On this page
- How we picked
- All picks at a glance
- Laptops
- Framework Laptop 13
- Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 7
- Phone
- Fairphone (Gen. 6+)
- Keyboard and mouse
- Keychron Q1 Max
- Logitech MX Master 3S
- Headphones
- Sennheiser HD 600
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
- Fairphone Fairbuds XL
- Chargers
- Anker Prime Charger (100W, 3 ports, GaN)
- Storage, reading and gaming
- Samsung 990 PRO SSD
- Kobo Clara BW
- Steam Deck OLED
- Repair tools
- iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit
- What does not qualify, and why
- How to make any gadget last longer
No gadget lasts forever. Batteries wear out, cables fray and ear pads crack. "Buy it for life" in tech means something more realistic: a device you can keep fixing instead of replacing. The maker sells the parts, the screws are standard, and the battery comes out without a heat gun.
This guide lists the gadgets that meet that bar right now. We picked them from maker pages, iFixit teardowns and parts listings, and published warranty terms. We have not tested these products ourselves. For each pick you get what makes it last, the warranty, where parts come from, a rough US price, and the part most likely to fail first. Prices are in US dollars. Availability notes cover the US, UK and EU.
Last checked: September 26, 2026. Hardware prices are moving fast this year because of the memory and storage shortage, so treat every price here as a rough guide. Shopping in India? See our India edition for local prices, service networks and India-only picks.
- Best laptop: the Framework Laptop 13. Every part is sold on Framework's own store, and the mainboard can be upgraded years later.
- Best mainstream laptop: the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 7, which earned a provisional 10/10 from iFixit with a swappable battery, keyboard and LPCAMM2 memory.
- Best phone: the Fairphone (Gen. 6+). $649.99 in the US, a 5-year warranty after registration and software updates promised through 2033.
- Best headphones: the Sennheiser HD 600. Pads, cable and more are sold as spare parts for a design that is more than 20 years old.
- Buy one tool: the iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit ($79.95) with a lifetime guarantee on its drivers and bits.
How we picked
A product had to pass most of these five checks to make the list.
- Repairability. Can you open it with normal screwdrivers? Is the battery held by screws or pull tabs instead of strong glue? Where iFixit publishes a repairability score, we used it.
- Spare parts from the maker. Official parts, sold to anyone, at a listed price. Parts sold through an official iFixit partnership count. Parts only from random resellers do not.
- Warranty length. Longer is better. One year is the floor. Note that the EU and UK give you at least two years of legal protection on most purchases, whatever the maker's own warranty says.
- Support years. For anything with software, how long the maker promises updates.
- Standard parts. USB-C charging, M.2 SSDs, hot-swap keyboard switches, 3.5 mm or detachable cables. Standard parts mean you are not stuck with one maker's accessories.
Want the same idea for software? See our list of apps you can buy once and keep, without a subscription.
All picks at a glance
Search the table by product, category or warranty.
Tap any name in the table to jump to its full entry below.
| Product | Category | Warranty | Official parts | Rough US price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Framework Laptop 13 | Laptop | 1 year (US) | Framework Marketplace | From $899 DIY |
| ThinkPad T14 Gen 7 | Laptop | Varies by config | Lenovo support site | From $1,844 |
| Fairphone (Gen. 6+) | Phone | 5 years after registration | Fairphone store | $649.99 |
| Keychron Q1 Max | Keyboard | 12 months | Keychron store | $209.99 to $229.99 |
| Logitech MX Master 3S | Mouse | 1 year (US) | Genuine parts via iFixit | $99.99 list |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | Wired headphones | 2 years | Sennheiser spare parts store | $499.95 |
| Audio-Technica ATH-M50x | Wired headphones | 2 years | Audio-Technica service parts | About $159 |
| Fairphone Fairbuds XL | Wireless headphones | 3 years (battery 1 year) | Fairphone store | $229.99 |
| Anker Prime Charger (100W, 3 ports) | Charger | 24 months | None (sealed) | $99.98 with cable |
| Samsung 990 PRO SSD | Storage | 5 years or TBW limit | None (replace under warranty) | Varies a lot in 2026 |
| Kobo Clara BW | E-reader | 1 year (US) | Genuine parts via iFixit | $159.99 |
| Steam Deck OLED | Handheld PC | 1 year (US), 2 years (EU) | Genuine parts via iFixit | $789 (512GB) |
| iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit | Repair tools | Lifetime (non-consumables) | iFixit | $79.95 |
Laptops
A laptop is where repairability pays off the most. It is also where most makers glue and solder the most. These two are the exceptions. If you are set on a Mac, our MacBook buying guide covers which models are worth buying, but no current MacBook would pass the checks above.
