BIFL: Buy it for Life (the Good Stuff General) - or, Anti-Consumerist Consumerism

[Kataskopos]

You should drop several hundred bucks on a good office chair

There are a couple brands out there that are often cited for high quality (i.e. Steelcase), but I can speak to the comfort of a used Hermann Miller Aeron chair. I can sit down for extended periods of time with no discomfort afterwards, and there are plenty of avenues to find some (office closure sales, consignment shops, facebook marketplace, etc).

Those looking to move to a more humid climate or are currently struggling with one may want to consider:

• Dehumidifier: I've been using a old BHDP-501-H unit for several years w/o failure. Maintaining a relative humidity below 60% will inhibit mold growth, though it will raise your room temperature/energy bill + noisy if you do use one. A unit w/ a pump will allow it to continually run, otherwise expect a 50 pint capacity to be reached in ~8 hours before requiring you to physically empty it. Give the filter and the unit itself a good clean once in a while w/ bleach, as mold can and will grow within the basin.
• Air Purifier: Shop around, but generally anything that employs a HEPA cartridge will do the trick, though you will have to replace the filter on a regular interval. The other type I can only really speak of is CIMRTech, but that comes from testimonials of other people I've met. The science behind it smells like bullshit to me and I can't find too much on it, but supposedly it does stop issues like mold spores proliferating.
• Permethrin/Picardin: The former is an insecticide that can be used to treat clothing/gear, while the latter is typically a topical repellent. Keep in mind these are technically toxins and potential carcinogens, though they seem substantially safer than DEET at least from the papers I've read on them. Your kidneys might be able to filter these out w/ no issue, but keep away from pets and young children. Sawyer's fine, though there might be better manufacturers out there.

I consider these to be nigh essential if you want to avoid the accursed swamp ass syndrome while shitposting in your skivvies, though I am looking for any thoughts on any durable water filration systems as well. I know GE has products like a whole house filter which is much more heavy duty and able to filter heavy metals like lead, but I am looking for decent alternatives that don't have a history of using IoT to lock out 3rd party filters.

 

[AnOminous]

Where are you getting linen bed sheets? The places I was looking at were asking upwards of $500 for a set

That's sort of the point of buy it for life stuff. You do pay more up front, but you never have to pay it again. The shit doesn't get threadbare after a couple of years, so you aren't buying it over and over again forever, the model of chink garbage we're mostly consooming now.

 

[The I Scream Man]

No, I will not drive a 2011 Toyota Matrix, my time is valuable enough that I would not ever want to spend it in one of those.

YOU TAKE IT BACK

 

[PotatoSalad4711]

Every car I've heard recommended for reliability or repairability is the most miserable piece of shit imaginable.

Hey, you do what you want, sir. Personally when the shit hits the fan (i.e. a hurricane is coming and I have to evacuate 300 miles), I don’t want to be stuck with the pretty sports car that has the engine light on for no apparent reason.

Also, I’m talking about day-to-day vehicles. If you want a second car that’s goes “vroom vroom” to impress the townsfolk, that’s fine too.

 

[Myrtle the Turtle]

The stick vacs are OK - they are nearly worth the upcharge if you can get them sale/overstock.
But yeah the floor vacs are overpriced and look like something a Saturday Morning Cartoon Villain would use.

I will admit I have not found a good alternative for their stick-vacs. The long brush extension head with a green laser that you can use to find missed spots is pretty useful but the machines have an LED screen and the technology of an iPad inside of them. I hate the company but they win in the stick vac and hair dryer category. Ive heard good things about their air wrap too for women. They are just.. fickle products.

Air Purifier

I have an AirIQ machine. Swiss made and very effective but expensive. Yes you will need to constantly buy filters but a good air filter does improve quality of life. Ikea ironically makes a good air purifier machine, just make sure the filters you are buying are HEPA. HEPA filters can also be installed in your homes air duct return system. You can snag them from Amazon or HomeDepot/Lowes.

Permethrin/Picardin insecticides

CimeXa Insecticide Dust is what exterminators will use for bedbugs, mites and most crawling pests. Theres a whole market place dedicated to DIY pest control if you're up for it: https://diypestcontrol.com/

 

[Q !!Hs1Jq13jV6]

Club 3D for computer peripheral related cables and adapters (USB, any video output)
They cost the same as a cable you would find in a physical store, but you won't run into any cable quality tech issues like fast charging not working/display refresh rate not supported/display snow/usb speed downgrades
and the cables themselves won't break unless you hit the connector with a hammer while it's plugged in

 

[Ghostse]

Permethrin/Picardin: The former is an insecticide that can be used to treat clothing/gear, while the latter is typically a topical repellent. Keep in mind these are technically toxins and potential carcinogens, though they seem substantially safer than DEET at least from the papers I've read on them. Your kidneys might be able to filter these out w/ no issue, but keep away from pets and young children. Sawyer's fine, though there might be better manufacturers out there.

