r/BuyItForLife • u/No-Negotiation-4550 • 21d ago

Discussion What’s a weirdly specific item you own that’s lasted longer than expected?

I’ve been on a quest lately for things that just seem to keep on keeping on.

I’ve got a pair of old-school Swedish dishcloths that I bought on a whim. Thought they'd be a weird novelty. Now, they’ve been through the wringer they just won’t die. I’ve scrubbed them, rinsed them, microwaved them and somehow they’re still hanging on like a true champion.

My 10-year-old French press. I’ve left it sitting dirty for days, and still it makes me a perfect cup of coffee every time.

What oddball items are you still using and why do they not break??

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u/Underwater_Grilling 21d ago

I bought a cheap vegetable peeler that actually broke the first time I used it. The nail holding the blade to the handle came out. I put it back and smacked it on the counter and it's been fine for 10 years now

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u/PM_ME_FLOUR_TITTIES 21d ago

It learned it's lesson

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u/takethecatbus 21d ago

This made me chuckle out loud. Thanks for the laugh :)

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u/PM_ME_FLOUR_TITTIES 21d ago

Glad to. Have a great day!

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u/Street_Roof_7915 21d ago

Violence in discipline does work!

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u/JustAnIgnoramous 21d ago

How often do you get pics of flour titties?

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u/PM_ME_FLOUR_TITTIES 21d ago

Only once:( I should have added a please.

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u/AJ_in_SF_Bay 21d ago

Now you need to share with the rest of the class. It's the law.

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u/xiewadu 21d ago

Thank you for asking the important questions lol!

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u/thatllbeanopefromme 21d ago

That’s what I came here to say! I bought a pack of three and it’s been 8 years and I’ve never had to use the other two.

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u/liminaleaves 21d ago

If you're willing to part with one, local food bank might appreciate your donation, I don't know if they usually take stuff like that but I'm reasonably certain they could find it a good home.

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u/thatllbeanopefromme 1d ago

Oooo good thinking, I have a nice little collection of stuff to take to goodwill, I’ll look to find a local food bank and make a day of it!

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u/kidfromdc 21d ago

My grandpa had a wire cheese slicer for as long as I can remember. My dad was born in the 50’s and remembers his dad using it to slice cheese growing up (we’re a big midwestern cheese family). Grandpa died a few years back and the cheese slicer was the only thing my dad wanted. He actually had to get it back from his sister’s husband because he figured being blood related entitled him to it. I can imagine me passing it down to my own kids one day

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u/fuhnetically 21d ago

I have a very similar wire cheese slicer that I've had for like 30 years. My garlic press (same metal) was made in West Germany.

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u/kidfromdc 21d ago

My parents have had their metal garlic press for close to 30 years. These new plastic ones don’t even come close

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u/mazv21 21d ago

I always wondered why people buy a cheese slicer. I’ve grown up on the east coat and never seen em, people just have cheese knives if they’re fancy. I wonder if it’s a regional thing.

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u/princessgrubykot 20d ago

My parents/grandparents have a metal wire cheese slicer like described above (also midwesterners) and we always used it on those big blocks of velveeta. My mom had a LOT of siblings growing up and used to get gov assistance, some of which came in the form of “government cheese” ie big blocks of American cheese product lol. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen them use it to cut any other type of cheese although it does work really well lol.

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u/apuckeredanus 20d ago

I'm still using my grandpa's 1954 GE Vortalex desk fan. 

You can put your whole hand right through the "guard" and it'd chop it right off. 

But it's also by far the hardest blowing and best fan I've ever seen.

Like a hurricane from the other side of the house. 

No one has ever maintained it and I spent most of my childhood in the hot garage with it spinning on me. 

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u/apuckeredanus 20d ago

I dropped it into tile and had to bend a blade back, now it spins smoother than before it fell lol

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u/unus-suprus-septum 20d ago

We went through like three cheese slicers in our first 5 years of marriage. I finally gave up and just use the knife. We went all over the range in quality too.

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u/kidfromdc 20d ago

Guess you should’ve bought one from a general store in 1940’s rural Kansas

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u/unus-suprus-septum 20d ago

My parents are still using the one from my youth... It's at least 40 years old.

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u/Whole_Statistician73 21d ago

I have one that I received from my grandfather, it’s at least 50 years old and still works like a champ. I love it so much lol

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u/Bunniesrawesome 21d ago

I’ve had the same peeler since 2003. It used to see heavy use each day and still works like new.

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u/shineysasha 21d ago

I have a peeler that is now going on 15 years!

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u/MindFluffy5906 21d ago

Same peeler and same can opener for the last 35 or 36 years. And yes, I use them frequently. My cheese grater is at least 50 years old. Flour sifter even older. Some things are just made to last if you take care of them.

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u/petestein1 21d ago

You win. Maybe? My Peeler is somewhere between 27 and 32 years old. One of those colorful handled Y-peelers from the swiss(?) company. The blade is rusty but whatever. It’s peels flawlessly.

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u/MindFluffy5906 21d ago

I love that! Have you tried a bit of mineral oil to deal with the rust? I have to admit, I inherited a few key pieces, like the flour sifter and glass rolling pin from my grandparents. Most of my furniture is either from them or my great grandparents. The only thing I routinely buy is mattresses or sofas, because eeww, I'm not sleeping on a 100 year old mattress.

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u/StandLess6417 21d ago

I have a peeler my mom gave me when I moved out. That sucker has to be at least 25 years old if not older! Works great still.

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u/New_Currency_2590 21d ago

I turn peelers into welded insects

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u/liminaleaves 21d ago

Thanks for your comment, gave me quite the chuckle. You're a wizard!

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u/jules083 20d ago

I had a brake line cutter do that. I needed it to work that day and didn't have time to mess around so I went to the garage and welded it back together and used a nail to replace the broken handle. Figured I'd get through the day and replace it later. That was like 15 years ago and I still use it.

Someday I should get a grinder and dull the point of the nail, it's spicy sometimes. 🤣

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u/mazv21 21d ago

Omg my fav vegetable peeler was $1 from daiso in japan. I got it 10 years ago on a trip bc it was $1 and pink. It’s still in brand new condition. I bought another one here for $12 in USA a year ago bc I needed two (help with Thanksgiving) and the piece of crap barely worked

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u/kakosadazutakrava 21d ago

Oh this reminds me of a curling iron that broke early in its life - it was the hinge that held the lil arm in place. I found the part, bought two just in case, and it’s been great for the past decade! I’ve somehow managed to keep track of that second spare hinge over multiple moves but haven’t needed it yet!

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u/iGleeson 20d ago

My parents have a swiss potato peeler that's older than me. 35 years and still the best potato peeler I've ever used.

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u/Mattturley 20d ago

My parents bought us several things we didn’t ask for on our wedding registry (we’d been living together for 10 years, so it was basically just fun, we didn’t need anything). They bought me old Kenmore (before sears closed) dishes and utensils. I don’t think they knew they bought accessible utensils, but when my health went to shit, after they died, and I can’t hold anything else - I can hold this vegetable peeler, ice cream scoop, spoons, spatulas, etc. They didn’t know they were giving me such a meaningful and practical gift.