Buy Once, Cry Once

I do it on a case by case basis. Sometimes I go quality but on others cheap. I'm more interested in functionality that looks. I can't see spending lots of money on something that will last a infinite number of uses if I am only going to use it a few times in my life time. If I will be using it ten times a day for a lifetime I will spend the big bucks to get quality but if I only anticipate using it a dozen times total I am less inclined to spend much on it. I rarely sell anything so I pay no attention to resale value.

I spent $150 for my last pair of work shoes that lasted 5 years. For goofing around home in the I spend $2 or $3 for a pair of flip flops two or three times a summer.

Some tools are beaters, some are quality. I go by what I intend on doing with them. I have cheap screwdrivers that are combination pry bar, scraper, chisel, and occasionally screwdriver. I have quality screwdrivers for stubborn screws and where not messing up the screw is important.

So in the end I can say I buy once, pay once. It's just that 'once' may only need a low or medium quality to fulfill the 'buy once' criteria.

One other point. High price doesn't always equal quality and inexpensive doesn't always mean junk.

I'm also in the "it depends" category. I buy the best I can, when I need to get it. I would love to be able to afford top end camping gear, but rather than put off camping for half the year while I save up, I bought military surplus for cold weather camping. It may weigh twice as much as the top end stuff, but it works and it keeps me warm. I'll upgrade to higher quality gear as sales and funds allow.

Tools are another area where I've got a mix of quality. I've got Klein screwdrivers and electrician's tools that are over 20 years old and going strong. However, I just bought a $20 cordless drill from HF to replace another no-name cordless drill whose charger died earlier this month. BTW - that no name cordless drill ran for 10 years of once or twice a month use around my house. Will my new drill last that long? I doubt it, but I think it'll last until next Black Friday when I can buy Porter Cable or DeWalt on sale.

It depends.
Computers... I spent somewhere around $1300 on a MacBook in 2007. I'm typing this on it right now, it still works about as well as it did the day I got it, and the only issues I've ever had with it were my fault and Apple still repaired them for free. My mom spent $500 or 600 on a PC around the same time I got my MacBook, and over the years she's spent probably $800-1k on it between taking it in to the computer repair place, anti-virus software, replacing this or that on it. She still uses it, but it takes the computer almost 10 minutes just to fire up her internet browser.
Power tools... a $18 Harbor Freight angle grinder lasts me about 6 months if I'm gentle with it, and I don't feel bad when I'm not. I had a Dewalt, it cost 5 times as much and lasted about 9 months.

If I want it to last, I buy quality. If I want it to be expendable, I buy the cheapest shit out there.

You ever owned a high end sports car? Just buy a C5 and upgrade the damn thing.

You get what you pay for. If you know the $5.00 tool is going to work for the 2-3x you will ever use it in your life time, go for it. If it's a go to item used on a daily basis why skimp?

There's a saying that goes like this.
Know what the cheapest thing on a BMW is?

The owner!.

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Originally Posted by jim

You get what you pay for. If you know the $5.00 tool is going to work for the 2-3x you will ever use it in your life time, go for it. If it's a go to item used on a daily basis why skimp?

There's a saying that goes like this.
Know what the cheapest thing on a BMW is?

The owner!.

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I will agree. and some things turn out to be good. I have a set of crows feet from HF I bought 10 years ago. They are ugly but work and turned out to be very strong. Same with the set of chisels and the pickle fork.

I like my craftsman hand tools but most were bought 20-40+ years ago. At work we just bought all new Snap-on and many of the items in the set are junk. [fail]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jerrymrc

I will agree. and some things turn out to be good. I have a set of crows feet from HF I bought 10 years ago. They are ugly but work and turned out to be very strong. Same with the set of chisels and the pickle fork.

I like my craftsman hand tools but most were bought 20-40+ years ago. At work we just bought all new Snap-on and many of the items in the set are junk. [fail]

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I have Williams, proto, S-K and one or 2 other small east coast tool mfg's hand tools, averaging an easy 50+ years old. Still going strong, I'm sure of the age as i scored them back in 72 from one of my co-workers at Sunoco. 110 oct. Leaded gas, Ah the good ol daZe

If i use it minimally HF will do. Why pay snap-op prices for a digital mic when the HF ones are 1/4 the price and both mfg in CHINA?

I often times get asked by friends or relatives to offer advice on buying a new computer. There are always two options, cheap and expensive and most of the time they are trying to get me to say buy the cheap but I always tell them to "buy as much as you can afford". That theory in my mind doesn't just apply to computers but to everything. First and foremost do your research, don't just settle for amazon.com reviews or consumer report reviews. Source multiple sites, online, offline, real world people and find out what they use or like and why. Making an informed choice might cost you more for a product but that product will more than likely be worth every penny of your investment.

Buy the best you can afford, that way you are never disappointed or second guess yourself.
But that doesn't mean you need to spend the most.

When I worked as a Master Automotive Technician I bought Snapon and Matco tools. Now I usually buy from Harbor Freight, same warranty and I have yet to break one of their tools.