1y ago

What item did you "buy for life?"

How's it holding up?

254 comments

1999 Toyota Tacoma. A dinky two-door job. Still running. It's old enough to buy itself a drink. Has a shell on the back. I'm the kind of guy who runs the car until it runs no more or isn't cost affordable. Get regular oil changes, general maintenance, nothing spectacular. A life utility vehicle. Little rusty around the edges, and definitely a car for an old dude who doesn't have to impress the chicks. As a matter of fact, it tends to attract older guys, like me, who walk up and say "that is such a cool truck."
- Nice! How many miles?
  
  Today: 203,067 miles. 85% of the distance to the moon. Destination, the Sea of Longevity.
- That's not just old enough to vote, that's old enough to buy a beer! Makes me miss my 2000 prerunner
- yeah it's good, but you'll make it to around 300k, maybe 350k and then the heads will crack

Sync Ultra for Reddit. So, yeah.
Not the developers fault though.
- You didn't get a discount on Sync Lemmy?
  
  Bahaha, no.

Safety razor. Bought one for 30 EUR over a decade ago, and it's showing no signs of wear. Razor blades are cheap too. I have no clue why razors with proprietary blades are so popular nowadays.
- It’s not a secret. Disposable razors are simple to own and use
  
  Safety razors are really not any harder to use. The real answer is cartridge razors are what are marketed, and they are what are marketed because they make more money.
- Not sure how to link a Lemmy instance, but this link should hopefully work: https://sub.wetshaving.social/c/wetshaving
  
  Hi there! Looks like you linked to a Lemmy community using a URL instead of its name, which doesn't work well for people on different instances. Try fixing it like this: !wetshaving@sub.wetshaving.social
  
  If I'm not wrong it would be !wetshaving@sub.wetshaving.social
- Inherited mine from my grandfather, so about 70 years old and still in great condition. Simplicity lasts! Spent E 17,50 to shave 5 years 👌
- I have no clue why razors with proprietary blades are so popular nowadays.
  Advertising.
  I bought a safety razor 15y ago along with a decent supply of Feather blades. I thought those would last me for a few years but I'm still working my way through them.
- Same here, bought a luxury safety razor for €79 with 50 blades. Alas, it's adjustable and that mechanic failed. Got a gilette version from the 60s and that's stoll fully functional, but the new one (qshave) is heavier and nicer to use. Bought a 20 pack of 10pc feather blades with it as well, 14 packs left. (280 weeks of shaving)
  The type of razor is working out greatly, I just need to find a way to repair the qshave unit.
  
  This is a tangent, but I agree that Feather blades are the best.

I bought a nice Jansport backpack in 5th-6th grade, and it's still going strong in my 30s. It's been through years of school, college, and a family member took it when they had to do a military tour in Iraq. Still going strong, not a single tear.
- Jansport? I thought those were the cheap ones I’ve had to replace every year for my kids
  
  Yeah man, I've had both experiences with Jansport.
  Have one that lasted FOREVER, and several that lasted less than two years. Couldn't tell you why the difference. They were all very similar models.
  Although, I bought a Swiss Gear backpack about 4 years ago for laptop/travel needs. Granted, there has been less wear on this backpack vs others I've had in my life. But this one has very little damage even after several trips. Very satisfied with this backpack.
- Pretty much the same story for me. I'm creeping up on my 40s. Mine has lasted me through highschool and college. I still use it as my daypack on family vacations and to haul my DnD stuff.

My 30 year old Teva sandals are still going strong
EDIT: Also my 25 year old DeWalt cordless drills. Original batteries and everything.
- There's a lot of DeWalt stuff that will outlive you if you treat them right. I'm especially a fan of their ladders. The perfect mix of durability and weight.
- My 30 year old Teva sandals are still going strong
  How?! The tread wears off mine in a matter of months, and eventually something tears.
  
  I would guess maybe they don’t build them like they used to?
- I finally replaced my Teva’s this year after they “only” lasted for 20 years. Choosing the color scheme for the straps on the new pair was surprisingly difficult, knowing that I’d be stuck with it for a few decades.

