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The Worst

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Re: The Worst

#181

Post by codexon »

crazygringo wrote: post #50

I think the authors of "The Best" and "The Worst" are both right. In fact, pretty much everything I own is either "the best" or "the worst" -- no middle ground. I identify the very few things that really make a difference to me (my laptop, my stereo, my kitchen pots & pans & knives, my jeans) and buy the absolute best I can afford. And I identify the things I don't really care about (the rug, the chairs, most kitchen…

I don't think they are both right.

It is very easy to find a situation where they are wrong that most HN readers can understand: CPUs.

The cheapest and most expensive CPUs are usually the worst in terms of Performance/Price.

This pricing scheme affects many items in life.

Re: The Worst

#182

Post by politician »

codexon wrote: post #181
crazygringo wrote: post #50

I think the authors of "The Best" and "The Worst" are both right. In fact, pretty much everything I own is either "the best" or "the worst" -- no middle ground. I identify the very few things that really make a difference to me (my laptop, my stereo, my kitchen pots & pans & knives, my jeans) and buy the absolute best I can afford. And I identify the things I don't really care about (the rug, the chairs, most kitchen…

I don't think they are both right. It is very easy to find a situation where they are wrong that most HN readers can understand: CPUs. The cheapest and most expensive CPUs are usually the worst in terms of Performance/Price. This pricing scheme affects many items in life.

Price is orthogonal to best/worst.

Re: The Worst

#183

Post by lennexz »

I believe one does whats best for them, if you want cheap stuff get them but also give the same opportunity to choose to those that want the best(finer) things in life. We all get what we want.

Re: The Worst

#185

Post by stickfigure »

njr123 wrote: post #17
Breefield wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought the author was suggesting that maybe flatware isn't worth that much. There being a bunch of expensive flatware in existence is just a straw man's rebuttal to the point that affordable flatware works just fine.

I think cutlery is probably the worst possible example to illustrate the argument. The cheapest cutlery you can buy is still works 90% as well as the best, and they last approximately forever. I've never in my life been eating something and noticed the quality of the cutlery. I think a better example would be dress shoes. The cheap versions are uncomfortable and wear out all the time, where as a good pair of leather…

I've never in my life been eating something and noticed the quality of the cutlery.

I frequently notice the disappointing cutlery in restaurants and the apartments of friends-who-don't-cook. A bendy fork or spoon with sharp edges is a genuine annoyance - definitely a first world problem, but one that's absurdly easy to solve at home by spending $20 for a set rather than $10.

I think flatware is a great example of something which makes sense to economize in the middle - "the best" is silly expensive, but since you eat every day and a set lasts decades, so you might as well avoid the low end of the quality curve. $20-$30 at Target will get you heavy, stiff, polished stainless steel.

A good chef's knife, however, should be treated like a family heirloom.

Re: The Worst

#186

Post by zheng »

harlanlewis wrote: post #168
jimbokun wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is, if repeated often enough, this process leads to a house full of crap, most of which you no longer care about. With The Best philosophy, you have much less crap and clutter around you. With The Worst philosophy, you may have a lot of crap and clutter, but at least you didn't waste much money on it. Most of us in the rich world end up in an in between place that's not very satisfying.

This is silly. If you cook, buy a great chef knife. It doesn't have to be the best in the world, but spending a little more will get you a terrific blade with a great service policy that you'll use constantly and enjoy forever. Buy a bunch of cheap scissors though, and stick them in every room you ever find yourself wishing you had scissors, and then never worry about that problem again. Some things you might need mo…

A thousand times yes. Do you want to know how I pick a product? Decide the features I want, then pick something that has those features and is either from a brand I trust, or seems to be well received by those who care more about that product than I do. Sometimes this means I get the cheapest thing available, sometimes the best, and sometimes something in between. Easy, and I am satisfied almost 100% of the time without overpaying.

Re: The Worst

#187

Post by codexon »

politician wrote: post #182
codexon wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think they are both right. It is very easy to find a situation where they are wrong that most HN readers can understand: CPUs. The cheapest and most expensive CPUs are usually the worst in terms of Performance/Price. This pricing scheme affects many items in life.

Price is orthogonal to best/worst.

Most people are constrained by price, so it is a factor in what is best/worst.

That is why both articles refer to the "best" being expensive and "worst" being cheap.

Re: The Worst

#189

Post by arrrg »

lilsunnybee wrote: post #175
arrrg wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Different people have different tastes. Disbelief that others are willing to spend a bit more money on stuff (seriously, $50 for that set isn’t very expensive in the grand scheme of things) is kind of stupid. Who cares, really? You shouldn’t be so judgmental, especially about things like that. (And this also goes in the opposite direction: If you are happy with cheap flatware, nobody should berate you for it.)

What set? It was 50 dollars for 2 forks, 2 spoons, and 1 knife. To get an actual flatware set would cost something like 500 dollars at those rates, which is really an absurd amount to spend on such trivial bullshit.

Around $500 is what you pay for some pretty normal 50 piece sets. That $50 set is by no means especially high priced.

Why is it trivial bullshit to pay $500 on a set that might last a family decades? That’s $2.80 per month (assuming it lasts for fifteen years, which would be my ballpark estimate for a high-quality set that is nearly indestructible and will mainly need replacement because pieces are lost).

Others buy a $800 TV every five years. That’s $13.33 per month. I buy a $1,200 TV every twelve years (and might soon give up on TVs altogether). That’s $8.33 per month.

Can’t you see that both are valid approaches? I can totally understand why someone would pick the cheapest flatware he or she can get. There is less cognitive load. If you buy it and it turns out to be not so great it’s not a big deal. Why can’t you see my perspective?

Re: The Worst

#190

Post by arrrg »

ssharp wrote: post #16
csmeder wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

for example: Wallace Silversmiths Five-Piece "Grande Baroque" Flatware Place Setting Original:$1,240.00 NOW:$992.00 - http://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/Wallace-Silversmiths-Grande-Ba... I agree, if the best Jacket, piece of flatware, flash light, etc is more expensive, that doesn't correlate: the overly expensive products are the "best". Which I think the writer is suggesting. Sometimes the cheaper product is the "best".…

What you linked to would be referred to as "formal flatware". It's a totally different market than regular flatware. You're buying it because it has some intricate design or is made from some sort of expensive material. The pricing of it is not based on functionality. This happens in the lower end, too, but there are lots of reasonable options that are cheaper than the stuff from "The Best" article, probably hold up…

This is non-formal flatware and you can buy it in every department store in Germany: http://www.wmf.de/shop/de_de/besteck/neuheiten/besteck-set-3...

It’s also a bit more than $10 per piece. It’s not even necessary to talk about sterling silver flatware ($200 per piece).

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