Framework Laptop 13
Image: Framework
What makes it last: Framework designed this laptop to be opened. Every part has a QR code that links to a repair guide. The battery, screen, keyboard, ports (as swappable expansion cards) and even the mainboard are sold on Framework's own Marketplace. When a faster chip comes out, you can swap in a new mainboard and keep the rest. The DIY Edition lets you bring your own memory, storage and operating system, including Linux.
Warranty: one year from delivery under Framework's standard limited warranty. EU and UK buyers also keep their statutory rights. Framework says an extended warranty option is available for newer products in North America.
Parts: Framework Marketplace. The 61Wh battery is sold on its own, and Framework says it keeps up to 80% of its capacity after 1,000 cycles.
Price: the Ryzen AI 300 model launched at $899 for the DIY Edition and $1,099 prebuilt. The redesigned Framework Laptop 13 Pro starts at $1,199 DIY. Memory prices have jumped in 2026 and Framework has raised RAM prices more than once, so bring your own memory if you can.
Weak spot: the battery is the part that wears out first, but it is a simple swap. The bigger risk right now is price and shipping time, not durability.
- Skip if
- You want the lowest price per spec
- Price
- From $899 DIY (Ryzen AI 300)
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 7
Image: Lenovo
What makes it last: in March 2026, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 7 and T16 Gen 5 became the first T-series ThinkPads to get a 10/10 repairability score from iFixit. The battery comes out almost tool-free. The keyboard, display, fans, M.2 SSD and even the Thunderbolt ports are replaceable. Memory uses LPCAMM2 modules, so you can upgrade RAM instead of living with soldered chips. ThinkPads also have a long record of business use and a big used-parts market.
Warranty: the base term depends on the configuration and country. Lenovo sells extended and depot warranty upgrades at checkout, so check the term before you buy.
Parts: iFixit says Lenovo will publish official parts and guides on its support site. The score is provisional until that happens.
Price: from $1,844 direct from Lenovo, well above the previous generation. Lenovo discounts ThinkPads often, so the price you pay may be lower.
Weak spot: reviewers call the speakers weak and the entry-level chip average. For longevity, the thing to watch is whether Lenovo's official parts arrive as promised.
- Skip if
- You want the best value per dollar
- Price
- From $1,844 at Lenovo US
Phone
Most phones fail the checks above because the battery is glued in and parts are hard to buy. One phone passes all five.
Fairphone (Gen. 6+)
Image: Fairphone
What makes it last: a 10/10 repairability score from iFixit. A single T5 screwdriver lets you replace up to 12 parts. Fairphone promises at least six major Android updates and software support through at least 2033. It is also rated IP55 against dust and water.
Warranty: two years as standard. Register within three months of purchase and it becomes five years. The battery gets roughly three years and two months with registration.
Parts: sold on Fairphone's own store. In the US, the battery costs under $40 and a new screen $89.95.
Price: $649.99 in the US since August 18, 2026, unlocked, sold on Fairphone's US store and Amazon. It supports AT&T and T-Mobile. EU and UK buyers order from Fairphone's European store.
Weak spot: it is a mid-range phone. Do not expect flagship camera or gaming performance. The battery is the part you will replace first, and that is the easiest repair on the phone.
- Skip if
- You are on Verizon or want a flagship camera
- Price
- $649.99 (US)
Keyboard and mouse
Keychron Q1 Max
Image: Keychron
What makes it last: a full metal case, and hot-swappable switches. If a switch fails, you pull it out and push in a new one. It accepts almost any 3-pin or 5-pin MX-style switch, so you are not tied to Keychron for replacements. It runs open-source QMK firmware and works with VIA, so you can remap it without a vendor app that may disappear. Keycaps use the standard MX stem, so any MX keycap set fits.
Warranty: 12 months from delivery. Keychron says it replaces the defective part rather than the whole keyboard. Separately bought accessories are not covered.
Parts: switches, keycaps and accessories on Keychron's store, plus the whole MX-compatible market.
Price: $209.99 to $229.99 on Keychron's US store, depending on the version.
