More Expensive But Worth It General Chat

[Steve]

There seems to be a tendency to buy complete and utter tat and rubbish these days.

The success of sites like Temu and Shein shows there is a market for people looking to buy stuff they don't really need in the belief they are getting a bargain. Then it arrives and it's crap, not as advertised, the wrong size, so suspiciously cheap you have to imagine slave labour is behind a lot of it. I'd imagine most of it never gets used or thrown in the bin, and it probably isn't worth the effort to send it back.

I bought a pair of Bose headphones when the first lockdown happened in 2020. Cost me £270 but they are still going strong. Used almost every day since they arrived in the door. Changed the pads, and the battery is now down to less than 80%, but still hoping to get another year or two of daily usage out of them.

I also bought a classic long winter wool coat from a tailor in a town in Northern Italy back in 2007. The sort of timeless piece that never goes out of fashion. It cost an awful lot of money, but it's starting to look like I will be owning it for life. I have had to get some of the internal lining replaced over time, but the coat itself is like the day I bought it.

So, what things have you purchased that were more expensive but are worth it?

 

[Tom]

For me, it's a pair of headphones as well. I got myself a pair of Bang & Olufsen H8 headphones all the way back in 2016, to reward myself for the new job I'd just landed. They were pretty expensive at the time, around £400, and it was a stretch even with my new job. However, eight years on, they're still going strong. They sound as great as ever, noise cancellation remains pretty damn good, and they're still very comfortable. I'll probably need to change the battery sometime, but the good thing is that spare parts are still available from Bang & Olufsen.

 

[Silverback]

We got an expensive food mixer about 8 years ago and a food processor about 10 years ago and both are still going strong. They are both built solidly and weigh a ton. I think both were bought as Christmas gifts to try and justify the high costs but similar to what Steve says, if we had purchased cheaper versions they would possibly have already given up and would have had to be replaced by now anyway. I think we will get many more years of trouble-free use out both of them as well hopefully.

 

[Bandit]

Kitchen knives. The difference between a good set and a cheap set is amazing.

 

[hannah]

A good quality mattress and sheets. We spend a lot of time in bed so it's worth the money.

 

[Twinkle]

Decent quality clothes are something I spend money on. Winter clothing in particular is so worth it to be warm comfy and happy.

 

[Cappuccino Kid]

A good watch!

I know a lot of people aren't really interested in watches anymore with smartphones and smartwatches but a good traditional mechanical watch is actually a thing of beauty and a companion you can have with you for your whole life if you buy a high-quality one.

 

[Crabtree]

A quality outdoor winter jacket, I have a Helly Hansen jacket which I think cost in the region of £350 about 4 years ago and it is used intermittently throughout the year. Rainproof, warm, and easy to maintain.

 

[Silverback]

A good quality mattress and sheets. We spend a lot of time in bed so it's worth the money.

Bought a Tempur mattress in 2012 for £1600, it's great value for money and will probably last another 15 years. The new ones are not as comfy.

 

[Tina]

Expensive hotel rooms.

Rarely do you cheap out on a hotel and find.. "wow, that stay was sublime"

In fact, it doesn't happen. Spend good money on a hotel it can really make the holiday/trip.