Buyer beware! A century-old adage that still remains very much true today. In our highly commercialized world, there are so many cheaply produced products wrapped in attractive packaging that likely cause owners nothing but trouble. Whether we’re talking about planned obsolescence, poor-quality manufacturing, companies taking shortcuts while thinking beyond profits, or consumers falling victim to misleading bargains, it’s frustrating to see products break down in mere seconds.
But what if you find such a high-quality product that you never need to buy that item again? Ever? For the rest of your life?! Here’s where the 'Buy It For Life' (BIFL) subreddit comes in. With over 1.3 million members, it's dedicated to "practical, durable and quality made products that are made to last". Think of a toaster from the 1920s. Or a refrigerator that celebrated its 99th birthday this month!
Below, we hand-picked some of the most interesting and surprising photos of things that stood the test of time and continue to serve people for years to come. So continue scrolling through to enjoy this inspiring collection, be sure to upvote your favorite pics, and let us know if you own any long-lasting items you only bought once in the comments below.
Psst! When you’re finished with this list, more of the same goods can be found in Bored Panda’s previous posts on the same feature here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
#1 1949 Caloric Ultra-Matic Gas Range. Got It For $20 And It’s Used Daily. Everything Works!
Image credits: IndustrialDweeb
#2 61 Years Ago My Parents Received This Waffle Maker As A Wedding Present In 1961. Still Makes Great Waffles
Image credits: fredfreddy4444
#3 I Was Told You Guys Would Want To See This! My Mom’s Great Grandma’s Cherry Pitter From 1867. I’ll Be Using This On My Own Cherries Next Season!
Image credits: AmiraJ1
#4 Still Works. Sunday Spins, A Continued Tradition With Our Kids On The Same Stereo I Had Growing Up
Image credits: spiraloutkeepgoing42
#5 A Customer Of Mine Came In For Help With Her Voicemail…
Last year around this time I posted an old Motorola Razr one of my customers was finally upgrading from, purchased November 2006. I was advised that those Razrs weren’t BIFL and in fact broke quite often, and that the only true BIFL phones were the old Nokias. Came across one today and figured I’d share.
Image credits: liveditlovedit
#6 I Inherited This Toaster From The 1920s Around 10 Years Ago And It Has Worked Great Every Single Day
Image credits: BenderSimpsons
#7 Happy Birthday To Our Refrigerator That Turned 99 Years Old This Month! She’s Still Going Strong
Image credits: LuLuWanda
#8 Our Son's Nanny Just Received Her Master's Degree, And We Wanted To Get Her Something Special. My Wife Found This 1980's Coach Briefcase, And I Did A Full Restoration
Image credits: PatPetPitPotPut
#9 Here Are My Orka Silicone Oven Mitts That Have Lasted 15 Years. They Look Like New, And Whenever They Are Dirty I Just Throw Them In The Dishwasher
Image credits: nevermindmylife
#10 108 Years Old And 54 Years Old Boots - Just In Case You Think Boots Can't Last You A Lifetime
Image credits: motorbiker1985
#11 Microsoft USB Intellimouse, Still Working After 22 Years
Image credits: tonypotenza
#12 This Desk Lamp (Emeralite Banker’s Lamp) Is 100+ Years Old, And Is Solid As A Rock. So Cool Looking
Image credits: InsidiousExpert
#13 My Girlfriend’s Grandma Gave Us This Kitchenaid From The Mid 80’s. It’s In Almost Perfect Condition Except For A Few Scuffs That Give It Some Character. It Still Has The Manual, All Original Attachments, And It Works Flawlessly
Image credits: IamMagicarpe
#14 My Journaling Setup Is Complete! The Desk Lamp Was Made In Japan By A Company Named Sinar. My Late Grandfather Used It When He Was Painting. The Writing Bureau Is Walnut Veneer And Is At Least 70 Years Old
Image credits: SimonWolfson
#15 The First Microwave Produced For Home Use. The Amana Radarange
Image credits: w00ly
#16 My 54 Yr Old Stove Made To Look Like An Antique. Still Can Make A Mean Baked Mac N Cheese With Her
Image credits: amartin918
#17 A Snippet Of My Pendleton Collection. Ages Range From 5-30+ Years Old And Years Owned Range From 2 Months To 5 Years. Most Are Made In The USA And Have No Holes Or Rips, Despite Years Of Regular Wear
