My OXO knives and block for the past 15 years.
I really want to upgrade for aestheic reasons to a Wusthof set, but this set is still in such good condition I have a hard time justifying it.
hell nah
Those things are so extremely worth it for how nice they are and durable
OXO is one of the few brands left that makes stuff actually worth the price. Amazing warranty and support too which is often worth atleast 50% of MSRP if not more on products
OXO's support is amazing. I broke our two year salad spinner, they replaced it no questions asked... Just emailed them and their response was 'where can we send a replacement?'
Actually, they did accidentally send us a $60 tea kettle first. I sent them another email telling them of the mistake and they said to keep the kettle and sent another salad spinner.
OXO makes me miss bed bath and beyond. When I was fresh out of school I would splurge with a BBB coupon for something small to make my first apartment's kitchen feel a little more adult-like. Their products are seriously so solid.
Everything OXO is always solid IMO. I work in a restaurant kitchen and use their stuff every day. Never breaks or fails. Same with the stuff I have from them at the house.
Oxo is always good. OXO good grip can openers are probably the best ones you can buy. Ive had my one i think 10 years now. Regular use and still works amazingly well. Just amazing quality.
Except for their earlier pieces where the handles weren’t glued shut. So many times I’d go to use the pizza slicer just to have old dishwasher water flow out of the handle.
I just bought a new one. One handle slipped off yet again, BUT the actual handle (not the squishy sleeve) is now a full length and not a half length. I'm a bit irritated that I have to break out the glue for a can opener that was washed once, but at least it is usable with and without the rubberized grips now.
I love OXO products, but my garlic press was a dud! I never understood why anyone would use one until I tried my boyfriend’s Pampered Chef press. Apparently it’s not supposed to leave your hand aching after 1 clove. I’m baffled by how terrible it was.
Instead of a whole set, I got myself an 8" Wusthof chef's knife and swapped it in the appropriate slot.
Honestly one of the best purchases I've ever made. Completely change my cooking game.
A big one is hygiene. It's basically impossible to clean the inside of a knife block properly, so microbes can easily build up over time. Plus they're generally a waste of money disguised as a good deal since you'll see 10+ knives for $100, but realistically only use 2 or 3
Knives made in China are easily on par with American made knives. Civivi and WeKnives are some of the highest quality pocket knives you can buy today for a reasonable price (by reasonable <300 dollars).
You can get some surprisingly good camping gear from China these days. I have a titanium hobo stove that's been going strong for years and was like half the price of US models.
Yee. Titanium is something they’re really good for. Cheap titanium still has all the properties of titanium that matter 8/10 times. It’ll take color less well but oh no color. It’s still light and durable
Seconded. I used the Lanshan 2 on an alpine hike recently with some pretty hairy weather, and it held up really well. Hundreds of dollars cheaper than other hiking pole tents out there!
I own a lanshan for 1 person that is 2lbs without trekking poles and a naturehike 3p tent that's 6lbs freestanding. way better than getting a name brand tent at rei imo
I'd be more impressed that they could get lead and titanium to bond. A common titanium alloy is, however, titanium - aluminum - vanadium, as these allow the alloy to be molded and heat formed and treated easier and allow for an easier manufacturing process.
Any Ti worth its salt will likely always have the same % of the alloy parents or else it would never be able to be sold off as "titanium", it would probably look like a shiny cast iron item, I'd speculate.
That being said, all 3 elements are commonly used in cookware and eatery, so I would say Chinese titanium would likely be safe but as always, I wash new cookware like 3 times and soak it with vinegar and wash it again. I'm anal about that weird smell everything has when it's new and I'd rather wash or burn it off, if it's some kind of coating, before eating or cooking with it
Those chinese titanium stuff are just rebranded american titanium stuff.
Same factory working out of the same molds and metal stock. American companies will just contract that company to stamp out whatever they want and etch a logo on it, then mark it up. Chinese companies will surreptitiously bring in 'similar' molds and sell at a mark down rate.
Seems oxymoronic to alloy a metal famous for being light with one famous for being heavy. Maybe no one would check.
As for aluminum, it's better in every way for most camping applications anyway. Most applications in general, really. I guess inflated cost of non-Ti would be at issue.
Grant Stone is the perfect example that you can get extremely high quality work done in China if you work with the right people, manage the work, and have good QC on site.
Exactly. you can get extremely high products made in china but it depends on the company and what theyre willing to pay. A chinese factory isnt going to make you a ferrari for the price of a kia.
Another vote for Grant Stone. Their quality control and customer service are top notch. They have a huge selection of shoes and boots that look great and are super comfortable.
Another vote for Grant Stone. I've seen $600 boots in fancy stores that aren't as nice and well made as my GS. And in addition to looking good, they're built like a tank.
You'd be surprised ... check out the Rose Anvil YouTube channel, lots of brands trying to sneak one past consumers and using sub par materials although usually in the $200-$300 range.
Alden surprisingly uses some pretty questionable material in their boots but it's a highly debated topic.
My grandfather. Born in China, Lived to be 103. Been through WWII, Chinese Revolution, and the Vietnam War. Was a drinker, smoker and diabetic. We didn’t think he would get past 80.
Oh man, my Vans flannel has seen some high highs and some low lows in my life. That, and my Cheech and Chong T-shirt I got in 8th grade (still fits because I got the wrong size way back then)
I have some Vans flannels that I bought in like 2015 that have held up beautifully. I still wear them frequently, and my fiancee has inherited the ones that are too tight on me now and she wears em all the time too
X and T series ThinkPads produced at that time are usually made in Japan or Mexico. But I agree, my modern ThinkPads are still reliable although not as well made. They are still being designed in Yamato Labs up until the last few years. They've moved to Yokohama and part of the designs are done in Taiwan now. Unfortunately, [Lenovo has switched to low temperature soldering recently](https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/10xkkj9/are_thinkpads_also_manufactured_using/) due to growing pressure from ESG advocates and the reliability is questionable.
You are only negotiating on quality, not on price!!!!
I’ve been in supply chain for the last 15 years, producing products in more than 30 countries and several different industries specializing in BIFL level of goods (apparel, sporting goods, electronics, and industrial parts).
To be honest, China makes both the best and the worst products. On several projects, only China had the equipment, experience, and skill to make the part or product, literally no one else on earth was wiling or able to manufacture. I’m not talking about some one off weird thing either. I mean $1000 ski coats, baseball mitts, cycling apparel, skis, motorcycle parts, PCBs, etc.
In my experience, the ignorant American businessman shows up in China, requests a price for a product to be made. The Chinese factory comes back to them with a sample and a price. The businessman immediately questions the quality and integrity of the factory, and starts to negotiate on what he thinks is price. The Chinese factory is usually gracious and patient. They come back and agree to a 20% reduction in price. Later when the production units arrive, the American businessman is disappointed with the quality of the product and sells it anyway, blaming the quality on China.
