RELEASE: ‘Failing the Fix’ scorecard grades Apple, Google, Dell, others on how fixable their devices are

Media Contacts
Nathan Proctor

Senior Director, Campaign for the Right to Repair, U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Dell leads pack for laptops; Motorola for cell phones; Apple ranks lowest for both, according to repairability analysis by Right to Repair advocates 

BOSTON — Consumers often don’t know which products will last and they’ll be able to fix, or which manufacturers make fixable devices and support Right to Repair. A new scorecard by U.S. PIRG Education Fund, “Failing the Fix,” ranks the most popular cell phone and laptop makers for consumers who seek to purchase easily repairable products – especially those from companies who do not fight to prevent Right to Repair.

“No one walks into the store and thinks ‘I’m going to buy something unfixable,’” said Nathan Proctor, author of the report and U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s senior Right to Repair campaign director. “People should be able to buy products that will last, be repairable when they break, and which are made by companies that respect our Right to Repair.” 

Over the last year, France has required manufacturers to publish a repair score, from 0 to 10, with their products. “Failing to Fix” collected the French repair scores of 187 devices from 10 popular manufacturers, weighed a few additional factors related to how repair-friendly the manufacturers and products were, and came up with a final score. 

The report found that the prevalence of unfixable stuff is a problem for both consumers and the planet. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that electronic waste is now the fastest growing part of our domestic municipal waste stream, and an earlier PIRG report found Americans could save a combined $40 billion if they were able to repair instead of replacing their products. 

“Americans want products that are built to last. In fact, a new Consumer Reports survey shows that Americans value repairability, and want more and better options when it comes to repair,” said Maureen Mahoney, senior policy analyst with Consumer Reports. “PIRG’s important new report evaluating the repairability of laptop and cell phone manufacturers shows that some companies still have a long way to go. We urge legislators to move forward with legislation that will help ensure that consumers will have choices when it comes to repair.” 

The report concludes that there are large disparities in device repairability, and it can be difficult for consumers to assess that when they shop — if they don’t know where to look. 

“iFixit has been raising the alarm around hard to repair products for over a decade. From glued in batteries to proprietary tools, so many new product designs systematically stymie repair. That’s a shame, because longer lasting products are better for the environment and better for consumers,” said Dr. Elizabeth Chamberlain, director of sustainability for iFixit. “Despite those obstacles, we’ve helped millions of people repair their own gadgets—and become better informed about which products to support. When consumers prefer repairable products, it sends a powerful market signal.”

The Right to Repair coalition, which includes PIRG, iFixit, Repair.org, Consumer Reports and others, has been calling for better access to parts, tools and information needed to repair modern devices. 

“A repair score is important information for consumers that can impact the value of the device. If it can be fixed and kept in use, it is worth more over time,” explained Proctor. “The fact is, no products should be unfixable. Lawmakers should pass Right to Repair bills to ensure that we can access necessary parts and tools for each product we buy.” 

The full scorecard is available here

The Failing the Fix scorecard is part of U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s work to recognize National Consumer Protection Week 2022 by putting actionable consumer protection information in the hands of all Americans. All week, U.S. PIRG Education Fund is providing consumer protection tips and tools to help Americans address some of the most common consumer issues that threaten our health, safety or financial security. To see all of our resources for consumers, visit our site.



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