Are Kryptonite locks worth the premium over generic Amazon brands?

Across the high-trust expert and community sources we read, the consensus is yes for any bike you actually care about. Specialist subreddits consistently warn against cheap no-name combo U-locks, while Kryptonite (along with Abus, Hiplok, Litelok, and Seatylock) is repeatedly named as a brand that's been independently tested and that honors anti-theft protection offers.