What's the best product you ever owned?

[DWalt]

The battery on my Swiss Army wristwatch died today. I went to the battery store to get a new battery which I took home and installed. I got to reflecting on that watch. I've had it for close to 20 years, and it has been a constant in my life for all that time and we've been through a lot together. Reliable, accurate, and rugged it certainly is, and I admire its clean and uncomplicated utilitarian appearance. All in all, it is so satisfactory I don't believe I will ever want another watch so long as this one stays running.

So which of your physical possessions (no guns please) you have ever owned were you completely satisfied with, attached to, and couldn't easily be replaced in your heart? Cars, cameras, tools, etc.

[Lee Barner]

right off I can think of two: my buck 110 and a pair of bushnell 8X30 binoculars that I got 50 years ago for my 16th birthday. they have both been on several continents with me and have served me well. rarely ever get them out of the drawer and use them but I would feel incomplete without them. lee

[Kanewpadle]

A Samsung microwave. We bought it in 1986 and gave it away in 2007. Still worked good.

[Fishslayer]

An ebony Frank Paradise pool cue. 21oz, the usual MOP & exotic wood inlays, I was told it was actually a snooker cue as the tip section was a bit longer & thinner than a regular cue. The tip itself was noticably smaller than most.

I traded a wrapping lathe & cash for it when I was 18 & lost it in a PCS move when I was 38.

I was bad to the bone with that cue. After I lost it (left it on a bus) I never found a suitable replacement & pretty much gave up serious pool after that.

[Rustyt1953]

My Boston Scientific pacemaker.

[Wingmaster]

before I got into my current occupation, I was a mechanic. I have some Snap On tools that I bought over 30 years ago. I used some of them every day for about 15 years and occasionally for the last 15 years. They have an unconditional lifetime warranty but that really doesn't matter much, because I have very seldom used the warranty.

The best quality item I own.

Wingmaster

[johngalt]

My HP 15c calculator, bought in 1987, is near the top. I think it is on the 3rd set of batteries.

[Grip_Maker's_Wife]

My wedding ring. It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen, but more than that it means the world to me.

I also have a necklace with a pendant of my mom's thumb print. I wear that close to my heart.

[bountyhunter]

I bought a 32" Sony Trinitron TV back in 1995 that I got about 17 years of good service out of........

But before you run out and buy a Sony: the new 55" Sony Bravia I bought to replace t lasted 13 months before the screen completely blew up. Thank God I had bought the extended warranty, Sony's warranty was 12 months.

[ralph7]

I have a little single cab stepside with the 5.3 that now has about 130k on it. It is a great little truck that runs as good as it looks. I had a car load of young guys follow me into a store parking lot trying to buy it from me to no avail.
I feel like the old guy with the cool old car that keeps getting pressured to sell, but I won't.

[mtelkhntr]

An old International Harvester freezer. It weighs as much as pickup and has never missed a beat in over 60 years

[Marshwheeling]

BMW R75/5, bought new in 1972 for $2200, about the price of a Harley Sportster or a VW Beetle. I rode it hard for 35 years. All I ever had to do to it was replace fork seals, set the valves, replace mufflers and fork bushings. In 200,000 miles, I never did engine repairs, or even removed the cylinder heads.

I toured on it, commuted, did weekend rides, and garnered trophies in vintage MX and vintage trials. It embarrassed more than a few sport bikers on gnarly Wisconsin coulee roads.

It was an expensive bike for its time, but I got much more than my money'so worth. It doesn't owe me anything.

[Onomea]

Originally Posted by johngalt

My HP 15c calculator, bought in 1987, is near the top. I think it is on the 3rd set of batteries.

I have an HP 12C I also bought in 1987 and which is also on its third set of batteries...

[scatter shot]

Best product ever owned?

Thermacell. Works better than advertised.

[TTSH]

... it was a basic, no-nonsense Ford Festiva that I bought brand new for chump change and which got me through some of the worst and tightest years of my life with outstanding fuel economy and rock solid reliability. It never let me down and cost me practically nothing to own. I got close to 190,000 miles out of that car and then sold it to a woman who used it successfully as her "island car" on Martha's Vineyard for many years thereafter.

I'd buy another one today in a heartbeat if they were still available.

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Most useful product ever is an iPhone. Nothing even comes close to the daily uses and versatility.

Being able to monitor and makes stock trades while away from home is like a gift from the Gods. Any of you guys remember having to stop at a payphone to call your broker?

Having a high definition camera in my pocket has allowed me to take so many memorable pics and videos that I would have never had otherwise. I've taken more pics with my iPhone in the last few years than with conventional cameras over the previous 40 years.

To video call with the kids and see my little granddaughter is absolutely priceless. That's worth the price of the phone and service right there.

