Made in USA: 10 Great Products Still Made Here (Slide 1 of 10)

(MoneyWatch) 

This article was updated on July 1, 2011.

Are any good products still made in America?

Conventional wisdom says U.S. companies have shuttered their factories and moved manufacturing abroad for cheap labor. During the recession, 2 million manufacturing jobs vanished. Here's the story you don't hear: The United States is still the world's largest manufacturing economy, producing $1.6 trillion of goods each year, or 21 percent of global production. And that number may rise as more companies move back to the United States in search of lower costs and higher quality.

The United States will experience a manufacturing renaissance within the next five years, predicts the Boston Consulting Group. Increases in Chinese wages and shipping costs, as well as subpar manufacturing quality overseas, have already inspired some companies to consider "onshoring" or "reshoring" their production efforts back to the United States. And as U.S.-based industrial giants such as General Electric and Caterpillar make the switch today, thousands of smaller companies continue to churn out best-in-class products across the country. We're celebrating 10 American companies making signature consumer products with American ingenuity – and leaving foreign-made competitions in the dust.

<< PREVSLIDE 1 of 10NEXT >>

Weber grills

© 2010 Weber-Stephen Products Co.

Company HQ: Palatine, Ill.

If you're cooking with gas or charcoal this summer, odds are you'll throw steaks on a Weber grill. The company attributes its success to the fact that its iconic charcoal-grill kettle design hasn't changed shape since the grill was created in 1952. Food just seems to cook better. Why tinker with success? The rest of its line is also high quality: Consumer Reports gives Weber top marks for mid-size gas grills and Good Housekeeping would splurge on a top of the line Weber. Consumers seem to agree, making Weber the global industry's leading manufacturer in dollar share of sales. Although Weber does produce two inexpensive gas models in oversea, all other grills, including all its flagship charcoal models, are made in Illinois. Says Executive Vice President Mike Kempster, "We're proud to be an American company."

• Up Next: Tesla Motors Roadsters

<< PREVSLIDE 1 of 10NEXT >>

More on MoneyWatch:

• Tesla Test Drive: Time to Buy an American Car?
• Made in USA: Best American Cars
• 6 American Cars Worth Buying Now
• U.S. Still Leads in Making Things
• Tesla Shares Soar on Debut