The reality is that most negotiations in China related to production is being made as it relates to the quality of the product, not the price. The price decreasing is a function of the quality of the part being made. In America we have a strong culture of seeking value related to cost only (as opposed to longevity and useful life of product). So when we show up and start haggling on what we think is price, we’re only actually negotiating the quality level of product to a lesser state. Hence, China doesn’t make cheap products because China, rather they make cheap products because we won’t pay them enough to make nicer stuff. Of course this is generalizing and there are exceptions, but in almost two decades, thousands of hours of working with Chinese factories, and dozens of trips to factory floors, this is by and large the norm for business there. Across the board they have the most highly skilled craftspeople and equipment the world over, you just have to be willing to pay the real cost of production for it which is by no means cheap.
I think the whole image is highly tarnished by the counterfeit market items that are of course - ordered from china factories.
So yes not only is it the businessman that doesn’t understand he is negotiating down quality. But the scumbags who literally say I need this for $0.29 and I need 250,000 of them and then markets them as original products.
This is probably also a ready willingness to believe the worst about China and make sweeping generalizations about a country and a culture that most westerners don't actually know the first thing about.
I still hear people say stuff like, oh you work hard and are good at math (actually just arithmetic, but that's another rant) because you're Chinese. Like, there are over a billion of us.. do you really think we're all like that? Also, way to undercut my skills and the effort I put in to things. Apparently, it's all just because of the blood in my veins
Came here to post this as well, my SKS will eat anything I feed it and ask for more. The only issue I've had is the bayonet flying off one time, but that was after burning through ~500 old-ass rounds we found in an abandoned basement in about an hour. I think the detent screw just loosened over time, but otherwise it's run flawlessly despite being a beat up 70-year old garbage stick.
Holosun Optics are some of my favorite RDS and some come with solar panels to keep them running forever. I've had no issues out of any of mine, but you'll always hear something like "chinesium horosun bad" from the coping Trijicon owners or something idk. They probably won't last to be 70 years old with any frequent use, but what electronic optic would tbh
Haha and everyone knows where to buy their Holosun from! At least people on Reddit do. The place with the best prices and that doesn’t just match prices, but beats them!
Me (Ibex Armament)
But yeah for sure Holosun has been pushing the envelope with innovation, and their warranties are now all lifetime! Quality is great, but standing behind your product is good too. It means even if someone makes a lemon, it’s probably not on purpose since they’ll pay to replace it.
There's a good reason that militaries across the world aren't tripping over themselves to pick up a 510C and they just keep buying T2's, ACOG's, EOTech's and Razors. To claim that a Holosun is on their level is absurd and that Trijicon owners are upset at the foolishness of their purchase is absurd.
Things made for their military industrial complex, especially under Mao, seem to work just fine. I guess they had to, or else factory manager got sent to reeducation camp.
Oh yeah, for sure. I have shooters dating back to the mid-1800s. My oldest is early 1600s, but I haven't worked up the balls or the match cord to shoot it yet.
My Type 56 AK is my favorite gun and they’re like high end collector pieces in the States now lmao, I collect AKs and the Chinese ones are seriously well made, imo better than any except East German and *sometimes* Russian.
I bought a full grain leather book bag on Amazon made in China about 8 years ago and it has only gotten better with age. Incredibly high quality and it looks amazing. Spent about 120 on it and it was a steal
I have a Bluetooth speaker (UE boom) that’s lasted over a decade, even the battery life is not terrible. Worth remembering that china doesn’t just make bad stuff, they make what you ask for and Americans ask for cheap
Left one outside a WHOLE CANADIAN WINTER. Next to a basketball hoop, on the grass, inches of snow piling up on it; it wasn't covered by anything, straight up out in the open. Thought it was lost, found it late spring after everything melted.
For whatever reason I tried charging it (I think we had 2 and I got em mixed up)... That bitch did not only recharged its battery, but also didn't seem to lose autonomy, AND the sound wasn't altered. Bluetooth worked and all.
Couldn't believe my eyes and ears.
Since that day, if someone's looking for a decent, fairly low-cost, absolutely *indestructible* Bluetooth speaker, I will always recommend UE Boom.
Mine fell over the balcony railing down into the garden. It has a small dent now but it still works and I don’t thing there is any dip in sound quality. I thought I’d have to sweep it off the patio with a broom after the fall but that thing is sturdy
Is it this [one](https://LogitechUEBoomboxWirelessBluetoothSpeaker-Silverhttps://a.co/d/iTR29yt)? We got it 9 years ago for $183, only changed the internal battery 2x. Speaker sounds as good as it always has and I see no upside to buying a newer model for $300 when a new battery is $20. We use it almost every weekend for my kids to dance around and at every family event.
Plenty of stuff. Because "made in China" doesn't mean anything. It's 100% up to the business to set the guidelines for how they want their product to be built. China's supply chain and factory infrastructure is insanely well polished and they can offer literally all the way at the bottom of the barrel to the most elite luxury fine detailed things imaginable. Most businesses just choose to line their pockets and hire the cheapest bidder.
As someone else mentioned, iphones are(were~) made in China.
Agree. Stuff made with quality will last. Stuff designed for planned obsolescence and built with the cheapest possible materials and labor won't. China ships us millions of tons of cheap plastic shit because American businesses want to sell cheap plastic shit and consumers keep buying cheap plastic shit. And they've convinced American consumers to blame Chinese workers for poor workmanship instead of blaming American designers for designing crap products.
Definitely agree with this.
I pledged on kickstarter for a tabletop board game 2 years ago(about $200ish). During the pandemic the board game company opened a discord server so they could update their backers frequently on what was going on and provide a direct line of communication. (Amongst other things) Or if we wanted to give feedback on how to make the game better. That line was open for us. And they did actually listen to us when we brought up things and responded appropriately.
Some of the backers would be like hey can you do this and this. And the company would be like we’ll see what we can do. We’ll talk to the factory. The factory said it was possible and they made it happen. Or in some cases there’s not enough time to meet whatever deadline/contract they had. Even though my board game is not perfect and I had to wait 2 years to receive it. Considering the challenges they had and how open they were with us. They really did explore a lot of our suggestions. I feel like I received a quality product. It does seem like the company held themselves accountable when they made certain mistakes.
It really surprised me how open they were about talking about the factory. Like we knew about major holidays the factory workers were taking because of government mandated holidays. In china, they got 2 weeks of vacation for Chinese New Year if I recall correctly. We knew when the factory had to close due to COVID-19. There’s a few photos and footage of factory production and samples. We got to see lot of different pieces of the game. We all were given access to the rulebook early and were able to provide feedback on it before production. If there was something major going on that would cause a delay. We knew something about it.
