Don't blame the Chinese. They just saw an open market and jumped in. The US and Canada opened the door to them with the ultra-liberal trade agreements that nobody but the foreign manufacturers wanted.
But its not the cheap wages that make China-brand cheap... its the super good deals they get on shipping (read North American subsidies) and the near-absence of tariffs and export-import duties.
I've been thru a lot of 15 buck irons yes they could produce some smoke at first and don't be surprised if it breaks down after 100 odd hours of use. as simple and hardy as a soldering iron may seem even the simplest kind must be of good quality and may only cost twice a cheap one wile lasting years instead of months. I got a nice little philips 25/50 watts some years ago I don't use it much but it is still working, it runs at 25 W and goes to 50 if I push a button, handy for tougher/larger stuff or for outdoors
Don't blame the Chinese. They just saw an open market and jumped in. The US and Canada opened the door to them with the ultra-liberal trade agreements that nobody but the foreign manufacturers wanted.
But its not the cheap wages that make China-brand cheap... its the super good deals they get on shipping (read North American subsidies) and the near-absence of tariffs and export-import duties.
once upon a time when we went over there and paid them crap to make us rich in our factorys build in their countries it was fine. now that they are trying it on their own we don't like it, mind you a lot of stuff is crap. I have worked for someone collecting samples and trying to see what to buy and most the stuff we were sent was rubbish. We were sent a ripped sample shirt the fabric was so thin it fell apart.
Walmart had a sale for a Chinese 40W fluorescent light for over my workbench. It blinks and blinks and blinks for a few minutes until it is warmed up. I looked inside it and instead of some bits of rice I saw a label on its Amenican-made ballast: "Use at 68 degrees F and higher". My workshop is usually 67 degrees F.
The very heavy inductive ballast is made is the US. It is shipped to China where it is installed in the light that has a steel case also made in the US. Then it is shipped to Canada and sells for only half its cost, nothing allowed for all the shipping.
Walmart buys them for almost nothing and makes a big profit. The Chinese manufacturer gets almost nothing. The shipping companies are laughing. I am crying.