I Spent $1000 On China’s Best Fake Products

Product review summary

The reviewers bought counterfeit goods in Guangzhou, China, and compared them with authentic versions. Their shopping trip involved a heavily watched mall, sellers who were wary of cameras, and a hidden market accessible only through salespeople. One seller initially demanded an inflated price, and the reviewers felt they still paid more than the goods were likely worth.

They rated each product from 1 to 10, with 10 meaning indistinguishable from the authentic version. Nothing received a 10.

Product Main findings Scores Perfume The packaging was almost identical, and the fake’s sprayer worked especially well. The scent was similar, but one reviewer noticed a sweeter, soapy aftertaste, while the other found little difference. The reviewers disagreed, giving scores of 8 and 4. They settled on 5. AirPods Max The fake looked noticeably different, with incorrect colors and packaging. It was made of plastic rather than metal and had an unpleasant smell. The ear pads and headband felt relatively close to the original. The sound was a surprise: it had strong bass and played loudly, though the connection behavior was confusing and unreliable. Visual scores: 4 and 6. Overall ratings: around 6.5–7. Marty Supreme jacket This was the closest clothing copy they tested. The tags, appearance, and embroidery were extremely convincing, though the fake felt less filled and somewhat heavier. Its labeling was suspicious: the fake said “Made in America,” while the authentic jacket was made in China. The authentic jacket cost about £1,300 / $1,500; the fake was said to cost around $40. 9 and 9.5. Miu Miu glasses The front shape was very close, but the fake lenses lacked the authentic pair’s gradient and were thicker. The fake’s case was pinker, and its arms felt looser and creakier. Both reviewers gave them 6. Travis Scott sneakers These were among the most convincing fakes. They felt and smelled like the authentic shoes, with only subtle color differences and some unevenness or wrinkles visible on close inspection. The fake pair cost about $70. The reviewers gave 8 and 9, agreeing on 8.5. AirPods Pro 3 This was a poor copy: the packaging and case looked wrong, the earbuds felt toy-like, and the joints did not match. The unboxing went badly, and the reviewers could not get the fake earbuds to connect properly. One reviewer gave 2; the other called it their first 0. Balenciaga sunglasses The packaging, logos inside the arms, and overall shape were close. However, the side logo’s font was noticeably wrong, and the lenses differed in appearance. The incorrect branding was the main giveaway. Opinions ranged from 5 to around 6.5–7. They settled on 6. Second sneaker pair The shape was fairly similar, but the colors differed substantially, including the sole color. One reviewer also noticed a difference in how the shoes sat. The authentic pair had been worn and washed, making its original color difficult to determine. Around 6.5–7. Rimowa suitcase The interior and many exterior details looked similar, but the fake had unpainted plastic parts, uneven finishing, a less-smooth handle with some play, and less-smooth wheels. The authentic suitcase’s build quality and lifetime warranty were key advantages. The fake cost less than $100, compared with roughly $1,500 for the authentic one. Initially rated 8, then downgraded to 6 after closer inspection.

Overall verdict

Quality varied sharply. The jacket and Travis Scott sneakers were impressively close to the authentic products, while the AirPods Pro copy was an obvious failure. The AirPods Max replica looked poor but surprised the reviewers with its bass-heavy sound. None of the items was fully indistinguishable, and close inspection revealed flaws even in the better fakes.

Different reviewer perspectives

The two reviewers sometimes disagreed about how noticeable a flaw was, most notably with the perfume, AirPods Max, and Balenciaga sunglasses. One tended to be more impressed by the AirPods Max’s sound and the similarity of some products, while the other was more critical of details such as branding, scent, and finish.