Never Buy These 10 Buy-It-For-Life Products
BIFL Fails
With the rise of niche subreddits like r/FrugalMaleFashion and r/BuyItForLife, consumers are turning to Reddit for shopping advice, treating the forums like highly specialized review sites. The appeal is that user recommendations are (for the most part) genuine and unadulterated by a desire for affiliate revenue or clicks.
But however authentic the reviews may be, Redditors still get things wrong, as one recent r/BuyItForLife thread shows. The original poster asked the community for r/BuyItForLife recommendations that they “ended up hating,” leading to a 1,400-comment discussion about the sub’s most overrated products. Using the 10 most popular comments, we’ve created a list of popular r/BuyItForLifeProducts that you should avoid regardless of the hype.
1. Flint and Tinder 10-Year Hoodie
Most hoodies seem to last for only a few seasons, if that. But not Flint and Tinder’s made-in-America hoodie. This $128 hoodie is made to last for 10 years, according to the company, which is why it comes with a decade-long guarantee. The only problem is that they allegedly don’t always follow through on their promise.
One Redditor writes that their hoodie lasted only four years. And when they sent it to Flint and Tinder to be repaired, the company said they couldn’t. Instead of offering the Redditor a new hoodie, they offered 50% off a replacement. Another user had a similar problem with the manufacturer’s pants. “Seams on the pockets wore out after a year,” they wrote.
2. Speed Queen Clothes Dryer
On recommendation from the r/BuyItForLife community, one Redditor purchased a Speed Queen dryer with old-school manual dials. The idea, they shared, was that the analog knobs would be cheaper to fix than a digital control panel. But when the timer knob did break, it was a nightmare. According to the Redditor, Speed Queen listed the wrong part number for the dryer, which meant a technician had to come out three times. On the other hand, the commenter says that their digital washer from Speed Queen is “fantastic,” contrary to what most BIFL users might think.
3. The Company Store Sheets
“My Company Store sheets became discolored after being washed only a couple of times. Light spots. Dark spots. Looks like hell,” a commenter writes. Other users agreed, with complaints about the products’ durability, quality, and comfort. That said, The Company Store has become a common recommendation on the subreddit.
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4. Solovair Boots
While Solovair shoes might not be as popular as Dr. Martens, Solovair produced the latter brand’s boots under license until the 1980s. But then Dr. Martens began to move its factories abroad, leading to a precipitous drop in the shoes’ quality. Nevertheless, Solovair soldiered on, continuing to produce Goodyear-welted shoes in its Northamptonshire factory.
It’s no wonder, then, that Redditors recommend Solovair shoes as a more durable alternative to Dr. Martens. But some commenters say the British shoemaker doesn’t live up to its reputation. One Solovair owner complained that their boots started delaminating after just five days, adding that “they can’t even handle daily wear.” Besides durability, Redditors complained about the shoe’s comfortability and the company’s poor customer service.
5. Turkish Towels
Made from absorbent, quick-to-dry, and lightweight Turkish cotton, these versatile towels are a fan favorite among some r/BuyItForLife members. But not everyone is a fan. “They are like drying yourself with kitchen hand towels. I’m still wet after drying myself twice with them,” one commenter shares. Another Redditor, who is Turkish, agreed but explained that they’re meant for toweling off at the beach rather than after a shower.
6. Panasonic Canister Vacuum
After buying a canister vacuum from Panasonic on a Redditor’s recommendation, the company discontinued the product. Talk about bad luck. “The main vacuum head attachment broke within a year and I can't get a replacement because it's been discontinued,” they write. “Even eBay doesn't have replacements anymore.”
7. Saddleback Wallet
Some Redditors swear by Saddleback Leather, while others “hate” its products. “My Saddleback wallet cracks all my cards. I regret my purchase immensely,” one critic writes.
8. Bombas Socks
With a generous “100% happiness guarantee” that covers socks lost in the laundry, it’s no surprise that Bombas gets love on r/BuyItForLife. Be that as it may, some Redditors say they’re uncomfortable and prone to holes. “I'll stick with cheap, comfortable socks,” one commenter writes.
9. ExOfficio Underwear
Redditors critiqued ExOfficio underwear for its loose fit (“like wearing cargo shorts”) and construction. “I love my older pairs, but they switched materials sometime around 2019, and now they suck,” an r/BuyItForLife member writes. Critics and former fans recommend Saxx and Duluth Trading underwear instead.
10. Pendleton Wool Blanket
Though they’re expensive, Pendleton wool blankets are storied for their durability and classic style. A few contrarians don’t get the hype, however. “It's hard to clean, kind of scratchy, and I need to watch it all the time around the cats so their nails don't get caught,” a top comment reads. “Give me my cheap plush fleece any day!” Another pet owner agreed, writing that they “couldn’t handle it anymore” after their blanket got covered in dog fur.
This article was originally published on Cheapism