Image credits: kenophilia
#18 White Mountain Model 692. Been Making Ice Cream For Birthday Parties And July 4th’s For Decades
Image credits: topbunn
#19 My Family Heirloom Restoration Complete
Image credits: WarrenCluck
#20 In Response To The "Vintage" 2009 Bottle Opener, Because I Have Underwear Older Than That, Here's Mine From A Brewery That Closed In 1959
Image credits: BrainFartTheFirst
#21 Another Testament To The Quality Of Herman Miller Chairs. I Got This One At An Office Liquidation, Only To Find Out It Was Manufactured In 1999. Still In Great Shape With No Issues
Image credits: i9-69420XE
#22 My Mom’s Joint Roller From 1969
Image credits: BramStroker47
#23 Henckels Kitchen Knives. I Hone Them Daily And Sharpen Them Once A Year. I Have Cooked Literally Thousands Of Meals With These Since I Got Them In 1999
Image credits: old_skul
#24 The First Tractor My Great Great Grandfather Bought To Replace His Horses. 1927 Mccormick Deering 10-20 Still Running Strong
Image credits: RedBaronYT33
#25 My Dad Has Used This Escort Digital Alarm Clock Since The 1980's. I Needed A New Clock In My Bedroom So He Let Me Have It. I Love How It Looks And It Feels Much Better Quality Than Most Cheap Digital Clocks You Can Get Today
Image credits: Zooang
#26 I Teach 5th And 6th Grade Math. I Inherited My Grandmother's Pencil Sharpener From My Aunt About Five Years Ago And This Beast Has Been Tirelessly Working In My Classroom For Three Years. I Have No Idea How Old It Is, But It's Certainly Older Than All The Students And Some Of The Teachers
Image credits: alja1
#27 The Chandelier At Our Cottage Has This Vintage Light Bulb From The Early 1900s. It Still Works!
Image credits: LuLuWanda
#28 This Wallet My Dad Just Replaced - Which He’s Used Since 1993
Image credits: No_Objective609
#29 My Ti-84 Plus Turns 15 This Month; It's Lasted From 7th Grade Through My Doctorate!
Image credits: Yodude86
#30 122 Year Old Pocket Watch My Grandfather Gifted Me, Still Works Like A Charm With Original Internals
Image credits: Aggrivatedcalmness
#31 My New Visionware - 30 Years Old And The Cheapest Way To Completely Avoid Teflon/Chemicals I Could Find
Image credits: echofreak
#32 1981 Coleman Lol Oscar, Been In The Family Since Brand New
Image credits: xxxxxxxxxxxxxc
#33 My Late Grandfather’s Air Wrench. Still Works After Decades
Image credits: BossHogGA
#34 Jack Donaghy Would Be Proud: Ge Microwave Still Pulling Its Weight. Bought 25 Years Ago And Used Daily Without Issue
Image credits: Stepside79
#35 Mom Said "They Liked The Le Creuset Your Aunt Gave You? Show Your Internet Friends Mine!". Well, Internet Friends, There You Go
Image credits: dxnn1e
#36 1950 Frigidaire (By General Motors)
Image credits: tossaroo
#37 Bought In 1997 For £20, This Has Been Cutting My Hair For 25 Years. Not Even Had To Sharpen It. That's Saved Me Around £3,000 And Over 300 Hours Of Travelling And Waiting For A Barber. There's A Reason Wahl Is So Often Recommended In Here
Image credits: digdilem
#38 Anchor Hocking Fire King Mcdonalds Mug From The 70s
Image credits: dingusamongus123
#39 My Dad Got This Bike For Smoking So Many Cigarettes 25 Years Ago. Hasn’t Smoked In 24 Years. He Was About To Throw It Away Last Weekend. Got A Tune Up, Rides Perfect!
Image credits: Zarski843
#40 My Grandma Has The Same Blender Since The 1970s, Still Works Perfectly. Not Repaired Even Once
Image credits: Lemonix1004
#41 My Dad's 2003 Hewescraft Alaskan Sea Runner. It Has An Aluminum Welded Hull With A Lifetime Warranty
Image credits: pbjames23
#42 Brass Drafting Instruments And Brass Pacific Arc Lead Holder
Image credits: itsScylic
#43 Rescued Oil Can (Before And After) Manufactured Around The 1930's — It Currently Sits On My Work Bench And Is Used Regularly. Should Last Another 90 Years
Image credits: WickedFeleena
#44 Chicco Stroller. This Beast Is Over 10 Years Old And Been Through 4 Kids, Traveled Around The World To 5 Countries, Uncountable Mall And Theme Parks, Tossed In The Back Of Trunks Like A Hostage, And Treated Like A Jungle Gym More Times Than... Well A Jungle Gym
Image credits: patient_zero84
#45 2010 Dickies Work Socks - Still Like New And Worn Every Week!
