(not that we know where to repair it or how much it’d cost, we just throw it)
Edit : I can understand why taking two hours to repair something worth 20€ isn’t worth it though, e.g. a computer mouse, but even in such case we could standardize a minimum and have enterprises specialized in ensuring that spare parts are always available(, each costing a few euros).
Then instead of the longer task of repairing a circuit board, the consumer could easily swap it by h·er·im·self, or leave it to a pro who’d take less than 5mns.
(And the older circuit board would be sent for free and either repaired or stripped for parts)
(Transportation costs will be greatly reduced in the very near future with automation, but warehouses should exist less than 12h away)
Possible counterexample: My dishwasher. The drain pump is super easy to replace – unplug it, disconnect the hoses, and pop it off the little metal piece that supports its weight. It takes longer to bail out the water in the pan and wiggle it out from under the counter than it does to replace the faulty pump.
(At the same time, it’s a pretty crap model. We’ve had to replace that drain pump 3 times since 2019)
Granted some appliances are harder to replace and due to that are expected to last longer.
No the case for smaller ones that are full of plastic parts that are imposible to source replacements for.
I think 3D printing will help a lot with that.
True. Dishwasher is one thing, but IDK that I’d be able to swap out any parts on my coffee maker or immersion blender.