The easiest way to make a quick and tasty coffee is still with a hand filter: all you need is hot water, coffee powder and a paper filter. Often these hand filters are made of environmentally harmful plastic and break relatively easily. Hand filters made of porcelain, ceramic and stainless steel are the better alternative. And then there are even some you don’t even need a paper filter for: fine stainless steel mesh filters your coffee without producing waste.
Buy**: You can buy hand filters, for example, at Coffee Circle, Memolife, Amazon.
2. Unbreakable: Stainless steel lunchboxes
It comes with no plastic, plasticizers, or aluminum, so it’s safe for your health while being sturdy enough to have the potential to last you a lifetime: A lunch box made of stainless steel. Products made of stainless steel also have other advantages: they are food-safe, easy to clean and hygienic. A stainless steel bread box is virtually indestructible and therefore never needs to be replaced.
Buy**: In many plastic-free stores and online z.B. at Avocadostore, Ebay or Amazon.
3. Maglite: probably the most famous flashlight
The famous Maglite flashlight is familiar from Hollywood movies: police officers shining a huge flashlight into dark corners, which is also suitable for self-defense in case of emergency. The classic flashlight is made of sturdy aluminum, is splash-proof and has a ten-year warranty. The manufacturer doesn’t give a lifetime warranty, but anyone who owns a Maglite knows that these lamps last forever.
Buy**: A Maglite you get for example at Euronics, Galeria or Amazon.
4. Lasts a lifetime: stainless steel water bottle
The same applies to stainless steel drinking bottles like the Klean Kanteen as it does to bread boxes: unlike plastic drinking bottles, they do not require plasticizers and are extremely durable. In case of strong impacts or falls, at most scratches or a small bump will remain – nothing worse can happen.
Stainless steel drinking bottles can be found in our best list: The best BPA-free drinking bottles.
Buy** you can buy the Klean Kanteen for example directly at Klean Kanteen. You can find some more stores here:
5. For all cases: Swiss Army Knives
If you have one, you won’t give it back: the Swiss Army knife is not only cult, but also incredibly practical. Whether scissors, file, knife, bottle opener, wood saw or corkscrew: The largest knives have 31 functions. You don’t need all of them, of course, but if you’ve ever been camping, to a festival, or hiking in the mountains, you’ve probably used them to open a beer or two, whittle a walking stick, or cut an apple. Victorinox gives a lifetime warranty on its knives.
Buy** you can buy a Victorinox pocket knife, for example, at Globetrotter or Galeria.
6. Lasts forever: cast iron pan
Coated pans are a tiresome topic: On the one hand practical, because they do not let anything burn, on the other hand the coating usually comes off after some time, no matter how careful you are. The pan then not only loses its functionality, harmful substances can also be released from the coating. Better are pans made of cast iron: These get by without any coating at all. If you use them correctly, nothing burns anyway. Due to their mass, heat is stored particularly well, frying fans swear by the pans.
Cast iron is unfortunately not magnetic and therefore actually not suitable for induction. But since cast iron pans are becoming popular again, you can get high-quality cast iron cookware usually with a magnetic steel core, which makes them reusable for induction.
In our article Buying pans – how to find the right one? learn more about the topic.
Buy** you can buy cast iron pans for example at Otto, Raccoon or Ebay.
7. The hammer – a tool that lasts forever
Hammer, pliers, screwdriver: Tools are almost impossible to break if they are of high quality. You can recognize this by a few features. Quality is guaranteed by test seals such as the GS seal (tested safety) or awards from TuV or Dekra.
When buying, you should also make sure that the head and handle of the hammer are connected with a metal ring. If the two parts are only glued together with synthetic resin, they can easily separate from each other. The handle should be made of wood, because handles made of plastic can burst under heavy load, and those made of metal are heavy and also sensitive to heat.
Buy**: a good hammer (and other tools) you get for example at Obi or Toom.
8. Lasts forever: Solar watch from Junghans
The solar watch of the German watch manufacturer Junghans works with environmentally friendly solar technology. But that’s not the only thing that makes them a sustainable companion. Although there is no lifetime guarantee, there is a Junghans watch in the Utopia editorial office that has been running for 20 years – without being repaired once. Generally, high-quality watches are considered durable products that rarely break down.
Buy**: Sustainably produced watches are also available, for example, from Kerbholz (best purchased directly from Kerbholz, alternatively: Avocadostore, Amazon).
9. Patagonia’s iron guarantee
People who buy new outdoor clothing these days don’t usually expect the products to last more than a few years. Outdoor label Patagonia sees it quite differently: "Using our products for as long as possible is the best thing we as consumers can do for the environment" says Rose Marcario, CEO at Patagonia, urging her customers to extend the life of their clothing through proper care and repair.
Customers are supported with the so-called "Patagonia Ironclad Guarantee", a kind of "ironclad" guarantee that ensures that products are replaced that do not serve their purpose or do not work satisfactorily for the customer. If your clothes do get damaged, the label offers a repair service. That’s how Patagonia manages to make their stuff last, maybe not forever, but at best, a lifetime.
Buy**: You can get Patagonia clothing at Avocadostore, mountain friends or Sport cobbler.
10. Something for eternity: a good kitchen knife
Good kitchen utensils are sometimes passed down from generation to generation. So you can often find a potato ricer or even a sharp knife from your grandparents in your own kitchen again. For a long-lasting knife, different materials are recommended: stainless steel is hard-wearing, sharp and rustproof. Ceramic is also rustproof, but can break easily. Normal steel, on the other hand, rusts, but is harder and stays sharp for a long time.
Buy**: Kitchen knives "made in Germany" are available, for example, from some traditional blacksmiths in Solingen: Knives of the brand Zwilling, Gude Knives or Wusthof Ikon.
11. For eternity: leather bag
Leather comes from dead animals. That’s why you should carefully consider whether and which leather products you buy. Leather is considered one of the most robust materials: it is durable, resistant – and vegetable tanned it has a better environmental balance than, for example, synthetic materials. If you’re looking to buy a new leather bag, make sure it’s made from vegetable-tanned leather and hasn’t been treated with environmentally harmful chrome.
The most sustainable way to get a leather bag, however, is another: Buy used leather bags at flea markets and internet portals or pass them on to family and friends. Especially because leather is so durable, it makes sense to buy second-hand clothes. This way resources are saved and used bags& Co. Usually have more charm than new products.
Buy**Bags made from vegetable tanned leather are available from Avocadostore or Raccoon.
12. Durable umbrella from H2O Parapluies
Umbrellas are bought cheaply in the drugstore around the corner for two to ten euros. It feels like these often break with the next gust of wind. Admittedly: It’s not easy to find a sturdy one – because a high price doesn’t guarantee longevity.
The French manufacturer H2O Parapluies has found a solution to this problem: solid umbrellas with a lifetime warranty and free repair service. The umbrellas are more expensive, but you need to buy one only once. Moreover, they can even be personalized with embroidery on request. You can get the mini umbrella for about. 85 euros.
Buying: At Online store from H2O Parapluies.
In our article on particularly sustainable umbrellas, you’ll find more models that protect the environment.