What brand are you loyal to and why?
I donate to this charity too every single time I get chance.
I was very sick as a child and the children's hospital saved my life and the charity accommodated my family and gave them a place to stay for a whole MONTH while I was recieving treatment. I will forever be grateful.
Kubota because they took “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” waaayyyyyy too far to the point where you can keep a 40 year old piece of equipment running just fine because pretty much all the parts are still available because half of them are still being used on their modern equipment. I have a really old B series tractor and if you look at it next to a brand new one they’re basically the same just with a different hood and a better loader. They do not mess around with things if they don’t have to so their stuff just lasts forever.
Underrated comment. My old Kubota is indestructible
A lot of Japanese brands are what American brands used to be like before they exported all their manufacturing to China.
Ironically, Japanese also export some manufacturing to China (for certain kinds of parts with lower failure rates or really cheap parts), but they are MUCH more careful about who gets the contracts, and it's easier for them to inspect factories.
And now a decent bit of Kubota manufacturing is done here in America lol
Lea and Perrins. Because all other Worcester sauce is inferior
Confirmed. No other Woshashishta sauce compares. Time for some cheese on toast 😋
I used to work as a Chef for a PreSchool and I add Worcestershire Sauce to my Mac & Cheese, which the kids LOVED! Always used Lea & Perrins (which I also use at home). School Director decided it was too expensive and bought the crappy store brand. Kids refused to eat the Mac & Cheese because "it tasted funny". They have better palates than adults give them credit for. Needless to say, I got my L&P back.
Just want to say thank you for your beneficial contributions to the youth. Even small things like introducing/enhancing the flavors of basic dishes during lunchtime can do so much for them, and perhaps they can take that taste knowledge home with them and learn how to improve upon their own household's home cooking as they grow up.
Small things can have a lasting impact on the young.
If you like Dawn, have you tried Dawn Powerwash?
Add it to white vinegar to also make a great weed killer that’s safe to have around kids and pets.
Add it to balsamic vinegar to also make a pretty terrible salad dressing.
In the same vein, darn toughs. I’ve put hundreds of hard miles on my darn toughs and they are the best purchase I’ve ever made.
I’ve been using Darn Toughs for my hikes for years and just recently thought to myself it’s stupid I’m not wearing their crews for everyday use and their light weight no shows for running and gym work. So I spent $200 on a bunch of crews and no shows and I can safely say it’s the best purchase I’ve made in years.
LL Bean used to be like that. They replaced the cuffs on my leather bomber jacket that had a real fur collar and shearling lining. By the time those wore out, they no longer offered that jacket but they called back and said they could have one made. I was stunned, but they did it. While there were a few details different, they basically delivered. This was in the ‘80s or early ‘90s.
Taking away that lifetime guarantee rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. I also understand people who never purchased LL Bean products were abusing it.
I like their sweatshirts but not crazy about their more basic shirt quality. I do own a pair of Bean Boots for this New England snow, they don’t disappoint.
Really? I have a fleece with a torn pocket. It’s like 10 years old. Think they’d take care of it?
Q-Tips were originally called Baby-gays
Found out how I'm going to awkwardly derail my next conversation
Janome because their sewing machines are among the last three brands that still use metal where it counts, in their machines. Also Toyota for cars and fun fact if your dealer is trying to rip you off or uncooperative in helping you fix a problem, if you contact their main office in Japan, they will not only resolve it but reprimand and fire the dealership people that gave you a hard time.
I have a refurbished Singer with plastic parts and I stare longingly at Janomes like a Dickensian orphan every time I’m in a sewing store
Band aids. Every other bandage can't handle what I'm putting down on a daily basis (especially since I usually need the bandages for something on my hands). Only band aid stays on after a good dish washing.
TIL that Band Aid is a brand and not the name of the product
Shit dawg, you may have just made a sale for What A Room. We’re moving this Sunday and looking at buying a sofa for the new living room. I’ve been to Lazy Boy and Macy’s as well as some local furniture places and still haven’t been impressed with the pricing/quality.
Costco. ALWAYS Costco. Whether it's their products or shares in the public company, Costco is a good investment.
Costco is how we afford nice vacations. Their travel packages often have really good deals for a ton of different destinations. We were able to book a fully inclusive trip to one of the westin resorts in Costa Rica for two weeks in a governors suite with 5k for 4 ppl because I bought the package during a sale. I tell everyone I know to keep an eye on their travel deals!
