I’ve never fixed an electronic device aside from replacing a battery, but I wish I knew how. iFixit has long provided guides and parts. Now it’s doing a better job of providing the tools. 2023 saw the release of the Pro Tech Kit. Now iFixit is releasing a more portable version, and as a parent, this is one purchase that could save me hundreds of dollars.
My Kids Churn Through Electronics
I have two young kids, neither of which is out of elementary school. As someone who works in tech, I have plenty of old devices lying around, and I’ve set up several for my kids to use as TVs or game systems. I’ve bought some second-hand off eBay, not wanting to hand a toddler a high-end laptop to fill with Goldfish crumbs and small bits of Uncrustables, no matter how old the laptop is.
Keep in mind, we’re a family that hasn’t had a TV in the house for years. Want to watch PBS or Blippi? Here’s a laptop. Most of these old devices haven’t survived. My kids have spilled beverages on some devices and broken the hinges on others. I’ve given my son a minimalist smartphone that I wiped with a custom ROM and removed the Play Store from, along with the phone app, only for the screen to end up shattered. I gave him a replacement from my drawer of junk phones, and that one shattered, too.
There is a treasure trove of great kids’ podcasts out there, but there are few kid-friendly ways for a child actually to access them. I’ve run out of outdated phones and laptops to hand my kids. It’d be great if I knew how to fix any of this stuff.
iFixit’s Pro Tech Go Toolkit comes at the tempting price of just $50. That’s $25 less than the more complete version we reviewed in 2023. The kit is both smaller and lighter so that it’s easier to toss into a bag or keep in your car. Even if you store it at home, it will take up less space in your desk drawer. That alone is worthwhile, since the drawers in my office are pretty full as it is.
Little kids aren’t generally known for being either patient or understanding when something breaks. I like the idea of being able to fix a part, even if we’re on a long road trip. It’s actually precisely on vacations when I’m most nervous about something breaking. We’re transitioning from one place to another far more often, with stuff being carried across paved parking lots, without the convenience of being able to have a replacement (or even replacement part, as is the case with my son’s old 3DS battery—those often need replacing), dropped off on my front porch in a day or two.
These reasons together all make the Pro Tech Go Kit seem to be the one to get.
The tools alone aren’t going to turn me or anyone else into MacGyver (I know, this reference was already outdated when I was a kid). To fix most things, you’re going to need a guide, even if you already have a good sense of what you’re doing. For better or worse, most modern electronics are not designed to be easily repaired.
There are various resources out there, but really, there are only two that most of us need to know about.
- Obvious, iFixit. Providing repair guides to help you fix your stuff is almost their entire schtick. If you do follow one of their guides, you get to use the same tools that you see demonstrated in the photos.
- If you’d like a video, there’s always YouTube. Just keep in mind that anyone can upload a video to YouTube without someone double-checking their work. Anyone.
When all else fails, there’s also Reddit. I’m not saying I’d recommend Reddit, just owning up to the reality that I’d still likely check it regardless.
The lighter, more nimble kit is not a full replacement for the bigger Pro Tech Kit. Some tools are missing. So, instead, think of the Go kit as a useful companion to the original or, in my case, a smaller version priced low enough that I’m more likely actually to give it a go.