I can't wear out my Garcia Mitchells, the ones with the metal gears(50 years old)!
I agree with everyone mentioning the president. For the money it’s hard to beat. I’ve also had good luck with the shimano Sahara’s, but everyone raves about the stradic’s. If money isn’t an issue or you regularly burn out reels a Stradic ci4 would be tough to beat from what I have heard. Next time I burn one out I’m going to splurge for one of those.
I still have my mitchell 300 that my mom gave me for my 13th birthday ( a very long time ago). Made in France, no plastic. I lived in Shenorock, NY then and i went down to the lake after the party and caught a good sized largemouh. I brought it home and my grandmother cooked it for us. The reel is priceless to me since my mom passed 2 months later. I have caught a ton of fish with that reel and often think back to how much that reel means to me.