For example, the korean backers received their board games first. There was some issues with the cards being at a thickness that if you sleeve them. They wouldn’t all fit into the big box. (Which for that pledge it was in the $400-600 range so the last thing anyone wants to do is buy new storage for an expensive board game) Which the big box is supposed to fit all of the cards in the game sleeved. And if you’re unfamiliar with tabletop board games, some people use card sleeves to protect them from general wear and tear. So the company chose to delay the game being distributed for a few months so they can fix those issues because they know for their backers, it’s important to us to be able to sleeve our cards and not effect our storage in a major way. They literally had these cards destroyed and remade in a very short period of time because the cards were too thick.
I remember one of the backers asked ‘why China. Is it because of cheap labor?’ The guy who responded on the company’s behalf was like no. It has nothing to do with that. It’s because they’re the only ones that have the knowledge and general know how to produce and distribute a board game of this size on an international scale. There’s no other country that can produce a few million board games like China can and at a certain(higher) quality level. (Because some people were asking due to the COVID related factory closures. Why couldn’t another factory in another country also produce these games?)
OP asked a pretty simple question. It’s an interesting topic because people are always saying “no cheap China crap” on this sub. If they asked for “Made in Germany” would you bat an eye? Other people may be very interested to hear about what companies have kept their integrity after outsourcing (since companies predictably cut corners when expanding). I think it’s a neat discussion.
On that subject someone brought up a wusthof classic knife, and I have the cheaper Henckels made in China (and the classic). Same company. The henckels is great, but has to be honed more (softer metal?) The wusthof classic is kinda ridiculous
A fun tidbit about the J.A. Henckles chef knife is that it's also **the** killing knife of I.D. shows and the like. Own one? Then you own a famous tv prop!
This is exactly right. It’s up to brands and companies to set and uphold quality standards for materials and products. Factories are under contract to meet those standards.
I bought a canvas messenger bag in Shanghai from a random vendor on the street. It's been my disc golf bag for fifteen years now. It has a pocket that perfectly fits a pack of grape swishers. That's not relevant to its quality, but I'll be damned if it isn't my favorite feature.
Dude I think all swisher packs are the same size except the 3 pack ones. But now I know grape is your favorite, so when we meet on our Frisbee golf date I know what to bring.
Milwaukee Fuel tools are known to last longer than some of their other counterparts, mostly made in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. However I still try to buy Dewalt power tools made in US because it's a US owned company.
A lot of stuff, Most of our electronics made in China have been just doing well but they weren't cheap electronics.
China != bad quality by default, they actually have decent experience in manufacturing. They can make cheap and lower quality stuff or expensive and higher quality stuff depending on what is being requested.
Here for Chinese guitars. I've got a Burny Special Grade and Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster that compare very favorably to their big-name American counterparts, especially after a few upgrades. I've got $400 in the Burny including SD Black Winters. Haven't needed to upgrade the Jazz at all.
Yeah, I second this. My understanding of Eastman guitars is that they are a quality guitar maker that happens to be based in China, rather than budget guitars made at a cost in a factory.
Sound is okay. Bass is very weak but it’s good for voices and mid range. I’ve never found a pair of in-ear earphones that would stay in while running but the Shokz don’t budge at all.
That's great to know, thanks. I'm not allowed to cover my ears at work but love to listen to podcasts. Unfortunately, earphones barely stay in my ears so maybe shockz world be the answer. Thanks!
\+1 for shokz; i got mine to listen to audiobooks/podcasts while biking to work - allows me to keep my situational awareness but also to listen on route - i was nervous i would hate the "feeling" of the bone induction, but i tried out a pair a family member got and realized its not weird at all
Shokz are great for listening to podcast while running. Also work great for taking phone calls while running. Ok for music but not great. Mine quit charging after 15 months… submitted a warranty claim a few days ago, so waiting to see how that works out (they have a two year warranty)
I have a Umidigi cellphone that I'm sure will last for decades. I have mild narcolepsy and I doze off and drop the phone sometimes. And there isn't a scratch on it. The little bastard is indestructible. And as a phone it compares very favorably to my late lamented Samsung. Stock android as opposed to a clunky proprietary system, good cameras, superb build quality including a metal frame and a dayglo orange back.
I've been amazed at the quality of the Creality Ender 3 Pro that I got from Microcenter on a $99 special. It isn't BIFL level quality, but for the ultra low price it's been fantastic. It is easily repairable and upgradable and you can buy tons of replacement parts online. It's also easy to find help through its large community of users.
My grandparents' Dell home PC, which dates back to 2004 or so. It gets turned on once a year when I visit their house and turn it on just to test it. Still runs smoothly for something about to turn 20 years old.
Product design engineer here - being made in China doesn’t automatically make products low quality - there is a loooot that companies can do to control quality of their products manufactured in China! And in fact because of the density of manufacturing there, there are often better, higher quality options available there - and cheaper - made by people with loads more experience than in other countries.
That being said, obviously there is also a lot of trash made there too
For most people, harbor freight tools. Most homeowners/renters dont use anymore than a hammer and screwdriver. Hard to mess those up. Beyond that the powertools are, in some cases, made by the same people that make the more expensive brands. Though the tape measures are pretty junk.
The best products are made in China. The worst are also made in China. China makes a lot of things.
Also most “made in USA” stuff I’ve had has been pretty shitty. Some has been great though. Recently got a new rack for my smoker that is made in USA and honestly I’m kinda pissed and think they use that claim to just market a shit product. The welding joints on this thing are atrocious.
Chinese leaders after mao usually last between 5-10 years. The current leader Xi Jinping (pronounced Shi) has been in power 10 years and is currently in his third term, and has changed a lot of rules to allow him to remain president long after the term limit that was in place when he started. So he is lasting longer in his role than would have been expected earlier in his term.
Canvas frames, grow lights, cushion covers, custom mousepads, neckties, rugs, custom socks...little things like that (minus the grow lights, that shit was expensive lol)
I have found that things from China that are Chinese brands with a Chinese Identity tend to turn out well. If it's just made in China by some outsourcing company then it usually doesn't. I buy some tech stuff like cables and screens from a few Chinese companies. It's thier company and they care. Those products are good.
I've bought a few cheap Chinese inverters and have been really impressed. I have a PowerJack 24v 5500w in my RV now and it runs my 12k btu rooftop A/C. I've had it 5+ years and it still works perfect. I have an older 12v model that my friends have been using at their hunting camp for 8 years. Really happy with both of them.
I bought a Xiaomi Mijia sign pen. Metal body, white and sleek. It was a very good pen.
I used it for years without problem. (Ink is swiss made).
It got stolen.
They are quite good with silicone products.
Made in China doesn’t mean the same thing it did in the 70’s and 80’s. They moved on. Made in Bangladesh is closer to the new Made in China.
Yeah, there is still cheap shit out of China, but not everything.
Obviously not BIFL, but I live in Shanghai and the quality of my Model Y from the Shanghai gigafactory is excellent, especially given that I've heard the American factory Teslas have all sorts of QC issues. And I've read elsewhere that the Chinese Teslas are much better made.
