Repairability

1. The repairability index

Some manufacturers publish a repairability index for their products: a score out of 10, introduced by French law for certain categories of equipment — smartphones, laptops, TVs, washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners, among others. When a manufacturer publishes it for a product we sell, we show it on the product page.

It is calculated by the manufacturer from five criteria:

1. Documentation — how long the manufacturer makes technical documentation and repair advice freely available.
2. Disassembly — ease of disassembly, type of fasteners, tools needed.
3. Spare parts availability — the manufacturer's commitment period and delivery time.
4. Spare parts price — ratio between the price of parts and that of the new product.
5. Category-specific criterion — for example remote assistance and the ability to reset the software for a smartphone.

The detailed scoring grid is established by the manufacturer and available on request: write to [email protected] with the product reference and we will pass it on.

2. The durability index

The repairability index is gradually being replaced in Europe by a durability index, which also takes reliability and upgradability into account. It already applies to TVs and washing machines. We will show the durability index as soon as manufacturers publish it for the categories we sell.

3. The European repairability class

Distinct from the index, the repairability class rated from A to E appears on the European energy label of smartphones and slate tablets since June 2025. It sits alongside battery endurance, IP rating and drop resistance.

The two schemes coexist and do not follow the same method. We never derive one from the other: a conversion would be information we made up. When you ask us for these values for a product, we give you those the manufacturer published, and only those.

4. When there is no index

Many products sold in the United States carry no index: it says nothing about their repairability. Others are covered in Europe but the manufacturer has not published the value. In that case we say so as is, rather than putting forward a score nobody calculated: a made-up score would be a false environmental claim.

5. Your right to repair

Several states — including New York, California, Minnesota, Oregon and Colorado — have passed right-to-repair laws requiring manufacturers to make parts, tools and documentation available to consumers and independent repair shops for many electronic devices. Ask the manufacturer for them, or ask us for the contact details we have.

Before considering a replacement, check whether your device is still covered by a warranty: repair is then free. If you replace your device anyway, we take back the old one free of charge — see the recycling program.