Welcome to Costco. I love you.
I like Costco. I got my law degree there.
I bought the Kirkland garbage bags box about four years ago. Subsequently, my fiancé also ended up buying the same box about a week after I did not realizing I had already bought a box. For $20, weeks have been running off of 2 boxes of garbage bags that have never ripped, teared, or broken for the past 3 years.
I save enough money buy buying Costco coffee beans to pay for the membership every month. Add to that dog food, milk, and eggs, and it becomes an exceptionally good value for those items alone.
The trick at Costco is to avoid impulse buys. I have a list made before I go in and do my best to stick to it.
"avoiding impulse buys"
I feel attacked. I tell myself "ok im going for coffee, allergy meds, and paper towels"
745 dollars later....
and $1.50 hot dog and bottomless soda
Costco gas alone saves my family so much money
The car batteries they sell are awesome as well!
Their batteries are made by Duracell, and top the list of battery life
Good prices for dog food as well.
Cuisinart. We had a toaster oven of theirs fail after about 10 months. Phone tech support took my call and had a replacement set to ship in about 4 mins. No bullshit.
Man, I thought you meant the car brand Fisker at first. I was gonna make a joke about the lifetime warranty being for the lifetime of the brand, not your lifetime. lmao
Love Fiskars. They have yet to let me down. I use all kinds of things they make because I have a ton of hobbies. Usually something from Fiskars is involved with whatever I’m doing lol
Fiskars is interesting too because I’ve found a lot of what I’ve bought of theirs doesn’t really have a direct alternative. They have their own take on how their products should function compared to the competition.
My example is reel mowers. All the other brands are almost identical but Fiskars puts the reel in the front and uses some gearing to make it way easier to push.
Chewy. They got what I need and their customer service is amazing. They sent me a hand painted portrait of my cat just because I ser it as his profile picture on the site. I had litter bust open during shipping and they sent me another one for free.
If you purchase food and the pet dies, they’ll refund you and tell you to donate it to a shelter! Just love chewy!
They did this for us and also sent flowers when our dog died unexpectedly 🥹
Yes! I came here to say this. They sent me flowers too! I was so touched.
I'm sitting here next to a bouquet of roses from Chewy because they saw a random IG post my wife made on Mother's Day, as we had just lost our beloved dog.
They refunded me my money on an 80 dollar dog bed because it was too big. They told me to donate the bed to a shelter. Great company
I second Chewy here. We were just a sporadic customer at the time, but when they sent us a reminder about an item we told them our poor doggy had passed away and a few days later a bouquet of flowers were delivered. It was very touched by that and cried.
Bark box did the same thing with sending a hand drawn pic of my dog. They’ve got my family’s business for eternity.
when i was preparing to adopt a dog, i ordered a few items (leash, collar, harness, etc) in two sizes because i wasn't sure which one would fit best and i wanted to have them ready when my dog came home. called chewy to start a return for the ones that didn't fit and they refunded me and told me to just donate them! i have only good things to say about chewy!
G2 ball point pens - they are the 🐐of pens
God I love a good pen.
Pentel Energel 0.5 mm Needle Tip Pens…. They are my religion. My work knows not to run out if they want me around 😂
Jetstream 🤤
V ball from pilot are really good too. Didn't try G2 tho
Pilot Precise V5 Extra Fine makes my pussy wet. And I’m a dude so you know how serious I am about this pen.
Try Sharpie S-Gel or PaperMate InkJoy.
Everyone I let use one of my Sharpie S-Gel instantly loves them and tries to steal them. Best pen ever.
Sweetwater Music. Best customer service ever. Never went back to guitar center
Elixir guitar strings. They're just good and last forever.
HEB. Texas knows…
I ❤️ HEB. They are hands down the best grocery chain I’ve ever shopped in and their HEB brand products are just about always on point!!
Toyota for reliability
Yes I agree. I drive a Lexus that has over 200,000 miles on it and it is 100% reliable. I also have a Tacoma truck that has over 200,000 miles on it and never fails. I have a friend that was so proud when he bought a Ford diesel truck, who would borrow my Tacoma when his truck would break down several times a year.
Our 1997 LX450 has 395,000 miles and our 2006 Land Cruiser has 207,000. Absolutely great vehicles.
Man I have an old Yamaha motorcycle from the 80’s
My roommate has a 3 year old Harley Davidson. He pokes fun at my motorcycle constantly. How it sound high pitched, or is a rice burner.
