I would suggest buying LC at a brick and mortar store if you are experiencing shipping damage that is a pain. That way you can examine what you are buying and don’t have to ship back the defective item. That said, our most recent purchase online was a bread cloche which arrived flaw free online from LC. I do all my buying online except for food and what I run across in Walmart or Target, and there is a certain rate of damage and the occasional scam which everyone who buys online just tolerates and returns, and I find buying from trusted sources is best because I can get my money back.

All that said, BIFL is a bit of a misnomer if you expect a 30 year old dutch oven to look new. After 15 years we have the bread dutch oven be permanently stained (it is replaced with the bread cloche) but it functions well. I have a 50 year old Revlon manicure set which the leather case finally broke and I have moved on. I find only things which do not get heavy use actually last a lifetime. Buying actual good quality lasts longer. I treat anything electronic as if it is food, because all electronics have a limited life. I keep buying good quality leather family room couches but they still only last 10 years of heavy use. I think buying quality is good, but good value at a good price (thrift) is more prudent.

I also have tri-ply aluminum hard anodized, Calphalon One, and they are 15 years old now, look almost perfect. I use the 4qt dutch oven twice a week, the fry pans and chefs pan(think wok with handle) in between. They clean up beautifully with Bar Keepers Friend. They even have a large caldero (5.5 qts) and the quality is much better than the cheap ones in the store. I don’t think Calphalon makes this line now but All Clad makes a similar one, also Analon. I have several sizes of Le Creuset but I find for stove top these are lighter. I just use the roasting pans that come with the set for the oven. Hard anodized is partially non-stick without a coating that breaks down.

I have always purchased Wamsutta. They have both cotton and a cotton blend. They last well, are thick, and do not fade much. My oldest ones are from the 70’s. That said, expect to use them 15-20 years. We wash everything in cold water. I use Lysol Laundry, Tide and Clorox 2. Nothing ever fades. Dry on medium heat. If a thread pulls, cut it and tie it off, then cut the ends short. Fixes the problem of runs. I purchased mine from BBBY but they are available in other chains and on Amazon as well. The company has a long history of good quality.

Consider a low mileage 2015 sedan. Even with a touch screen there will not be much operability left, and everything will be buttons. Tell grandpa he only has to push the ones he wants to.

Many items I bought short term I have ended up owning for 40+ years. I accumulated a lot of furnishings when I bought my first SFH. Some items I had to give away when the items no longer fit in my second home but I regretted having to let go of them as they were timeless pieces. Some timeless pieces did not last as well as others. The family room sofas have a limited life, even in expensive leather.

Britain has multiple problems and its public services are falling apart, chronic underfunding by conservatives leads to a decline in general society and a terrible international reputation. Perhaps this and other crises will be a wake up call. In the US it was the IRS that was starved in a similar way, until it can’t function.