Household items you SHOULDN’T buy on the cheap

There is probably a long list of household electronics, devices, and utensils that you shouldn't buy on the cheap. After all, who wants to use their PC with a cheap monitor with washed out colours or use knives that blunt after two slices? Nobody wants a frying pan where the Teflon peels off, or a vacuum that struggles to pick up pet fur.

This article not only demonstrates the household items you shouldn't buy on the cheap, but also explains the workings and technicalities as to why. 

Starting with a potato peeler seems like such an anti-climax, but nothing serves as a better example for why you “shouldn’t” always buy cheap.

These days, you can buy a potato peeler, fresh from China, for pennies. Your local supermarket is all stocked up on super-cheap potato peelers, but they only last a few months. In fact, the lifespan of a cheap one is four times less than that of a more expensive one, and a genuinely high quality potato peeler will last you years.

You don't need to know the math to understand that you are making a far bigger saving through buying a high quality item than hundreds of cheaper ones. Yet, the same principle applies all around the house. Have you ever bought cheap clothes pegs, only to have them fall apart after a few weeks? Or cheap mushy peas that have absolutely no taste? Or even black bin liners that were so thin you could see through them?

Let’s face it, there are many kitchen utensils you do not need, but when it comes to buying cheap, there are times when spending a little more today will save you a bundle tomorrow.

We all know that an expensive and energy efficient tumble dryer is going to pay for itself in the long run due to the amount of money saved on electricity, but there is a far more important reason why you shouldn't buy the cheapest dryers.

Modern cheap dryers are all set up to look great, work great, and do a brilliant job. Their build quality and performance are seemingly amazing, which is why they sell so well. However, they are always made from cheap parts and using cheap designs. Said devices break over a short amount of time because pieces wear out. The dryer will shake itself apart in as few as two years, and yet the devices will still be highly rated online.

The trick is to build cheap devices that work well above expected levels so that people go onto review sites and Amazon and leave great reviews, which spurs even more people on to buying them. Meanwhile, high quality long-lasting devices have fewer buyers, ergo fewer online reviews, which means manufacturers are forced to promote and produce cheaper units over top-quality long-lasting ones.

Nobody is going to blame you for buying a cheap vape pen if you are just dallying with the idea. However, if you are a genuine vaping enthusiast, then buying a cheap vape pen is inconvenient, frustrating, and often rather gross when bits of dirt and residue start to build up in it.

Again, if you are going to use something every day, then you should invest a little money into it. Buy yourself a high quality RipTide vape device, or ask your friends which they are using since they are probably going to have their opinions on the best and worst products you can buy.

It is unfair, but the fact is that you can buy a mattress for £600+ and it still be terrible. Buying a genuinely good, long lasting, high quality mattress is viciously difficult unless you are going to spend thousands on it. Paying hundreds for a mattress is tough enough for most people, so paying thousands is probably not an option. But, there is a saviour in our midst.

As you know, many stores flourish online rather than offline. For example, if you want 20 backpacks, all in the same colour, and all of a specific size, then online shopping is there for you. However, if you want to be sure a bra fits, or a shoe fits correctly, then retail shopping is your only option, and the same is true for mattress buying. Actually testing a mattress, even a low cost one, is the only way you can get a good deal these days. Actually feeling the mattress, understanding what it is made of, and trying it out, is the only way you are going to get good value for your money. 

You shouldn't buy the cheapest mattress, but since you probably don't have thousands to spend on a mattress, your next best option is to test out as many reasonably priced mattresses you can until you find the best one for you.

You work hard for your money so every penny you spend should be considered. Cheap shouldn’t just be a matter of budget constraints.