How to Tell Real vs. Fake Products in Hardware (And Why It Matters)

Today in the Sugatsune Blog, we are discussing genuine component hardware solutions and why it is so important that you use genuine hardware in your development or renovation projects.

“Fake” Hardware Doesn’t Have to Be Counterfeit

While counterfeit Sugatsune hardware is not unheard of, it’s uncommon—and is not the main focus of our discussion today. “Fake” hardware doesn’t have to actually be fraudulent. It just has to be too cheap or flimsy to do a good job. After all, if something like a display case cam lock can easily be breached due to bad design or cheap construction, is it really still a “lock”?

When we talk about the importance of telling apart real vs. fake products, we are mainly talking about telling the difference between high-quality hardware that’s durable and capable of delivering great performance, as contrasted with low-quality hardware that doesn’t perform well and/or wears out quickly.

This idea is at the core of our business philosophy. To wit, our cam locks work well and inspire confidence from the security they provide. So it goes with all of our hardware: Sugatsune hardware inspires trust because it performs well. To us, the distinction between real vs. fake products is all about performance.

Small but Important

Hardware is often out of sight and out of mind. Users don’t usually think about the hinges or brackets they’re using. Even if the user does directly interact with a particular hardware component—e.g., with handles and knobs—the hardware is often an afterthought for them. They’re not thinking about genuine component hardware solutions.

But you should be. The quality of the hardware you choose to install will have a big impact on the functionality and usability of a space, which in turn impacts both the value proposition of the space itself and the user experience of that space. Users may not always be consciously aware of the hardware around them, but they definitely know the difference between a good vs. a poor experience with the space as a whole. And when it comes to real vs. fake products in hardware, you have to think about what makes hardware good.

Conceptually, good hardware adds a premium to a development or renovation project. It does so by helping to make a space more upscale or luxurious or, similarly, helping to make a space more functional and ergonomic. Hardware may not be as flashy as the surface textures, furniture, or appliances in a space, but it is just as important.

What Is “Good” Hardware?

When analyzing real vs. fake products, good or “real” hardware—as opposed to flimsy knockoffs—should be durable and conform to as many of the following criteria as possible:

Precision

Good hardware should be designed and constructed precisely, using tight tolerances. Everything should fit together exactly—no crooked lines or poor fits. Cheap hardware cuts corners on this, and the result is not just inferior performance but oftentimes reduced product life due to the wear and tear that occurs because of the poor fit.

• At Sugatsune America, precision engineering is central to our business philosophy. We are respected by architects, project managers, industrial athletes, and others worldwide who care about the difference between real vs. fake products.

Materials

Good hardware should use the proper construction materials for the job. It is very easy to cut corners here, but this always exacts a price in terms of performance, durability, or both. Genuine component hardware solutions require genuine materials.

• At Sugatsune America, we are known for our stainless steel construction in particular, which is extremely strong and durable, as well as for other task-suited metal alloys and polymers. We always use the best material for the job.

Functionality

In hardware, as it pertains to the worlds of architecture and industrial design, the question of real vs. fake products is often worth thinking about in terms of concepts like utility or ROI. Good hardware doesn’t necessarily provide the simplest, most direct solutions. It provides the best solutions by anticipating factors like ergonomics, accessibility, environmental conditions, likely wear and tear, and a host of other factors.

• Our countertop door systems are a good example of functionality in hardware. They solve the basic problem of making countertop spaces more functional through liftable panels, but they do so in a way that empowers the people working in these spaces and using this hardware. This is achieved through features such as lift-assist, soft-close, and extended range of motion. These features make liftable panels safer, easier, and faster to use, as well as make them more useful overall. Our genuine component hardware solutions routinely add product value in this way.

Choose Authentic Sugatsune Hardware for Your Project

So that’s a quick little look at the idea of performance as a measure of real vs. fake products in hardware.

Sugatsune America provides thousands of genuine component hardware solutions to architects, project managers, and others across the country. We are an AS9120 B and ISO 9001:2015 certified company with a growing inventory of hardware solutions for homes, offices, retail and hospitality spaces, institutional settings, transportation, and more. Our hardware can lift up your next project, too. In the battle of real vs. fake products in hardware, we are firmly on the side of adding quality and value both for you as the developer and for the end users of our hardware.

Find out where to buy our hardware, and try out our Hardware Selector Tool or Product Resources Center (with catalogs and videos) to help find the specific parts you need. You can also contact us, and we will be glad to help you personally.