Kindle Paperwhite Technically was gifted to me, but I got it at least 7 years ago and it still holds up amazingly. I have to charge it a little more often, once every 2 months instead of like 2 times a year, but prob the only electronic I have that I have yet to replace.
Oh and my Ti-84+ that Ive had since hs and still works amazingly
- Yeah, Kindles are amazing like that - I only replaced my first one because the cellular network it used no longer exists so it couldn’t download
- Ebook readers are so so good.. One of my best purchases as well.. I do recommend Kobo however, as to break Amazon's monopoly. You can sideload books and even install a different OS/software. I use koreader, but there are others.
- The battery isn’t too difficult to replace

Lego. I’m 55 and still have (most of) the Lego I played with as a child. My kids played with it, grew out of it, but I never did, and the bricks that are more than half a century old work just fine with the brand new bricks that I bought last week.
- My son now plays with my old Lego and I love it. Some of it still looks like new.
  
  My sibling and I are both in our 40s and don't have kids, so we finally gave our parents explicit permission to donate our old Lego to a local school. That stuff lasts forever as long as nobody bites on it.
- I'm glad to read this, I'm on the same situation but sadly mine doesn't snap that well anymore :/

Wedding rings. She's gone forever, so I threw them in the ocean.
- Some old guy with a metal detector had a good day after that. Maybe two depending on if they washed up as a pair

Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speaker System. Bought it on sale for about $250 back in 2005, I've used it for hours almost every day since then and still absolutely love it. The only issue I've ever had is the back-light of the control module breaking but it's just a minor annoyance, just need to shine a light on it at nighttime to see the screen.
- I got a set of Z-5500s right around 2005 as well. Unfortunately mine started making super-loud popping noises at random a year or so back. So far I haven't found anything to replace them, Logitech doesn't make anything in their class any more either.
  
  Maybe have a look at Teufel CONCEPT E 450 Digital, if they're available in your country.
- I got the wireless 5450s. Had to replace the controller. Getting the replacements it was a guess between the sub and the controller. Which netted me backup of everything except the controller. Still works just fine and was used as primary surround sound until recently.
- I've had a set of those circulating through the family for well over a decade. But, they don't sound all that great.
  Fort the same budget, I'd recommend instead to buy a higher quality pair of bookshelf speakers that you would actually enjoy using fort the rest of your life.
  I also made a YSK post recently to explain how to objectively identify good speakers.
- I have these and have the same problem with the back light

💀
- Your great-great-grandchildren will forge it into a sword after the great collapse.

1997 Ford Fiesta 1.2.
Still being driven by my offspring.

Until yesterday I would have said "my toaster". But after about 25 years of service or so the heating element finally broke and there are no more spare parts around. So I guess it's time to lay it to rest. It served me well.
- This man repaired a toaster for 25 years
  Thank you for your service
  
  No it's better: it didn't break for 25 years. But I would have tried to repair it if it broke earlier. I mean... if I really really really wanted I might be able to find the same model somewhere on ebay. But breaking another toaster to repair mine would be a little insane.
  Good news is that the vendor (Krups) vows to keep spare parts available for 15 years. So I will definitely get another toaster from them.
- F

A quality leather belt. Probably not for life, but already much much longer than any fake leather ones I had before.
That said, for tools I mostly go with the cheap stuff and so far most have lasted me well over a decade.
- Bought my first leather belt at least a decade ago. Thing looks well loved but still works well

Bought a lovesac sactional 15 years ago. Replaced the cushions and cushion covers once. Sides, bases and their covers are original. Best couch ever. Still looks futuristic. Lego Couch.
- Nice. We have one for ~5 years now. What's amazing is that it's also so comfortable. My husband or I regularly fall asleep on it and we joke that it's more comfortable than our bed. The only downside was the price (it was the most expensive thing in my entire house for a while).
  
  Oh it's the best! Plus now you can get 3 different firmnesses. When I got new cushions I opted for the middle one instead of the original and now firmest firmness, but they're all super comfy.
  It's expensive AF, agreed. When I bought it originally it was a floor display. Imho its worth it though, as it's an impressive looking couch with replaceable parts, and since some parts get wear and some parts don't, modularity is really smart and appropriate for a couch.
  As long as the company stays in business, I doubt I'll ever buy another entire couch at once. Hell, rearrange it into a coffin when I'm gone.

