Ask Wirecutter: Are There Cheap Products That Are Better Than Their Pricey Counterparts?
Unlike, say, more complex spirits such as whiskey or tequila, there’s never a reason to pay a premium for so-called premium vodka. The picks in our guide to best vodka include Kirkland Signature and Pinnacle, which you’re less likely to find on the top shelf of a bar.
Our smart-home team is thrilled to see prices come down and quality go up as that category matures. “It used to be that the best smart-home gear was the most expensive, and that’s not always the case anymore,” says senior staff writer Rachel Cericola, who wrote about great, inexpensive smart-home gear. The less-expensive picks our team recommends include everything from light bulbs to speakers to security cameras.
And our cyclists on staff caution that almost everybody is likely to do just as well with a midrange bike as with something lightweight and top-of-the-line that boasts expensive components such as carbon-fiber wheels since higher-end bikes are designed for speed rather than durability. “Modern components like gear shifters, brakes, derailleurs, and hubs are all solid, and the high-end stuff is not functionally much better than midrange,” says senior staff writer and cyclist Tim Heffernan. You’ll still have to keep buying the parts that degrade over time, and high-end bikes are magnets for thieves.
Likewise, here are some specific more-affordable products to consider over their fancier brethren.
