What's the Best Product You Own? (Non-Golf Edition)

[jamo]

I got the idea for this thread from the blog Wait But Why: http://waitbutwhy.com/table/best-product

Quote

New purchases are exciting—until you realize one or both of these things happened:

1) The product turned out to suck

2) It’s a week later, the honeymoon is over, and you’re now over it and will never use it again

Once in a while though, you buy something that you end up loving, and using, for a long time—making the price you paid for it seem like nothing compared to how much you got out of it.

What’s something you own that has stood the test of time and proven to be completely worth the price? Make sure to include a link in your recommendation so we can check it out, too.

I've got a few. The MacBook Pro I'm typing this on right now - plus the one that died a few months ago - have lasted an unreasonably long time for how much I used them. Cost me about $2,000 but worth every penny.

My TV - a 1080p, ~51-inch Sony from 2014 - is pretty much perfect, was only $500, and I wish I could buy a exact copy of it to put upstairs. 

I bought a very simple shoe rack a few weeks ago. Cost me $9 and it works awesome, so much more organized than what I had been doing. I also bought an area rug for my living room a few weeks ago. Kinda pricy, but it's amazing how much more comfortable a living room is with a rug rather than hardwood.

They don't make the same model anymore, but I bought a Brother printer/copier/scanner a few years ago. It just works, and it the only printer I've ever had last more than a year.

That's just off the top of my head. It's simple stuff - everyday items that just work great, time after time.

What's the best product you own?

[nevets88]

2009 MBP.  Pounded the cr@p out of it. 7 years old is a long time in tech and it's still working well w/upgrades to memory and hard drive.

Still use an iPad 1 as primarily a document viewer. 

Use a Brother printer too. No problems, ink cartridges are the cheapest to replace out of all of the companies. HP/Canon, etc... are basically stealing money from people with the prices they charge for cartridges, even the 3rd party ones.

2008 Mac Mini. Still going strong as a video/music player.

NAD 3020e receiver, bought in 1990. Works fine.

My MO is to make the most out of purchases. Our throw away society is so wasteful.

[saevel25]

The first that comes off the top of my head is my iPhone 6. It is one of the most intuitive pieces of tech I own. I have had one bad experience yet with it. A close 2nd is the iPad. 

My Victronix cutlery, https://www.swissarmy.com/us/en/Products/Cutlery/Chef%27s-Knives/Fibrox%C2%AE-Pro-8-Inch-Chef%27s-Knife/p/5.2063.20. They take an edge extremely well. They are made with quality steel. They are balanced and have good enough weight to them for cutting. The quality for the price is outstanding. 

My car, 2009 Hyundai Elentra. My first car I bought myself, new. Knock on wood, but it's at 96,000 miles and still drives like it did right off the lot. It's been an outstanding car. 

 

[Gator Hazard]

I'm sure I have a few but off the top of my head would say my Weber 22 inch charcoal grill.  Probably the best $100 I ever spent. Bomb proof grill that makes the tastiest foods and shuts up tight as a drum to snuff out coals for later use. Just used it today to make some Jamaican jerk chicken wings and dry rubbed hot wings cooked slow over coals with mesquite chips for extra flavoring.  

[billchao]

My TV, a 42" Sony Bravia I bought back in 2006. Excellent for the price then, still an excellent TV now. It's moved with us several times and is still my primary television set.

My Fender American Deluxe Jazz bass. I don't play/practice it nearly enough, but as long as I take care of it properly it will retain its value, if not increase it. Very well made and easy to play. With any luck it will be valuable long after I'm dead.

I'm pretty big on quality tools, too. My favorite is a Snap-On 1/4" drive ratchet set that my step-brother gave me. Excellent ratchet even though I can't define its value 

My best tool I bought is an OLFA snap off blade utility knife. I carry it with my at all times when I'm working and I always have a fresh blade ready when I need it.

Love my G-Shock and have a suit I've been wearing for 12 years now, but now I'm rambling and GoT is on 

[Patch]

Has to be my cell phone. I'd be lost with out it. Out right purchase price was $50 after discounts. I pay $60 a month for unlimited everything, an I mean unlimited everything. I used up 21 gigs on it last month which was a personal best. Overseas calling is not a problem. It's my internet, tv, wifi, hot spot, radio, text messenger, note book, phone, and would probably mow my lawn.....if I had a lawn to mow. Plus I have service most of the time too. 

Of course there is also my 1978 Toyota Landcruiser, in original condition, that also gets special consideration. 

[14ledo81]

A couple.

1) Fiskars - lopper. Brush cutter really. If you can fit the brush in the blade opening, it will cut it. I have probably cut small trees up to 1.5" in diameter. Fiskars also makes a great splitting mall.