I got the first Paperwhite as a gift. Still using it. Still awesome.
- Great product. I thoroughly enjoyed mine until it lost a pixel. Given how focused I need to be while reading, it was just too distracting, drawing my eye away from the text. I also changed jobs and living situations about the same time. These days, the lady and I listen to audiobooks together. Still, that Paperwhite is the best digital reader I've ever used.
- I got my first one as a gift too. I am now on my 3rd one and haven't paid for any, since I just complained when the hardware got bad and they just replaced it, even though I hadn't bought it haha
- I only replaced mine because I wanted a Kobo with physical buttons. Device was still working fine.

I bought a pair if Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro headphones at least 15 years ago. I still use them all the time. Just change the ear pads and headband whenever they get gross and they're just like new again.
- Similar, I bought a pair of Bose earbuds 8 years ago. My dog gnawed on one of the earbuds when he was a puppy. 8 years later they still work and I still use em. Granted, only mobile device I have now with a headphone slot is my steam deck. Used to use them for my phone but they weirdly stopped making phones with headphone jacks.
  
  I have a pair of SE215s that are basically the same.. I've had them for years.
  I bought a Qudelix 5K and learned how to solder short replacement cables for them.. I just clip it to my shirt or bag or whatever. Since its LDAC you really can't tell the difference from using a wire either. It's a great setup actually.
- Wow I hope my AKG K7XX can last that long. Mine is going about 7-8 years now. Are the pads on the Beyer removable for cleaning?
  
  You could. I prefer to replace them though. All foam degrades over time so replacements are about more than just being clean.
  I only really do this every 2-3 years. It's not exactly expensive.
  https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Velour-Silver-Grey-Other-Models/dp/B0016MMYKA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=beyerdynamic+dt770+ear+pads&qid=1695944967&sr=8-3

A burial plot, and we'll see.
- Seems to me you bought it for death, actually
  
  I bought one to last the rest of my life and the rest of my death. It's a 2 for.

Stanley 1.4L Thermos.
Built like a tank, holds heat as well today as the first time I used it years ago.
Also, the Herman Miller Aeron chair. Bought one used for $250 a few years ago and use it every day and there has been no wear. That said, replacement parts are very easy to find online if something ever breaks.

Cast iron skillets
Metal roof
Composite deck
That may be it, I will probably outlive my other possessions.
Runners-up:
We are still using a Dyson vacuum that my uncle gave me, used, when he got a new one, at least 15 years ago. Longer I think, and don't know how long he used it before that. And just replaced my KitchenAid mixer with a bigger one and gave my old one to one of my kids, that was 25 years old and is still going strong.
- Weird, I have all those now too. Composite deck a couple years ago, standing seam roof this year. Cast iron skillets for many years.
  Now I'm hoping you're right on all those.... For my sake ofc.
- How long have you had the composite deck? How has it stood up to UV? Like is it faded or getting brittle?
  
  It's still pretty new and made of "weardeck", made to last in the Florida sun, can be used for docks & similar, so I don't know yet but not worried. We got a light color (so it would be cooler) and my only gripe is that I didn't think about how bad dirt would show on the lighter color. We love it. Lifetime warranty for residential.

I didn’t actually buy it, but I have a kitchen aid mixer that was a wedding gift to my parents, 6 or 8 years before I was born. I’m 36.
I also have some of my grandfather’s power tools that work fine despite being 40+ years old (tho I’m terrified every time I use them - the cords attach to the mechanicals with screws, and there are no failsafes - I don’t use them enough to spend hundreds on new ones)
All the stuff I “bought for life” myself has failed to live up to the hype. They really don’t make shit the way the used to.
- I hear ya. The KitchenAid stand mixers are still tanks though. I have one that's a couple years old. I abuse it a lot. It cares not.
  
  Hobart KitchenAid mixers are tanks. Everything made after Hobart sold KitchenAid to Whirlpool is crap in comparison.
  
  Wait, are you the 8-bit guy, from the 8-Bit Guy YouTube channel?
  
  Ours trips it's breaker occasionally while mixing dough. It's kind of annoying, but not enough to replace it.
- I have my grandma's kitchen aide stand mixer that's way older than I am and it's still perfect.

