Whenever I’m making large purchases, I like to find trusted and reputable brands.
It’s not a matter of feeling like I need brand association to appreciate a pair of tennis shoes or to avoid being embarrassed by driving the wrong car manufacturer.
Instead, I have learned time and time again that you usually get what you pay for. Although there are certainly exceptions to this rule, there are usually winners as far as brands go in any conceivable category. I am a guitarist and I play in a local band for fun. There is a particular guitar manufacturer that I have stuck with for 15 years now. They build amazing instruments that perfectly compliment my sound and playing style. The same thing goes for my computer, as it took me years of buying cheap laptops before I decided to spend wisely and get something more expensive. But, I learned the hard way that there are major cases where the opposite happens. I assumed buying the best central air conditioner available would mean the best performance. After scouring the internet for reviews for weeks, I found what I believed to be the best brand for central air conditioners. I paid to have one installed and watched as it slowly broke down over two years of normal use. I found a third party HVAC supplier to inspect my house and he determined that my ductwork wasn’t designed properly. No matter how good of an air conditioner I slap in there, unless the ductwork problem is addressed, the ACs will keep getting fried. Now I’m in the process of gathering quotes for new ductwork which isn’t going to be cheap.