Weak spot: the built-in battery for wireless use will age. The keyboard still works over a USB-C cable when it does.
- Skip if
- You type on a laptop keyboard and like it
- Price
- $209.99 to $229.99
Logitech MX Master 3S
Image: Logitech
What makes it last: few mice are built to be repaired, but this one has genuine Logitech parts sold through iFixit, plus a free iFixit battery replacement guide. That covers the two things that wear out first on a daily-use mouse: the battery and the feet. It charges over USB-C.
Warranty: one year limited hardware warranty on the standard model. The business version gets two years.
Parts: genuine battery $24.99, feet set $19.99 and lower case screw set $14.99 on iFixit.
Price: $99.99 list on Logitech's US store. It is often on sale.
Weak spot: switches and the scroll wheel are not sold as parts. The battery and feet are covered, the clicks are not.
- Skip if
- You game and want a light mouse
- Price
- $99.99 list
Headphones
Headphones die from small things: a torn cable, flat ear pads, a dead battery. Pick a pair where those parts are sold.
Sennheiser HD 600
Image: Sennheiser
What makes it last: a wired, open-back design that has been in production for more than 20 years. Sennheiser says most parts are modular, and it sells them on its own spare parts store. No battery, no firmware, no app. The cable plugs in, so a broken cable is a cheap fix instead of a new pair.
Warranty: two years from Sennheiser on its US store.
Parts: replacement ear pads $54.95, replacement cables from $19.95, and balanced cables from $99.95.
Price: $499.95 on Sennheiser's US store.
Weak spot: the ear pads flatten over time. They are the first thing you will replace. Open-back also means it leaks sound, so it is for home listening.
- Skip if
- You need noise cancelling or wireless
- Price
- $499.95
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
Image: Audio-Technica
What makes it last: a closed-back studio headphone with a detachable cable. It ships with three cables. Replacement ear pads are sold by Audio-Technica through its service parts store, and the same pads fit the Bluetooth M50xBT versions.
Warranty: two years from Audio-Technica.
Parts: ear pads and cables from Audio-Technica, plus a large third-party pad market.
Price: about $159 at major US retailers.
Weak spot: ear pads. Depending on use, they last anywhere from about a year to five years.
- Skip if
- You need wireless
- Price
- About $159
Fairphone Fairbuds XL
Image: Fairphone
What makes it last: wireless noise-cancelling headphones where the battery is user-replaceable, which is rare. One screwdriver opens them, and nine parts can be replaced, including the battery, ear cushions, speakers and headband. Fairphone says the battery keeps 80% of its capacity after 500 full charges. Newer spare parts stay compatible with the original model.
Warranty: three years (two years standard plus one year extended). The battery is covered for 12 months.
Parts: on Fairphone's store. The US store lists the battery from $19.99 and ear cushions from $14.99, but all Fairbuds XL parts showed as out of stock on the US store when we checked.
Price: $229.99 in the US, €249 in Europe.
Weak spot: the battery wears first, which is why the swap matters. US parts stock is the thing to watch.
- Skip if
- You want the best noise cancelling
- Price
- $229.99 (US)
Chargers
A charger cannot really be repaired. It lasts because it is standard. A good USB-C Power Delivery charger will outlive the laptop and phone you bought it for, and charge the next ones.
Anker Prime Charger (100W, 3 ports, GaN)
Image: Anker
What makes it last: two USB-C ports that each deliver up to 100W, plus one USB-A port. That is enough for most laptops, so one charger can replace a drawer of proprietary bricks.
Warranty: Anker gives its Prime chargers 24 months, longer than the 18 months on its other chargers.
Parts: none. It is sealed. You replace it under warranty if it fails.
Price: $99.98 on Anker's US store, bundled with a 240W USB-C cable.
Weak spot: the cable usually dies before the charger. Keep a spare, and buy cables rated for the wattage you need.
- Skip if
- You only charge a phone
- Price
- $99.98 with a 240W cable
Storage, reading and gaming
Samsung 990 PRO SSD
Image: Samsung
What makes it last: a standard M.2 2280 NVMe drive. It fits most desktops and repairable laptops, including both laptops above, and moves to your next machine with you.
Warranty: five years or the rated write limit, whichever comes first. For the 2TB model that limit is 1,200TB written, far more than most people write in five years.
Parts: none. You replace the drive under warranty.
Price: SSD prices have swung a lot in 2026, so check before you buy.
