Cheap vs Quality Purchases

Commenters debate buying inexpensive short-lived products versus investing in durable high-quality items, weighing total cost, longevity, usage frequency, and trial strategies like starting cheap.

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#5194
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Keywords

SUV US BS youtube.com PC TOO OTOH buy cheap quality product price item going use bought toaster buying

Sample Comments

jrgaston Jan 20, 2019 View on HN

Kind of wasteful, no? I prefer to buy stuff that lasts, even if it costs more.

tuananh Nov 18, 2011 View on HN

It's cheap but I rather splash cash on an item that I actually use and feel pleasant.

praptak Jul 12, 2012 View on HN

As always with the "Do and get " articles, there is an obvious question: why doesn't everybody do that? I cannot speak for other people but here are my reasons for not always going for the quality over price.First, I obviously cannot always afford the high price. When I bought the car I had checked the failure reports and decided it just wasn't worth paying an additional few months salary to get the failure probability down 2-3 percen

jojobas Jan 19, 2026 View on HN

Because people who don't want to buy a shiny gadget every couple of years and would rather pay more upfront and use for longer are a small minority.

smegger001 Jul 23, 2023 View on HN

buy cheap for the first one and if you ever have to replace it you know you will use it enough to pay for a quality replacement. that way you spend money on tools that need it.

Sakos Feb 5, 2023 View on HN

I've had this issue too, actually. I think choosing a cheap version is a perfectly valid solution. Either the cheap item meets your needs or you notice things that bother you and that experience can inform your next purchase.In some cases, I've instead decided that a completely different kind of product can fill the same need in a better way.

Silhouette Oct 2, 2015 View on HN

When I'm shopping for anything, particularly a big-ticket item, I'll gladly trade a few 'cutting-edge' features for solid build & longevity...and pay a lot more for it.I strongly agree. The trend for ever-cheaper, ever-nastier goods is understandable given the recent economic conditions, but very disappointing all the same.Personally, I will gladly pay a premium for things like good build quality and longevity. Sometimes that means I have to save up for somet

jonah Jun 17, 2016 View on HN

I'd be happy with it costing twice as much and lasting twice as long. Your total outlay is the same but you get to use a better device the whole time.

alex_smart May 21, 2025 View on HN

Better than buying a new but crap product for sure?

durkie Oct 4, 2019 View on HN

Can't they just not buy it? Lots of cheaper alternatives out there. Seems no different than a fancy watch or pen.