His HD is constantly needing costly repairs. He has a dude come out on site and repair it. A battery was $500 because his bike is some weird edition. Mine scoffs at my terrible maintenance and starts every single time. I swear it could run on cooking oil and hairspray.
Yup. Honda comes in second. I drive a Camry, he drives a pilot. We've only done regular maintenance on both. Luckily we live near a mechanic who specializes in Japanese vehicles.
I am a Toyota fan but sometimes they have their heads so far up their own asses… they were so far ahead of everyone on hybrids but then bet big on hydrogen power instead of EV… I can’t imagine if they spent the past decade working on EVs instead. Also they refused to adopt CarPlay and android auto for the longest time insisting that people would prefer their built in software.
Toyota is definitely the best car out there if you buy a white Toyota you are more likely to sell it closer to original price then any other brand out there. They are also def the most reliable
Agreed. I sold my 2014 chevy malibu to buy a white 2008 rav4 that had less km than my chev. It was thw best purchase ever
Lego. I know it’s gotten crazy expensive but I would never buy an imitation product
Maille Dijon mustard.
I’ve tried others. French’s, Grey Poupon, even fancy $15 per jar stuff. None of it compares to the delicious tangy creaminess of Maille Dijon.
Tweezerman tweezers. Free sharpening for life.
Canada Dry Ginger Ale - I really tried to like Schweppes and Seagram's
Dawn dish soap. Nothing fancy, not expensive, and it does exactly what it’s supposed to do.
Leatherman. Never had a bad experience and if anything happens it’ll be covered by the 25 year warranty
Brother printers always work, in my experience.
I didn’t think I’d see a consumer printer on this list.
Brother is the only brand worthy of being on this list. Go into any IT subreddit and ask what printer you should buy. The overwhelming majority of the answers will be a Brother Laser printer.
Laser is the key. Forget about color inkjets. Most people don't need to print in color. Laser B/W is the way to go.
Yep, do yourself a favor and get a laser printer. Mine sits for months at a time unused, and prints perfectly and quickly when I need it. Goodbye dried up ink cartridges.
And don't buy HP. Their forcing you to install too much crap and be on a subscription is not worth it.
I will never buy another hp printer. It's the worst program I've ever seen in terms of 'install this before you can use the product'. Also, a subscription for being able to print more pages? Fuck you, HP.
And avoid HP like covid19
Cerave - affordable and effective
American Express. For their great service. I’ve had vendors try to jerk me around in various situations. We all have, right? AMEX gets the money back with no hassle. Once a local appliance store was refusing a refund after sending us multiple defective refrigerators. Their “customer service” guy said “we don’t give refunds”. I told the guy that I bought it using AMEX and they’ll get the money back if he doesn’t refund the money. He refunded the money. Vendors know.
Same. Great customer support.
Lol. Some scammy vendors hate Amex too for this reason.
If they don't accept Amex, it's like a litmus test for whether their service is shitty.
On the other hand I was scammed in Hawaii by a boat trip that couldn't accommodate my children. I got them to agree to a refund after about an hour of arguing, but they ended up only refunding one of my packages, even though I couldn't use both, while pretending to me they were refunding both.
I disputed it with Visa because that's all they took, and Visa sided with the vendor. They always side with the vendor.
If they don't accept Amex, it's like a litmus test for whether their service is shitty
I have worked for several companies who were completely above-board with good product/services that did not accept AmEx because they charge the vendor more than the other card companies.
So it's not necessarily an indicator of legitimacy or quality, but it's definitely an indicator of greed and penny pinching.
My current employer accepts it and is amazing so I've got that going for me.
Honda. I didn’t realize my extreme loyalty until friends and I were talking about the cars we had when we were young.
My first car was an Acura Integra. Then a Honda Prelude, Civic and Accord.
Now an Acura MDX.
I’m 40, and have been driving some kind of Honda since I was 16.
Also, Coke. The drink, not the drug.
I just bought a 2021 Honda Civic and this comment makes me feel like I made a good decision.
I’m loyal to Honda and Acura. My ILX has a K20 that’s a tank. And my NC1 is a rocket ship.
Have had 3 Hondas in my life, 2 that I still own. They have my business for life. The absolute best in terms of engineering, reliability and longevity. Doesn’t matter if you’re talking about a piece of lawn equipment or a whole car.
I worked at Honda for years. My go to line is “ Honda is an engine company that just so happens to make cars” it’s true.