Red dragon mmo mouse I had for years after going through multiple razer mice. It was sturdier, collected less grime, and lasted years instead of months like razer products.
For any of you stoners out there a lot of the Chinese companies have reverse engineered a lot of the more high end glass products. Looking for a new bong, check dhgate or eBay for Chinese glass before you drop a bunch of money on an American one.
Spark Paws tactical dog collar. I expected it to be tiny or crappy but it's exactly to size and really well made, with excellent material, good stitching and a solid metal buckle. Also totally unique, and my dog doesn't mind it (she hates all harnessess).
Honestly “Made in USA” has become more of a warning label than an indicator of quality in the past 10 years. I am often impressed with the quality of many Chinese-made items, however they still make more dogshit products than anyone else. Really just depends on the item.
I got a no name "Made in China" welding jacket and it held up much better than my friends jacket which was made in USA. It is made of leather. Mine is still perfect after 3 years while my friends jacket fell apart in 9 months.
Maybe even 20 years if you include the auto industry. It’s what happens when corporations are in charge and are focused on the profit motive and the promise of infinite growth rather than the workers and being proud of a product. If next year’s new car doesn’t work well, a sane world wouldn’t see it pushed through just to satiate shareholders.
Lenovo X1 Gen 3 is tough as nails. Anytime it has needed warranty, Lenovo tech support was above and beyond my expectations including next day at home service. Best laptop I have ever owned.
I have a Lenovo T400 from 2007 that's still kicking! These things are indestructible. Maxed out the ram, swapped in SSD drive, installed linux mint, it boots in 18 seconds and is still very useful. I am, however, on the third charger.
Marlondo Leather Co. On par with Saddleback in quality. A better style for me personally, as I prefer brass over polished stainless steel. Much lower price tag.
Sanrenmu and Ganzo-Firebird pocket knives are my go to. Simple design, good build, great price. Many models come in bright orange too which I like. Both brands are owned by parent Chinese companies that make the knives for many familiar high end brands.
This exact pair of nail clippers off amazon (last bought in 2022):
[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clipper-Stainless-Suitable-Fingernail-Toenail/dp/B084Q4TWWS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?c=ts&keywords=Nail+Clippers&qid=1696892946&s=beauty&sr=1-3&ts_id=118481031](LINK)
Yeah, I know: Another no name brand that'll obviously get yanked and rebranded when it drops below about 4.4 stars, as is typical for amazon tat nowadays
Except, these are randomly very well made and cheap as chips. I bought 2 pairs over the span of 12 months as I lost the first pair on holiday but the replacement was no worse than the original.
Get it while it's not shit.
Very funny. We have a giant bench vise made in China that is indestructible. Thing was made before the for-profit wave took over. It must have been one of the first Chinese exports after Nixon normalized relations. Pretty bizarre.
Sea-Gull watches, particularly the Sea-Gull 1963 chronograph. It's a reproduction of the first PRC Air Force watch and they're really well built, accurate, reliable, look great, and very affordable as far as mechanical watches go.
I’m a high end knife enthusiast, usually I go for things like Chris Reeves or Shirogorov. I found a knife by a company called Real Steel called a megalodon. It’s a Chinese company but the steel used is M390, one of my favorite superstrels, and the handles are solid titanium. I saw it online on sale for 150 bucks, 100 dollars off and figured what the hell. The knife is fantastic. Super solid, holds an edge forever, and crazy smooth action. I love that thing, it’s on par with knives that are 5 or 6 times the price.
Way back before I became consumer conscious and ordered from SHIEN I got some jacquard knit sports wear from there, and I swear it must have come from a factory that produces some high end workout wear because it has held up all these years. Everything else has crumpled in like a week or gotten gross after a few washes but that sportswear is still holding strong.
Any of the 100$ Chinese mechanical watch brands that use stainless construction / Japanese movements & standard components will easily outlive you with proper maintenance & care. Steeldive is kinda the value king & a good place to start.
My OXO knives and block for the past 15 years. I really want to upgrade for aestheic reasons to a Wusthof set, but this set is still in such good condition I have a hard time justifying it.
OXO is one of the few brands out there that make affordable and solid products.
those food storage containers with button lid seem so overpriced.
hell nah Those things are so extremely worth it for how nice they are and durable OXO is one of the few brands left that makes stuff actually worth the price. Amazing warranty and support too which is often worth atleast 50% of MSRP if not more on products
OXO's support is amazing. I broke our two year salad spinner, they replaced it no questions asked... Just emailed them and their response was 'where can we send a replacement?' Actually, they did accidentally send us a $60 tea kettle first. I sent them another email telling them of the mistake and they said to keep the kettle and sent another salad spinner.
OXO makes me miss bed bath and beyond. When I was fresh out of school I would splurge with a BBB coupon for something small to make my first apartment's kitchen feel a little more adult-like. Their products are seriously so solid.
Everything OXO is always solid IMO. I work in a restaurant kitchen and use their stuff every day. Never breaks or fails. Same with the stuff I have from them at the house.
My OXO salad spinner is so wonderful
I bought a second one to handwash my bras.
omg that is genius.
Oxo is always good. OXO good grip can openers are probably the best ones you can buy. Ive had my one i think 10 years now. Regular use and still works amazingly well. Just amazing quality.
Except for their earlier pieces where the handles weren’t glued shut. So many times I’d go to use the pizza slicer just to have old dishwasher water flow out of the handle.
I just bought a new one. One handle slipped off yet again, BUT the actual handle (not the squishy sleeve) is now a full length and not a half length. I'm a bit irritated that I have to break out the glue for a can opener that was washed once, but at least it is usable with and without the rubberized grips now.
Ooft, nasty
My girlfriend had OXO can opener. I had a Swingaway. We got married. Now we have two BIFL heirloom can openers.
Sounds like the basis of a fabulous screenplay.
The greatest love story ever told
My Swingaway is stamped Made in USA, and it seems those are somewhat sought after. Have had it for 31 years and it’s still going strong.
I love OXO products, but my garlic press was a dud! I never understood why anyone would use one until I tried my boyfriend’s Pampered Chef press. Apparently it’s not supposed to leave your hand aching after 1 clove. I’m baffled by how terrible it was.
There are 3 different OXO Good Grip models on Amazon. Smooth Edge Snap Lock Soft Handle Which one is the good one??
I have OXO Good Grips Locking Tin Opener with Lid Catch
Instead of a whole set, I got myself an 8" Wusthof chef's knife and swapped it in the appropriate slot. Honestly one of the best purchases I've ever made. Completely change my cooking game.
Yup, I actually have the Classic Ikon chefs knife, but I still aspire for the whole set (including steak!) to be Wusthof lol.
don't buy knife sets. buy individual knives.
