things you have owned for 20+ years that you still use regularly

It’s a special occasion wear now bc I would be sad if it died

I have my mother's nylon-string Goya folk guitar from around 1961. Its neck was snapped by accident in 1980 or so. She had it rebuilt and gave it to me in 1993. I still play it pretty frequently.

My stereo from college — still using it! I think I have so many of these things it’s hard to list so I’ll stop.

ooh yeah I still use the Onkyo tape deck I got 30 yrs ago

A GE brand alarm clock radio. It’s a plug in version with LED display. A few buttons are hard to press but otherwise it’s still going strong.

― o. nate, Tuesday, March 19, 2019 11:25 AM (one year ago)

Same answer for me, and the model's from circa 1986 and has survived about 15 moves, incredibly. (No issues with the buttons for me). When was the last time GE even made clock radios?

Also a Technics 1200 turntable bought in 1999 which wasn't even new then.
Warm-up hoodie from high school swim team circa 1985 - it's a stretch to say I use it "regularly" but I squeeze into it for a laugh sometimes.

I have a set of bike bags that I bought for a tour of New Zealand in '99 that are still what I use for commuting. One has a small hole in it (they're water proof) but still seems to do fine in the rain. The bike I used for the tour, however, is long gone.

NSF chromed wire shelving. First for kitchen storage (in a 120 yr old building without many cabinets), then tool shelving in a garage, now on casters with some HDPE liners as mobile bookshelving. It's such a standard that I expect to find accessories for the rest of my life.

A 35-year old Henkels knife set. I refer ceramic or the nakiri for most vegan prep, and I've never used the filet knife, but the chef's knife and paring knife still get pulled out regularly. Also in the kitchen of older vintage are a nesting set of stainless mixing bowls, a carbon steel wok and a couple cast iron skillets that are well loved/seasoned.

Many inherited hand/power tools. My carpenter grandfather's aluminum level. A late 60+ year old Craftsman electric jigsaw with an aerotastic-aluminum body that purrs along like the first time I used it 36 years ago.

Oh, and a 30 year old Aran wool sweater that refuses to unravel or die, and has accommodated my growing girth without complaint.

My GE clock radio from circa 1986 malfunctioned for the first time ever this morning. Set the alarm for 9:30 and it went off at 10:06 (I double-checked the setting and this is definitely what happened). Beside myself.

a couple cast iron skillets that are well loved/seasoned.

I've got a Le Creuset casserole dish that I got as a present in 1997 which has only recently started to show any kind of wear because I've only recently starting baking bread in it. Before this it mostly got stovetop use, and even though I've burned the arse out of it a million times, it has only started to show any proper discolouration now that it goes into the oven once a week at a temperature of 250.

I've just found a picture of me when I was around 2 years old listening to the hifi on headphones... And I still use that very same hifi amplifier (I'm 45) !

My stereo is definitely older than 20 years--turntable, receiver, speakers. I wouldn't say I still use it regularly, though.

A warm pair of underpants.

I've got a large Prestige stainless steel saucepan my mum give me over 30 years ago when I moved into my first flat. And it must be at least from the late 50's/early 60's because she bought it when she was living in Ireland. When I think about it, it's been an ever present in whatever house I've lived for 48 years, from London, Sheffield, Manchester to fucking Dewsbury and it sill looks shiny and good.

(x-post)

Humble-bragging that your waist size is impressively the same. (Unless you’re now using them as a duster of course)

Think my extremely basic veg peeler was in the same Argos bundle as the solitary plate mentioned upthread. Still peelin' strong.

Humble-bragging that your waist size is impressively the same. (Unless you’re now using them as a duster of course)

Ah, I genuinely hadn't thought of that! It has gone up an inch or two but I guess there's a bit of give in elastic. I only wear them in winter months and not in bed but I'm still impressed at their longevity. Well done H&M.

