I was cleaning out an old bookshelf and came across this 2003 Grizzly catalog. Coincidentally, I'd just received a 2023 mailer. I was shocked by the increases in price.
Some highlights:
Standard 14" band saw: $375 vs. $800
Standard 6" jointer: $400 vs. $900
4-piece Bessey K-body clamp set: $150 vs. $350
I know nothing about how inflation works, so I'm not sure whether this tracks with the price of bread or whatever, but it was eye-opening.
It was never cheaper here in Germany, if you want decent hobbyist machines: band saw 1000eur, circular hand saw 500 to 700 bucks (not Akku), everything less is trash, good tools begin at the double, I got a mate in Spain, buying machines there, Euro too, but a third the price. I would've paid almost 2000 EUR for a decent small portable circular table saw here, bigger ones start at 8k. No inflation, just imaginary prices because too many idiots are paying up. There's always another way, nevermind how hard the greedy ones try.