Why Repairing Can Help Appliances Live Even Longer

Every home relies on small appliances- kettles, toasters, air fryers, and more. But how long do they really last? And what if the next time one breaks down, you didn’t throw it away… but repaired it instead?

At Repair Café Wales, we see the incredible potential that a little repair know-how can unlock. With some basic tools and a community of skilled volunteers, a “broken” item can become useful again- saving money, cutting waste, and reducing carbon emissions.

Appliance Lifespans at a Glance

Understanding how long your appliances are built to last is the first step in rethinking our relationship with them. Here’s a snapshot:

  • Kettles: Average lifespan: 4.4 years

  • Toasters: Last about 7 years, heating ~3,057 slices of bread in their lifetime

  • Air fryers: Shorter lifespan of around 2.5 years
    (Source: Magnet UK)

But these are just averages. With the right care and repairs, many appliances can last well beyond their “expected” lifespan. The reality is, most items don’t fail because they’re truly worn out, they’re let down by minor faults: loose wires, worn-out switches, damaged plugs.

We believe that’s not a good enough reason to throw them away.

Why Repair Instead of Replace?

Too many perfectly good appliances are tossed into landfill due to fixable issues. By repairing instead of replacing, we:

  • Cut down on e-waste: A growing global crisis, with over 50 million tonnes generated each year

  • Slash carbon emissions: Manufacturing new products has a major environmental footprint

  • Save money: Simple fixes can avoid the cost of a brand-new item

  • Keep memories: Many items have sentimental value worth preserving

And here’s what we’re achieving right here in Wales:

so far, Repair Café Wales saved residents over £1 million in repair costs and diverted thousands of items from landfill.

That’s thousands of successful repairs, and countless happy owners.

The Real Impact of Repair Cafes

Our 130+ volunteer-run Repair Cafes across Wales are community hubs where people bring their broken things and leave with not just a fixed item but new skills and hope.

Here’s what we do:

  • Fix small electricals, like kettles, toasters, lamps, and radios

  • Mend clothing, including zips, tears, and buttons

  • Repair bikes, toys, and household furniture

  • Offer advice and teach repair skills

Over half of the items we fix don’t require new parts at all. They just need time, tools, and a little know-how. That’s the power of local repair.

What You Can Do

You don’t have to be an expert to join the repair movement:

  • Bring your broken items to a Repair Cafe near you

  • Watch and learn, our volunteers are happy to share their skills

  • Volunteer your time, even if you’re just starting out

  • Support us through donations, tools, or simply spreading the word

Calling for the Right to Repair

While local efforts are powerful, we need national policy to match. That’s why Repair Café Wales fully supports the UK Repair & Reuse Declaration, led by The Restart Project.

This declaration calls on MPs and policy makers to:

  • Expand the Right to Repair so that more products are designed to last and be fixed easily

  • Introduce repair ratings on product labels so buyers can make informed decisions

  • Cut VAT on repairs and parts to make fixing more affordable

  • Invest in community repair training and infrastructure

How You Can Help

Email your MP and ask them to support the Right to Repair & Reuse Declaration:

The Restart Project is organizing a special event on 11 June 2025 at the Houses of Parliament, bringing together community repairers, businesses, and policymakers to advocate for stronger Right to Repair policies.

In June, they are running a repair event inside the House of Lords to show them first hand why repair and reuse matter and how the right policies can make it more accessible for all of us. They held a similar event last year, and more than 30 MPs came along.
They have invited all MPs to drop by. At last year’s event, almost every MP who attended said they were there because they’d heard from a constituent.
Please ask your MP to drop in to our repair event and help us get the message through. You can find your MP Contact Details and more information here:

https://therestartproject.org/right-to-repair/were-taking-repair-back-to-parliament/

 

So, How Long Should Appliances Last?

Longer than they do now, and certainly longer than manufacturers expect. But to make that happen, we need to shift how we think about the things we use every day.

Repair is more than a fix- it’s a mindset.
It’s about choosing to care, to value, and to take action. It starts with simple ideas:

  • Choosing to value what we already own

  • Caring about waste, resources, and the future of our planet

  • Believing in community, skill-sharing, and doing things differently