When is it Better to Buy Brand New than to Repair?

Oh, planned obsolescence, you’re absolutely horrible! It’s honestly wild that this is still somewhat of a newer concept, and that brands at one point in time want to be known for high quality. But now it’s just profits, and the faster their products break, the faster you’re coming back. It’s hard to save money on tech when nowadays, it’s like the lifespan is so short compared to older tech (especially with phones, computers, and kitchen appliances).

Now, sure, things break, and repairmen and even repair stores were super common (and still around). Besides, it’s supposed to be cheaper to repair, and it’s better for the planet. Well, that’s how it’s supposed to be. But as crazy as it all sounds, sometimes, it’s far cheaper to just outright buy something brand new because the cost of repair just doesn’t justify it.

Like, would you pay $700 dollars for repairing your washing machine if you could get one for $500 and the store takes the old one away and does free delivery? Yeah, exactly. But outside of costs, when is it better?

When Does the Repair Still Make Sense?

Alright, so for starters here, some repairs are still absolutely worth doing, especially when the issue is specific and the item has plenty of life left. If something is relatively new, repair tends to make more sense. For example, a two-year-old dishwasher that just needs a pump replaced is a different situation than a ten-year-old one that’s been making questionable noises for months. Actually, the same with laptops and desktops.  Like a battery replacement, a fan issue, or a new charging port, those can be very reasonable compared to replacing the entire device. The same can be said for phone repair, like if you dropped it accidentally and the screen is completely cracked.

But there’s also the convenience factor. If the item can be repaired quickly, it saves the hassle of researching replacements, comparing models, waiting for shipping, installing, and dealing with disposal. Sometimes the “time cost” is the real cost, right?

Sometimes, You’re Better Off Just Replacing

Now, with that part said, there are certain signs that repairs are heading into “not worth it” territory. Well, some red flags actually. So, one big red flag is when the repair cost is a huge chunk of the replacement cost. If the quote is creeping past half the price of buying new, it’s usually time to pause and think. This example was already mentioned already, but it’s the most common one.

Another red flag is repeated breakdowns. If the same appliance keeps acting up, or a computer keeps needing something else fixed every few months, it’s not really a repair anymore; it’s a subscription. You know, with a car, you can only give it so many tune-ups before you just have to let it go? Well, it’s the same premise here.

Why Did Repair Used to be Cheaper?

Well, a lot of people feel like repairs used to be way more affordable, and yeah, that’s not imagined, because it used to be like that, and in some countries, it’s still like that. Basically, products were often simpler, parts were easier to access, and labor costs didn’t have to cover complicated disassembly, special tools, glued components, or proprietary software locks.

But now, many products are built for manufacturing efficiency, not repairability. Basically, new items were built to be replaced; it’s intentional. Plus, labor rates for repairs and parts don’t help either. So it just really depends nowadays whether it’s a good idea to repair or just buy new, there’s just a lot of factors to consider.