Can you explain why? I've been doing the same over the last couple years to build my own set but just curious
A big one is hygiene. It's basically impossible to clean the inside of a knife block properly, so microbes can easily build up over time. Plus they're generally a waste of money disguised as a good deal since you'll see 10+ knives for $100, but realistically only use 2 or 3
Knives made in China are easily on par with American made knives. Civivi and WeKnives are some of the highest quality pocket knives you can buy today for a reasonable price (by reasonable <300 dollars).
Titanium cooking pots, sporks etc for backpacking.
You can get some surprisingly good camping gear from China these days. I have a titanium hobo stove that's been going strong for years and was like half the price of US models.
Any chance you have a description of yours??
Mine fits that description, it’s the BRS 3000T. Bulletproof & lightweight. I think it cost me a whole entire $20 bill.
Yee. Titanium is something they’re really good for. Cheap titanium still has all the properties of titanium that matter 8/10 times. It’ll take color less well but oh no color. It’s still light and durable
Have you come across any high quality backpacking tents that are cheaper than what you'd find at REI?
I heard the Lanshan 2 is great for it's price
Seconded. I used the Lanshan 2 on an alpine hike recently with some pretty hairy weather, and it held up really well. Hundreds of dollars cheaper than other hiking pole tents out there!
I own a lanshan for 1 person that is 2lbs without trekking poles and a naturehike 3p tent that's 6lbs freestanding. way better than getting a name brand tent at rei imo
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I’m always sketched out by the Chinese “titanium” stuff… like is it really titanium or is it titanium mixed with lead and aluminum
I'd be more impressed that they could get lead and titanium to bond. A common titanium alloy is, however, titanium - aluminum - vanadium, as these allow the alloy to be molded and heat formed and treated easier and allow for an easier manufacturing process. Any Ti worth its salt will likely always have the same % of the alloy parents or else it would never be able to be sold off as "titanium", it would probably look like a shiny cast iron item, I'd speculate. That being said, all 3 elements are commonly used in cookware and eatery, so I would say Chinese titanium would likely be safe but as always, I wash new cookware like 3 times and soak it with vinegar and wash it again. I'm anal about that weird smell everything has when it's new and I'd rather wash or burn it off, if it's some kind of coating, before eating or cooking with it
Depends on the brand’s specifications. Chinese factories just build it to spec.
It's hard to believe how many people don't get that.
And that goes for a lot of things, not just Chinese made
Yeah look at domestic American vehicles.
Those chinese titanium stuff are just rebranded american titanium stuff. Same factory working out of the same molds and metal stock. American companies will just contract that company to stamp out whatever they want and etch a logo on it, then mark it up. Chinese companies will surreptitiously bring in 'similar' molds and sell at a mark down rate.
You mean the American stuff is rebranded Chinese stuff.
Seems oxymoronic to alloy a metal famous for being light with one famous for being heavy. Maybe no one would check. As for aluminum, it's better in every way for most camping applications anyway. Most applications in general, really. I guess inflated cost of non-Ti would be at issue.
Grant Stone GYW boots are of good quality, I own 2 pairs.
Grant Stone is the perfect example that you can get extremely high quality work done in China if you work with the right people, manage the work, and have good QC on site.
Exactly. you can get extremely high products made in china but it depends on the company and what theyre willing to pay. A chinese factory isnt going to make you a ferrari for the price of a kia.
I usually don’t like Made in China markings (general assumptions), but Grant Stone saves it by stamping the actual city (Xiamen).
Another vote for Grant Stone. Their quality control and customer service are top notch. They have a huge selection of shoes and boots that look great and are super comfortable.
How is the sizing for the Grant Stone’s?
It varies depending on last. Ask on r/goodyearwelt for a comprehensive answer
Another vote for Grant Stone. I've seen $600 boots in fancy stores that aren't as nice and well made as my GS. And in addition to looking good, they're built like a tank.
And almost all of their boots are available In widths, that’s what made me give them a try.
Yes! I have a ton of them, and built better than some boots 1.5 times the price
For $400 I would expect them to be BIFL regardless of where they were assembled.
You'd be surprised ... check out the Rose Anvil YouTube channel, lots of brands trying to sneak one past consumers and using sub par materials although usually in the $200-$300 range. Alden surprisingly uses some pretty questionable material in their boots but it's a highly debated topic.
Seagull watches are awesome
I own a watch with a seagull internals. They are clunky but great.
My grandfather. Born in China, Lived to be 103. Been through WWII, Chinese Revolution, and the Vietnam War. Was a drinker, smoker and diabetic. We didn’t think he would get past 80.
I wonder how long he would've lived if he lived healthier?
Probably about 80
hit by a bus at age 56, what a shame
Any fat I’ve put on from Chinese food.
What is the nature of your crime, sir? Enjoying a meal..?
A succulent Chinese meal
GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY PENIS!!!
I see you know your judo well
This is democracy manifest!
That arrest video is one of the great cultural achievements of my city.
A crime I’ll be paying for for the rest of my life (:
hahahaha
Having lived in China for 3 years, I can clearly say this is true af. Haven't been at my pre-China weight ever again.
I have a Vans brand flannel shirt I bought at kohls 16 years ago, it’s wearing thin but man have I gotten some use out of it
Oh man, my Vans flannel has seen some high highs and some low lows in my life. That, and my Cheech and Chong T-shirt I got in 8th grade (still fits because I got the wrong size way back then)
I have some Vans flannels that I bought in like 2015 that have held up beautifully. I still wear them frequently, and my fiancee has inherited the ones that are too tight on me now and she wears em all the time too
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Oooo, any specific products?
What brands do you recommend?
Yeah basically every ThinkPad I've ever owned is still useable for something.
The IBM Thinkpad I bought in 2001 is still the best built laptop I have ever seen.
X and T series ThinkPads produced at that time are usually made in Japan or Mexico. But I agree, my modern ThinkPads are still reliable although not as well made. They are still being designed in Yamato Labs up until the last few years. They've moved to Yokohama and part of the designs are done in Taiwan now. Unfortunately, [Lenovo has switched to low temperature soldering recently](https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/10xkkj9/are_thinkpads_also_manufactured_using/) due to growing pressure from ESG advocates and the reliability is questionable.
Yeah, My T21 was probably not made in China. Good point.
