Repairable Products Make Good Sense
Repair is good for manufacturers, good for the economy, and good for the rest of us.
We rate the latest products to make it easy to buy repairable hardware.
Smartphones
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Tablets
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Laptops
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People don’t have the information they need
to buy quality products.
Many companies want to make quality products, and people want to buy stuff that lasts. But some greedy manufacturers build in planned obsolescence, forcing us to buy new products. To make matters worse, some short-sighted companies sabotage local repair shops by making repair manuals secret.
95% care
iFixit community members overwhelmingly say a successful repair makes them more likely to buy from that company.
400 charges
The battery in your cellphone only lasts for a year or two. Phones with easy-to-replace batteries last longer.
500 million lbs
Computers can have a second life. Through its partnership with Dell, Goodwill has collected 500 million pounds of used electronics to refurbish and resell in its stores.
70% Less
DIY repair saves money: iFixit members spend nearly 70% less on repairs than the average American homeowner.
The History of Planned Obsolescence
There’s a better way.
iFixit has published repair manuals for every Apple product made in the last two decades. Millions of people are using those manuals to repair their iPhones and MacBooks—saving money and making their gadgets last longer than Apple’s engineers imagined possible.
Buy cheap, buy twice.
Say no to cheap, breakable stuff. Support companies that make quality products. It’s worth it to spend a bit more on a product that will last three times longer.
Patagonia, for example, will repair any product you buy from them. Fairphone designed a smartphone that you can upgrade yourself. Vaude bags have repair instructions.
Great products build brand loyalty.
Repair isn’t just good for consumers—it offers great benefits to businesses, too. Many companies embrace DIY repair. They know that people who fix their stuff are dedicated customers.
Giving people the information and tools they need to fix products cuts down on support costs. Customers love it when they can get their stuff fixed quickly—whether by themselves or at a local repair shop.
Some companies sue themselves in the foot.
Unfortunately, some companies use legal threats to prevent people from fixing their products. They hide behind copyright claims to take down online repair manuals and scare people away from DIY repair.
Is changing a tire on a car dangerous? Sure, a little. But are you going to call out a Ford engineer every time you get a flat? Of course not. Even tricky repairs can be straightforward with the right knowledge—the knowledge, that is, that manufacturers don’t want you to have.
Nothing should be made that can't be fixed.
Repairable products are better for companies, better for the environment, and better for us.
Learn More
Who fixes stuff? Find out more about the iFixit community.
Like documentaries? Want to hear more about planned obsolescence? Check out The Light Bulb Conspiracy.
Take Action
Buy durable products—look for lifetime warranties and products that come with repair manuals.
Help us write open-source repair manuals for everything.