I picked up a point and shoot camera (Canon ELPH 300 HS) and this unit was made initially in Japan and later also in China. Would you care where it was made, and give a choice, which would you choose? Price is the same, of course. Would your decision be based on technical reason, i.e. you believe stuff made in one country to be of better quality than in the other country? or would you base your decision on political reason?

Also, if they say "made in Japan" what does that really mean, most of the components are probably from China anyway.

FWIW: some reviews on Amazon claim that units made in China make more noise when you zoom in/out, which is important for videos. If you don't care for video, then doesn't really matter.

I ended up with 2 units, one for spouse and one for Dad, I guess wife will keep the Japan and dad will get the China unit since he doesn't shoot much videos.

If it isn't made in the US I don't care where it came from.

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C(-)ris

"American Components,

Russian Components,

All made in TAIWAN !!" (Hammers on odd non-spacecraft looking industrial piping with big wrench which would also never be found in a spacecraft).

NOW we go HOME !

Aren't iPads made in China?

The "it's made in China, so it must be garbage", only applies to the junk you see on eBay or Walmart. The same sort of stuff that used to be made in Japan...

Char-broil sent their manufacturing to China several years ago. I bought a top of the line unit less than two years ago. It is specifically a POS now. They simply aren't made to acceptable standards in my opinion.

I will be buying another grill this year, probably later in the year to avoid the high season prices.

When I spend upwards of $400.00 on a grill I expect more than 2 years out of it. Would it be better to spend $100.00 on a cheap-a$$ grill and just replace it every year? ? ? ?

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Bill
Flagler Beach, FL 32136

Carpe Vino!

Fermentation may have been a greater discovery than fire.
— David Rains Wallace

Quote
C(-)ris
If it isn't made in the US I don't care where it came from.

Suggest a few.

A high-end grill only costs $400???

Quote
IronMac
A high-end grill only costs $400???

He didn't say "high-end'", he said "When I spend upwards of $400.00 on a grill I expect more than 2 years out of it."

FWIW, it really depends on what is being manufactured. Electronics made to exacting standards are pretty good. It's important to note that China's manufacture of IOS devices is by a Taiwanese company... they have very high standards of quality and equipment.

Chinese castings... aluminum or iron ? Generally suck.
Chinese material quality is generally lower quality... steels, concretes, plastics, etc...

Chinese manufacturing is driven very heavily on commodity pricing, and margins are relatively low. The best equivalent would be US manufacturing in the early 1900's... a lot of small factories would come and go very rapidly.

I try to avoid "Made in China" for both quality and political reasons, but it's hard to do.

/Mr Lynn

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On the river in Saxonville.

Quote
WHiiP
Char-broil sent their manufacturing to China several years ago. I bought a top of the line unit less than two years ago. It is specifically a POS now. They simply aren't made to acceptable standards in my opinion.

I will be buying another grill this year, probably later in the year to avoid the high season prices.

When I spend upwards of $400.00 on a grill I expect more than 2 years out of it. Would it be better to spend $100.00 on a cheap-a$$ grill and just replace it every year? ? ? ?

It's not all China's fault. Sure, most of the stuff they manufacture is crap (except iPads of course!). But the "American" company (Char-broil in your example) knows that the stuff they get from China is crap. Yet they still sell it, knowing full well that it isn't up to the standards of the stuff they used to sell that was made here.

There was an interesting article in our Sunday paper here about a couple who are trying to build a house with only American-made products. They are finding it VERY difficult. A lot of products bearing the "Made in the USA" label are actually composed of parts that come from somewhere else. Trim molding was a biggie... they are having a very hard time finding any that come from the USA. I think they found ONE company that makes nails in the USA that are made from American steel. Most concrete companies are using product that was mined in Mexico. And appliances.... they could find no companies that manufacture microwave ovens or ceiling fans in the USA. And most of the appliances they could find from "American" companies (Whirlpool being, I believe, one of the few) were actually made in China.

Well, ok, but I was looking at what he said, "top of the line".

Quote
h linamen

Quote
IronMac
A high-end grill only costs $400???

He didn't say "high-end'", he said "When I spend upwards of $400.00 on a grill I expect more than 2 years out of it."

Quote
rz
It's not all China's fault. Sure, most of the stuff they manufacture is crap (except iPads of course!). But the "American" company (Char-broil in your example) knows that the stuff they get from China is crap. Yet they still sell it, knowing full well that it isn't up to the standards of the stuff they used to sell that was made here.

Meh, it's not quite so clear. It's:

1. Very possible the samples sent to Char-broil for approval were of similar quality to the previous versions, but that the factory switched what they actually send to the distribution channels.

2. Also very possible that the supplier(s) to the MFG has switched their materials to much cheaper ones and not told the MFG.

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I worked a number of years ago for a company that had electronics products made in both China and in Japan. We had a big problem with units from China (BIG company), high incoming inspection failures. China supplier insincerely apologized and gave us a discount on future products. We found another supplier. We had a big problem with units from Japan supplier on incoming inspection. Japanese supplier sent a crew and parts by air to our plant, set up a line, and fixed every single unit. They very sincerely apologized, and asked us to please give them another opportunity to do business.

Another person in the business that I talked to told of similar situations, that the Chinese had high contempt for the "round eyes" and didn't hesitate to attempt to take advantage of his company in every cheap and petty way they could.

Old story, maybe no longer the case, but tonight on the local news they carried a story about Chinese dog treats being sold here that are making dogs ill or killing them.... And remember the melanine in the infant formula?

I own lots of OK Chinese stuff, but...

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What it is, man, a low-down and funky feelin'