AKG Q701 headphones. I have to resolder them every year or two, but they're infinitely repairable. I've tried many headphones over the years but nothing comes close to the quality.
DasKeyboard 4 Pro keyboard. I've typed on it so hard for so long that the key caps have started crumbling. Replaced all of the key caps for a few bucks and it's good as new.
PlanetBox lunchbox. It's like a metal lunch tray with a lid. Fully metal, nearly indestructible, rust proof.
A carabineer clip I got at Walmart in '06 for $1. I've used it every day for 17 years and all of the paint has rubbed off. It just won't die.
- Are those akg made in china? Bayer Dynamic will give it a quality run for it's money.
  
  Made in Austria

My great/granddad/uncle's woodworking tools and hammer. For my 17th birthday he just gave me a ton of them and I couldn't have been happier, they're made of really nice brass and spruce I think and they work wonders. Mfer says it's not worth much and proceeded to give me a tungsten carbide (world's sharpest alloy) plane that I maintain to this day. Also Beaver craft tools from Ukraine hold up pretty well and funnily enough come with a plaster because they're goofy goobers.

Fountain pens. They hold up incredibly well, but...
...Then again, I keep buying them, and inks, and etc., so I'm not sure it qualifies as BIFL.
- Favourite pen under $100?
- Oh, that's a good point! I've had the same mechanical pencil for the past four years.
  
  I still have the same mechanical pencil I bought over in Germany during a student exchange in 1988. Absolutely bulletproof, and - as typical - I didn’t see it’s thumb-click design (lead advancer right behind the tip, where the thumb usually sits when writing) being sold in North America until about 10-15 years later.
  
  I've got some mechanical pencils from 8 years ago.
  Granted I hardly use them now, but they served me well as daily drivers for the first 5. They're the shaker kind too!

My bike, a steel frame Genesis Croix de fer.
It's going well, I moved to another country where biking is not really possible so now my sister has been using it regularly and keeps it in good condition until I come back.
I used it for a few days last time I visited my family and it still has good as new.
Also a carbon steel pan and a second hand cast iron pot. No one was interested with the pan but my mom started using the pot after I left and now she's using it several times a week along with another one that belongs to my grand mother.
I also got a second hand "Baby Bjorn" bouncer, I don't know the original owner since it's been bought and sold several times already and I'm planning and selling it once my kid will be to old for it.
For me this is the ultimate test for "buy it for life" items. If it can move from people to people and everyone is extremely happy to use it since it's higher quality than non bifl items.
- We got a Baby Bjorn carrier 2nd hand, and it'll certainly go to another family, and another, and another...
- +1 for the Croix de Fer.
  I have it's sibling, the Tour de Fer. I've done many multi-day tours on it across many different terrains and through all sorts of weather, loaded up to the hilt with gear and me just shy of 200lbs. The bike has been rock solid, and I've no doubt could take me round the world if the opportunity ever arises.
  The only maintenance I've had to do has been consumables like brake pads, tyres, chain etc.
- My Colnago Super lasted over 3 decades, 4 groupsets and countless parts. The BB lug sheared probably only because I moved to a rainy part of the country and didn't use rust inhibitor enough.

ive been using the same blanket every night (except when its getting washed) for nearly 20 years, much to my wifes annoyance (we use our own blankets as we are both rollers and blanket theifs). i dont intend to stop using this one anytime soon, just as good as when i bought it
- Bruh, mention which blanket.
  
  Frankly my favorite are just generic hospital blankets.
  I still use a couple i stole from the hospital (or rather paid for through insurance and seized) when my kids were born 7+ years ago. THey are awesome, and very easy to wash. Hell you can even bleach em.
  
  ha no idea. pretty sure its a fairly generic thing you get from a discount department store like kmart or something. but its never been beat
- Man... Some family member made my mom a blanket when she started college.
  A decade later, she gifted it to tiny me while I was sick.
  When I started college, she got my grandmother to help her unstitch it, replace the batting and quilt stitch the original fabric to help it last longer.
  That was 15 years ago.
  I still have that blanket on my bed.

