What good gift you got for free that turned out better than something you'd have paid for

[George98]

Received a free promotional item at an event that turned out to be genuinely more useful daily than several actual gifts I've received over the years

[Scott98]

Got a free sample of a specific product that turned into my favorite item in that entire category, better than the pricier alternative I'd been buying before

[HardyBoy13]

Received a free trial upgrade that I ended up preferring so much I paid to keep it, better outcome than most planned purchases I've made

[Router53]

Got a free promotional gift bundled with a purchase that turned out to be more useful than the actual item I originally bought

[Quasar Ruby]

Received a free item at a conference that's become a daily use tool, better than several actual purchases I've made for the same purpose since

[Brett42]

Got a free item as compensation for a delayed order that turned out to be more useful than what I'd originally ordered

[VidiTechnica]

Got a free extended warranty as a promotional bonus that ended up saving me a significant repair cost within the first year