What items do you need to be quality & you'll pay more for

[Off-Grid Lover]

Some items, you just have to pay pretty close to the full price for. What would yours be?

1. Organic Vegetables. I stopped cauliflower as they are about 30% smaller right now and the price of Broccoli Sprouts is insane so. I grow my own
2. Mattresses for the bed
3. Cookware
4. Juicer (use it every day)
5. Drinking Glasses. I want the same kind- McDonalds Disney 100th Anniversary Cups since they hardly ever break and are the perfect size
6. Couch

[kork13]

I basically want the things that I use frequently or rely upon to be of good quality -- it should perform its function well, last for many years, and make my life easier/more enjoyable. So that drives me to many similar items that you highlight -- cookware, mattress, furniture, food, ... as well as knives, shoes/clothes, cars, electronics, among other items.

Keep in mind, however, that quality doesn't necessarily equate to more expensive. Quite often, an item of high quality may be had at a moderate price. Certainly you could pay double (or triple, or more) for a slightly higher quality product, but I've generally found that there's a point of diminishing returns where exponentially higher prices only offer minimal incremental improvements in quality (or often, like with clothes, they actually become more flimsy, less reliable, and short-lived by using "luxury" materials that don't hold up over time). Finding something just before that line is generally my goal -- getting the best practical quality at a reasonable price. For example, while a $2000 mattress (I love my Purple mattress) is certainly a great deal better quality than a $200 generic spring mattress, I strongly doubt that my sleep would be dramatically improved by a $10k+ mattress. The same goes for cars, furniture, cookware, and many other items.

[rennigade]

Almost everything except one off tools that I'll use one time for some random job I'm doing.

Buy once, cry once.

[Off-Grid Lover]

I basically want the things that I use frequently or rely upon to be of good quality -- it should perform its function well, last for many years, and make my life easier/more enjoyable. So that drives me to many similar items that you highlight -- cookware, mattress, furniture, food, ... as well as knives, shoes/clothes, cars, electronics, among other items.

Keep in mind, however, that quality doesn't necessarily equate to more expensive. Quite often, an item of high quality may be had at a moderate price. Certainly you could pay double (or triple, or more) for a slightly higher quality product, but I've generally found that there's a point of diminishing returns where exponentially higher prices only offer minimal incremental improvements in quality (or often, like with clothes, they actually become more flimsy, less reliable, and short-lived by using "luxury" materials that don't hold up over time). Finding something just before that line is generally my goal -- getting the best practical quality at a reasonable price. For example, while a $2000 mattress (I love my Purple mattress) is certainly a great deal better quality than a $200 generic spring mattress, I strongly doubt that my sleep would be dramatically improved by a $10k+ mattress. The same goes for cars, furniture, cookware, and many other items.

Good points, thanks. I am probably too quick to pay full price for things I really want.
When our mattress starts fading, we may try one of those high quality Memory Foam pads to go over the top. We'll see when the time comes.

[Off-Grid Lover]

Almost everything except one off tools that I'll use one time for some random job I'm doing.

Buy once, cry once.

My husband buys tools but I don't know much about the quality of them.

[ua_guy]

Throw-away culture gives me a knot in my stomach. Whatever it is, we try to buy and consume less of it. For the things we buy, we want to keep those things around, and only buy once. Like Kork said, fit for purpose. Doesn't need to be the nicest or most expensive, but it should go the distance.

Back in 2006 we bought a Weber Genesis grill. We still use it today. It's good, but not amazing, quality. The difference is Weber sells individual repair parts. We've been able to keep it "alive" for 17 years. That's the hopeful intersection of quality/value I'm looking for in most things.

I buy good coffee. When I brew at home, which I do a lot of, I want a certain flavor profile. I'm not a snob....gas station coffee, office coffee, Yuban from the can is all just fine in a pinch. That's one area where I'm willing to pay more for something as a treat, because I truly enjoy it.

[riverwed070707]

1) Toilet paper (I look for sales but I'm well past the days of buying the cheapest option)
2) Coffee (brew at home, still cheaper than buying Starbucks!)

... honestly I can't think of anything else that I must have high quality of. I agree with UA guy on throwaway culture, but for me that means buying used vs new rather than splurging on higher quality items. I don't think there is a single piece of furniture in our house that wasn't purchased second hand except our mattresses. Do we go through them quickly? Sure but we have kids and pets and this way I'm not upset if they end up damaged or have a short lifespan in our home. Our last couch was free from the neighbors curb. I don't even remember the last time I bought a pair of shoes that wasn't from a thrift store.

Cars? I'm quite content to replace a 15 year old car with a 10 year old car every 5-6 years. Still cheaper than buying new when you factor in insurance and registration fees and I've rarely had a problem with excessive maintenance costs.

Kitchen necessities? I cook often - almost every day - but the reality is that DH and DD will damage whatever I buy so we have a few good cast iron pans and a seemingly indestructible stainless steel pot set, both bought used. Silverware? Mismatched and second hand. Cups and mugs? All mismatched, never a big deal when one breaks. Groceries? I primarily shop at Aldi and buy meat on sale at our local grocery chain. I have no problem buying store or discount brands.

Travel... we do it often but I'm a budget traveler and seek local experiences over luxury items + I have a lot of rewards points to burn since I travel frequently for work.

[bjl584]

Most tools I own are name brand.
I also buy OEM auto parts and run premium synthetic oil in my truck

[LivingAlmostLarge]

mostly same as kork. I will also spend money on shoes. I buy the exact same size and pair for years. Brooks adrenalines. And inserts that are $50 a pop every year multiple for rainboots, sneakers. I could try cheaper shoes but they seem to work. Same with clothes.