I’m trying to cut down on buying cheap stuff that breaks, so I’ve been keeping a list of items that actually lasted years and ended up saving me money.
All of these items prevented me from rebuying junk multiple times:
Under $50
- Pyrex glass containers (I stopped buying plastic replacements)
- Generic cast iron pan (basically indestructible)
- Nalgene bottle (nothing fancy, it just refuses to die)
$50–$100
- A decent memory foam pillow (the cheap ones kept going flat every few months)
- Victorinox paring knife
- Olight flashlight
$100+
- Red Wing Iron Rangers (expensive upfront but last forever)
- Leatherman Wave+
- G-Shock DW5600
Curious what a “buy once, keep forever” item is for you? always looking for smarter ways to spend less over time.
Buy-once items that saved me money in the long run (All-Price-Ranges)
byu/LatterMorning9103 inFrugal
Posted by LatterMorning9103
24 Comments
I also have water bottle that refused to die. Love that thing. I have 2 hot travel thermoses- one I use only for coffee and one I use for all other hot liquid/ soup. I find coffee flavor infiltrates any travel mug you have so having separate ones has saved me from buying new ones
Medium level French press
Coffee grinder- I bought mine when I was in college (early 2000s 😵💫) and it’s still going strong.
Stainless steel french press for my coffee. Insulated too. So much better than breakable pyrex ones or ele tronic drip systems.
This is a killer list! Le creuset, it’s a bit outside of the price ranges but will last a generation
I am a 32 year old mom of 2 and can vote to both the containers and memory foam pillows! I bought a family pack at Kozi Sleep and both my Husband and children absolutely Love it!
Good set of tools i have had still going after 15+ years.
I have some old craftsman tools older than me.
A mechanics tool set, I have the 200-piece DeWalt set from early 2000s that I bought for 100bucks. This set will outlive my grandchildren.
Knives in general. Don’t even have to be a pricey name-brand. Plenty of decent quality knives that are $20-60. Just get them sharpened every 6-12 months and they can last 15+ years while performing like new.
Kitchen aid mixer is the classic, (my 1995 model I found in the trash is still going strong)
Fill grain leather belt. These will last 5-10x longer than cheap synthetic or thin layered belts.
Stainless steel mixing bowls. Will last basically forever and are easier to clean than plastic ones.
Stainless steel pots and pans I bought 20 years ago on sale for $150. They’re heavy as hell and have withstood the test of time. I also held on to my mom’s revere ware from the 50s and her PYREX and Corningware-all going to my daughter, who only buys and uses vintage.
I don’t have a lot of these as a disabled person but one specific thing for me was that I was buying cheap eBay recliners. After going thru two in two years I decided to go to super amart and buy a recliner with a 10 year structural warranty.
It’s so so so much better and isn’t showing any signs of wear after 1.5 years.
I guess I could include things like basic shower stools will slip out over time so I spend more on a heavy duty chair with cross bars holding the legs in place. My current one split on the plastic before any structural damage kicked in. 5 years now. But. I brought it for $77. It’s now $171 thanks to inflation.
Someone mentioned this but I like a good belt. Also paying for quality shoes is smart. Don’t pay for the label, but pay for quality.
It gets said here a lot, but All Clad pans. I have 3 pans and a pot, all bought at a discount or second hand and they’ll all outlast me.
Blundstone Boots. They can be resoled once the current sole wears down.
Fjallraven winter coat. Free lifetime repairs. (I’ve had one repair done so far in the 7 years I’ve had it.. and I also got it secondhand for a steal of a deal tbh.)
Darn Tough socks. Lifetime warranty if they ever get a hole (mine haven’t yet.)
Nalgene water bottle. Lifetime warranty. They sent me a replacement lid free when mine started to leak.
Bought a $200 pair of boots 23+ years ago. Fashion, calf height. Timeless design. I’ve worn those for soooo many fall and winter events. Then my daughter for Halloween costumes. Back to me now, and plan to one day be an 80 year old rocking those very well made boots.
Duluth Pack bags and backpacks. Last forever!
I went to a restaurant supply store. I got the heavy duty Qt, Pt, and cup size containers with lids for 50 bucks. I only have a few lids, maybe 10-ish in circulation. They all stack. Lids work on all of them. I would only do this if I had a dishwasher, forget trying to clean these things by hand. Everything is uniform in my kitchen now. If some how I break em, oh no… I got like dozens more in a box down stairs. Friends need to take some left overs home, feel free. Get stained? Toss. Note, these are great for storage of things. I wouldn’t microwave stuff in there tho. Yeah, they can handle hot food, but I still don’t trust them with the microwave. They are technically ok to do so. But that’s how stuff stains them. Plus I like my stuff in plates and not containers like these to eat from.
Stainless steel Safety razor
I’ve been using the same black Friday clearance coach purse for over 15 years. Much better value than the $20 Walmart bags that would rip after a few months.
Also, decent weight stainless steel cookware. It lasts for ages.
AirPods Pro
That little Victorinox paring knife seems so silly, but it’s improved my life so much. And if something happens to it, it’s not a big deal to replace.
A good mattress. Good pots and pans generally.
mannkitchen pepper cannon
Good quality bedsheets. Non of that polyester. Only 100% cotton with high thread counts. Also waterpik, good electric toothbrush, save in dental care in the long run. Nothing sets you back then a 2,000 bill for root canal and cap.
japanese steel nail clippers. try it once and you’ll never go back, a 100% guarantee!
Anything Ninja. Very high quality. I’ve had the same blender for over 5 years.