We are our values.

Can the average person tell the difference? I hear this question almost every day. The short answer is yes, anyone can hear the difference. But there is a bigger question which eliminates considering this query in the first place.

This question and the “what percentage better” are from a premise which must be addressed first. It is a values proposition more than anything else (Yes autocorrect, I meant values with an s.) A world class chef, for example, will select with informed care every ingredient and, understand with great depth, all the ways to bring the most out of each in a painstakingly considered and executed meal. Countless elements the customer will never see or know about. The chef isn’t trying to quantify a quality level, nor play at guessing what shortcuts could be made that “the customer would never know the difference” with. The core value of attention to detail at each step is the driving force. People can tell the difference, and some, will be willing to pay for that difference.

Integrity and the continued pursuit of excellence are values.

The internet is full of folks anxious to convince us that quality doesn’t matter. In some cases, they feel they can scientifically prove that differences are a hoax. At the other end of the spectrum, there are practitioners in the fringes and snake oil purveyors.

The poor consumer is left to fend for themselves in the gulf between these two points of view.

There are legitimate meaningful differences in virtually every category of things you may buy. A nicer stove and gourmet kitchen tools won’t make you a better cook, but they may inspire you to use them more, to explore the world of food more, different palettes, cultures, cuisines, and yes, they may simply make you feel nice just seeing them in your kitchen. Likewise, a great camera rig, hifi or bicycle may change the human experience in a host of different ways.

Ten times the price will be ten times better? No. Just a whole lot better with no real comparison to the former. Don’t worry about the blogs with the double-blind graphs, they really aren’t looking for the differences.