Permethrin is fine for humans & (most) pets. The oils on your skin break it down, which is why you have to keep re-treating your clothing, and it eventually loses potency. You have to chug it straight from the bottle to have any effects. You need to be somewhat careful around infants but any human older than a toddler will have sufficient body mass to offset any ill-effects from exposure to treated areas.
The pet warnings are because if you have a dog you can just literally pour it over your dog for long-lasting wide-spectrum insect protection, but if you have a CAT that will clean itself by licking its fur, the cat - due to lower body mass and direct ingestion may get sick.
Obviously you don't want to huff the shit right from the spray bottle but the only downside is the hassle of treating your clothing.
The other upside is that unlike DEET which only interferes with biting insects target detection mechanisms, Permethrin will actually kill insects (and ticks) that have more then brief contact with treated surfaces.
I have seen mosquitos land on my shirt and then decide "Nope fuck this" after a quarter second.


Picardin is a slightly sticker wicket. Picardin is a lotion you use on your skin, and unlike DEET that stops biting insects from trying to find you, Picardin interferes with biting insects' feeding - the sensors that let them know they have landed on something with blood and they have found a good vein. So mosquitos will land, ticks will crawl, but they won't bite because you are clocking in as a leaf. Insects/ticks don't like how their senses are being jammed and will usually not hang around. Human bodies also metabolize Picardin but it is used in greater potency than Premethrin, so while its safe for topical use with no ill-effects if you slurp down a bottle of lotion you might actually need to go to the hospital.

I am mosquito bait and when I go out to trips to mosquito country, my regimen is treat all clothing with Permethrin before the trip, picardin on face, hands/arms/legs when its likely there will be mosquitos, and then a tap of DEET when it starts to get dark.


If its just mosquitos you're concerned about, there's an easier solution if you're at home though:
A fan.
Mosquitos are shit fliers, and a breeze of even a couple miles an hour renders them unable to fly. The fan also distributes scents making it harder for mosquitos to lock-on to the source. Most people have their AC set for like 52 so don't run fans because it'd be too cold (and also helps mosquitos locate you via body heat) - so turn your thermostat up a few degrees and just put some decent RPM fans out. Which I guess is another recommend

Lasko Fans.
I have never known anyone who'd gotten a bum Lasko fan or when dead before reaching double-digit age wasn't either a goodwill find or something they inherited. I had one in college I'm a little sad I gave to good will what was about 15 bucks and put out so much wind it kept itself upright when put on a too-small window sill; turn that thing off and it would fall to the floor.

 

[AnOminous]

Boots.

Specifically, if you can get a VINTAGE pair of Herman Survivors in good shape, they'll last forever. And by vintage, I mean pre-2000.

Like a lot of previously trusted names that got bought out by chinks who turned their products into an absolute mockery of what made the name trusted, Wal-Mart bought this company out and almost instantly turned the boots into the same fall-apart-in-a-couple-years trash as most other shoes are these days.

 

[Sonic]

Is there anyone that makes good shoes now?

I've had my Doctor Martin boots and my Timberlands workbooks for about a decade now. I definitely recommend both.

 

[Major]

All I want is for shoes that don't have inside heels that wear away and sandpaper my heel down to the bone.

 

[eatler]

Flea markets and antique stores can also be good, albeit less reliably.

I just got done reading through some of the OP and I wanted to say this, another store that’s second hand that’s also good to look out for are called consignment stores. So what makes them different from antique stores is antique stores will hold onto an item till the end of time. Where as a consignment store is well consignment, they get the items In from a person, they sign a contract of holding onto the furniture for a set amount of time let’s say 9 months and if it’s not bought by then the furniture is returned to the costumer. Usually that’s a rarety to return furniture most people end up leaving it for the store. But the key is the short time frame to sell the goods, if it’s priced well it’s usually in great condition or if it’s a lot more trashier it gets sold for cheaper. Each month too also makes the price go down a little bit in hopes of selling it.

How to trust I know this info, we’ll just trust that I know it well

 

[PunkinMan]

I havent read this thread much but I cannot reccomend enough for makita powertools, extremely reliable tools along with being japanese made so you know they have a lot of time and care put into them, yes they are expensive but its worth the time saving up to buy such amazing tools, my personal favourite being this speaker runs for a really long time and uses drill batterys to power it, not only does it have radio but also audio input as well, it also works great as a clock as when its turned off the clock can stay on if you leave a battery in it and it doesnt use much power. Batteries that are sold for their tools also last really long in general, my dad has personally owned strictly makita tools for over 5 years and I have never heard him complain.

 

[SHIGGSHOGG]

I havent read this thread much but I cannot reccomend enough for makita powertools, extremely reliable tools along with being japanese made so you know they have a lot of time and care put into them, yes they are expensive but its worth the time saving up to buy such amazing tools, my personal favourite being this speaker runs for a really long time and uses drill batterys to power it, not only does it have radio but also audio input as well, it also works great as a clock as when its turned off the clock can stay on if you leave a battery in it and it doesnt use much power. Batteries that are sold for their tools also last really long in general, my dad has personally owned strictly makita tools for over 5 years and I have never heard him complain.

