[Catharsis]

I own a Lenovo Thinkpad X200 and an HP Mini 1100.

HP
(+) Crappy hardware quality. Even the accessories break easily.
(-) To make up for the crappy products, they have excellent customer service support. My Mini broke down six months after I purchased it, and HP sent a messenger to pick up and deliver my machine to get it fixed. They also call me regularly to give updates.
VERDICT: Hell no. Customer service only saves the day while you're under warranty. After 1 year, all is lost.

Lenovo - Thinkpad
I will have to qualify this. I only use laptops from the Thinkpad line, which is the business high-end spectrum. Thinkpads are a world apart from the commercial line. Quality, features, and R&D are drastically different. With that said, I'll only comment on Thinkpads.
(+) Sturdy and reliable. Virtually indestructible. I've been using Thinkpads for over 5 years (even before Lenovo bought it from IBM). I've dropped Thinkpads off a moving motorbike and spilled coffee, gatorade, ketchup, etc. over it, and they don't break. WTF hax. Their ultraportables are very light. I think it has to do with that aircraft material they use for construction. Most comfortable keyboards in the world, seriously. Great customer support, too.
(-) Expensive, LOL. I guess you gotta shell out for quality. Also, they're not the most fashionable machines. Thinkpads have always been in plain black matte, but that works for me.
VERDICT: I'm on my 3rd Thinkpad. I'm still in love with the damn things.