Is Heavier Always Better in Everyday Objects?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around a preference for heavier objects, with participants sharing their biases towards weight in various items such as bed frames, blankets, watches, tools, and kitchen appliances. Many express a belief that heavier items often indicate better quality and durability, particularly in tools and kitchenware. The comfort associated with heavy blankets is noted, with some participants recalling childhood experiences that may contribute to this preference. There is also a recognition that while weight can signify quality, it may not always be necessary for every item, such as wine glasses. The conversation touches on the practicality of weight in certain contexts, like cooking and writing, where a solid feel enhances usability. Additionally, there are mentions of the evolving nature of materials, such as lighter alternatives that still provide warmth or functionality. Overall, the discussion reveals a common inclination to equate heft with reliability and quality, despite acknowledging that this bias may not always be justified.
Dembadon
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I find I'm biased towards heavy things. I realize this is unreasonable, as a heavier object will not always be of better quality, but I still find that I prefer a heftier object even they wouldn't necessarily benefit from it. Here are some examples of some things I prefer to be heavy:

  • bed frame (wooden)
  • blankets
  • watches
  • tools
  • cetain types of electronics
  • glassware / dishes / silverware
  • a chef's knife

I've reasoned that if the object is going to be under consistent or constant stress, then heftier materials are typically able to withstand greater amounts of stress. However, it's an inherent bias I possesses that won't always bode well for passing judgments.

Does anyone else find themselves doing this, either consciously or subconsciously? If so, why do you think you do it?
 
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I definitely judge some things by weight. I think a hammer should have a heavy, but well balanced head. Heavier silverware/stainless steel cutlery is better.

Now they have thinsolate material to make warmer lighter weight blankets, gloves etc... but if it's not new materials heavy is good.

I like heavy lead crystal.
 
Women.
 
DaveC426913 said:
Women.

:smile:
 
Evo said:
I definitely judge some things by weight. I think a hammer should have a heavy, but well balanced head. Heavier silverware/stainless steel cutlery is better.

Now they have thinsolate material to make warmer lighter weight blankets, gloves etc... but if it's not new materials heavy is good.

I like heavy lead crystal.

I like a heavy hammer as well, but only for certain jobs. If I'm nailing a small picture frame together, I'm not going to be using a framing hammer. :biggrin:

I find it extremely difficult to sleep under light blankets. I don't know what it is, but I'd rather be freezing than warm underneath something I can't tell is there. I had heavy blankets as a child, maybe I'm comforted because of the association.

I still can't justify why I prefer heavy glasses. Silverware I can see, but I'm not sure there is much use for a heavy wine glass.
 
I think there's definitely some credibility to heavy = more quality. A lightweight thing is usually made of cheap plastic and is easily broken.
 
I definitely go for heft in kitchen appliances. Many years ago, my wife's cheesy electric egg-beater died and I bought her a very heavy Kitchen-Aid Ultra-Power stand mixer with about every accessory she could ever want. If you watch cooking shows, every chef has one of these (unless it's a commercial restaurant setting and they have the Kitchen-Aid's big brother, the Hobart mixer). About a year ago, I bought an Oster "beehive" blender. Heavy, with an all-metal base and only two speeds - no rows of plastic buttons for various speeds. These are the classics that have been used for years and years in bars blending up ice for margaritas, etc. My new HP 15-C calculator showed up today. Definitely a tough character and VERY solid compared to the Casios, TIs, etc.

When my newest Dell PC came in, I ordered a Unicomp (IBM/Lexmark) keyboard for it and canned that flimsy Dell keyboard. I definitely prefer solid stuff. My favorite chef's knives are by Thiers Issard. They are very $$$, but they are hand-forged with solid tangs and will last a lifetime. Knives don't have to be heavy, but they need to have a solid "feel" and be balanced well enough to make them a joy to use when the harvest/canning season comes around. Nothing sucks like chopping vegetables for hours with a flimsy knife. A while back, I ordered a Thiers Issard Santoku to complement the 6" chef's knife. It has shallow indentations a bit above the edge to help release food as it is sliced and it makes slicing cucumbers a dream.
 
DaveC426913 said:
Women.

As a direct or inverse proportion?
 
Ivan Seeking said:
As a direct or inverse proportion?
Direct. :wink:

"More cushion for the ..."

No wait.

"More to love."
 
  • #10
DaveC426913 said:
"More cushion for the ..."

That was almost the form that my question took. :smile:

I was ruined for life by the California beach scene.
 
  • #11
As a mechanical design engineer I'm biased against anything that is heavier or noisier than it needs to be.
 
  • #12
I buy my rolls of paper products buy weight and I am convinced that heavier is better.

Has anyone noticed that we are being short sheeted on paper products? The package may say "new 300 sheet rolls", or "more sheets same price", but the sheets are smaller and often thinner.

Buy the heaviest package at the same price to get the most paper for your money. You can tell just by lifting the packages. You don't have to take them over to the produce department and weigh them.:biggrin:

This has been a don't get shot sheeted alert! we now return to our regular programming.
 
  • #13
edward is right, but I must add a qualifier. If you have a stand-alone house with a septic system instead of city sewage, you must buy toilet tissue that is compatible with septic systems. Toilet paper that is sized with starch (think Scott 1000-sheet rolls) can be broken down by biological processes in the septic tank. Toilet paper that is sized with inorganic chemicals (this includes most of the "softer", "fluffier" tissues) will not break down, so you will have to pay to have that septic tank pumped out frequently, though hopefully not at inopportune times like in the middle of winter. One of my neighbors found that out several years back after moving up here from Mass. Huh?
 
  • #14
turbo said:
edward is right, but I must add a qualifier. If you have a stand-alone house with a septic system instead of city sewage, you must buy toilet tissue that is compatible with septic systems. Toilet paper that is sized with starch (think Scott 1000-sheet rolls) can be broken down by biological processes in the septic tank. Toilet paper that is sized with inorganic chemicals (this includes most of the "softer", "fluffier" tissues) will not break down, so you will have to pay to have that septic tank pumped out frequently, though hopefully not at inopportune times like in the middle of winter. One of my neighbors found that out several years back after moving up here from Mass. Huh?

Good point. Sounds like an expensive process depending on one's setup.
 
  • #15
I find I cannot write with pens that weigh little. A nice solid pen does wonders for my handwriting!
 
  • #16
TheMadMonk said:
I find I cannot write with pens that weigh little. A nice solid pen does wonders for my handwriting!
Yep. I have a few gel-inked ballpoints that I can slide by with even though they are light, but I prefer pens that have a bit of "heft" to them. Even my mechanical pencils need to be a bit on the massive side.
 
  • #17
Seems like the opposite is true for shoes. The heavier the shoe, the worse quality it is. I used to wear off brand shoes because they were cheap, but they fell apart pretty quickly, so I bought some Nikes. They're high top basketball shoes, but they're extremely light and durable. I couldn't believe how light they were compared to my off brand shoes. They seem only slightly heavier than my socks.
They're also the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned.
 

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