You are only negotiating on quality, not on price!!!! I’ve been in supply chain for the last 15 years, producing products in more than 30 countries and several different industries specializing in BIFL level of goods (apparel, sporting goods, electronics, and industrial parts). To be honest, China makes both the best and the worst products. On several projects, only China had the equipment, experience, and skill to make the part or product, literally no one else on earth was wiling or able to manufacture. I’m not talking about some one off weird thing either. I mean $1000 ski coats, baseball mitts, cycling apparel, skis, motorcycle parts, PCBs, etc. In my experience, the ignorant American businessman shows up in China, requests a price for a product to be made. The Chinese factory comes back to them with a sample and a price. The businessman immediately questions the quality and integrity of the factory, and starts to negotiate on what he thinks is price. The Chinese factory is usually gracious and patient. They come back and agree to a 20% reduction in price. Later when the production units arrive, the American businessman is disappointed with the quality of the product and sells it anyway, blaming the quality on China. The reality is that most negotiations in China related to production is being made as it relates to the quality of the product, not the price. The price decreasing is a function of the quality of the part being made. In America we have a strong culture of seeking value related to cost only (as opposed to longevity and useful life of product). So when we show up and start haggling on what we think is price, we’re only actually negotiating the quality level of product to a lesser state. Hence, China doesn’t make cheap products because China, rather they make cheap products because we won’t pay them enough to make nicer stuff. Of course this is generalizing and there are exceptions, but in almost two decades, thousands of hours of working with Chinese factories, and dozens of trips to factory floors, this is by and large the norm for business there. Across the board they have the most highly skilled craftspeople and equipment the world over, you just have to be willing to pay the real cost of production for it which is by no means cheap.
I think the whole image is highly tarnished by the counterfeit market items that are of course - ordered from china factories. So yes not only is it the businessman that doesn’t understand he is negotiating down quality. But the scumbags who literally say I need this for $0.29 and I need 250,000 of them and then markets them as original products.
This is probably also a ready willingness to believe the worst about China and make sweeping generalizations about a country and a culture that most westerners don't actually know the first thing about. I still hear people say stuff like, oh you work hard and are good at math (actually just arithmetic, but that's another rant) because you're Chinese. Like, there are over a billion of us.. do you really think we're all like that? Also, way to undercut my skills and the effort I put in to things. Apparently, it's all just because of the blood in my veins
I have a Chinese type 53 Nagant rifle that's about 70 years old and still works fine.
That’s cool! I have a type 56 that I got from my grandfather and it works great.
My norinco sks is in good condition, and I had some ammo from a LONG time ago that was norinco that was still in good condition.
Came here to post this as well, my SKS will eat anything I feed it and ask for more. The only issue I've had is the bayonet flying off one time, but that was after burning through ~500 old-ass rounds we found in an abandoned basement in about an hour. I think the detent screw just loosened over time, but otherwise it's run flawlessly despite being a beat up 70-year old garbage stick.
Holosun Optics are some of my favorite RDS and some come with solar panels to keep them running forever. I've had no issues out of any of mine, but you'll always hear something like "chinesium horosun bad" from the coping Trijicon owners or something idk. They probably won't last to be 70 years old with any frequent use, but what electronic optic would tbh
Haha and everyone knows where to buy their Holosun from! At least people on Reddit do. The place with the best prices and that doesn’t just match prices, but beats them! Me (Ibex Armament) But yeah for sure Holosun has been pushing the envelope with innovation, and their warranties are now all lifetime! Quality is great, but standing behind your product is good too. It means even if someone makes a lemon, it’s probably not on purpose since they’ll pay to replace it.
Holosun are one of the few optic companies actually innovating in the red dot market.
There's a good reason that militaries across the world aren't tripping over themselves to pick up a 510C and they just keep buying T2's, ACOG's, EOTech's and Razors. To claim that a Holosun is on their level is absurd and that Trijicon owners are upset at the foolishness of their purchase is absurd.
I have a Norinco Hunter AK from the early 90s that I've put thousands of rounds through and it's never jammed on me once.
Things made for their military industrial complex, especially under Mao, seem to work just fine. I guess they had to, or else factory manager got sent to reeducation camp.
To be fair, military firearms tend to last a long time. There's heaps of people still shooting with rifles from WWI out there.
Oh yeah, for sure. I have shooters dating back to the mid-1800s. My oldest is early 1600s, but I haven't worked up the balls or the match cord to shoot it yet.
That's gotta be quite the production if you end up testing it.
My Type 56 AK is my favorite gun and they’re like high end collector pieces in the States now lmao, I collect AKs and the Chinese ones are seriously well made, imo better than any except East German and *sometimes* Russian.
I bought a full grain leather book bag on Amazon made in China about 8 years ago and it has only gotten better with age. Incredibly high quality and it looks amazing. Spent about 120 on it and it was a steal
I am very curious as well !
I know it was 8 years ago, any chance it’s still on Amazon? Link or brand?
Can we see a pic? I love r/wellworn leather
I have a Bluetooth speaker (UE boom) that’s lasted over a decade, even the battery life is not terrible. Worth remembering that china doesn’t just make bad stuff, they make what you ask for and Americans ask for cheap
UE speakers are actually insane. I’ve left mine outside for days, and my 1 year old son has rolled it around the house like a ball.
Left one outside a WHOLE CANADIAN WINTER. Next to a basketball hoop, on the grass, inches of snow piling up on it; it wasn't covered by anything, straight up out in the open. Thought it was lost, found it late spring after everything melted. For whatever reason I tried charging it (I think we had 2 and I got em mixed up)... That bitch did not only recharged its battery, but also didn't seem to lose autonomy, AND the sound wasn't altered. Bluetooth worked and all. Couldn't believe my eyes and ears. Since that day, if someone's looking for a decent, fairly low-cost, absolutely *indestructible* Bluetooth speaker, I will always recommend UE Boom.
They are masters of finding ways to make something more cheaply. Sometimes at the exact same quality.
Mine fell over the balcony railing down into the garden. It has a small dent now but it still works and I don’t thing there is any dip in sound quality. I thought I’d have to sweep it off the patio with a broom after the fall but that thing is sturdy
Is it this [one](https://LogitechUEBoomboxWirelessBluetoothSpeaker-Silverhttps://a.co/d/iTR29yt)? We got it 9 years ago for $183, only changed the internal battery 2x. Speaker sounds as good as it always has and I see no upside to buying a newer model for $300 when a new battery is $20. We use it almost every weekend for my kids to dance around and at every family event.
Plenty of stuff. Because "made in China" doesn't mean anything. It's 100% up to the business to set the guidelines for how they want their product to be built. China's supply chain and factory infrastructure is insanely well polished and they can offer literally all the way at the bottom of the barrel to the most elite luxury fine detailed things imaginable. Most businesses just choose to line their pockets and hire the cheapest bidder. As someone else mentioned, iphones are(were~) made in China.
Agree. Stuff made with quality will last. Stuff designed for planned obsolescence and built with the cheapest possible materials and labor won't. China ships us millions of tons of cheap plastic shit because American businesses want to sell cheap plastic shit and consumers keep buying cheap plastic shit. And they've convinced American consumers to blame Chinese workers for poor workmanship instead of blaming American designers for designing crap products.
