Reviews & Articles

Shedding light on the most durable (and shoddy) products. Read our independent reviews, advice on living a calmer, less wasteful life, plus the latest news about our mission to end throwaway culture.

All A Life Less Throwaway All Reviews Appliance Guides Behind The Scenes Buy Me Once Awards Campaigns Christmas Christmas Gifts Cookware Care Cookware Guides Cost Per Use Decluttering Durable & Circular Design Eco Living Eco Weddings Fashion & Beauty Fathers Day Furniture Guides Garden Products Guides Gifting Guides Gifts For Her Gifts For Him Homeware Guides Homeware Product Care Kids Products Guides Kitchenware Guides Lifestyle Guides Love Stock Hate Waste Meet The Maker Minimalism Mothers Day News News on Durability & Waste Parenting & Kids Planned Obsolescence Product Care and Repair Right to Repair Saving Money Sewing & Fabric Care Tech Guides Travel Products & Guides Us In The News Valentines Gifts Wedding Gift Guides Zero Waste
The BuyMeOnce Excellence Awards 2019

The BuyMeOnce Excellence Awards 2019

2019 marks the first year of the BuyMeOnce Excellence Awards. We will run the awards annually with the aim that they will eventually become known as a kitemark of longevity and sustainability. Here is the official list of winners for 2019.
Your things that last - Buy Me Once UK

Your things that last

What are the products you love the most? We wanted to know how long your things had lasted, why you thought they lasted so long, and what those products meant to you.
Buy cheap, buy twice: how to save money by buying for life - Buy Me Once UK

Buy cheap, buy twice: how to save money by buying for life

Whilst cheap things need to be bought over and over (piling up in landfill in the meantime), you only need to pay for quality once. Buy-for-life products - ones that last forever - provide outstanding value over years of use, even if they represent a much higher upfront cost. 

We’re going to discuss how and why to break away from buying cheap, and how to save money by buying more mindfully.

The problem with flat pack - Buy Me Once UK

The problem with flat pack

In the last 60 years, flat pack has taken the country - and the world - by storm. But in the process of designing furniture that anyone can build, has the industry deprioritised longevity? We examine the pros and cons of flat pack, and present our own 'forever furniture'.
25 Sustainable Homeware Gifts that Last - Buy Me Once UK

25 Sustainable Homeware Gifts that Last

If you’re buying something for a new homeowner this Christmas, or even someone who just loves to nest, our list of sustainable homeware gifts will be your go-to guide.
The checklist of Things I Didn’t Need - Buy Me Once UK

The checklist of Things I Didn’t Need

Last year I wrote a list of things I didn’t need. This year I want to see whether I stuck to it or not. My approach to minimalism isn’t just a toolkit to decluttering, but it is also about ensuring I’m not buying crap I don’t want or need. This list was the most powerful tool to stop those impulse buys.

The Inspirationals: Antonia Edwards, Founder of Upcyclist - Buy Me Once UK

The Inspirationals: Antonia Edwards, Founder of Upcyclist

Imagine if all the furniture in your home sparked joy every time you look at it, didn't cost you a small fortune to own, and helped save the planet. This is the vision Antonia Edwards saw when she launched Upcyclist in 2011. We spoke with Antonia about the environmental benefits of upcycling and her best tips for sourcing genuine upcycled goods and how to get started as a beginner!
Reupholstery: A Sustainable Solution for your Old Furniture - Buy Me Once UK

Reupholstery: A Sustainable Solution for your Old Furniture

1.6 million tonnes of bulky waste, largely furniture, are thrown to landfill each year in the UK. Around 50 percent of this is estimated to be functional with repair. This article is a plea for us to pause before we dispose and first give some consideration to having our furniture altered or reupholstered so that it better meets our needs.
How to Remove Stains Naturally and Effectively - Buy Me Once UK

How to Remove Stains Naturally and Effectively

Your clothes hate stains as much as you do! To make sure they don’t have time to set in and permanently damage the fabric, here are some easy ways to remove stains naturally and effectively.
Make your House Move the Opportunity of a Lifetime - Buy Me Once UK

Make your House Move the Opportunity of a Lifetime

Moving to a new house can rank up there as one of the most stressful times in your life. But it can also be a tremendous opportunity to reassess the objects that you have in your life and the kind of life you want to live.
The Zero Waste Home: A Rubbish-free Bedroom in 7 Easy Steps - Buy Me Once UK

The Zero Waste Home: A Rubbish-free Bedroom in 7 Easy Steps

Initially, I struggled with how to make my bedroom zero waste. So I sat on my bed and asked the question: “What in here could have a toll on the environment?” The more I looked around, the more I saw. Everything we own will eventually become waste.

Things I Don’t Need - Buy Me Once UK

Things I Don’t Need

When I was growing up, accumulating things seemed like a right of passage through to adulthood. The choice between having and not having something was a no-brainer to me. You always want to have the thing. My constant refrain while out shopping with my mum was “But mummy I need it! I NEED IT!”