Image credits: Burneryolo69420
#46 Pretty Sure This Little Igloo Cooler Is Older Than I Am. Picked It Up At A Thrift Shop And Have Used It Almost Every Day For Years. It’s Been Full Of Caught Fish, Drinks, Food, Etc. Holds Up Great And You Can Still Buy Them New - Which If I’m Right Is The Point Of This Sub (Can For Scale/Drinking)
Image credits: Accurate_Leg_2447
#47 I Know Some Might Consider This New When Compared To Other Appliances On This Sub, But I’m Still Proud Of My 1985 Quasar Microwave!
Image credits: PickleGambino
#48 Roper Automatic Dishwasher. Installed 1978. Works Great And Is Quieter Than Most Of The New Dishwashers
Image credits: milkcowcafe
#49 My Coworker Says This Lunchbox Was His Grandpa's From Before He Was Born. So Probably From The 60s Or 70s?
Image credits: xHouse_of_Hornetsx
#50 Though I’d Share This Here. This Dryer Came With My House, And It Still Works Amazing. (See Description)
I’ve never had a problem with it not drying fully on a standard 20 minute cycle, never had a problem with lint clogging (cleaning the filter and ducts as recommended of course), and I love the simplicity. About a year ago, it wasn’t drying and when I opened it, there was a schematic, and on the schematic was a written note that a repair was made in 1980! The issue was a broken belt, which I was able to replace very easily. I would estimate this to be from the 70’s and it still functions as if it was new!
Image credits: vsauce9000
#51 This Is Eternal, Still Working
Image credits: GhostDragonLP
#52 Little Tykes Climber & Slide. My Grandfather Bought This For Me In 1985. It’s Entertained Countless Cousins And Nieces And Nephews. Now My Daughter Plays On It. Poolside Since 1995
Image credits: Ma1
#53 10 Year Old Bonavita Coffee Maker Used Multiple Times A Day. I'd Guess Over 5,000 Uses
Image credits: GameCounter
#54 1970's Montgomery Ward Powr Kraft Drill. Before And After. Still Works Great
Image credits: WickedFeleena
#55 Wade & Butcher Straight Razor Circa 1890
Image credits: theodocles
#56 The Rubbermaid 1-Gallon Pitcher: Holding A Lifetime Of Tang, Lemonade, And Ice Tea
Image credits: surfguitarboy
#57 This Gps Has Been In My Family For 10+ Years. It’s Still Supported By Garmin With Map Updates
Image credits: atthejrr2
#58 I'm Using This Ipod Since 2009
Image credits: chaotic-kotik
#59 Drove 7 Hours Roundtrip For Speed Queen Tr5 And Dc5 Set For $650
Image credits: throwawayuwuxD
#60 Aunt Called To Give Me A "Simple Gift"... I'd Never Guess That Would Be A Le Creuset!
Image credits: dxnn1e
#61 I’ve Had This Amazon Kindle Paperwhite For 10 Years Now – No Issues, Still Supported & Works Well
Image credits: ka11away
#62 Got This Queen Sized Pendleton Blanket For $114 At The Mill In Pendleton, Oregon. It Is A Factory Second. It Brings A Strange Amount Of Joy Despite Just Being A Blanket
Image credits: dMCH1xrADPorzhGA7MH1
#63 Eames Chair. Expensive? F**k Yes. Will It Last A Lifetime? Also Yes
Image credits: abie915
#64 4 Year Update On My Full Grain Briefcase
Image credits: nchiker
#65 Fiskars Scissors: The Pair On The Left Have My Oldest Son's Initials On Them, Because I Bought Them For Kindergarten When He Was 5. He Will Be 40 This Year. The Ones On The Right Were Bought For Crocheting Holiday Gifts In 1990
Image credits: cornylifedetermined
#66 My Wife Purchased These Doc Martens In 1993 And Hadn’t Worn Them In Over 20 Years. I Restore Leather As A Hobby, And It Still Blows Me Away What Quality Leather Can Come Back From
Image credits: PatPetPitPotPut
#67 My Grandfather Got This Knife By His Job, He Gave It To My Father When He Started His First Job. My Father Gave It To Me When I Got My First Job. Sent A Message To The Company Who Made It I Got An Really Interesting Answer Which Made My Day. It's In Use Every Single Day It's From 1960
Image credits: BulldogKongen
#68 Ballarini Carbon Steel Pan, Cooks The Same As It Did 15 Years Ago
Image credits: agtmichaelscorn
#69 My Dad Bought This Razor In 1960. I Shave With It Every Day
Image credits: flippenstance
#70 The Richard Milous Nixon Watergate Commemorative Iced Tea Cooler Made By Gott In 1974. Of Course It's Lasted, It's Space Age Plastic! It's Holding Lipton Iced Tea Now! It Just Doesn't Quit! It'll Probably Give Us All Cancer!