Various stuff...
Car radio, GPS navigation, e-mail, text, Net, music player, flashlight, clock, timer, notebook, phone book, calendar, level, ballistics calculator, price matching at retailers, on and on and on.... I can even use the iPhone to make phone calls too.

As far as the heart... that's a small pocket knife gift from dad when I was a kid.

[Salty RI]

Originally Posted by Lee Barner

right off I can think of two: my buck 110 and a pair of bushnell 8X30 binoculars that I got 50 years ago for my 16th birthday. they have both been on several continents with me and have served me well. rarely ever get them out of the drawer and use them but I would feel incomplete without them. lee

,
As I started to read this thread, the first thing that came to mind was my Buck 110, I carried that knife for over forty years, I couldn't tell you how many rabbits I cleaned and skinned with that knife, one day I opened it and it wouldn't close I bought a new one but it's not the same.

[Watchdog]

Originally Posted by DWalt

...which of your physical possessions (no guns please) you have ever owned were you completely satisfied with, attached to, and couldn't easily be replaced in your heart?

Easy choice for me. My 1990 Toyota 4Runner that I bought new in April, 1990...this will mark our 26th year together.

Lots of memories associated with this truck...ladies, friends, and dogs...places it's taken me, from the swamps and bogs of Georgia, through the mountains of Tennessee and West Virginia, to the UP in Michigan with its tremendous scenery and snowfalls. It's never let me down. Not once. I've taken good care of it, and it's taken good care of me. I did get stuck in it once...in a snow-covered ditch up around Haslett, Michigan...my fault, not the truck's. A friendly guy on a big John Deere (nothing runs like a Deere) yanked me out. He wouldn't accept any money, but I had some beer in the cooler, so we shared a cold one together, there in the snow and the 5-degree temperature. That was back in '93...where has the time gone?

It still wears its original paint. It has the 3.0 V6 and a 5-speed manual transmission. Other stuff, if anyone's interested, includes a 4-inch Trail Master suspension lift, Rancho heavy duty torsion bars, shocks and steering stabilizer. Heavy duty skid plates from Northwest Off Road Specialties in Bellingham, Washington. We ride on Dick Cepek tires and Mickey Thompson wheels. I put Warn manual hubs on it. It also now has a brand new Kenwood stereo system including a sub with its own separate amp.

It'll be seen to even after I'm gone. It's in my will and it'll go to the young son of a good friend of mine.

It's been a good ol' truck.

[olcop]

A Thermos bottle
i have owned one for over 50 years,---when you put something in it hot---it stays hot,----when you put something in it cold----it stays cold.
And, I have never understood how, without a programable memory chip,
it knows the difference.
olcop

[sheepdawg]

A 1950s Craftsman vise. My dad bought it in 1954, the same year I was born. It now sits in my work shed and still works as good as the day my dad set it up. A nuclear bomb could go off above it and all it would do is clean 61 years of crud off of it.

[Papa32129]

My wife's Diamond ring.
I owned for a few days before our engagement.


Papa

[Watchdog]

Originally Posted by sheepdawg

A 1950s Craftsman vise. My dad bought it in 1954, the same year I was born. It now sits in my work shed and still works as good as the day my dad set it up. A nuclear bomb could go off above it and all it would do is clean 61 years of crud off of it.

That Craftsman stuff was something else. My dad had a 100-foot garden hose by Craftsman. One of those black ones with heavy duty fittings on it. Had the thing for 25-30 years and it finally sprung a leak. He took it back to Sears, and they gave him a brand new one, no questions asked.

[Arik]

My old lawn mower with a Briggs and Stratton engine. I don't remember the make of the lawnmower. My dad bought it in the early 90s and for over 10 years I used it every summer at least once a month to mow our lawn. The property wasn't small, if I did it weekly it would be fast and only take 45 min. Since I was lazy I did it one or two times a month and that took 2+ hours.....at least.....especially if it rained a lot that month. In all that time all I ever did was add fuel. No oil changes, no spark plug changes, no filter changes....nothing but fuel to mane it run. First time of the season starting it took maybe 2 or 3 pulls, after that it started on the first pull. In 06 when I moved I didn't need it anymore so I just put it out by the curb. Someone took it.....I hope it's still working!!!

[Salty RI]

Originally Posted by olcop

A Thermos bottle
i have owned one for over 50 years,---when you put something in it hot---it stays hot,----when you put something in it cold----it stays cold.
And, I have never understood how, without a programable memory chip,
it knows the difference.
olcop

I have an old Stanley ss steel that I had about that long, I used to use it when I went duck hunting, you would pour the hot coffee into that ss cup and warm up your hands.

[Franklin]

A child car restraint seat for my grandkids

[JohnK]

Fujinon 7X50 MTR-SX binoculars.

I bought them, when I got heavily into boating, and a houseboat.

Had them for over forty years, and still use them a lot.