Crayola crayons. They have a lot of great colors, they're inclusive, have great programs for teachers, and have a diverse product line.
My kids are older and don’t use them anymore but there is a huge gap in quality between crayola and any other brand. I would never buy crayons that aren’t crayola.
They taste pretty good as well
Markers too! I remember feeling so crestfallen when I had no choice but to use roseart
Even when I was a kid I could tell that other crayons weren't nearly as good. Off-brand ones were super brittle and smudged much more. I used to get those mega packs at the start of every school year from kindergarten on until I didn't need them anymore. I didn't really need/want them all, but I liked sharing with some of my friends that always had the cheapo ones.
Victorinox Swiss Army Knives
Glad trash bags
BORAX POWDER SOAP! Nothing can beat the 20 mules. It’s my go to soap when nothing else works. I’ll never not buy it.
LL Bean. The quality of their boots and shoes is very high, and if you ever have a problem and need to call customer service, they do a great job of making everything right. I had a pair of house slippers that the flannel lining wore through about 4 years in and I sent them in. The customer service rep called me and said they didn’t make that model anymore, but they ended up sending me a newer better version at a large discount. The new slippers are 6 years old and I wear them daily. Great company. Also, my Bean boots are 12 years old and still waterproof and kicking. Sending in for a $35 resole soon.
Long Live the Bean!! I’ve been so impressed by everything I’ve bought from there, especially the kids clothes. Virtually everything I purchased for my oldest ended up being passed down through all three siblings, and then onto cousins and neighbors because it all still looked pristine. Even several of the t shirts! And these kids are absolutely brutal to their clothes!!! I really think the fact that the company is already over 100 years old speaks for itself.
Darn tough socks.
I never buy any other socks anymore, and have slowly been replacing my old other brands with darn toughs as they wear out. They are just so comfortable, don't stink, last forever, and when I've had a pair that wore out they replaced them for me! Also their company is up front about their values, culture, etc. There's a lot to like about them!
Birkenstocks—comfy and last forever. And Patagonias return policy—I returned a jacket that was 2 years old and I got a new updated one in return.
Oxo - they make very good quality and affordable kitchen tools and appliances.
I like Uniqlo for quality and affordability
Their collaborations are so good. Picked up two street fighter shirts for $10 each the other day
Supima cotton is actually the best fabric
I wear a lot of Uniqlo, it lasts forever
I agree but shopping through their website is a PITA. They need to redesign their UI asap.
A1 Steak sauce.
New Balance shoes.
They are never too pointy and have great heel support.
A lot of them have removable insoles, so you can put in special insoles for better arch support if you have foot issues.
Lexus. It’s got all of the reliability of a Toyota but is decked out with super nice features.
I want to agree but at the same time, it's like, why does their stuff break all the time.
Elf. Best makeup that no other brand has been able to match in quality and price. Elf. Elf till I die.
Pyrex. Hands down best glass cookware & lasts forever.
PYREX does, sadly pyrex is nowhere near as good and it's all that's available now.
PYREX is borosilicate glass. pyrex is soda lime glass
The new Pyrex isn’t as good.
Yes. PYREX (all caps) tolerates fluctuations in temperature better.
Birkenstock. I just threw away a pair from 20 years ago. The old school potato shoes, dark brown suede…ended up wearing a hole through the entire sole. I have foot problems that started in my early 30s and they’re a solid shoe for arthritis. These days, my outfits have to include birks, docs, or specific sneakers 😆
Toyota. Those things run forfuckingever. Bought a beat up ‘05 Prius with rust, body damage, cracked windshield, AC busted… but it still runs with 290,000 miles on it. Not my first experience like this with Toyotas, either.
They’re not fancy, they’re not luxurious, they’re not exceptionally beautiful, but they’re reliable as all hell.
I’m loyal to quality—once the quality changes (lowers in quality…obviously)—I change brands.
Yeah, Levi's built up a rock-solid reputation for more than 100 years, but I hear the stuff they're putting out now has taken a nosedive in quality. Sad. :(
I’ve been an electrician for the last 15 years carhearts used to be amazing I’d buy a pair wear them every day for the week wash them on the weekend and it would easily last 2-3 years now I’m lucky if I get 6 months from a pair and my work is less physically taxing these days
Zojirushi!
DeWalt. I don’t have a great reason, but I know that as a very mid DIY’er I had to make a choice
The only reason I tend to buy DeWalt is that when I hire professionals that's what they show up with. I kind of wish that they'd show up with something cheaper though.
