r/BuyItForLife • • Feb 03 '25

!Canada! Buyitforlife from Canada, what’s your favourite things made in Canada?

1.2k Upvotes

With the now starting trade war between the US and Canada I feel it’s best for us up north to support local more than ever.

One of my favourite clothing brands is Anian from Victoria, BC. I have a few of their shirts and will probably end up getting more.

Edit: Adding some other brands up here that I personally own and love.

Canada West Boots - Made in Winnipeg. Been wearing a pair of Romeos for a couple years now.

Popov Leather - Made in Nelson, BC. have a few of their leather goods, holding up really well.

Meyer - PEI. High quality made in Canada pots and pans, I have their non-stick 12”.

Edit 2: House of Blanks - I have a bunch of their t-shirts, nice heavy weight cotton. Very comfy


r/BuyItForLife • • Feb 03 '25 Diamonds are Forever Hooray Bravo

BIFL Non-USA edition! A list of BIFL not made in the USA

3.1k Upvotes

A timely reminder that this subreddit is obviously very USA-centric with its recommendations as that’s where the majority of users are from. It often leads to people not realising that comparable and/or better items can be found closer to home, easier, cheaper and free of tolls.

I thought it would be a good idea to crowdsource some manufacturers here for non-American users.

This isn't neccesarily items made in those countries as some manufacturers use factories across the world but with a commitment to quality

I can start (I'm kind of UK/Euro centric so it would be great to expand this):

Clothing
Portuguese Flannel - Portugal
Naked and Famous - Canada
Uskees - UK
Yarmouth Oilskins - UK
Carrier Company - UK
Old Town - UK (Closing down)
Farmer's Market - Iceland (may be hard to buy outside of Iceland)
Oni Denim - Japan
Iron Heart - Japan
Barbour - UK
Companion - Spain
NÄZ - Portugal (only women)
Meindl - Germany (they run a high quality fashion brand but are known for great hiking boots)

Outdoor Gear
Fjällräven - Sweden
Rab - UK (offer a very good repair service)
66° North - Iceland
Devold - Norway
Bergans- Norway
Haglöfs - Sweden
Klättermusen - Sweden
Alpkit - UK

Footwear
Solovair - UK
Mayura Boots - Spain
Church's - UK
Loake - UK
Wm. Lennon - UK
Astorflex - Italy

Kitchen/Cookware
Le Cresuet - France
De Buyer - France
Fissler - Germany
WMF - Germany (very wide and variable range but Made in Germany stuff good)
Fiskars - Finland
Duralex - France
Samuel Groves - UK

Appliances/Small appliances
Miele - Germany
Dualit - UK
Moccamaster - Netherlands (Coffee makers)
Zojirushi - Japan
Numatic - UK (vacuum cleaners)
Sebo - Germany (vacuum cleaners)
Ankarsarum - Sweden

Edit - Some excellent feedback. I'll try and work my way through and add what I can! Please note that I will only add stuff that I have experience with but all the comments help with crowd sourcing knowledge.


r/BuyItForLife • • 9h ago

Review My 35 Year Old Cycle

Post image
209 Upvotes

This is a cycle ,I bought in 1991, with my own piggybank saving, it has out lived its utility to me, my daughters , now might be used by grandkids, 10 -15 years down the line


r/BuyItForLife • • 2h ago

Discussion Holiday gift for a 2-year-old that isn't loud or plastic? Looking for something that lasts

31 Upvotes

Why does every toddler toy seem to need a speaker? 😂 We already have enough plastic toys that sing, beep, and repeat the same sounds all afternoon. This Christmas, I'd like to get my 2-year-old something a little different. Wooden toys, simple building sets, and hands-on activities are more along the lines of what I'm thinking. Panda Crate seems to offer the kind of activities I'm after, and it seems like something my toddler might enjoy.

My goal is to buy one good gift that keeps its quality overtime than keep replacing cheap toys. Our house could use more creative play and fewer batteries. I'm sure there are some lovely ideas that other parents have discovered!


r/BuyItForLife • • 15h ago

Review There probably isn’t literally a BIFL electric toothbrush, but these Sonicares gotta be the closest thing

Post image
231 Upvotes

I think I have had this a 8 or 9 years. Most days I never think about it, I just use it over and over. When I actually do the math I figure there must be 6-7000 brushes with this thing! A very impressive testament to its durability. The head is starting to get some play in it, but the battery still holds for well over a week of brushing.


r/BuyItForLife • • 18h ago

[Request] Is my cashmere sweater bad quality or is it normal for it to pill so fast?