My wife says the they make her feel like superman, in low light. Almost like night vision stuff. Optically perfect.

My great grandkids will use them, assuming no terrible abuse.

[THE PILGRIM]

I still have my Sears (Winchester) 20ga single barrel.
Was about 14 when I bought it. Used a $20 bill That I found.

[DeathGrip]

I bought a ROKU about a year ago and am now saving about a hundred dollars a month without the dish.

[gmiller0737]

Leupold 3x9x40 I mounted it on My Ruger M-77 7mm Rem. Mag in 1980 it's still dead on exactly where it was in 1980 no adjustments ever since it was mounted & it bounced around in a Pickup Truck's Gun Rack for years

[arjay]

Bought a really expensive brand name lawn mower that only lasted about six years.I was a broke young dad at the time so I replaced it with the cheapest lawnmower I could find at a Country General store.It lasted 25 years

[CH4]

A gold St. Michael pendant and chain my wife and mom presented to me as a gift upon completing my doctorate. It's helped to keep me scratch free while working and traveling around the world, including places like Afghanistan and other equally interesting countries.

[Stevens]

A Grundig portable shortwave/AM/FM radio with cassette player. I used to carry with me for years when I was working, traveling many 3rd world countries no decent tv local radio or internet back then. The short wave let me listen in on BBC, Voice of America etc to keep up with the news "outside". Cassette player for good music! Finally the tuning mechanism and other parts just wore out, made me sad to have to chuck it!
Steve

[Gamecock]

My 50" Panasonic plasma TV. Awesome!

[chaparrito]

My 93 Toyota base model 4wd pickup. Indestructible.
My 84 Mercedes Benz diesel 240D. 479K miles on its original, unrebuilt motor. Built to last forever and such elegant, simple engineering it's a marvel even today. The clutch has been replaced once and the rear axles once and the valves adjusted (by me, a non-mechanic) every 15K miles since new. All I've ever done to it other than light bulbs.
My 1968 model VitaMix blender. Still making smoothies every morning, grinding wheat for bread.
My carbon steel kitchen knives.
My grandmother and mother's cast iron cookware
My Redwing, Chippewa and White's boots.
My hand made Navajo saddle blankets
My Pendleton blankets and shirts
My Bridgedale Irish wool winter socks
My American Made Carhartts
My Porter's of Phoenix 1960 roping saddle.
Lots more.

[truckemup97]

Originally Posted by Salty RI

,

As I started to read this thread, the first thing that came to mind was my Buck 110, I carried that knife for over forty years, I couldn't tell you how many rabbits I cleaned and skinned with that knife, one day I opened it and it wouldn't close I bought a new one but it's not the same.

Call Buck. They will fix it, and likely for free. I called about replacing a blade on my Stockman that I repeatedly told the customer service rep I had broken while using it as a pry bar. 100% completely my fault. They replaced it free, sharpened all blades, cleaned and polished the case, and sent it back to me with a coupon for my next Buck purchase. All it cost me was the $4.00 to mail it to them. They now have a customer for life.

Probably the item that has given me the best service, the most bang for the buck, as they say, is my Kenmore dryer. My in-laws bought a washer and dryer when my wife was born in 1969. They gave them to us not long after we got married, probably about 1991. When my wife got pregnant in 1996, she demanded a new washer because the wig-wag needed to be replaced about once a year ($15, 15 minute fix that I could do in my sleep). Can't have a baby and be without a washer for a day, right? So I bought a washer. Just a washer. Dryer worked fine. I replaced that washer a couple of years ago with one of the new high efficiency machines. Dryer worked fine. Dryer still works fine. Every couple of years, I pull it out from the wall, remove the back, and clean all the lint out of it. Next time I do that, I will probably replace the belt, which looks original. I'm guessing my father-in-law paid around $100 for it 47 years ago. I can afford to throw a belt at it.

[dave b]

Still using my Weber grill that I got in 1976

[DWalt]

"Probably the item that has given me the best service, the most bang for the buck, as they say, is my Kenmore dryer. My in-laws bought a washer and dryer when my wife was born in 1969. They gave them to us not long after we got married, probably about 1991. When my wife got pregnant in 1996, she demanded a new washer because the wig-wag needed to be replaced about once a year ($15, 15 minute fix that I could do in my sleep). Can't have a baby and be without a washer for a day, right? So I bought a washer. Just a washer. Dryer worked fine. I replaced that washer a couple of years ago with one of the new high efficiency machines. Dryer worked fine. Dryer still works fine. Every couple of years, I pull it out from the wall, remove the back, and clean all the lint out of it. Next time I do that, I will probably replace the belt, which looks original. I'm guessing my father-in-law paid around $100 for it 47 years ago. I can afford to throw a belt at it."

