Briggs & Stratton. It’s more of $100 used vs 450 new Honda

Both brands are really good. The Toro is probably simpler to maintain. Those Briggs motors are very reliable. Most of the time, when an old Toro won't start, it's because someone was dumb about not draining the fuel, and even then, new carbs are cheap and easy.

What motor is in the toro? This is obviously a huge factor in the decision. Some toros have Honda engines. Best to be clear on what model. I just finally laid to rest a 1972 Toro with weekly mows and terrible servicing on my families behalf and it still cut like butter.

Front-loading washers have more issues with mold for some reason.

I've had my top loader for 22 years now. They are also easy to repair if needed. I replaced the little plastic dog ears once for about 3 dollars. And the belt on the dryer went but didn't take much to fix.

Look at top load Speed Queen washers. They are the same ones that laundry mats use so they are built like a tank.

Yes. They're mechanically simpler and more resistant to damage from overloading and vibration. They work on a completely different principle too. And agitate the clothes while top loading washers rely on the clothes falling down from the top of the drum and smashing the clothes on the bottom to provide the same type of action.

One major difference though is in efficiency. Top loading washers choir much more water to operate than side loading. It's actually an interest of side loading washers to have less water and soap that doesn't suds. If so, where to produce suds? It provides a cushion and significantly decreases the effectiveness of washing because clothes can't fall down and smash other clothes as hard, reducing the cleaning effect. That's where the HE detergents come from: they have reduced suds.

Some BIFL is superior build. Some BIFL is the treatment and consistency of the owner. So many people chuck perfectly good things on a regular basis, these posts are more about the owners commitment to keeping something that still works just fine and replacing it for fun.

On top of that we've had issues with front-loading washers making clothes smelly if you don't pull them out very soon after it finishes. With my top loader I can do leave wet clothes in there half the day and they won't smell.

I have an alarm clock from the 1950s that works/looks great, but now that I live in a quiet neighborhood, the humming is unbearable. Now I use my phone.

In my experience, simple, old fashioned top loaders, even cheaper ones, last longer with little to no trouble compared to front loaders with features requiring many sensors in addition to the expensive front door gaskets failing. Both get the average wash clean.

Survivor bias

Someone more versed than me in small engines may be able to pipe in, but I personally went with a Toro with a Briggs motor when it was time to replace my poor quality Husqvarna mower from Lowes. My research found that the newer Honda engines weren’t living up to their reputation, at least on the consumer grade products. Newer design for lower sound/lower emissions apparently isn’t as stout as the prior generation. Pretty much any sub-$800 Honda mower had this newer design, so I went with the $500ish Toro SuperRecycler. Add oil, change the air filter, and replace the spark plug, as long as you clean it up well after each use it’s pretty low maintenance. I forgot to add stabilizers to my fuel last winter and forgot to drain the tank, it started up on the 2nd crank this spring.

One thing I’ll say regarding the BIFL aspect, is from the tinkering I’ve done the Briggs motors have a lot more resources readily available for you to make repairs. The other thing other downside I found to the particular Honda you’re referencing is the composite deck. My particular yard has lots of stone/brick features that would probably crack the Honda deck (watched YouTube reviews that showed this happening on 1st/2nd use by unsuspecting owners) but with a steel or aluminum deck I can just hammer and dolly it back without worrying about structural integrity.

Fair enough I just figured if anyone could help me not buy another one for as long as possible it would be you guys :)

Have you checked out the Buy Me Once website? They’re a BIFL vendor based in the UK.

Can’t go wrong with a Honda engine. Just make sure to follow the maintenance schedule and I can almost promise it will outlast you.

The only truly BIFL gold jewelry is solid gold. You will not find much solid gold jewelry in that price range apart from very small stud earrings.

Cut lawns for 10 years. Both are great companies. Buy the toro, replace the spark plug, oil and fuel filter (should do this every year with any lawnmower you get) and it'll run forever

Houses are built as poorly as legally permissible. The builder is LONG gone by the time something is sold. Production builders spend a LOT of money to design and build houses to EXACTLY the legal minimum.

There is a new building product that is pretty much fancy cardboard that can replace standard housing sheeting. With siding over it and drywall behind it you can't tell it's not wood.

Anything computer related doesn't seem like it belongs in this subreddit.

Companies figured out long ago that people look at cost #1 and features number #2.

They are in no way rewarded for making something that cost a little more with less features that lasts longer.

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I have had a basic GE fridge for well over a decade. No ice maker, defrost cycle, or water dispenser. It is a 15 cubic food side by side and has wire shelves. I needed to purchase new door gaskets for it. I spent a few under $200 12 years ago on it.

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I have replaced the compressor once and ice maker twice on my modern LG french door fridge that is 7 years old. It cost about 2000. When I get a new one... it;s going to be the same because the family uses the convenience features. the same ones that make it break.

Uk gear pt 1000

My go to answer for a long lasting study laptop will always be a used Thinkpad T-series. I bought one for $300 and I'm an IT major.

Red Wing Vintage boots

I have a 1 pair of boots. Safety toe in oiled leather. they are maybe 25 years old at this point.

red wing will still service them, as in patching holes in leather and lining oiling them and giving new laces.

the closest modern style is the Heritage Iron ranger.

No boot should be BIFL but these are DAMN close. These used to be daily wear when I worked construction, went to the summit of a few mountains, and several hundred miles of trail walking. These were my 3 season daily boots for about a decade with Sorrel for the winter.

The OIL leather lasts longer than the finished leather.

I have moved on to office jobs and metallic safety toes shoes are not good for server rooms. I have a pair of 9 year old Allen Edmonds leather,uppers and soles, shoes that I wore nearly exclusively to work for the first 6 years. I picked up a second pair about 3.5 years ago to have a sub out shoes so they last longer.

Shoe trees VASTLY extend the usable life of dress shoes.

I need new heels on my shoes every other year and it's about $20. I just had new soles heals and a restitching done for just under $50 and that was done twice now on the older shoes.

I work in utility construction in the mountains and spend a good chunk of my time hiking through tough terrain and brush/forests and I have some Patagonia jackets that have held up remarkably well through snags and tears/etc, add onto that their lifetime warranty and I feel like it meets the spirit of BIFL (in that I only have to buy it once and it will last me for life or get replaced for free).

That being said, I use "buy it for life" as more of a "this is the highest quality product in a given category". Sometimes that really does mean heirloom items (nice knifes/cookware/watches/etc) and sometimes it means that it's a high quality product that will possibly be heirloom quality, but If not the company will take care of you (darn tough/Patagonia/peak design/Popov leather/Mitchell leather/ etc).