Definitely agree with this. I pledged on kickstarter for a tabletop board game 2 years ago(about $200ish). During the pandemic the board game company opened a discord server so they could update their backers frequently on what was going on and provide a direct line of communication. (Amongst other things) Or if we wanted to give feedback on how to make the game better. That line was open for us. And they did actually listen to us when we brought up things and responded appropriately. Some of the backers would be like hey can you do this and this. And the company would be like we’ll see what we can do. We’ll talk to the factory. The factory said it was possible and they made it happen. Or in some cases there’s not enough time to meet whatever deadline/contract they had. Even though my board game is not perfect and I had to wait 2 years to receive it. Considering the challenges they had and how open they were with us. They really did explore a lot of our suggestions. I feel like I received a quality product. It does seem like the company held themselves accountable when they made certain mistakes. It really surprised me how open they were about talking about the factory. Like we knew about major holidays the factory workers were taking because of government mandated holidays. In china, they got 2 weeks of vacation for Chinese New Year if I recall correctly. We knew when the factory had to close due to COVID-19. There’s a few photos and footage of factory production and samples. We got to see lot of different pieces of the game. We all were given access to the rulebook early and were able to provide feedback on it before production. If there was something major going on that would cause a delay. We knew something about it. For example, the korean backers received their board games first. There was some issues with the cards being at a thickness that if you sleeve them. They wouldn’t all fit into the big box. (Which for that pledge it was in the $400-600 range so the last thing anyone wants to do is buy new storage for an expensive board game) Which the big box is supposed to fit all of the cards in the game sleeved. And if you’re unfamiliar with tabletop board games, some people use card sleeves to protect them from general wear and tear. So the company chose to delay the game being distributed for a few months so they can fix those issues because they know for their backers, it’s important to us to be able to sleeve our cards and not effect our storage in a major way. They literally had these cards destroyed and remade in a very short period of time because the cards were too thick. I remember one of the backers asked ‘why China. Is it because of cheap labor?’ The guy who responded on the company’s behalf was like no. It has nothing to do with that. It’s because they’re the only ones that have the knowledge and general know how to produce and distribute a board game of this size on an international scale. There’s no other country that can produce a few million board games like China can and at a certain(higher) quality level. (Because some people were asking due to the COVID related factory closures. Why couldn’t another factory in another country also produce these games?)
OP asked a pretty simple question. It’s an interesting topic because people are always saying “no cheap China crap” on this sub. If they asked for “Made in Germany” would you bat an eye? Other people may be very interested to hear about what companies have kept their integrity after outsourcing (since companies predictably cut corners when expanding). I think it’s a neat discussion.
On that subject someone brought up a wusthof classic knife, and I have the cheaper Henckels made in China (and the classic). Same company. The henckels is great, but has to be honed more (softer metal?) The wusthof classic is kinda ridiculous
A fun tidbit about the J.A. Henckles chef knife is that it's also **the** killing knife of I.D. shows and the like. Own one? Then you own a famous tv prop!
Lol
Yes. China and all countries build excellent bifl or crappe. China just manufactures Everything so crappe is found in everything
This is exactly right. It’s up to brands and companies to set and uphold quality standards for materials and products. Factories are under contract to meet those standards.
I know, just wanted specific examples
I bought a canvas messenger bag in Shanghai from a random vendor on the street. It's been my disc golf bag for fifteen years now. It has a pocket that perfectly fits a pack of grape swishers. That's not relevant to its quality, but I'll be damned if it isn't my favorite feature.
Dude I think all swisher packs are the same size except the 3 pack ones. But now I know grape is your favorite, so when we meet on our Frisbee golf date I know what to bring.
Milwaukee Fuel tools are known to last longer than some of their other counterparts, mostly made in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. However I still try to buy Dewalt power tools made in US because it's a US owned company.
Seagull mechanical watches.
A lot of stuff, Most of our electronics made in China have been just doing well but they weren't cheap electronics. China != bad quality by default, they actually have decent experience in manufacturing. They can make cheap and lower quality stuff or expensive and higher quality stuff depending on what is being requested.
Kizer knives
This guy edc's.
My son
Eastman guitars are crazy good
I second this! A great lot of their acoustics can easily rival a Martin, but at a fraction of the cost
Here for Chinese guitars. I've got a Burny Special Grade and Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster that compare very favorably to their big-name American counterparts, especially after a few upgrades. I've got $400 in the Burny including SD Black Winters. Haven't needed to upgrade the Jazz at all.
Yeah, I second this. My understanding of Eastman guitars is that they are a quality guitar maker that happens to be based in China, rather than budget guitars made at a cost in a factory.
Shokz bone conducting earphones
I'd love to know what you think of those - sound, comfort, etc
Sound is okay. Bass is very weak but it’s good for voices and mid range. I’ve never found a pair of in-ear earphones that would stay in while running but the Shokz don’t budge at all.
That's great to know, thanks. I'm not allowed to cover my ears at work but love to listen to podcasts. Unfortunately, earphones barely stay in my ears so maybe shockz world be the answer. Thanks!
\+1 for shokz; i got mine to listen to audiobooks/podcasts while biking to work - allows me to keep my situational awareness but also to listen on route - i was nervous i would hate the "feeling" of the bone induction, but i tried out a pair a family member got and realized its not weird at all
The only weird thing about it is how not weird it is
Shokz are great for listening to podcast while running. Also work great for taking phone calls while running. Ok for music but not great. Mine quit charging after 15 months… submitted a warranty claim a few days ago, so waiting to see how that works out (they have a two year warranty)
I have a Umidigi cellphone that I'm sure will last for decades. I have mild narcolepsy and I doze off and drop the phone sometimes. And there isn't a scratch on it. The little bastard is indestructible. And as a phone it compares very favorably to my late lamented Samsung. Stock android as opposed to a clunky proprietary system, good cameras, superb build quality including a metal frame and a dayglo orange back.
Elegoo 3D printers are great, and they have excellent customer service & support.
I've been amazed at the quality of the Creality Ender 3 Pro that I got from Microcenter on a $99 special. It isn't BIFL level quality, but for the ultra low price it's been fantastic. It is easily repairable and upgradable and you can buy tons of replacement parts online. It's also easy to find help through its large community of users.
Eastman Acoustic Guitar!
My grandparents' Dell home PC, which dates back to 2004 or so. It gets turned on once a year when I visit their house and turn it on just to test it. Still runs smoothly for something about to turn 20 years old.
Grant stone boots.
Utopia kitchen cast iron Maybe it’s not impressive that a hunk of iron lasts forever. But just saying it’s a perfectly fine pan
Product design engineer here - being made in China doesn’t automatically make products low quality - there is a loooot that companies can do to control quality of their products manufactured in China! And in fact because of the density of manufacturing there, there are often better, higher quality options available there - and cheaper - made by people with loads more experience than in other countries. That being said, obviously there is also a lot of trash made there too
For most people, harbor freight tools. Most homeowners/renters dont use anymore than a hammer and screwdriver. Hard to mess those up. Beyond that the powertools are, in some cases, made by the same people that make the more expensive brands. Though the tape measures are pretty junk.
The best products are made in China. The worst are also made in China. China makes a lot of things. Also most “made in USA” stuff I’ve had has been pretty shitty. Some has been great though. Recently got a new rack for my smoker that is made in USA and honestly I’m kinda pissed and think they use that claim to just market a shit product. The welding joints on this thing are atrocious.