Weak spot: an SSD wears out with writes. Back it up anyway. No warranty returns your files.
- Skip if
- Your laptop has soldered storage
- Price
- Check current price
Kobo Clara BW
Image: Kobo
What makes it last: Kobo partnered with iFixit to sell genuine parts and repair guides for this e-reader. It is waterproof (IPX8), and it reads standard EPUB files, so your library is not locked to one store.
Warranty: one year limited warranty in the US.
Parts: on iFixit, a battery costs $59.99 (part only), a screen assembly $94.99 and covers from $18.99.
Price: $159.99 on Kobo's US store, after a 2026 price rise.
Weak spot: the battery ages first. A replacement battery costs more than a third of the device, but it is still cheaper than a new e-reader.
- Skip if
- You are deep in the Kindle store
- Price
- $159.99
Steam Deck OLED
Image: Valve
What makes it last: iFixit is an official Steam Deck partner and sells genuine Valve parts: the battery, screens, thumbsticks, triggers, fan and more. The SSD is a standard M.2 2230 drive. It runs Linux-based SteamOS and can install other operating systems.
Warranty: one year in the US. EU buyers get at least two years under local consumer law.
Parts: battery $79.99, 512GB-model screen $94.99, thumbsticks from $29.99.
Price: $789 for 512GB and $949 for 1TB since Valve raised prices on May 27, 2026, citing memory and storage costs.
Weak spot: thumbsticks wear first on most handhelds, and here they are a cheap part. The price is the real barrier this year.
- Skip if
- The 2026 price rise is past your budget
- Price
- $789 (512GB) / $949 (1TB)
Repair tools
None of the picks above help if you cannot open them. One good toolkit covers almost everything on this list.
iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit
Image: iFixit
What makes it last: 64 precision bits in S2 steel, a driver, tweezers and opening tools in an aluminum case. The bits cover the screws on every product in this guide.
Warranty: iFixit's lifetime guarantee. Drivers, bits and tweezers are covered. Consumable tools such as plastic spudgers and opening picks are not, because they are meant to break before your device does.
Parts: iFixit sells replacement bits and tools.
Price: $79.95 on iFixit's store.
Weak spot: the plastic pry tools. Treat them as consumables and restock when they wear down.
- Skip if
- You already own a precision bit set
- Price
- $79.95
What does not qualify, and why
Plenty of good products failed our checks. These are the common reasons.
| Red flag | Why it rules a product out |
|---|---|
| Glued-in battery | The battery is the first part to fail on anything wireless. If it needs heat and solvents to remove, most owners replace the whole device instead |
| Soldered memory and storage | You cannot upgrade or replace them, so the device is stuck with its launch spec |
| Parts only for repair shops | If the maker will not sell parts to you, the device is repairable only as long as the maker wants it to be |
| Parts pairing | Some makers lock replacement parts to one device in software, so even a genuine part may not work fully without the maker's tools |
| Subscription-locked hardware | If key features stop working when a subscription or cloud service ends, the hardware's life depends on a business decision |
| Short software support | A phone with two years of updates becomes unsafe to use long before its hardware wears out |
| Proprietary chargers and ports | They tie you to one maker's accessories. USB-C is the standard to look for |
Rules are pushing makers the right way, at least in Europe. Since June 20, 2025, phones and tablets sold in the EU must have key spare parts available for at least seven years after the model stops selling, get at least five years of OS updates from the last sale, and carry a repairability label. From February 2027, EU rules also require phone batteries that users can replace, with some exemptions for very durable batteries.
How to make any gadget last longer
- Keep batteries between roughly 20% and 80% when you can, and avoid leaving devices hot and fully charged. Many laptops and phones have a charge limit setting.
- Register the warranty the day you buy. Some makers, like Fairphone, only extend the warranty if you register in time.
- Buy one good USB-C charger and good cables instead of many cheap ones.
- Before you buy anything, look up its iFixit page. If there is no battery guide and no parts listing, that tells you a lot.
What does buy it for life mean for tech?
What is the most repairable laptop?
Is there a phone that lasts 8 years?
Are repairable wireless headphones worth it?
Does a long warranty mean a product will last?
Do EU rules make phones last longer?
Sumit
ContributorHi, I'm Sumit, Being an introvert I have always been obsessed with technology-computers and reading dozens of posts to learn, find answers out of my curiosity. I love to write as I explore more.
