28T14:48:05Z")
I think this is better suited for IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/14 "2009-10-28T14:56:31Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Apple. > Optoma. > A second vote for Leatherman. > Makita and Ryobi cordless tools. > Citizen Eco-drive watches. > (all from personal experience) 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. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/15 "2009-10-28T15:45:46Z")
Birkenstocks. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/16 "2009-10-28T15:50:07Z")
If food products can meet the OP, then [Boar’s Head](http://www.boarshead.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/17 "2009-10-28T16:04:24Z")
**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! ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/18 "2009-10-28T16:33:10Z")
I don’t know if it signifies high quality, but the hook design on [Nite Ize](http://www.niteize.com/category.php?category_id=27) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/19 "2009-10-28T16:36:01Z")
Any **Columbia** jacket. They are warm, comfortable, damn near totally waterproof, and usually thin so they are easy to store ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424/20 "2009-10-28T16:42:38Z")
[Onkyo](http://www.onkyousa.com/prod_class.cfm?class=Receiver) receivers [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-brands-are-not-junk/515424.md?page=2)