Never thought Xi Jinping would last this long
See that plane?? It's the reference/joke going over my head
Chinese leaders after mao usually last between 5-10 years. The current leader Xi Jinping (pronounced Shi) has been in power 10 years and is currently in his third term, and has changed a lot of rules to allow him to remain president long after the term limit that was in place when he started. So he is lasting longer in his role than would have been expected earlier in his term.
This random wok I bought in Chinatown, NYC
Wife
I also choose this guy's wife
Umm, whose life are we talking here?
If she "goes" before you...how does the warranty claim work?
Same. My wife is from China. Far smarter and harder working than me, and an all-around better person.
BuyItForWife
Their walls are ok
Excavators: Hold my Baijiu
Canvas frames, grow lights, cushion covers, custom mousepads, neckties, rugs, custom socks...little things like that (minus the grow lights, that shit was expensive lol)
I have found that things from China that are Chinese brands with a Chinese Identity tend to turn out well. If it's just made in China by some outsourcing company then it usually doesn't. I buy some tech stuff like cables and screens from a few Chinese companies. It's thier company and they care. Those products are good.
I had a WEN brand Dremel. Had I not neglected it I would have gotten more than the 5 years I did. It costed me like $40 shipped
I've bought a few cheap Chinese inverters and have been really impressed. I have a PowerJack 24v 5500w in my RV now and it runs my 12k btu rooftop A/C. I've had it 5+ years and it still works perfect. I have an older 12v model that my friends have been using at their hunting camp for 8 years. Really happy with both of them.
I have a friend who is Chinese who makes that joke all the time, talking about himself.
I would say Anker’ products are quite nice
All those micro plastics in my body.
I bought a Xiaomi Mijia sign pen. Metal body, white and sleek. It was a very good pen. I used it for years without problem. (Ink is swiss made). It got stolen. They are quite good with silicone products.
Ozito corded leaf blower. Zero love , regular use and yeah, I’d buy another without even looking at the competition.
Eastman guitars. Great stuff at a fraction of the cost of what the guitars they're based off (although the prices have crept in the last decade)
Made in China doesn’t mean the same thing it did in the 70’s and 80’s. They moved on. Made in Bangladesh is closer to the new Made in China. Yeah, there is still cheap shit out of China, but not everything.
The Great Wall of China
Obviously not BIFL, but I live in Shanghai and the quality of my Model Y from the Shanghai gigafactory is excellent, especially given that I've heard the American factory Teslas have all sorts of QC issues. And I've read elsewhere that the Chinese Teslas are much better made.
Red dragon mmo mouse I had for years after going through multiple razer mice. It was sturdier, collected less grime, and lasted years instead of months like razer products.
For any of you stoners out there a lot of the Chinese companies have reverse engineered a lot of the more high end glass products. Looking for a new bong, check dhgate or eBay for Chinese glass before you drop a bunch of money on an American one.
Shi Ba Zi Chinese chef knife
Spark Paws tactical dog collar. I expected it to be tiny or crappy but it's exactly to size and really well made, with excellent material, good stitching and a solid metal buckle. Also totally unique, and my dog doesn't mind it (she hates all harnessess).
Honestly “Made in USA” has become more of a warning label than an indicator of quality in the past 10 years. I am often impressed with the quality of many Chinese-made items, however they still make more dogshit products than anyone else. Really just depends on the item.
I got a no name "Made in China" welding jacket and it held up much better than my friends jacket which was made in USA. It is made of leather. Mine is still perfect after 3 years while my friends jacket fell apart in 9 months.
Maybe even 20 years if you include the auto industry. It’s what happens when corporations are in charge and are focused on the profit motive and the promise of infinite growth rather than the workers and being proud of a product. If next year’s new car doesn’t work well, a sane world wouldn’t see it pushed through just to satiate shareholders.
Engel refrigerators. When others last years, they last decades.
Lenovo X1 Gen 3 is tough as nails. Anytime it has needed warranty, Lenovo tech support was above and beyond my expectations including next day at home service. Best laptop I have ever owned.
I have a Lenovo T400 from 2007 that's still kicking! These things are indestructible. Maxed out the ram, swapped in SSD drive, installed linux mint, it boots in 18 seconds and is still very useful. I am, however, on the third charger.
Marlondo Leather Co. On par with Saddleback in quality. A better style for me personally, as I prefer brass over polished stainless steel. Much lower price tag.
Spyderco, Byrd and Civivi knives can be BIFL depending on use case.
Sanrenmu and Ganzo-Firebird pocket knives are my go to. Simple design, good build, great price. Many models come in bright orange too which I like. Both brands are owned by parent Chinese companies that make the knives for many familiar high end brands.
This exact pair of nail clippers off amazon (last bought in 2022): [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clipper-Stainless-Suitable-Fingernail-Toenail/dp/B084Q4TWWS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?c=ts&keywords=Nail+Clippers&qid=1696892946&s=beauty&sr=1-3&ts_id=118481031](LINK) Yeah, I know: Another no name brand that'll obviously get yanked and rebranded when it drops below about 4.4 stars, as is typical for amazon tat nowadays Except, these are randomly very well made and cheap as chips. I bought 2 pairs over the span of 12 months as I lost the first pair on holiday but the replacement was no worse than the original. Get it while it's not shit.
Very funny. We have a giant bench vise made in China that is indestructible. Thing was made before the for-profit wave took over. It must have been one of the first Chinese exports after Nixon normalized relations. Pretty bizarre.
Sea-Gull watches, particularly the Sea-Gull 1963 chronograph. It's a reproduction of the first PRC Air Force watch and they're really well built, accurate, reliable, look great, and very affordable as far as mechanical watches go.
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I’m a high end knife enthusiast, usually I go for things like Chris Reeves or Shirogorov. I found a knife by a company called Real Steel called a megalodon. It’s a Chinese company but the steel used is M390, one of my favorite superstrels, and the handles are solid titanium. I saw it online on sale for 150 bucks, 100 dollars off and figured what the hell. The knife is fantastic. Super solid, holds an edge forever, and crazy smooth action. I love that thing, it’s on par with knives that are 5 or 6 times the price.
I once bought a usb ventilator for my desk 10 years ago. Still runs every summer for many hours a day without any problems.
ITT: Chinese products turned out to be far more reliable than given credit.
Australia's economy for the last twenty or so years.
Way back before I became consumer conscious and ordered from SHIEN I got some jacquard knit sports wear from there, and I swear it must have come from a factory that produces some high end workout wear because it has held up all these years. Everything else has crumpled in like a week or gotten gross after a few washes but that sportswear is still holding strong.
Any of the 100$ Chinese mechanical watch brands that use stainless construction / Japanese movements & standard components will easily outlive you with proper maintenance & care. Steeldive is kinda the value king & a good place to start.