Objective?
Well, I only own one Taylor Brands knife, and it was a gift from someone who thought it looked nice.
I might have started carrying it, but it's not my first exposure to the family. I've had the privilege of cleaning and sharpening other Taylor knives for people who bought them because, well, they looked cool.
I found I was unhappy with the edge holding properties and unimpressed with the overall fit & finish, so I never picked up any for myself.
Now, to be fair, there is a Schrade/Taylor Folding Hunter that I occasionally drool over, but it's US-made and it retails for something like $120. It's a really nice piece, but I have the equivalent from Case XX, and it cost half that.
Philosophically, I have found my appreciation for quality -- even at higher prices -- has evolved quite a bit since I started my personal search for "what works best for me" over the last seven years.
I began by picking up inexpensive pieces to see which styles and patterns suited me best, and found nearly all of the cheap stuff to be unsatisfying to some degree. Then I picked up a couple of pieces costing three and four times as much. The quality differences were immediately apparent.
Since then I've learned about steels, heat treat, locking mechanisms, handle materials, grinds, bevels, and so on. I'm not any kind of expert, but I now actually understand why hso would spend $400 (give or take) on a Sebenza, and why people will spend $200 on things by Benchmade and Spyderco.
In my considered opinion, you will be happier if you skip the $15 knives and move on to pieces costing $35 and up. You can at least get basic quality in that price range.
For example, the newer Buck Vantage line of knives starts at around $35, and is well constructed, uses good steel with a decent heat treat, has a good quality grind and bevel, and a sharp, durable edge. The Vantage line is also available with upgraded steels and handle materials, up to around $75 or $80 for the Vantage Pro with S30V steel (Bos heat treat) and G-10 handles. The middle model, the Vantage Avid, uses Sandvik steel and DymondWood synthetic handles, and costs around $45 or $50. Oh, and Buck's pieces are made here, in Idaho.
And Buck is not alone. Spyderco offers serious quality at a reasonable price and they, too, are made in the US. Kershaw makes excellent pieces, although nowadays you will want to pay attention to where each piece is made. Kershaw has begun making some of their (previously made in Japan/Seki City) lines in China, although they still make several good models here in the US. And, to be fair, their Chinese product is still decent quality.
I have several cheap knives, acquired during my learning phase. I won't be buying any more of them.
I'll be saying my coin for pieces that come with quality built in. They last longer, hold up better, and -- frankly -- cost less in the long run.
I may never be able to afford a Sebenza, but I can appreciate why a man would lay down the dollars for one. If I had the dollars, I would, too.