I think I may have had the pseudo bone handled cutlery I have been using for at least 20 years. Think they may have been bought when I was living in Dublin mid 90s. Handles have had to be reglued a couple of times and I think colour has heavily faded.
But I'm eating yoghurt with the spoon at the moment and just ate the first course with the fork.

I have a baseball style jumper thing that I think may predate the millennium or otherwise only shortly fall short of that. Also a fleece thing that I wear when its cold that I think was mid 90s

Same tweezers since 1990 (stolen from my mother).

Probably nothing at 20 years so far, my tallit will be that old next year though. Probably I should get it cleaned.

The Proctor Silex Popcorn Pumper, purchased at a thrift store about 22 years ago.
A Swiss army knife purchased in Liechtenstein about 24 years ago.
I think my Technics 1200 turntable is about 20 years old.
A melamine pot stirrer. Probably some other kitchen implements.

My wallet was given to me sometime in my teens over 30 years ago. At this point it's falling apart and needs to be replaced but is still useable.

I also have haircutting scissors of a similar age.

my refrigerator and microwave are both well over 30 years old, my washer/dryer, cooktop, oven and dishwasher over 25

Bike helmet

I've had the same bottle opener on my keychain since 1994.

a pair of scissors that belonged to my grandmother

spare bed

baritone ukelele

― Emperor Tonetta Ketchup (sleeve), Tuesday, March 19, 2019 8:15 AM (two years ago)

the bed is gone now

also adding:

Onkyo tape deck

My favorite mug I've had since 1996 or so. Some kitchen knives I got in the late 80s. The oldest shirts I still wear regularly are from 1993 and 1994. My car I've had 18 years, so almost! Guitar and amp I've had 26, 27 years and my keyboard about 35.

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, March 20, 2019 12:07 PM (two years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Car's up to 20 now. Thinking about this again, also have a tweed jacket that's gotta be 25 years old, maybe closer to 30. I don't wear it a lot, but when an occasion calls for wearing a tweed jacket, that's what I wear. Can't honestly say I use the '80s Cutcos that much anymore.

Almost all our pots and pans and dishes and etc. that we use every day were wedding presents, so those turn 20 in two years and I certainly still expect to be using them then.

Didn't even think of my car... still driving a Corolla purchased new in 99.

I've had the same bottle opener on my keychain since 1994.

― pplains

Winner

I have a lot of stuff in my flat but nothing goes back as far as when I was 16 I’m sure - well, no tools or technology for sure. I do still have the copy of lord of the rings my uncle gave me when I was a kid, and maybe some other books from around then, but these fail to meet the “still use” requirement (I haven’t reread lotr since)

My minidisc recorder

I bought my Hitachi 3D Super Woofer double cassette boombox (crucially with line input) in 1996 new for about £65 from a probably now defunct consumer electronics chain store. It's been busking and to festivals. Thing is solid af.

hope that planned obsolescence is becoming a thing of the past.
Would save the amount of stuff junked and causing pollution if that were the case.
Also proprietary ability to repair things as in preventing the user or a more general technician/repair shop from doing so.
Would think they would need to be steps on the route to a greener world.

I don't play every day but I still use the single French horn I got in 1970. SunRizr dusk/dawn simulator that was a gift in 2000 (happily surprised this still works), in use every day.

My wallet was given to me sometime in my teens over 30 years ago. At this point it's falling apart and needs to be replaced but is still useable.

Ditto, my wallet is 20+ years old, has seen better days but is still hanging in there. A lot of clothes I still wear, jackets mostly, that are a couple of decades old. There's a cardigan I've got that I still wear that I'm pretty sure I got from my dad, which must be over 50 years old, not that I've owned it for 50 years.

i have a coffee grinder that my parents bought me when i went to college that i still use. one button, works great

― na (NA), Tuesday, March 19, 2019 10:07 AM (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

well this finally just broke. not the motor, surprisingly, but the blade

rip big man

good excuse to upgrade to a burr grinder imho