Built To Last: 26 Incredible Products You Only Ever Have To Buy Once

We all want to make smart purchases and keep our belongings around for as long as possible, but nowadays, there’s a lot of pressure from corporations and society to keep up with the latest trends. "If you don’t have the newest phone or the fanciest earbuds, you’re missing out! Technology is advancing incredibly rapidly, so there’s no need to use things until they give up on you. Just purchase something new as soon as you have the chance! Right?" This “newer is better” mindset can be detrimental to our mental health and our wallets, so sometimes, it’s refreshing to have a reminder that taking care of things and making sure they last forever is actually very cool.

That’s where the Buy It For Life subreddit comes in. This group is dedicated to sharing “practical, durable and quality made products that are made to last,” and thankfully, many people have gotten on board with the group’s mission. The community has amassed an impressive 1.5 million members over the past 12 years, and users are incredibly active in sharing the purchases they’re most proud of. Keeping items around for life is economic, sustainable and honestly, pretty impressive, so we’re happy to showcase some of the group’s best finds.

12 years ago, the creator of Buy It For Life shared their mission statement in the subreddit to make it clear what the group’s goals are. They explained that the community was inspired by the subreddit r/ShutUpandTakeMyMoney, which shares great purchases members have found. However, not every item shared in that group will last a lifetime, so BIFL was created “to fill a niche for only high quality and durable products.”

Today, BIFL is a thriving community which shares suggestions for a wide range of products. The group even has a “Request Series” featuring clothing (headwear, gloves, shirts, jackets, belts, underwear, pants, socks and footwear), bags (luggage and backpacks), kitchen appliances, tools (knives and flashlights), beverage containers, music players, items specifically for women, gifts, a wallet compilation and even brands that are not BIFL approved. If you’re looking to make a big purchase, it might be wise to consult this community first!

We’re big fans of the Buy It For Life community here at Bored Panda, so it’s actually not the first time we’ve featured the group. And lucky for us, we were previously able to get in touch with one of the subreddit’s moderators, Robot_ninja_pirate, who shared how keeping the group’s goals a priority becomes tricky with so many members.

“On one hand, we want to promote sustainability and buying higher-quality products, which means buying things less often. But since we have [over a] million subscribers, it means new people are sharing new products every day,” they explained. “There are products that many people never knew existed and might then want to go out and buy. It can almost conflict with the point.”

The moderator noted that their team has to be “quite vigilant to promote grassroots efforts from the real users sharing items with real-world use,” as advertisers often want to take advantage of the community by disguising themselves as real members.

But the group can be incredibly useful for those of us who have been impacted by inflation. “[The rise of living costs] has certainly made people become aware of their purchasing habits and what is and isn't frivolous spending as budgets get tighter,” Robot_ninja_pirate told Bored Panda.

“However, [increased living costs] might also cause people to have to skimp on things and really evaluate what truly is BIFL and what they are just overspending on,” the moderator continued. “Channels like Project Farm, for example, do an excellent job showing where spending more money does not always mean a better product.”

Project Farm is a channel where “all sorts of things” are tested “to help viewers make informed purchasing decisions and avoid getting ripped off.”

While BIFL is incredibly popular at the moment, Robot_ninja_pirate did admit to Bored Panda that he worries it might not last forever. He fears it might simply “[become] trendy and that people will hop on the bandwagon and then jump off when it's not as current anymore, rather than committing to the ideology. (An extreme example, but think like the miniature pig trend for a few years).”

Apparently, the group had a huge influx of new members during the beginning of 2023, but it has started to slow down to its usual numbers in recent months. “We let our community sort of dictate the flow of the subreddit rather than us,” the moderator explained. “However, we are always looking for feedback and how we can improve the subreddit.” So if you all have any suggestions, pandas, the moderators are happy to hear them!

In today’s world of planned obsolescence and fast fashion, it may not be trendy to hold onto your possessions forever, but it certainly is wise. Your wallet and the planet will thank you, plus vintage furniture and clothing is totally in. So if you’ve been thinking about replacing that 30-year-old dresser or you have your eye on a new car, despite the fact that yours is working just fine, you might want to reconsider. And the BIFL community will certainly welcome you with open arms!

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