2) Electric trolling motor with GPS. I can set a direction and speed, and the motor will adjust to keep me heading correctly. Allows me to think about fishing more and boat control less. 

[longdrive23]

My Iphone 6.

Rely on it for almost everything now.

Tv, Movies, Shopping, Mails (work), Golf, photos (editing), Videos (golf swing), Reminders, Maps/GPS, Book reader, Fitness tracking, Stocks/Finances, Kids entertainment, Sign documents, Bubble Guage, Price Scanner... list is endless.

[Golfingdad]

A pair of black Ecco slip on shoes I wear to work (and elsewhere) darn near every day for who knows how many years now.  Has to be 4 or 5, if not more.  They're gonna die soon, and I don't know if they make them anymore, but they did me well for a looooong time.

[Strandly]

#1 is my desktop PC, absolutely indispensable.  #2 is probably a paper shredder I picked up at Target 7 or 8 years ago.  I kinda ruined the shredder recently when trying to clean it but I've used the hell out of that thing.

[Gator Hazard]

15 hours ago, billchao said:

My TV, a 42" Sony Bravia I bought back in 2006. Excellent for the price then, still an excellent TV now. It's moved with us several times and is still my primary television set.

My Fender American Deluxe Jazz bass. I don't play/practice it nearly enough, but as long as I take care of it properly it will retain its value, if not increase it. Very well made and easy to play. With any luck it will be valuable long after I'm dead.

I'm pretty big on quality tools, too. My favorite is a Snap-On 1/4" drive ratchet set that my step-brother gave me. Excellent ratchet even though I can't define its value 

My best tool I bought is an OLFA snap off blade utility knife. I carry it with my at all times when I'm working and I always have a fresh blade ready when I need it.

Love my G-Shock and have a suit I've been wearing for 12 years now, but now I'm rambling and GoT is on 

I love snap-on tools and Mac tools. Expensive but worth it. 

[Braivo]

Aside from the electronics mentioned above, I'd go with my Thermos Coffee Mug. I've had coffee from this mug every day for the last six years or so. It's like an old friend now, indispensable. Keeps coffee hot all day long, doesn't leak, and could last forever. 

 

[No Mulligans]

Boom:

And, not included in the picture is my best value purchase of a guitar.  I bought a Japanese Fender Stratocaster in the mid 80's for less than $200.  It's a great strat.  The Japanese Strats were cheap at the time but turned out to be real gems and sought after guitars.
 

[billchao]

3 hours ago, Gator Hazard said:

I love snap-on tools and Mac tools. Expensive but worth it. 

Absolutely. Quality matters with tools. My boss uses this beat up Craftsman set that's 40 years old and everytime he hands it to me I want to throw it as far as I possibly can. It doesn't hold sockets tightly, there's a lot of play before it actually engages the ratchet which makes it hard to use in tight spots, and the directional button is easily engaged while you operate it with one hand. POS

[nevets88]

I bought a Dremel multi oscillator to do one little home improvement job, figured it would pay for itself in one go compared to hiring a contractor. Came in handy for a whole bunch of other things I never anticipated that saved me money because I DIY - used it to cut down a small tree, sanding stuff and regrouting the bathroom. Very handy tool. I saved even more buying it used, but if I were to do it again, I'd buy a new one.

[Groucho Valentine]

For me, it has to be these boots

https://viberg.com/collections/footwear/products/service-boot-brown-chromexcel

Very pricey at $600 when i bought them. But I've had them over 10 years and they still look great. Maybe even better than when i bought them. Ive had to send them off to be resoled once, but thats a minor expense. Ive gotten more than my moneys worth out of those things. Ill probably have them for 10 more years.

[dave s]

This is for No Mulligans:  I've been playing guitar for more than 40 years.  Still have a well-paying gig that pays for my league golf, all the golf I can possibly play each season and plenty left over to donate a good chunk in the casinos.

Also, I can't even count the number of guitars I've owned in 40+ years of playing.  About 8 years ago, I bought a Fender Custom Shop '69 Heavy Relic Stratocaster.  Liked it so much I bought a second as a backup.  These are the two best playing, greatest sounding guitars I've ever owned.  I've been through so many guitars from Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker, PRS, Grosh, Melancon and believe the CS Strats to be the best-playing, best-sounding guitars on the planet.

Trying to post a pic of my electric fleet that goes to each gig.  I also have to drag along my acoustic/electric for a few songs as well.  Pic attempt:

 

 

[mvmac]

My iphone 6 or the money clip @iacas gave me a few years ago. I had the Costanza wallet going.