I agree, it's pretty hard to find a really great bike for under $1000 so find a used bike that's in good shape to save money. The bikes that I see people ride for decades typically have the fewest amount of moving parts, so they tend to be fully rigid frames. That being said, of you wanted things like suspension, as long as the frame is good you can swap out parts as they wear down and keep a bike running for many years. I recently did a full overhaul on a used mountain bike where I swapped out most of the drivetrain, got new suspension forks, and had all the bearings serviced and I was able to do it for under $1000, and should keep that bike on the trails for many more years to come. As long as you avoid buying high performance parts you should be able to do everything on a budget.

Quality Drive train components are key. Shimano deore or better (mtb) Shimano Grx 600 or better (gravel) Shimano 105 or better (road). Sram exists and makes good ones too, but I never learned their tiers.

1x (has one gear in the front). Less weight and one less part that could break.

Breaks. Disc brakes are on almost all quality and high end bikes (top teir road bikes might still have rim brakes). There are two type of disc brakes. Mechanical (wire pully) and hydraulic (mineral oil). Mineral oil may need service annually (mine have been okay for 4 years though.
Mechanical may need slight adjusting as the cable can stretch over time.

There are dress shoes that have the vibram sole, which are VERY comfortable. My suggestion would be to buy a high quality shoe that he can resole multiple times. Also, don’t be afraid to buy high quality shoes that are used (if you can find his size). Vibram makes their sole in multiple colors, including black.

A lot of people like Allen Edmonds. They’re pricey but they’ll last and you can resole them multiple times. (His size will usually be on sale or check eBay.) Also, there are boots that look like dress shoes. It can help with ankle support and helps keep the swelling down, if needed.

At that price range, you’re probably going to be looking at something like an entry level Trek.

For bikes, there’s really 2 things you want to be looking at, the frame and the set of components. You probably want to have the strongest and lightest frame you can afford and then the components (shifter, derailed, etc) would be the basic set. Over time as you get a better idea of how you ride you can choose to upgrade to more expensive components or not, depending on your preferences.

Disc brakes are OK, but expensive for what they are. They keep your braking power more towards the center of the wheel so when you go through streams or large puddles you keep the braking surface clean - which may not be important to you if you stick to mostly roads.

If you don’t have a lot of experience riding a bike for daily commutes or weekend fun, I’d recommend looking for a decent used bike that has most of the features you want and then after 6 months of use you’ll have a good idea of which components are important to you and which aren’t. Bikes haven’t really changed all that much in the last 50 years and sometimes you can get really good deals on a used bike.

What do you want him to do to prove it? Buy a 30 year old one and a new one and cut them in half? Send in metal samples to a material science lab?

It’s well-established that the vintage stuff is high quality, and the people who buy the new stuff seem to have similar opinions. I don’t see any reason to believe the modern Le Creuset Dutch ovens are subpar.

If anyone needs to provide evidence, it should be you. Our null hypothesis should be that the quality remained the same. If you want to claim the quality went to shit, the burden of proof is on you

Not BIFL, but better than average fast fashion brands I’d say - I have leather Chelsea boots from Tommy Hilfiger that I am now wearing for the third year (wear them almost daily in autumn/winter). The leather still looks good (I take care of it though by polishing) but I had to resole them earlier this year (cost me around €10) and I will soon buy new insoles for them, as after three years of use those are worn out now. I also wear Tommy Hilfiger leather ballerina’s (during spring/summer) and one pair lasts me approximately 1.5 years (with daily use).

Find a local cobbler! I was buying work boots once every year to 18 months for $130 a pop. I visited a cobbler and had a custom pair made for $550. Resole once every two years for about $100. Still comes out cheaper then buying crappy pairs all the time.

I've had pairs of Eccos. Comfortable shoes but they won't last any longer than the others.

Is he walking his way through the soles, or is it the uppers that go first? With soles longevity and comfort are always a trade off, regardless of cost. I've always found the MIE Dr Marten shoes to be very well made, certainly better than the boots, and should be good for a year (that's how long they lasted when I was a boy, we'd kick the shine out of them though, as kids do) They'll hurt like hell until broken in though.

> just not the ones from Walmart

Where should I buy them.

Maybe having the fan on high in your room would make you colder.

You canne change the laws of physics ...

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The book may say but I tell you from experience that if you cool off the heater too much it isn't going to throw heat anywhere near as much as if you let it stay hot.

You could always check the used market, for a vacuum you can afford....

Experiences of others has near zero value to you. If you want BIFL footwear, the general rules are:

$100/Euro will not get you BIFL footwear.

Goodyear welt construction is BIFL material, there are other types, but those tend to be the $1000 shoes.

You don't buy based on Brand Name, you buy based on construction. For example, the boots you linked to are not BIFL as they are glued construction. Maybe Tommy has BIFL boots of another type.

Stares in Brooks Brothers and Tom Ford. Look chief, don't throw blanket opinions out there. One of the reason why designer brands are so expensive is they use the very best makers to OEM for them. Those "overpriced" Tom Ford longwings? They are neither cheaply made nor throwaway.

I can guarantee if you get a Samsung fridge it won't freeze your food. Not that it will cool it either but just sayin'.

Nope. When I rotated three pairs of work shoes, thos 3 pair lasted me over 6 years. Individually they would last 6 to 9 months.

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Get a pair of skateboard shoes you can get some very smart, looking ones they are designed for skateboarding and will last for years if you have never touched a skateboard

Probably not. It is not unknown for designers to have have their boots made by a reputable maker (I once bought a pair of "Camel" boots that were incredible quality, made in Germany), but without them in hand it is impossible to say.

There is no way. Those are going to have the cheapest materials and glued construction possible. Go over to r/goodyearwelt to find a similar pair that will actually last.

My pleasure! Few things are as frustrating as inferior tools in the kitchen. Bon apetite!

Post over in r/vacuumcleaners they will get you sorted.

This is very unlike a Miele machine.