I’ll go with Craftsman hand tools. Years ago my brother was using a ratchet as a hammer and it broke. He went to the local Sears and told the guy, “I was using this ratchet as a hammer and now it’s broken.” And they gave him a new one. Good thing too, cause my dad woulda been pissed!
Yes, I beleive Dilbert calls this sort of thing a “confusopoly.” They make things so confusing it’s almost impossible for a slightly informed consumer to make an intelligent choice. They then couch it under the guise of offering more choices for consumers, because this is great capitalism, etc etc.
Just buy knives with both twins on them, and you’ll be fine.
Also, stay away from Emerilware by Wusthof. Those are stamped knives.
Ocean Waves sunglasses
Leatherman
HP for ‘business’ laptops
SAS (San Antonio Shoes) shoes
I don’t think that http://www.irobot.com/ has any competition, but I’ve found both their products and their customer service excellent.
As a Canadian, I have to recommend Mastercraft tools. Lifetime guarantee, no questions asked.
Also, JBL speakers for Apple products. Great design and sound.
Finally, I will second Apple (zero, and I mean ZERO problems with my, now, five ipod nanos) and microplane graters, which are amazing.
I try to avoid anything with a celebrity endorsement (pimp label). It always calls to mind the “Hankersizer” from The Larry Sanders series on HBO.
I have been told by no fewer than three contractors that while Craftsman is far from the best tool in the business, most contractors use them, because you can’t beat the warranty!
Agreed…they have a tendency to snap during normal usage.
Abboud is starting to move downmarket, sadly. I have an Abboud suit that I like, but I’m starting to see the Abboud label on more and more cheaper stuff (none of which is made in the US, not that that necessarily means much to me). It’s still OK but I fear it won’t be in a few more years. They have a new label called Jaz (I think) that is basically what Abboud used to be: high-quality, made in North America, etc.
On the subject of menswear, Allen Edmonds shoes. Built like a tank, without looking like it. Worth every dime (all 3,000 or so).
I have a pair of Doc Marten oxfords that I wear all the time. They are eight years old and seem like they might be willing to put up with me for another thirty or so years. No joke. And I second (third? fourth?) Coach handbags. My first and favorite is almost fifteen years old and looks new. If you find yourself in Western New York do not eat a Sahlens hot dog. Every other hot dog you ever eat will taste like rotten dog food in comparison.
Hear, hear! I sent a pair of 5-year-old sunglasses in for lens replacement - I’m hard on glasses and the lenses were pretty scratched up. I can’t prove it, but I’m pretty sure I got a brand new pair of glasses back. If they weren’t new, they rehabbed the frames so well that they looked new. Only sunglasses I’ll buy anymore.
New Balance shoes. Come in different widths so you get a perfect fit, last forever.
Pioneer car stereos. Even the cheap head unit has a lot of power, and lots of features. Speakers are great.
Another vote for B&W speakers for the home. I really miss mine that were burglarized.
Dawn dishwashing detergent.
Tide 2X ultraconcentrated laundry detergent. A small spoonful of this stuff gets a big load clean.
Re: Red Wings
I used to make fun of the idiots who paid $200+ for a pair of Red Wings when standard work boots can be had for $75.
Until I was given a pair as a gift, and a 20 year love affair began.
But…in 2007 I bought a pair and the stitching came loose after 3 months. I went back to the local dealer and showed them, and they offered me 50% off a new pair. (which I found barely equitable)
Four months into the new pair the sole split all the way across side to side and all the way through to my foot. (at the ball of my foot)
This time I went to Red Wings web site and contacted them and told them both my affinity and loyalty, as well as my recent problems.
They never responded. I now wear Timberlands.
Bosch Power Tools.
Beats Dewalt hands down, and even the Bosch reciprocating saw is better than the Milwaukee Sawzall.
Fantastic power tools.
Second votes for:
MagLite flashlights
New Balance walking shoes. They were one of the first to make athletic shoes in different widths; too many manufacturers still don’t know or care that we women with wider-than-B feet buy shoes too.
Eastern Mountain Sports and Eagle Creek both make good rolling luggage. EMS lines their rolling bags with bright orange fabric, so dark-colored socks can’t hide in the corners in dim hotel rooms. Why doesn’t everyone do that?