Wahl hair trimmer. No nonsense hair trimmer. Made in the US. Corded so don't have to worry about batteries failing. Been using it every couple of weeks for probably close to 15 years and only recently replaced it with another Wahl trimmer. Got my money's worth out of the first one many times over and would highly recommend it. I expect the new one to last a similar amount of time.
- I got mine about 19 years ago and it still works great. TBF I don't use it as often as I used to.
- I got my when I was in the military to save money on hair cuts, and I only recently had to replace it.
  Bought the first on in '96.
  Have only paid for one hair cut since then for a wedding.
- I have a US made Wahl trimmer as well and love it.
  Was the replacement also US made? I'm considering sharpening the blades on mine instead of purchasing a new one since I'm worried about the quality of the replacement.
  
  Make sure you get one of the professional ones. In fsct when i got the first one, i went to a beauty supply store that caters to hairstylists and barbers, as opposed to going to Walmart. Not sure if it is/was bullshit, but I had heard that Walmart gets lower quality units (not unlike the claims that the TVs sold on Black Friday are poorer quality compared to regular ones). Both of mine were made in US.
  Just a heads up, you can buy new blades for fairly cheap. On my old unit I replaced the blades maybe 10 years into owning it. I think because of how the blades are shaped, sharpening them might not really be possible. But I could be wrong.
- Are you within 15 years of the end of your life?
  
  Are you an insufferable pedant?

Le Creuset pot - I got one for Christmas 2018 from my parents shortly after going to university and despite being used around 3 times a week since then with plenty of stews burnt onto the bottom it still looks like new
- I second it! The BEST on induction, we cook old Julia Child recipes these days with it. What a great pot! I actually prefer it over our copper stuff.

Hand planes, Japanese chisels (Nomi) and some other woodworking tools, mostly japanese. If you maintain them properly, they should hold up very very long.

ITT a bunch of simple things like cast iron skillets. It’s a chunk of iron. You have to try to break stuff like that. What do you have that people wouldn’t necessarily expect to have good durability?
My DS 214 NAS. Been going strong for a nearly a decade.
My Anker multiport charger. Also going strong for a long time.
Early Dyson vacuum cleaner. That thing’s seen some abuse, but it keeps on going.
Toro riding mower. Had to replace a few small parts along the way, but it’s still going for over a decade.
- Ha! My DNS 323 NAS finally died this year. I think it made it 15 years, which is awesome for a product like that. Good luck.
  
  How much abuse did yours take? Ours is a backup and occasional video server.
  
  Omg same

Bunn coffee maker from 1970s.
Grandfather had it... great uncle had it... dad had it.. I had it.. now Dad has it again.

Alden 405 "Indy boots"
I got them in 2004 and they've been resoled once. That works out to about $13 a year
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boots_theory
  
  Bless Terry Pratchett, still teaching us shit long after he passed.

Easy. Leatherman Wave. Spent 80 bucks on it at least 10 years ago. I've used it to build furniture, repair glasses and electronics, breakdown boxes, open bottles, light duty wood processing/work on campsites and fix crappy cars. It all still works like new. You can have 1 tool in your car, and it can do about 90% of what a box full of tools can do.
- Same here! 11 or so years ago! Every project I've ever started has had it participate. I've even technically saved lives with it. Still as solid as the day I bought it.
- I've had mine for almost 15 yr, same as you, still works like it's new. I also have a Benchmade knife that I carry all the time that's unmarred by time.
  
  Yep, not surprised to see 2 or 3 other people in here mentioned the Wave specifically.

I still have the same TV I got as a kid in the late 80s! It works great except it has a line at the bottom of the screen but that goes away within about 5 minutes of powering it on. I hooked it up to a Roku and use it to watch old TV shows lol
- Dang, that's perfect .
  
  Heres a picture of it! The picture is much better looking in person, the camera makes the screen look like that
- I'd love to do this. I watch Cheers, Seinfeld, and Frasier religiously as background noise.
  
  It's super easy! I just got this HDMI to coax adapter on Amazon!

Bought a 9 dollar cast iron from Walmart for a camping trip and I love it. I'm hoping it outlives me and it should with proper care. It's already been 4 years

My B&O landline telephone in ~~1982~~ 1985. Didn't really pan out.
- so you don't have it anymore? or it's just unused?
  