Although they may not have the highest performance, they generally are very light, rugged, quiet, and have little vibration, allowing them to be used for long amounts of time quite comfortably. Milwaukee may read better on paper, but recently when comparing jigsaws, a Milwaukee couldn't cut square or straight, whereas a Makita was able to do very well for a jigsaw and didn't rattle around nearly as much.

 

[Flatline]

I’d caution away from buying new, as quality has dipped while prices have stayed the same or increased, due to the brand becoming a hipster status symbol.

What's the alternative?

 

[AnOminous]

I've had my Doctor Martin boots and my Timberlands workbooks for about a decade now. I definitely recommend both.

Always look up brands to make sure someone didn't buy them out for their names and then just start shitting out disposable chink garbage under that trusted name.

 

[Ghostse]

Other tool recommends:
If you have the scratch, Snap-on and Tekton are still making quality. Snap-On's quality in some of the more involved tools has slipped, but if you are living near civilization you can take your busted ass snap-on to any snap-on truck and get a replacement.
Tekton costs an arm and three legs, but is still actual quality. If you can't find what you want 2nd hand and you have the scratch, Tekton.

If you are ordering a significant amount of either or both, life hack is to go find a community college student who will let you use their .edu email for a case of Natty Yeungling light.

Costco’s clothes, socks, and underwear are all excellent, and have the best return policy in the world if you end up not liking them.

I will second Costco clothing being very good quality, especially for the price.
The only thing negative I have to say is that the templates they use for them are sometimes odd. If you are Big/Tall, you will have some difficulty finding good fit.

 

[Susanna]

Suzuki is a misery brand.

Every car I've heard recommended for reliability or repairability is the most miserable piece of shit imaginable. No, I will not drive a 2011 Toyota Matrix, my time is valuable enough that I would not ever want to spend it in one of those.

You aren't ever buying a car for life.

Beyond that any car made in the past 5 years is designed in such a way that any repair is a big cost, even for stupid shit like a headlight.

Might as well treat it as something that will last a decade if you're lucky and get something you find fun that has a nice interior.

It's why I always go for midrange German cars. My diesel C-class coupe doesn't have any sports car tax, it's well-made and not going to break down for nothing, comfy interior, attractive exterior, and plenty fast when it needs to be.
People can enthuse about their Toyotas or whatever all they like, but I've never had a pleasant ride in one. They're just never more than tolerable. Chances are you'll spend an hour each day in the car, so to me it makes sense to buy one you actually like, even if it's a bit more expensive than the bare minimum. I don't mind getting stuck in traffic, because I'm in a very comfortable chair with a great stereo for music or audiobooks and a thermos of great coffee. I like the Mercedes so much I actually bought a branded thermos to match the car. I've had Kias and VWs and such as loan cars and they make driving a chore, when it should be fun and/or relaxing.

 

[A Sentient Cloud]

What's the alternative?

Filson and Patagonia’s workwear line (I believe it’s called Iron Forge) are both good if you have the money, which if you’re looking to buy Carhartt, you probably do. They’re also much nicer looking IMO.

Carhartt has been coasting on reputation for a long time.

 

[McMitch]

It's why I always go for midrange German cars. My diesel C-class coupe doesn't have any sports car tax, it's well-made and not going to break down for nothing, comfy interior, attractive exterior, and plenty fast when it needs to be.
People can enthuse about their Toyotas or whatever all they like, but I've never had a pleasant ride in one. They're just never more than tolerable. Chances are you'll spend an hour each day in the car, so to me it makes sense to buy one you actually like, even if it's a bit more expensive than the bare minimum. I don't mind getting stuck in traffic, because I'm in a very comfortable chair with a great stereo for music or audiobooks and a thermos of great coffee. I like the Mercedes so much I actually bought a branded thermos to match the car. I've had Kias and VWs and such as loan cars and they make driving a chore, when it should be fun and/or relaxing.

It’s nice up until you have to make a repair, then you’re sticking paying four times the price at a mechanic for parts that take forever to source. Driving should be a chore because traffic makes it such; but if you’re buying German cars you most likely drive like a German car owner (i.e. an asshole).

For a BiFL car, Honda or Hyundai are easy to work on and reliable. Toyotas are indestructible. Any other vehicles won’t last you 300,000 miles.

 

[A Sentient Cloud]

It’s nice up until you have to make a repair, then you’re sticking paying four times the price at a mechanic for parts that take forever to source. Driving should be a chore because traffic makes it such; but if you’re buying German cars you most likely drive like a German car owner (i.e. an asshole).

For a BiFL car, Honda or Hyundai are easy to work on and reliable. Toyotas are indestructible. Any other vehicles won’t last you 300,000 miles.

You’re not wrong exactly here but you really never know with sourcing times these days. It took two months to get the parts for my Civic last year after some teenage dumbass ran a stop sign and smashed off my front bumper.