Image credits: otterland
#71 My Grandma's Pepper Grinder. It's 70 Years Old And Works Flawlessly
Image credits: ADONI55
#72 Four Years In, I Think They’ve Actually Gotten Better?
Image credits: Krunkworx
#73 My Mom's 40 Year Old Canvas Shopping Bags. Well Made Canvas Is Practically Indestructible
Image credits: nomecks
#74 My Father's Original Leatherman Pocket Survival Tool I Carry Everyday. Circa 1988(?)
Image credits: meadowalker1281
#75 My Dad Plugged This In Over 50 Years Ago. Still Works
Image credits: Ragnar_The-Red90
#76 The Fritz Hansen 3107 Chair, Mine Are From 1982!
Image credits: miljon3
#77 Pentel Twisterase 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil - Made In Japan. 4+ Years Of Engineering School And Still As Good As The Day I Bought It
Image credits: nstejer
#78 1950s David Bradley Chainsaw. Still Works
Image credits: jimbobjenkins38
#79 I Haven’t Always Owned It But After 30 Years Of Use It’s Still Running Perfectly. My 1991 Ibm Model M
Image credits: Elleven_
#80 I Have Had This Super Thick Leather Nautica Belt For More Than 25 Years. I Have Probably Worn It Around Half Of The Total Days In That Time. It Shows Absolutely No Sign Of Failing
Image credits: somecoolishname
#81 Great Grandpa’s Pencil Sharpener
Image credits: matthewgilbertson1
#82 Sleeping On These Sheets Since The 80s
Image credits: Mightnotapply
#83 The Slow Cooker My Grandpa Used My Entire Life (And Who Knows How Long Before It)
Image credits: whiskeydreamkathleen
#84 Early 1960s Bridgeport Box Terrier Crate Hammer, Originally Used In My Family's Deli, Later My Mom's Favorite Hammer, And Now The Best Heirloom She Left Me
Image credits: HedgemazeExpo
#85 Made And Canned Tomato Sauce Yesterday With My Mother's 50 Year Old Squeezo Strainer
Image credits: soverylucky
#86 Happy 10th Birthday Kobo!
Image credits: sailorsalvador
#87 I Know It’s Not The Same Company Still Making Them At The Level Of Their Former Glory, But It’s Still A Beast Nonetheless
Image credits: DarthRaki1993
#88 18 Years Going Strong And Smooth As Glass
Image credits: billlybufflehead
#89 Here’s My Senator Ink Pen That I’ve Been Using For Close To Ten Years
Image credits: caruthersville
#90 After 29 Years, Roughly 13 Moves (A Number Of Them Cross-Country), A New Plug, Multiple Drops, And A Broken Base, My Dad’s Rowena Iron Ironed Its Last Shirt Today
Image credits: WolfieSpam
#91 I’d Like To Nominate Wigwam Socks As Bifl, I’ve Been Cycling Through Two Pair Over The Past Year And They’ve Out Lived Three Pairs Of Leather Work Shoes With No Signs Of Wear. And I Average Walking 10 Miles A Week At Work
Image credits: AmberRosin
#92 Feetures Running Stocks Used 3x Weekly For 5 Years And Still Going Strong vs. New Pair
Image credits: PoisonPanty
#93 Krups Rotary 500 Food Processor Bought In ~1982, Wedding/New Home Present My Parents Received And Passed On. Still Use It Several Times A Week. It's Older Than I Am
Image credits: InterestedObserver20
#94 Craftsman Tool Chest Inherited From My Dad In 2006. It’s Probably 40-50 Years Old
Image credits: PracticalAndContent
#95 Chrome Industries Barrage - Had It For 8 Years And I Take It Everywhere. I Keep Wanting To Buy A New One But There Is Just No Reason To
Image credits: aTastyJam
#96 My Grandparents Bought This Chrome Beauty 52 Years Ago And Now I Plan On Using It For The Next 52
Image credits: thenewyorkgod
#97 Regal Ware Inc. Cake Pan From The 1930s. My Great Grandmother’s. Still Transfers Cakes Safely And Securely To This Day
Image credits: flyoverstater
#98 9 Year Old Iron Rangers From Redwing
Image credits: _AtreyuB18C1_
#99 1987 Panasonic Quintrix TV - Still Works Perfectly After Almost 35 Years Of Regular Use
Image credits: capt-chris
#100 My Kun Shoulder Rest. Almost 10 Years With This Fella Saving My Neck :)
Image credits: samonellllla
#101 Pulled This Oreck Xl Off The Curb. Replaced Belts And Power Cord, Works Beautifully (2005)
Image credits: 128keaton
#102 Mechanix Mpact Work Gloves. Just Nailed Up My Second Pair In The Garage. I've Lived Here 17 Years
Image credits: ScooterTheBookWorm
#103 Coffee Machine From Wmf, German Build In 1991. My Aunt And Uncle Owed A Restaurant And Hotel And Retired 10y/Ago But This Wall Mounted Baddy Is Still Going Strong
Image credits: PSEmon
#104 Kirby Tradition Cb3 - 1960s?
