Gadgets: Do you repair or replace?

Do you repair or replace your gadgets? Yesterday, a pipe inside my home water dispenser burst, flooding my kitchen.

Fortunately, it was a slow leak, there was someone home, and the technician was nearby and came within 30 minutes.

So beyond a massive puddle of water and a much lighter wallet at the end of it, everything got sorted the same day.

Repair or discard?

The technician, let's call him Albert, was in a chatty mood. As he fixed up the mess, he regaled us with stories of his customers.

• It's too old: One of his customers decided to change to a new machine simply because the current one was "too old". Don't worry about it, Albert told us, because this customer has 4 cars, including supercars.
• Don't bother repairing: Another customer has a propensity to replace rather than repair. Even when it's a relatively cheap fix, Albert says they'll insist on a new machine every 2 years. They have no supercars.
• Limited lifespan: The new machines are highly likely to fail after their 2-year-warranty period, Albert confided. They are repairable but will require service calls. It wasn't like this previously; I don't know how they did it, he said.

And oh, after 13 years of service, our poor water dispenser could no longer be repaired. We opted for the pre-loved machine from his supercar customer.

Purchase repairable items

This episode got me thinking about e-waste, and how modern gadgets are not repairable or are engineered with finite lifespans.

The goal? To make you buy newer devices.

There are some exceptions, such as The Ultimate Hacking Keyboard, or UHK for short. More than 5 years after getting it, I can still order replacement parts for it.

Though to be honest, I have yet to, mainly because my UHK (version 1) is still in pristine shape.

Buying for the long haul

In recent years, I've gravitated towards purchasing devices and peripherals that I will use for a long time, with a focus on durability to reduce e-waste.

In some cases, this means spending more on certain brands or pricier models.

• Travel chargers.
• Desktop monitors.
• Adjustable height desk.

What about you? Do you evaluate the gadgets you purchase for longevity and repairability?