We live in a world of instant gratification. Thanks to services and merchants like Amazon and Temu, we can have virtually anything we can think of — and often at bargain prices — delivered to our doorsteps within a matter of hours. Same-day shipping through services like Prime is a marvel of modern logistics, but there’s a hidden cost: we’re becoming increasingly disconnected from the things we buy and how they are made.
Something broken? Just order a new one.
A leaky tap? Swap it out.
A worn-out sweater? Add to cart.
It’s incredibly easy to fall into the “replace, don’t repair” mindset. But is that truly the best choice — for us, our wallets, or the environment?
Over the past few years, I’ve become much more aware of the impact this disposable culture has on both the planet and our relationship with the things we own. I realized that with a little bit of effort, basic tools, and the wealth of knowledge available online, it’s possible to extend the life of so many everyday items. Simple repairs can add years of use to products that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
YouTube, in particular, has become an invaluable resource. There are countless tutorials for repairing just about anything — from gadgets to appliances to clothing — often for the exact model you have, or something very close. A few of my go-to YouTube channels that have helped me immensely are:
- My Mate Vince — lots of approachable, quirky repairs of all sorts of gadgets
- eSpares — focused on home appliances, particularly kitchen gear
- Big Clive — detailed electronic teardowns and repairs
- Hardware Haven — computer and tech repairs made accessible
- Becky Stern — creative electronics projects and repairs
Using what I’ve learned from these creators, I’ve successfully tackled a surprising variety of repairs over the past few years, including:
- iPhone — replaced the battery
- Echo speaker — re-soldered a faulty power jack
- Robot vacuum — cleaned internals and replaced a dead battery
- Washing machine — replaced a condenser dryer solenoid
- Car wing mirror — replaced the broken
- Kids’ bike — 3D-printed a replacement fork gasket
- Panini press — fitted a new power cord
- Nintendo Wii — removed a stuck DS game and fixed the drive mechanism
- Watch — replaced the battery
- Stand mixer — swapped out broken gears
- Handheld mixer — replaced stripped gears
- PSP — upgraded to a new OLED screen and case
- iPod Mini — battery replacement
- Sonicare toothbrush — spot-welded new battery packs from AA cells
- Kärcher patio cleaner head — cleared grit and sand from clogged nozzles
Most of these fixes turned out to be fairly simple. In many cases, it was just a matter of replacing a worn-out battery or doing a bit of basic soldering. At first, the idea of opening up an expensive gadget or appliance was intimidating, but the more I've repaired, I realised that most devices are actually much simpler inside than they seem from the outside.
If you’re thinking about trying a repair yourself, my biggest piece of advice is to never work on anything that’s plugged in and always be cautious around anything involving high voltage or capacitors — safety first.Getting started doesn’t require a huge investment either. Here are a few essential tools that I recommend:
- A solid precision toolkit — perfect for electronics and small devices
- A good soldering iron — for repairing circuit boards and fixing broken connections
- A reliable multimeter — essential for diagnosing electrical problems
Repairing instead of replacing has been a hugely rewarding journey for me. I’ve not only saved a significant amount of money, but I’ve also developed a deeper appreciation for the things I own. Plus, the satisfaction of fixing something yourself is genuinely hard to beat.
So the next time something breaks around your home, before you hit that “Buy Now” button — why not consider trying to fix it first? You might surprise yourself with what you can accomplish.