Astonishing that we have virtually identical stories. We bought a Kenmore electric dryer in 1968 (probably exactly like yours), and it has been with us ever since, and through at least 8 moves. I have managed to keep it running as it is very simple to work on. For the most part, all it has ever needed was a couple of belt replacements, about a 10 minute job, and a door switch replacement. Around 8 years ago I did have to replace the electric motor, which cost me, I think, about $80 for a replacement motor, and was a simple job. I was happy to pay that. About two years ago, the thermostat went out. No big deal, I thought, until I tried to find a replacement, or even a substitute. Nobody had one, not even Sears nor any of the big appliance parts dealers on the internet. As a last resort, I looked on eBay, and there it was. It's still running today, and my wife has frequently said that she has no interest in getting a new dryer until this one just cannot be repaired any longer. It is a part of the family. BTW, we are now on our fourth washing machine since we bought that Kenmore dryer. The last one, also a Kenmore, was 26 years old when it died last year.

[johngalt]

My 1997 Tahoe gets an honorable mention, although repairs have been getting expensive the last couple years.

My Pioneer plasma TV, bought probably in 2004 or so. It still looks as good as the day I bought it. Far better than any LCD TV of the day, I still think it is better than the new ones. The OLED is the only current technology that I think can rival the old plasma TVs.

[Bajadoc]

Cast iron cookware. Some really old (close to 100 years) some relatively new (20 years). Good in the oven, on the stovetop, grill or campfire. There is a bit of a learning curve and some care required. The stuff is indestructible, looks cool and helps make tasty food. We entertain a lot and our friends get a kick out of it when I serve a dish on a piping hot cast iron skillet that belonged to my grandmother. As a bonus, all made in the USA.

[Arik]

If we are going with automobiles then my Toyota Solara. Owned it from 2007 to 2012. Went from 81k miles to 300k miles. Nothing replaced that wasn't regular maintenance like oil and timing belt every 100k miles. 3 timing belts along with 3 water pumps, one radiator and oil

[Gamecock]

I feel joy every time I start up my 2012 Mustang GT. 412hp, smooth shifting tranny, light clutch pedal. As good as $2.5 million hemi Cuda to me.

[wbraswell]

1979 Suzuki GS1000E. I still can't believe any machine could take much abuse and be so reliable. When it was introduced it was the cutting edge of handling and comfort, and for it's day it was fast.

[Big Cholla]

Originally Posted by wbraswell

1979 Suzuki GS1000E. I still can't believe any machine could take much abuse and be so reliable. When it was introduced it was the cutting edge of handling and comfort, and for it's day it was fast.

I bought the Suzuki GS 1100 on my birthday in 1979. I got stupid and sold it ten years later. It still looked great even against the ten year newer bikes, performed right up there with them and never had a major problem in that ten years. I regret selling that bike to this day. I rode that bike all over the Western part of the US. .........

[Big Cholla]

My best performing commercial product outside of some firearms that just keep plugging along is of all things a coffee percolator made in New York City. It is a Farberware Percolator in the 12 cup size. We bought it over 20 yrs ago and it has done its magic most every morning since. It faithfully makes the best perked coffee that I have ever experienced. I replaced one thermostat which was very easy to do with a replacement bought off ebay.

We were so satisfied with it that we bought a smaller size for travel trailer use. It proved to produce coffee with a terrible taste. A little investigation found that the original company had been sold to a Canadian firm that moved the production to China. They changed the type of stainless steel used in the main shell and the internal basked parts. That totally ruined the flavor. We sold that little counterfeit percolator in a garage sale and started watching for used original Farberwears. We have bought two; one 12 cup and one 8 cup. We tried both to check them out and then put them away for future use. They both still sit in storage 5 years later. ...........

[bgrafsr]

Bought a refrigerator from my maternal Grandmother to use as my beer cooler in the basement. It is from the 40's or early 50's. Sears Coldspot. Replaced the electrical cord/plug and installed a new door seal. It has never missed a beat in all that time.

[Geronimo Jim]

My Rolex. A gift in 1990. Worn every day. Zero problems.

[BruceM]

McIntosh audio equipment.

Bruce

[Maccabeus]

Spartan Swiss Army Knife - 30+ years later it's still going strong.

and

Tilley Endurables T3 hat in khaki - Almost 20 years and still wearing well.

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

1. Mini Maglite, AA cell model. Best birthday present I ever got. Wear one daily.
2. Boy Scout knife-wore it daily, usually used to help others.
3. Multitool-I have the Leatherman, SOG and Gerber Wear one daily.

[Inusuit]

Originally Posted by Salty RI

,
As I started to read this thread, the first thing that came to mind was my Buck 110, I carried that knife for over forty years, I couldn't tell you how many rabbits I cleaned and skinned with that knife, one day I opened it and it wouldn't close I bought a new one but it's not the same.

Send that puppy back to Buck and they'll fix it for free.