What’s special about it?
It's more plastic so it doesn't really start to stink, machine washable, and it's multi surface based on temperature. Hot water and you have more of a sponge, cold water turns it into a scrub pad.
What?!!!! I love these things and had no idea about any of this! Now I’m off to do testing lol
Here's a clip from when it went on Shark Tank. Fun to watch!
I told my wife she’s crazy a sponge is a sponge. I tried one and became a true believer. They last forever. Make dishes easier. We buy the bulk packs from Costco now
If they last forever, then why do you need bulk packs?
lol he was exaggerating how long the product lasts.
I use scrub daddy and they do last a lot longer than the average sponge.
Ugly stik
beaten with an Ugly Stik as a kid. Can confirm, they're durable. Yes, I'm still ugly after all these years.
Man, I didn’t even consider them. Everybody I know uses almost solely ugly stiks.
Discount Tire. They have saved me from a tight spot on more than one occasion.
They fixed a flat for me once and didn't charge me. I had never even bought tires from them before.
Never had a Toyota that I had issues with. Never had a bad experience with any YSL cologne. So they're the two I'm closest to being 'loyal' to.
Dapper Dan
I don't want Fop damn it. I'm a Dapper Dan man!
I like the smell of my hair treatment; the pleasing odor is half the point.
Shimano bike components. High quality engineering and made in Japan.
Vans. Their shoes stayed $45 years longer than any other brand.
Mazda. I’ve never had any issues with their vehicles over the years. Bought my first one new in ‘04 and have been loyal since. They’re built well and are fun to drive.
My daughter and I were t-boned years ago in my Speed3 and that car held up beautifully, walked away with a couple scratches and the truck that hit us was totaled.
Same here! I’ve had Mazdas for 15 years now. My favorite is the Mazda3 hatchback. Great design, longevity, and safety
1990 miata 315k miles original engine and trans. I drive the shit out of that car everyday and it just keeps on goin.
Costco. I used to work there and they earned my loyalty by how well they treat their staff. Plus $1.50 hotdog and soda dude!
I worked there for a few months. My location had some real awful management that were authoritarian. If I was 10 seconds late from break I would get written up. The pay was good, job was straightforward. Would never work there again though
Nivea - they have amazing deodorants
Duke’s Mayo. I purchased their brand once because there was no other option, and have been a mayo purist ever since. The taste is noticeably different!
Comedian Dave Stone recommended Duke’s on a podcast and he knows good food. I tried it and I’m never going back to Hellmans.
Kirkland. doesn't really need an explanation
Bosch for my car, you pay the right price for a good quality
Nalgene water bottles. They're the perfect size to be luxuriously hydrated if you're a person who doesn't often worry about water temperature. They last forever, no kidding. I have one that's 23 years old and still in rotation.
Also, ball canning lids, every other standard lid is a mistake.
My nalgene turns 11 this year. Might wash it in celebration
The Nalgene warranty is awesome too. I dropped mine mostly full of water and the bottom cracked, and they sent me a new one for free. Only time I've broken one and I'm pretty hard on them lol
Dr. Bronners, because they're environmentally, socially, and health conscious.
Nutella
Heinz ketchup. I grew up in Pittsburgh so it still feels a connection to home even if it is not made there anymore. And it is superior to all other ketchups.
There is no other ketchup. I am so turned off when I get "fancy" ketchup packets....or even worse, Hunt's.
Brother printers. The only printers that always just work, easy setup, and never run out of ink.
IKEA and Mazda. Good morals and techniques for good customer satisfaction makes one go back.
Weber grills. Built to last and you can buy replacements parts even for older grills.
Ziplock baggies. Off brand are always garbage.
Anker
Nintendo. They always make fun games even if their graphics aren't always on par with Xbox and Playstation. Over decades they barely disappointed me and have a consistent quality for the most part.
Coca-Cola, I hate that I love it so much but it's still the best. Nothing like the taste of the first sip of an ice-cold can of Coke after a hard day's work
Cold glass bottled coke
If you're in the US, change that to a glass bottle coke, "Hecho en Mexíco."
They use real sugar in Mexican coke, it his so much better.
Ronald McDonald charity. My gf had open heart surgery as a child. Her parents were just 16 and 17 at the time. Their bill was over 200k. Ronald McDonald paid 100% of the bill and even let them live in a house near the hospital during the entire thing. McDonald's gets a lof of crap but I will always donate to them given the chance