Just because something is cheap doesn’t mean it’s poor quality. Plenty of the best pocket knives we write about from brands with excellent reputations—Coast, SOG, and Case, to name a few—have blades that are $50 or less in their lineups, made with similar materials, features, and lifetime warranties as pricier offerings, but for much less. There are also brands that stand out for making low-cost blades that are well built, such as Cold Steel, Civivi, and CJRB.
All of the fixed blade and folders below are lightweight and compact, which makes them excellent candidates for your EDC. They offer good corrosion resistance and edge retention, and are easy to care for.