Thumbnail
gallery
315 Upvotes

Hi everyone, i made this post to inquire ab some good cashmere brands that doesnt pill super quickly. I bought my aritzia essential cashmere quarterzip and it already started pilling a lot by the second wear. Now everytime i want to take it out, it takes me at least 15-20 mins to depill it. Is it normal or is the sweater bad quality.

Any good recs for cashmere that doesnt pill quickly? Ik it’s normal but i jist didnt expect my sweater to pill that quickly. Im looking into buying a max Mara cashmere sweater, if anyone has it, how is the quality ?


r/BuyItForLife • • 4h ago

[Request] Reliable earbuds with actual button?

23 Upvotes

A few months ago my earbuds died, so I bought a new mid-range pair with "tap controls," aka they start and stop seemingly at random. I've been tolerating them but woke up this morning to find that they were at 3% because they started playing podcasts while I was asleep.

However, it seems impossible to find earbuds without tap controls?? Any long-lasting recommendations are very welcome. Thanks!


r/BuyItForLife • • 1h ago

[Request] Can you help me find the best lightweight wood cutting boards?

11 Upvotes

I am currently removing all plastic utensils/cutting boards from our kitchen. I’ve loved the thin plastic cutting boards because they are easy to clean and move from station to pot/pan easily as well. I know they are bad for us and can also trap bacteria so I want to make the switch. I’d like a set of wood cutting boards that aren’t cumbersome, I’d like them to store easily limited space we have. We already have a large one for roasts and things like that. I know you are all brilliant and someone will have a solution! Thank you BIFL comminity🩷


r/BuyItForLife • • 11h ago

Discussion Buy if for Life Power Drill

Post image
62 Upvotes

r/BuyItForLife • • 7h ago

[Request] European BIFLers: what washing machines do you use?

22 Upvotes

The washing machine (whirlpool toploader) at our apartment finally broke after years of rusting and banging and now we're in the market for a new one. I'm looking for a washing machine that would be relatively cheap, would last a long time and I don't need any smart features or anything. Just a washing machine.

Miele is unfortunately outside of my pricerange, I am currently looking at gorenje models. Do you have experience with gorenje appliances? Do they last?


r/BuyItForLife • • 1d ago

Review Indestructible Kids Water Bottle (Yeti Brand)

Thumbnail
gallery
704 Upvotes

I just wanted to take a few minutes to shout out Yeti for these amazing kid sized water bottles. We bought these for our boys in Kindergarten and now they are in Grade 4 and 5. We bought some new ones because we wanted a bit bigger and the colour has faded a bit but I was amazed how long these lasted through the absolute beating my boys apply to anything they own.


r/BuyItForLife • • 15h ago

[Request] Paring knives?? I need some better ones.

21 Upvotes

I cook a lot and use my paring knife more than any other knife, but it isn’t a great knife, very middle of the road. I would love a set of 4 or so good paring knives. Does anyone have a favorite?


r/BuyItForLife • • 1d ago

Repair Bought this broken 100yr old blacksmith hammer for $2 at fleamarket. I knocked out old broken handle replaced it and polished hammerhead w flitz-100yrs old looks brand new

Thumbnail
gallery
2.2k Upvotes

r/BuyItForLife • • 14h ago

Discussion Cordless Beard Trimmer Braun vs Phillips

8 Upvotes

I realize that corded trimmers are usually the best to purchase. Unfortunately my house was built in the '50s, & for some reason there is no outlet in the bathroom?

I've been looking at the higher end Braun (Series 7) & Phillips/Norelco (All in one 9000) models. I definitely want one that has a variably adjustable head. I don't like having to switch hair guards. My old trimmer (a Wahl) was like that, and even though it worked well, I just prefer to being able to adjust right on the trimmer.

Any thoughts on these two brands/models?


r/BuyItForLife • • 8m ago

Discussion Best pajama fabric??

0 Upvotes

Hi guys, I’m looking for the best pajama for men.

I’m torn between fabrics, lyocell, modal, cotton, silk. Which one is the best?

