Treat them well, and it could be a buy-it-for-life item.
The catch is that well-designed, well-made items are often pretty pricey.
Buy it for life, but buy it used.
Here are some tips to help you thrift items so sturdy you’re free to keep them forever.
You buy it once, and itll last a lifetime.
But how do you know an item is made to stand up to decades of use?
If you use it to research the best secondhand deals, its a surprisingly good subreddit for saving money.
Brands thatreallystand by their products offer repair before replacement.
That is a sign its good quality.
If youre looking to boost your income this month, weve got just the thing for you.
Lets make it a little easier.
If you find anything on this list, snag it.
Cast Iron Skillets
You might already have a cast iron skillet thats older than you.
With proper care, they can last just about forever.
That makes them a common kitchen essential to pass down from generation to generation.
(Lodge pans are great, but so are plenty of others, according to Consumer Reports testing.)
Instead, look closely at the condition of the pan.
Cracks are an automatic dealbreaker.
You dont want a hot pan to break in half while youre cooking.
Chipping, pitting, and warping arent necessarily dangerous, but do make the pan obnoxious to cook with.
One fault that shouldnt scare you off?
Most rusty pans can be stripped and re-seasoned at home.
Another category to look out for is enameled cast iron.
Colorful Le Creuset Dutch ovens retail for hundreds of dollars.
According to Button, theyre worth it.
Staub is another heritage brand known to last years.
Staining is common and harmless on enameled pots.
Chipping: not so much.
The enamel could chip further over time.
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2.
Fully Clad Stainless Steel Pans
Not all stainless steel cookware is created equal.
Frying pans from top brands like All Clad and De Buyer go for around $200 new.
you could probably find a cheap no-name pan at Walmart for $20.
The entire body of a fully clad stainless steel pan is made of steel layered with aluminum.
You want your pan to be seamless.
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3.
Welted Leather Boots
You know that trademark yellow stitching between the upper and sole of classic Doc Martens?
Thats actually a sign that theyre repairable.
Most shoes made today have glued soles, which are tricky to replace.
(Repairing instead of replacing is one of the best ways tosave money on clothes!)
In addition to the tell-tale stitching, look for leather uppers.
Plastic alternatives degrade over time.
FYI: Have you ever heard of the Boots theory?
People with low incomes are more likely to buy the proverbial $10 boots entrenching socioeconomic inequality.
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4.
Sturdy Stand Mixers
Did your parents receive a KitchenAid stand mixer as a wedding gift before you were born?
Theres a good chance its still making cookies.
(The same goes for Bosch, Ankarsrum and commercial Hobart mixers.)
A well-made stand mixer can last for decades with proper maintenance.
Over time, motors can fail, and parts can work themselves loose.
High-end stand mixer brands offer replacement parts and service appointments to fix them when that happens.
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You brew coffee at home, you dont walk into Target and you refuse to order avocado toast.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
Option one: keep it.
And if something goes wrong, find someone who can fix it.
People should cherish their local menders, Button said.
Option two: pass it along to the next person.
It could make an exceptional gift, a generous donationor a profitable flip.
If you’re able to bear to part with your new heirloom, that is.
You just might want to keep it for a lifetime.