  I haven't used it for 15+ years, so when we moved 5 years ago, I finally threw it out.
  It was an amazing phone, super light handset, and superior sound compared to other phones, plus it was a very modern design.
  https://www.scandinavian-designers.com/EN/beocom-1000-2000-bang-olufsen-telecom/

Senator Menendez - we'll have to wait just a little to see how well the investment turns out

A big cast iron pan and two smaller carbon steel pans. I think I'll be able to pass them on to my grandkids.
- I now have many cast iron pots and pans. Enameled and bare. And a couple more on the way.
  After reading up about non-stick, I'll never buy it again. I think cast iron is much safer.
  And because it is so durable, cast iron is actually a great value, even more so if you buy less expensive brands or used. It truly can be buy it for life.
  
  If you ever make it out to Pigeon Forge Tennessee, hit up the Lodge Factory. They have a store there that they sell all of their rejected cast irons for a pittance. Most of the rejects only have minor imperfections.
  
  Good cast iron is the true BIFL... It'll last your life, then your kid's, then their kid's, then theirs and so on... It needs to be seriously mistreated and neglected for a very long time until it becomes unusable
  
  I have been using my great grandma's set of cast iron for the last 2 decades. They work perfectly and look brand new. Properly seasoned and cared for they will last generations. Also no micro plastics or carcinogens
  
  Same here
  Lodge cast iron skillets in three sizes
  Kirkland 5-ply stainless pots and pans
  SteelMade pizza steel
  But RIP to my favorite
  SteelMade griddle top only worked with gas stoves
  
  Yeah, one thing I hate is seeing pans slowly degrade over time. But with cast iron and carbon steel, they improve with use. Plus, no PFAS!
- How do you like your carbon steel pans? I got one and despite following all the seasoning instructions it never releases food easily so I don't use it very often.
  
  I love them. Not all foods release easily, but they work great for flatbreads, searing meat, stir-frying vegetables, etc. I avoid cooking cheese or anything particularly prone to sticking in them.

An American made walker mower. I don’t expect me or my son will ever need to buy another mower again.
Stanley hammer 30ish years ago - still going strong. (Actually I have numerous tools I’ve had for 30+ years)
Probably not for life but damn long for a tv - a Sony xbr lcd flatscreen 1080p 46” that’s 15+ years old and still going strong with daily use.
A pair of bogs boots, they seem indestructible.
A McDermott pool cue - about 35 years old
Cast iron pans
Orvis fly rod
I have a Columbia winter coat that’s 15 years old and used all the time. I actually hate how long it’s lasted, I want a new one but can’t justify it.
My house - it’s a good house that will certainly outlast me.
I think everything else will fail before I kick the bucket. There’s a few things that’ll last for a while - but not for life.

Leather wallet with limited space. Forces me to not carry too much. Also a quality built wallet that had lasted very well for the last 5 years... Admittedly I have been bad at maintaining the leather though.

Leatherman wave 10+ years EDC repaired once. Replaced a 20 year old Leatherman classic which I now keep in work apron. Wave has a blade lock and is superior.

Don’t get me started on my guitars
- Same

Dualit classic toaster. Was replacing Breville and other brand toasters every 18 months or so.
Dualit cost more than twice my previous fancy units. So far, it has lasted 5 years, of nearly twice daily use. All parts repairable or replaceable, but haven't needed to yet.
- Got a Sunbeam T-20 at a thrift store a few years ago. Just had to tune it up a little and it's been working fine. Gets used sometimes 5+ times a day.
- I feel like you must be lucky. My parents had a Dualit intending to never need to buy another toaster, but it was so often away being repaired they had to buy a cheap one for the interim. We had 2 Dualits at work and same problem. One of them has been permanently trashed now. They also take SO LONG to toast?!
  I got a mid-range Kenwood 4 years ago and it's going strong.

Everything I own, except the burial plot. I bought that for death.

Bought a belt and wallet from hanksbelts.com and they have aged very well! They come with a 100 year warranty so I'm sure if anything does happen I'll be covered, though I doubt they ever get destroyed in my lifetime.

Japanese made Makita half inch router my dad bought in 1976

Chromecast 1. Still going strong after over a decade.
- I've hooked my gen. 1 up to an old radio using an HDMI audio/video splitter; works great!
  