Image credits: leisy123
#105 This Smoker That My Fil Has Used For Over 60 Years For His Bees
Image credits: AlistairBennet
#106 Crappy Dirt Devil Has Way Over Delivered
Image credits: Dan-z-man
#107 My Lv Wallet From 1987 (Retired It In 2018)
Image credits: LowGradePlayer
#108 Twenty Six Years Old, 326,000 Miles And Still Going Strong. I Love This Thing
Image credits: The_Safe_For_Work
#109 My 53 Year Old Work Truck. The Man I Got It From Bought It Brand New In 1969 And Drove 1 Truck His Entire Career Until He Retired
Image credits: Chace_barber
#110 Picked Up A Maytag Commercial Grade Dryer For $600 At Lowes Open Box With Manufacturer Warranty. Msrp 1200! No WiFi And Annoying Buzzer That Lets You Know When It’s Done Working?? I’ll Take It!
Image credits: hov818
#111 100+ Year Old Hose Nozzle From My Great Great Grandfather. I Change The Gaskets Every 5-10 Years And It Still Works Perfectly
Image credits: Pnobodyknows
#112 In 1967 My Great Uncle Bought A 1965 Snapper 308x, I've Been Mowing My Lawn With It For 12 Years Now
Image credits: curtludwig
#113 This Is A Bit Of A Different Bifl, But Shout-Out To Shun. This Knife Has Seen Probably Close To, Or Over 6000 Hours Of Work And It Still Holds An Edge Like Nothing I've Seen Before. They'll Also Sharpen It For Free Forever As Long As You Pay Shipping
Image credits: kflapp
#114 Fossil Purse Used Daily For ~8 Years
Image credits: soundphile
#115 These Cutco Knives My Parents Bought From My Babysitter 25 Years Ago
Image credits: heady_organic
#116 This Mouse Pad Has Been Around For Almost 30 Years. I Use It Every Day And Is Still Holding Up!
Image credits: xIR0NPULSE
#117 11 Years And Still Going Strong - Logitech Wave K350 Wireless Keyboard
Image credits: rs06rs
#118 A Black & Decker Toaster My Mother Bought Over 34 Years Ago For Her First Apartment. Used Daily And Still Works Like A Charm
Image credits: papapudding
#119 Scored This 2 Year Old Herman Miller Loni Desk Chair For My Wife With Warranty Still Intact
Image credits: HERMANNATOR85
#120 This George Foreman Has Been A Part Of My Family Longer Than I Have
Image credits: Indistinctness
#121 8 Years, 2 Months, 19 Days Later. Thanks Olukai!
Image credits: Derp_Simulator
#122 1990 Jeep Xj, I’ve Had It 20 Years - Careful Maintenance And My Daughter Will Take Over For Her Kids
Image credits: RodCherokee
#123 Wenger Swiss Watch... Cheap Watch, But Leasted Flawless For More Then 25 Years..almost 10 Battery Replacements
Image credits: WayToGo-BH
#124 My North Face Denali Jacket From 2000 Was Built To Last
Image credits: reddit.com
#125 Apt Corporation Holman Preamp + Amplifier 1, Designed In 1978 By Tomlison Holman (Thx Founder And Inventor Of 5.1 Surround). Giving This System A New Lease On Life Is Such A Privilege To Me
Image credits: B_Chev
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