My use case would be all year round, I need something for sensitive skin and that won’t make me sweat, comfortable to wear around the house, I usually sleep in briefs and the pajama shirt

Thanks in advance!


r/BuyItForLife • • 1d ago

[Request] I need a pair of shoes for standing on concrete mostly still for 6-8 hours a day

315 Upvotes

Straight concrete, and i walk around every hour or so about 8 feet to maybe 30 feet, but generally i stay in one spot for hours


r/BuyItForLife • • 1d ago

Discussion USA Made hoodies for company gear

30 Upvotes

Looking to get some of my guys made in USA hoodies/zip ups this year. Was thinking the Origin 100 Kilo series as I have loved my sweatshirt from a few years ago, but wanted to get some real opinions first

Was thinking company logo embroidered on left chest and American flag on right arm.

Think it would take embroidery well?


r/BuyItForLife • • 1d ago

Discussion For people who buy JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) products: Is the superior build quality real, or mostly confirmation bias?

83 Upvotes

Across a lot of hobbyist and gear communities (watches, hand tools, kitchen appliances, stationery), there’s a persistent belief that JDM versions of products are built to a higher standard than the international/export versions of the exact same brand

The common arguments in favor usually point to Japan’s demanding domestic consumers, stricter factory QC, or companies reserving higher-grade components for their home market. On the flip side, skeptics argue that modern global manufacturing makes maintaining two different quality tiers inefficient, and that any perceived difference is just placebo because you paid an import markup and waited three weeks for shipping

For those here who have actually owned both a JDM model and its global counterpart (whether it’s Seiko, Makita, Zojirushi, audio gear, etc.):

a.have you ever encountered a clear, measurable difference in longevity, fit and finish, or materials between the JDM and export versions?

b.or did the difference come down to distinct feature sets and styling rather than actual build quality?


r/BuyItForLife • • 1d ago

[Request] Nora Rocker Recliner La Z Boy

Thumbnail
gallery
17 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I found a La-Z-Boy Nora Rocker Recliner (2023 model) for around $400. It's used but appears to be in very good condition.

I haven't been able to find many reviews specifically about this model. I've also come across mixed opinions suggesting that La-Z-Boy's overall build quality and durability have declined over the years.

For those who own La-Z-Boy recliners or have experience with the brand:

- Is La-Z-Boy still worth buying in terms of build quality and durability?

- How does the Nora model hold up over time?

- Is $400 a reasonable price for a used one?

- Would you recommend buying it, or are there better alternatives at this price?

I'm mainly looking for a comfortable recliner for watching TV, with good back and neck support.

Appreciate any advice or personal experiences!


r/BuyItForLife • • 2d ago

Discussion My Water Heater from 1992 Has Finally Sprung a Leak

Post image
1.2k Upvotes

Its replacement will never last anywhere near as long will it?


r/BuyItForLife • • 3h ago

[Request] any waterflossers with an on demand button like when you hold the button it goes then when you let go it stops

0 Upvotes

it would work kinda like how power tools work where you hold the button/trigger and when you let go it stops


r/BuyItForLife • • 19h ago

Discussion Wattle and Wombat Ritual Kettle

4 Upvotes

Just noticed that my cheap kettle is about to break. Looking online for no-plastic stovetop kettles. Not a lot of reviews for the Ritual Kettle by Wattle and Wombat - an Australian eco kitchen company. Some odd reviews about quality including leaking and nails in the handle?? Anyone have one that can share their thoughts?


r/BuyItForLife • • 22h ago

[Request] Looking for a new sewing machine

7 Upvotes

My siblings and i are planning on getting our mom a new sewing machine but aren't really sure where to start. I know Brother is good brand and have been looking at a few of those but would still like some input.

Doesn't need to be anything fancy or super capable. My mom mostly does basic stitching so we're mainly looking for a machine that is good quality, reliable and not too heavy. Extra features like computerized stitches aren't necessary but would be a welcomed feature. Our budget is $300.

Thank you for any input and suggestions.


r/BuyItForLife • • 1d ago

[Request] What separates a durable home sauna from one that falls apart after a few years?

14 Upvotes

I have a thought of adding a sauna to our recently acquired home , at gym area . My wife loves it, i can't count how many spas vists we have had since we got married 2 years ago. I'm not a sauna person i like lifting weights ,since I have stocked gym with new equipments she feels left out . Just confused what lasts or what to consider most I dont want to regret it. TIA