10 Products That Come With Lifetime Warranties

“They don’t make them like they used to” is a popular consumer sentiment, and one that—anecdotally, at least—seems to be true more often than not. In 2012, a General Electric refrigerator manufactured in 1938 won an appliance endurance contest for lasting an incredible 74 years. In 2007, a steam-powered car made in 1884 was still running. (Admittedly, it took 30 minutes to warm up, but give it a break.)

While today’s manufacturing may put less emphasis on durability, there are still a handful of products that carry lifetime guarantees, which go above and beyond standard retailer return policies or 1-year warranties. Take a look at these 10 items you shouldn't have to keep buying over and over again.

1. Socks
2. Luggage
3. Sunglasses
4. Tools
5. Coolers
6. Faucets
7. Flashlights
8. Furniture
9. Kitchen Knives
10. Water Bottles

(Our standard caveat: Always read the fine print on warranties, and don’t confuse our mention of any companies with an endorsement. Guarantees usually don’t apply if you use products for commercial purposes if you're not the original owner. You can also shop around: If one company offers a premium guarantee in a product space, others probably do, too.)

Socks

Cheap socks may be the most maddening consumer apparel around. It often takes only minimal activity to find they’re becoming worn or torn. A number of online sock manufacturers have developed this as a selling point, asserting their socks are so durable they’ll replace them if they fail you. Socks from companies like Darn Tough, Feetures, and FitSok offer a guarantee that their socks will remain intact or they’ll replace them. While normal wear is covered, you may not have as much luck trying to return a pair chewed up by a pet.

Luggage

Frequent travelers know that luggage can take a beating from airline employees and the overall wear and tear that comes from wanderlust. Briggs & Riley offers a repair guarantee on their line: If a bag or suitcase is functionally damaged, they’ll repair it (via mail, drop-off, or DIY tool kits) at no charge, even if an airline was at fault. They don’t cover cosmetic damage like scratches, however. Similar guarantees are also available from Travelpro, Level8, and Roam, though not all extend coverage to airline mishaps.

You May Also Like:

• 12 Amazon Shopping Tips That Will Save You Money
• 5 Simple Ways to Save Money on Gas
• 5 Tips for Buying Used Furniture

Add Mental Floss as a preferred news source!

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are an imperfect combination of portable and fragile. If you’re worried about damaging your shades by sitting on them or finding they’ve come undone, you might consider brands like Abaco, which covers both defects and accidents, or Sunski, which will replace your pair for any reason absent anything it deems “outrageous.” (You cannot, for example, run over your lenses with a car.) Just bear in mind that not all manufacturers will cover minor damage like a scratch unless it impairs your vision.

Tools

Tools go through a lot of repetitive motion and stress, which is why not all tool manufacturers consider it prudent to guarantee their operation. But plenty do. DeWalt offers a limited lifetime warranty on mechanic’s tools as well as consumer-use hand tools provided they were purchased directly or from an authorized reseller. (Sorry, Facebook Marketplace won’t cut it.) Stanley goes a step further for mechanic’s tools, replacing them with a no-questions-asked, no-proof-of-purchase required policy. They also have a limited lifetime warranty on tape measures and hand tools, excepting “consumable goods” like blades or screwdriver bits.

Big box stores can offer similar perks. Husky-branded tools from Home Depot have a lifetime warranty, though their website advises you to call or visit a store for particulars.

Coolers

Big on camping—or doomsday prepping? You’ll want a cooler. Brands like Bison and Canyon offer warranties that cover manufacturer’s defects—and in Canyon’s case, even a bear assault—for the life of the cooler.

Faucets

Here’s some potential good news for anyone with a leaky kitchen faucet: If it’s a Moen, you can contact the company for a replacement, which covers drips as well as any other defects. The catch is you have to be the original purchaser of the product. If you bought the home with the fixture already installed, you’re no longer the first.

Flashlights

Flashlights come in handy when you need to replace a leaky faucet. Olight and Fenix flashlights both come with guarantees against defects and offer repairs at no costs, though there might be limitations depending on where the products are purchased. (Fenix doesn’t warranty flashlights purchased through Amazon, for example, as the e-tailer has their own guarantee.) You won’t find many (or any) manufacturers that will cover normal wear and tear or battery failure, however.

Furniture

Creaky, saggy furniture usually means a trip to the store. Buy your next loveseat from Albany Park and you’ll likely have a better experience. The company guarantees replacement for 10 years from the date of purchase, and repairs after that, though you’ll pay shipping costs if the issue isn’t due to a defect. (Naturally, rips in the fabric don't count.) RH Furniture will cover frames, springs, and cushions, but not upholstery.

Kitchen Knives

So long as you’re not a professional chef, you can find knives that will last you as long as you have an appetite. Cutco offers a “forever guarantee” that will replace a defective knife as well as offer free sharpening for dull knives (though not free shipping). New West Knifeworks will also replace defective knives and even offers a little grace. If a customer breaks a knife from misuse—like trying to pry open a can—they’ll give them half off a new utensil.

Water Bottles

If you’ve ever found a faulty seal on a water bottle and had to clean up the aftermath, you’ll know the value of a guarantee. Earthwell offers assurances for workmanship and materials, but not wear and tear. The same goes for 24 Bottles and Nalgene.