What House-hold Items Do You Expect To Last A Life-Time?

[Bathsheba]

I really struggle with our consumable, disposable throw-away society and way of life Maybe because I'm a bit older than the average BB member I can remember my Nana's house and it was full of things that she had had most of her life. Most items were bought or given to her in the 1940's when she moved out of home and got married. She had a lovely home and especially in the kitchen you could really tell that back then things were made to last.

Even my parents who got married in the 1960's still have items that have "lasted a life-time". My mum's Sunbeam MixMaster springs to mind. DH's parents also had many items from their marriage in the 1950's that we inherited when it came time to clear out their family home when his mum passed. So between these three households there were items like:

Linen (probably 1000 count cotton) sheets, tea-towels etc still in excellent condition.
Cutlery (silver rubbed off a bit but re-coating is worthwhile).
Crockery (lots of lovely 1950's dinnerware)
Stereo systems (an old His Masters Voice turntable still going strong circa 1960s)
Furniture
Lamps
Clothing (cardigans etc from the 50s/60s)
Books

Is there anything that you own that you have bought recently (say in the past 10 years) that you expect to get a life-times use out of... that you might be passing on to your grandchildren?

I know that some members say they expect a life-times use from their KitchenAid mixer... but I think that items like that are all too rare

[Lulu]

I don't expect anything I have bought in the last 10 years to last a lifetime. Except for really good furniture, 2nd hand stuff I have brought back to life but certainly not any appliances.

Especially after reading members complaints about new fridges and washing machines dying in less than 5 years. I remember muma and dads fridge (rounded style with pull handle) lasting even in the shed (we only upgraded when my aunt died and we got her bigger one) for a beer fridge and then a long long time at my brothers house..

[luna moth]

Everything. I'm so deluded. I look at new things when I buy them (and we do not buy new stuff very often) and I can't possibly imagine how they would ever wear out. Shoes in particular, which is ridiculous, as a car-less person who walks really quite a lot.

This is so silly (of me) but...
Bookshelves. Even dodgy ones. (maybe this is an example of what I said above) How could they ever go downhill? (is this childless naivete showing through?)

[Phteven]

The only appliance I would expect to last is my slow-cooker.
I dream of a good kenwood mix-master like my Mum's that will last me a lifetime but now isn't the time to buy it.
All my saucepans, crockery, cutlery etc I buy with the expectation that they will last a life-time. I tend to pay extra to get quality so that I won't need to replace it.

ETA - I buy handbags to last a lifetime too but it just occurred to me how funny I would look as an old lady toting my paddy down the street. maybe I need to rethink that.

[Bathsheba]

I've just thought of a few items that I have bought in the last decade that I think I'll still have when I'm toward the end of my life (hopefully 30 odd years):

A Laura Ashley dufflecoat. Infact any good coat should last a life time. Op shops are full of them.

My collection of DMC needlework floss and my framed needlework (stretched correctly on acid free card). As long as it's kept correctly and we don't move to the tropics!

My sewing machine. It's a fully metal one (except for the dials etc) ... no reason why it shouldn't last another 30 years (that's how old I estimate it already is).

My vinyl record collection. I don't have as much hope for my CDs.

My hats, especially the good one I wear to the races, that I keep stored in a hatbox.

The Bistro cookware (saucepans etc bought 15 years ago still as good as new).

(I'll add to the list as I think of things... kinda cheering me up).


Things I plan on buying someday that I expect to last 30+ years:

A Maytag washing machine and possibly dryer.
A vintage Rover (car)
A restored house. (will restore in a way that uses good quality, preferably second hand materials that actually improve with age eg marble tiles and second hand floor boards) and brass fittings etc not crappy chrome.
I can dream

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I expect things to last.

Our dining furniture has lasted over 100 years so should outlast me too!

My dinner service and nice cutlery should last. As should my "new" tea-set... which is older than I am! MiL has just gotten rid of it. My display cabinet. My slow cooker. My dressing table. My piano (just a little younger than I am, I think).

We also have an old BBC computer from the early 80s. I no longer expect electricals to last forever, but I've had this washing machine and fridge for 4 years and expect it to go at LEAST another 6. The freezer, vacuum cleaner, TV, video player and digital box are all 5 years old. My little TV is 10 years old. The DVD player is 7 years old. Digital camera is 6 years old. I expect these to not go forever (the stereo is almost gone at 14 years old and the 12-year-old one has had it so we're down to just one stereo) but I do expect them to last a bit. Anything over 10 years is acceptable. I'd prefer 20+.

But not bookshelves. I have these things called BOOKS that I put on them, not pretty light little ornaments. The shelves snap within 5 years, even with turning them upside down to stop sagging.

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i dont think things r made to last these days! but i wouuld say my tupperware.

[helle]

My vinyl record collection. I don't have as much hope for my CDs.

Ok, so DF gives me crap all the time about me being born in the wrong era. If I go to a CD shop and want a CD, and see it in vinyl, I'll buy vinyl. I think it's one of the simplest examples of how "back in the day" things were definately made to last the distance... I can look at a CD and it will get a scratch on it and that's it, it's ruined *grumble* Whereas all my lovely vinyl records are so... I dunno. Obviously you still need to be carefull with them to some extent but they still seem so much stronger and made to quality.

This can even be extended to cars! I have a 1964 holden EH that I drove around for the first 3 years of my driving life and the amount of stuff I hit/reversed into (accidently) was unbelievable, and never any damage.
(oh, unless you count the time I was hit by a bus, but I still stand by my statement, if it wasn't for the fact that that car was 100% steel I'd be dead).
I buy an 02 statesman, reverse into a pole and wham... that's $800 bucks for panel beating thanks *cha-ching*

I would expect things like my couch, dining table, any furniture really to last a life time. I do buy quality though and refuse to get anything that is veneer/chipboard/melamine.

We have some furniture given to us by my parents when we moved in together that they had had for 25+ years (bed head, dining table, couch) that's still going strong, also my great nan's dressing table which is still cranking along.

Is jewellery a house hold item? XD

Pots & Pans, cutlery, yes

Washing machine & Drier, no. Basically because my drier is crap and I'm doing anything I can to kill it and my washing machine has to put up with DF's orange muddy work clothes, I can see it chucking the ****s one day and refusing to do a load out of sheer spite ><;

I also buy things with the intention of never getting rid of them (My name is Teagz, and I'm a Hoard ). Eg, our bubby's cot is solid wood and can convert into a king single bed, his change table can have the top removed and become a chest of draws/dressing table type thing...

But anyway.. that did become quite long winded considering I was only making a comment on records XD

[Bathsheba]

Trill just reminded me that of all the kids' toys I expect the Lego and Duplo to last a lifetime... possibly several. The first set of Duplo we bought for DD 12 years ago is almost perfect other than some minor rub scratches. It's one of the few toys I can buy with total confidence that it will be played with heaps and not be broken.

So pleased to hear you bought a stove top kettle Bron... I wouldn't have anything else. We are still using up our first kettle, a Fissler, it has last 14 years... unfortunately the handle is going to go soon... it's wood. I have a new Esteele fully stainless steele kettle in the back of the pantry ready to go on the day the handle on our current one becomes dangerous... I expect the Esteele one to last longer. HERE is a piccy of them.