When I was young, my parents held the Sony brand up as one of the best technology manufacturers in the world. Those were the TVs we got when we could, those were the VCR brands (he says, dating himself) and eventually the Walkman and Discman and other CD players. Pioneer was high on that list in coming years for me as well, in among a very small number of companies that made high quality tech that you understood you had to pay more to own, but was worth it.
Well, that’s changed.
This isn’t to say that the likes of Sony and Pioneer have gotten less good (though perhaps they have, I don’t know either way), but it’s become abundantly clear to me for decades now that just because a product costs more than its competition doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s actually much better, if even as good. More and more products over the years have found their way into becoming big name brands, but while they’re seen as being enviable and so cost a premium — the ol’ market charging as much as the consumer will pay — their quality doesn’t match the price.
A few examples that spring to mind:
Apple AirPods
In a vacuum (let’s remove for a moment Apple’s recent political issues and their historical added charges for components of purchases that should’ve damn well been included), Apple objectively makes good hardware that lasts. And yes, from Macs to iPhones and now to AirPods, you’ll pay a premium to own any of it.
But…
Users need to understand that there’s going to be a reduction in sound quality of any small speakers, including the little bitty ones that can fit into an ear canal. And earbuds are also going to be used by a great many people while moving around. Walking or running or driving or mowing the lawn or on the bus or train to work, etc. Meaning, you’re going to have further decreased sound quality just by the nature of what you’re doing and where you are. So for a lot of use, BlueTooth earbuds simply can’t be expected to sound exemplary. Even noise-cancelling earbuds are only going to be able to do so much.
As of this writing, you’ll pay at least $180 Canadian for a pair of AirPods. $250 for the noise-cancelling model.
Meanwhile, my wife and teen and I each have a pair of JLab brand earbuds. Like AirPods, the JLabs come in their own case that recharges the earbuds as they’re inside (the case itself has a larger batter that needs rare charging in order to top up the earbuds).
Their sound quality is better than other, more expensive earbuds we tried. Perfectly acceptable to even something of an audiophile like me, who’s a bit picky when it comes to audio quality, particularly since I mainly use them to listen to podcasts that don’t require great sound quality, though even music in these JLabs is perfectly fine.
Our dog has gotten ahold of my case more times than I’d like to say due to them slipping out of my pocket onto the couch so often, and has slobbered on them and full-on chewed them, and yet he dropped them like a good boy and they were none the worse for wear. My wife has accidentally put her case through a full clothes washing cycle, and they came out dry and perfectly usable.
To borrow a long-time motto from a very different brand, these JLabs take a licking and keep on ticking.
They cost us about $20 Canadian.
To be clear, are they as good as AirPod quality? Probably not (I confess I haven’t tried AirPods). But unless Apple’s offering is literally 9X better than the JLabs to warrant the price difference (and PSST! They literally can’t be), these are the brand I’m sticking with for the foreseeable future.
Casamigos tequila
Casamigos got an invaluable boost when co-founder George Clooney stepped into the mix. That already gave the brand a push that most others simply can’t offer. And then it got more positive press when international alcohol megacorporation Diageo bought the brand from Clooney and co. for $1 billion.
Casamigos remains one of the better sellers for higher priced tequilas.
But…
A little poking around on the Tequila Matchmaker app will give you plenty of other options, many cheaper, that are rated as highly or more highly than Casamigos by both the expert panel and everyday users alike. To be clear, Casamigos is definitely a good tequila. But its the opinion of a lot of tequila drinkers around the world that it’s not as good as its price would suggest.
Casamigos has also recently been caught up in (apparently another) law suit, this one over making claims about having 100% agave, while independent tests showed otherwise. Again, make sure you’re getting what you pay for.
Tesla Cybertruck
From the huge array of issues including misaligned doors to lack of safety mechanism on the back door that prevents crushing fingers to the electrifying of the entire outer body while the battery is being charged, the Cybertruck has had more than its fair share of fundamental problems. It was so flawed for so long in so many ways, many wonder how it ever got approved to be mass marketed in the first place. And of course, these days, one must bear in mind the current social stigma of supporting proud and highly publicized seig heiler Elon Musk.
As of this writing, a Cybertruck will cost you $138,000 Canadian.
Meanwhile, you can scratch that midlife crisis itch by getting a current year Porsche instead (and as a bonus to owning automotive artwork, also avoid the optics of supporting a fascist) for $38,000 less than that.
… the list goes on and on.
In short, an invaluable life lesson, dear reader: Don’t assume that a product with a big price tag means it’s better than more affordable options, and conversely, don’t assume that an oddly low price for something must mean it’s crap. Take the time to check out reviews until you’re satisfied that you’re getting what you want for what you’re paying. Keep your mind open to other options, and you may be very happy with what you get instead as well as keeping some money in your pocket.