Vent - is everything poorly made?

[Anonymous]

May not be the right forum, but money is certainly involved. Not intended to spark a political argument on trade policies ?

From socks to clothes, underwear to cookware, most products on offer seem short-lived, low quality, and poorly manufactured (definitely including higher end options). Women's work slacks? Good luck. A nonstick pan working for more than a year? Ha!

In general, which stores or companies still make decent consumer goods, clothes, appliances, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Garnet Hill

[Anonymous]

I don't have this issue. Yes, some cheap items don't last a long time, but as a whole, the items I purchase are of the quality I expect.

[Anonymous]

I've had the same toaster from Target for over ten years. Also, same garbage pails in bathroom and bedroom for 16 years and they both look brand new. Also from Target.

I've had the same nonstick pan for close to a decade. I buy all that stuff at Ross or Marshalls.

Maybe it's how well you take care of your things? A wealthy friend of mine is very hard on all her belongings, and is always simultaneously claiming my stuff is crap and hers is much better quality than mine, but also complaining that she needs a new purse/pair of shoes/set of dishes, etc. Well, I've never put a half-open container of liquid in my purse. I've never had a dog that chews yet left my shoes out for her to chew on.

So maybe you're hard on your items.

[Anonymous]

OP here. That's my exact point. I'm finding that NEW items are of poor quality.

For example, I have an ancient cheap crock pot that you'd have to pry from my cold dead hands. I tried looking for a second one and found via consumer reports and user reviews that most brands had various issues after a year or so. Even very expensive fancy brands.

[Anonymous]

I think the short answer to your question is yes, everything is poorly made these days. It is far more lucrative for companies to make an inexpensive product that has to be replaced every year or two rather than an expensive product that lasts 10 years. I've been shopping for a new countertop microwave oven and the reviews on every single one of them pretty much say it will last 1-3 years.

FWIW, I have found the non-stick T-FAL pans to last longer than most others I have purchased. I use my 9" pan several times each day. I hand wash after each use and it lasts for 3-4 years. I then replace it. Each pan with a glass lid costs about $30 on Amazon. I also have 6" and 12" T-Fal pans that are doing very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:May not be the right forum, but money is certainly involved. Not intended to spark a political argument on trade policies ?

From socks to clothes, underwear to cookware, most products on offer seem short-lived, low quality, and poorly manufactured (definitely including higher end options). Women's work slacks? Good luck. A nonstick pan working for more than a year? Ha!

In general, which stores or companies still make decent consumer goods, clothes, appliances, etc.?

You have to spend quite a bit more to get lasting quality.

[Anonymous]

Ticonderoga pencils used to be great quality.

But a few years ago they switched their manufacturing out of the US.

They might as well be those cheap character pencils now.

I did some googling and found some pencils that are manufactured in the US with reviews that say they are the same quality that Ticonderoga used to be, for just a little more.

We will be buying those next year for back to school.

I agree OP. Everything from fabric quality to garment construction to housewears and appliances are much lower quality. I sew a lot and have decades old White machines that are workhorses with almost all metal parts. The machines from the past ten years or so have at least 1/3 or more plastic parts and break easily.

My MIL just replaced her harvest gold washer and dryer from the late 70s. That thing did an amazing job cleaning clothes and never needed a repair. I bought a fancy expensive well reviewed HE washer a few years ago and it broke right after the warranty expired, with repairs that cost more than purchasing a new basic washer. I just replaced it with the basic, no frills top loader. If that breaks the repairs will at least be simple and cheap.

[Anonymous]

I hear you OP. My solution for clothes is to use consignment apps and stores to find higher end brands than I would normally be able to buy. THOSE clothes are well made and have lasted. Brooks Brothers sweaters, Theory suits, Diane von Furstenberg dresses. Only good materials. For the same price I'd normally have bought new Banana Republic or Ann Taylor, and those are a total no go these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have this issue. Yes, some cheap items don't last a long time, but as a whole, the items I purchase are of the quality I expect.

Well, if you expect poor quality then you and the OP can both be correct.

[Anonymous]

I have experienced this too, OP. Most recently very disappointed in the quality of SmartWool socks. They used to be great and some of my old pairs lasted almost 8 years with frequent wear/wash. I got a couple new pairs last winter that are already wearing thin and one even got a hole already. Just one example...

[Anonymous]

I agree OP.

Seems like things are made to last 5 years tops and that's if you take care of it like you're supposed to. It's very annoying to say the least.

[Anonymous]

Brands I've found that are lasting quality:

LL Bean
Speed Queen
Vitamix
Clarks shoes have held up pretty well for me

Some of it depends on what variety you buy - I've built up a great collection of pots/pans that should last a lifetime, but they are stainless steel. I wouldn't necessarily suggest non-stick from those same brands.

[Anonymous]

I dont always mind because the prices match the decline in most cases. My oldest is 14 years old and when I use to buy his uniform shirts and pants from gymboree back in the day they were hardly ever below 15 for shirts and 30 for pants. Now with my youngest as he gets ready for K and Im starting to stock up on polos I can easily find them )at the same gymboree store I went to 8 years ago) for 5-6 dollars a shirt and 17-20 dollars per pair of pants. They will wear out 30-40 percent sooner but cost 40-50 percent less so it doesn't bother me as much when I break it down financially. Same with crock pots…I got one after the holidays on amazon for 20 bucks…a huge one! The one from my wedding shower 19 years ago (same brand and size) was more like 40.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ticonderoga pencils used to be great quality.

But a few years ago they switched their manufacturing out of the US.

They might as well be those cheap character pencils now.

I did some googling and found some pencils that are manufactured in the US with reviews that say they are the same quality that Ticonderoga used to be, for just a little more.

We will be buying those next year for back to school.

I agree OP. Everything from fabric quality to garment construction to housewears and appliances are much lower quality. I sew a lot and have decades old White machines that are workhorses with almost all metal parts. The machines from the past ten years or so have at least 1/3 or more plastic parts and break easily.

My MIL just replaced her harvest gold washer and dryer from the late 70s. That thing did an amazing job cleaning clothes and never needed a repair. I bought a fancy expensive well reviewed HE washer a few years ago and it broke right after the warranty expired, with repairs that cost more than purchasing a new basic washer. I just replaced it with the basic, no frills top loader. If that breaks the repairs will at least be simple and cheap.

I know what you mean about appliances. Had to replace our refrigerator after seven years. My colleague was shocked as hers is over twenty years old and going strong. I can't recall ever replacing the refrigerator in the house I grew up in. Stuff is crap nowadays.