I prefer to buy quality in all aspects of my life, but most tools I buy are pretty much single-use items and don't warrant the expenditure.
Strange to see that, I find the opposite is true for me. Tools are the best value because they're dead opposite of "consumables". You pay for them once and get value from them for years to come. I consider buying tools an "investment".
But yes I have to watch out that I don't buy a tool I'm not going to use much in the future. Sometimes renting a tool or borrowing or getting something cheap is more appropriate. I got a really good deal on an air compressor, that I've used twice in 10 years. That was probably not a good investment. But most other things I get my money's worth and then some.