I’ve only had it a month or so, but I’m getting very fond of my Zuca rolling bag. I went to using a rolling bag full time after my back acted up last winter, and I soon found most are built to handle carpeted hallways, not city streets. The Zuca is built like a tank; the wheels (usually the first thing to wear out) are replaceable (imagine that!); and if anything happens to the bag or you get sick of the color, that’s replaceable too. With SEPTA on strike I’ve been rolling the thing to and from work every day, about six miles a day; so far it’s unfazed.
Ikea cabinets and accompanying hardware.
Honda cars and Toyota trucks.
Panasonic stereo systems.
Seiko watches.
New Balance tennis shoes.
And, well, I spend large chunks of my recreational money on things horse-related, so I shall also add:
Ariat paddock boots (field boots, too, but my paddocks are still holding it together after 4 years of near daily use and abuse)
Henri Di Rivel saddles–I love my Pro A/O!
Trails West trailers.
Bobby’s Tack bridles (don’t need to spend $200 for a quality bridle–and this brand consistently fits my delicate and often hard to fit Arab mare).
QuikSilver whitening shampoo–a must if you want a white, not yellow, horse.
Mrs. Pastures cookies–my mare insists on adding them.
Most people seem to think they took a rather sudden dive in quality when they moved production to China and Thailand in 2003. I bought a pair of boots in 2001 that I wore nearly every day for five years, but the pair I replaced them with in 2006 took about a year to reach the same level of wear under much less strenuous conditions.
They supposedly have a “vintage” line out now that is made in the UK to “original specs”. I don’t know if that’s the case or not, but I’m intrigued.
To add my own to the list: Bell’s beers. Even at $11/six pack I never hesitate to try new ones.
I’m not the sort of person who cares much about brands or brand loyalty. Make each purchase based on merit at the time, blah blah. However, over the years I have come to trust and prefer anything with ‘Panasonic’ written on it.
Whenever I’m buying any sort of electronic gadget or gizmo, I’m drawn to this brand. I know that insofar as anything in the crazy world of retail can be sure and certain, I’m going to get something that (a) works, (b) is going to last for quite some years, until I’m good and ready to upgrade it anyway, © is going to have pretty much all the features I want and not too many extra bells and whistles that fill me ‘what’s the point?’ ness, and (d) is going to be a fair price, given the quality. This policy hasn’t let me down so far.
I also had a chat once with a guy who had worked in consumer electronics almost all his life. He said to me that other companies and brands might offer more gimmicks and try to build more hype, but Panasonic was the brand he personally trusted the most. He said they’ve always had a really dull, simple corporate philosophy: let’s make good stuff that doesn’t let people down.
Also:
IKEA anything
Ecco footwear (especially sandals)
Nokia
Berghaus outdoor equipment (Sprayway used to be a close competitor, but I think they’ve gone downhill.)
Trangia camping stoves.
Vango tents (Force ten’s are still widely used 40 years after being introduced!)
That’s sad to hear. My dad wore only RW shoes. Every year he and mom would schlep down to the factory store and buy two pair of their oxfords. They were the only company who made affordable shoes with wood shanks, which my dad required - he had to be able to drill through the shank to bolt his leg brace through. His new shoes would be the cream of the crop for the year, those from the previous year relegated to workwear (he worked in an auto parts store, no need for nice shoes), and shoes from the previous year were relegated to beat arounds. He beat the hell out of his shoes and they were friggin’ durable.
They were always treated very well when down there, too. They had an orthotics specialist who would meet with them, discuss what was needed, what would work best for him. Besides the whole needing a brace, my dad had other ‘unique’ foot problems, including a sixth toe that was not removed completely, leaving his foot on his short leg deformed. The specialist would call periodically to check up on dad to see how he was doing. I heart Red Wing.
My additions to the list:
Wusthof-Trident Classic line. I have a few Grand Prix, which are okay, but prefer the Classics.
Boker pocket knives
Mr. Clean magic erasers
Yesterdays News kitty litter (TheBernie hates scoopable litter)
Old Home french onion dip
Scharffen Berger chocolate for baking. Rich, deep flavor.