  If my Chromecast audio ever dies I'll probably do this too.

Zojirushi steel drinking bottles. Holding up very well. Being able to completely disassemble and clean the components of the lid seals saves me from my worst habits.
- Same here but the plastic lid started splitting on my first one so I replaced it. Lots of dents and scratches but just as insulating as it was new.

Plex Lifetime Pass back in 2015. Worth every penny.
Before the haters start, Jellyfin wasn't around back then and yes, I've tried Jellyfin but it's not as featured rich as Plex for what I use it for. So, no, I'm not switching.

Lodge cast iron pans Wolverine boots Steelcase office chair (caveat, had go buy new arm pads after 8 years) Boos block cutting board has been holding up damn near daily chopping

Not something I bought a long time ago but I want to share the idea, I have now got myself One Single Ballpen. I was moving and saw that I'd got way too many ballpens that were not even used and that I would not use at all that were just offered or I don't even know how I got them. So I bought myself a metal ballpen with some recharges, and well in one year i've not even finished the first recharge, and i've basically only written with this pen and signed with this pen
- What pen did you buy?
  
  I got a Rotring 600 and it's holding well for me!
  
  The only right answer is Uniball Jetstream, probably 0.7mm. Buy the multi-pen and a bunch of refills and you're good to go.
  Jetpens.Com is a nice site.

Red Wings work boots. The quality has admittedly gone down a lot in the past decade but it's still leaps and bounds better than any other off-the-shelf work boot. Saving up for a pair made by a PNW bootmaker, but my 4 year old 877s keep going
- What bootmaker?
  
  There are a few. Will probably go with Nick's Boots as my next pair. The quality to price ratio seems just right for my use
- The only thing Red Wings has kept up on for quality is their hand-stiched boots, and they made them much more expensive than they used to be. What used to last 10+ years before needing repair; now only lasts about a year and can't be repaired. It's sad, because the leather is still good on my boots, but the soles are completely worn out and almost bald.
  
  Yeah, I only buy from the heritage lineup, even though it is more expensive, because I prefer 100% leather outings. Buying lightly used boots is another good way to save money. Never had to replace a sole either, the leather always gives out before the sole for me and it doesn't make much sense to pay $100 to resole a pair of boots with holes in the toes.

A $30 Under Armour water bottle, I bought the thing back in 2014 and I'm still using it even now. The push button latch for the lid doesn't really work anymore, but it still has a lid lock so not really an issue. The thing has stood up to almost a decade of abuse and still works great.
- Yup, they survive everything. Mine also lost the automatic lid opening ability but you get used to it. Bought a less expensive version from an offbrand but they all look the same anyway.

A Baratza Virtuoso coffee grinder.
It's solidly built, works great, all parts are replaceable and if you need parts or advice all you need to do is mail Baratza.
I've owned it for 15 years now and it still works just as well as the day I bought it.
Edit: I also bought an expensive 1zpresso hand mill (a K ultra?) from someone who had buyer's remorse. Sometimes I don't want to make tons of noise grinding coffee in the middle of the night and it's nice to have a quiet way to grind for a cup. It's built as solidly as the electric grinder so I'm pretty sure I'll have it for life as well. Both were great BIFL purchases.

Bought my 1st watch in '85, simple analog/digital display commodore and it still works.

Stax SR-007A headphones (Sorry Stax mafia, I meant Ear Speakers 😰).
I used to buy headphones and IEMs like crazy and I was never satisfied. There was always something nagging me, I could never find a pair of headphones that sounded "perfect" with all types of music so I'd have a selection of headphones that I'd use for specific genres. Now I only have this one pair and a second pair I kept for guests to use on my guest gaming rig.
Thankfully good audio gear doesn't really lose much value so I didn't end up losing all that much money over the years of buying headphones but it's nice to not have to think about it anymore and just enjoy the music. Headphone addicts will understand lol.
- Happy you find peace in audio heaven mate! I'm still looking for something technical and wide stage as i'd wish it to be
  
  May I suggest speakers? You could buy a house with the money saved from not buying headphones 😂
  Seriously tho, yeah, I feel you. It's hard finding that one perfect pair for you. What are you using currently?

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