Skip to main content

Broken smartphone? This handy $20 toolkit could help put it right

iFixit's Essential Electronics Toolkit!
When one of your gadgets suffers damage or stops working, do you trash it, take it to the repair shop, or try to mend it yourself?

With so many resources out there for DIY fixers – from YouTube to a slew of specialist websites – many gadget repairs can be carried out these days without too much effort or experience. Complete the task by yourself and you’ll not only save yourself a few bucks, but also be left with a warm feeling of satisfaction at having sorted the issue unaided.

So if you’ve a steady hand, an inquisitive mind, and the confidence to take apart your faulty gadget, then you might want to consider this useful-looking toolkit from iFixit.

ifixit-toolkit
iFixit
iFixit

The Essential Electronics Toolkit, launched by the gadget repair and teardown specialist this week, features everything you need to get inside your tech. And it only costs $20.

“Fix your iPhone. Upgrade your laptop. Swap out a dead battery. Repair your drone. Tighten your door handle. Take apart your blender. Adjust your eyeglasses,” iFixit says on its website, adding, “Seriously. You can tackle just about every precision job on your to-do list with this kit.”

In the box you’ll find a magnetized driver handle with 16 driver bits for the vast majority of today’s common electronics. There’s also a useful suction handle for lifting off smartphone and tablet displays, and a jimmy that’ll “easily slip between the tightest gaps in the toughest devices.” It also includes an opening tool, picks for scraping and prying open housings, angled precision tweezers, a spudger for disconnecting cables, and a lid with a built-in sorting tray to help you stay organized.

iFixit also offers the Pro Tech Toolkit at the more expensive price of $65. As you’d expect, it comes with a few additional tools, though it seems like its handy Essential kit will have you covered for most of the fiddly jobs you take on, saving you from spending out more on the pricier alternative.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
How to turn off Activity Status on Instagram
Instagram on an iPhone.

Instagram is a popular social networking site that allows users to communicate through text, photos, and videos. One of its features is the app's Activity Status, which lets users know when someone was last active on the app or if they are currently online.

Read more
Grab a 4-pack of Apple AirTags while they’re on sale
Person holding an Apple AirTag.

If you're one of those people who always keep misplacing their stuff, then you may want to take advantage of Walmart's offer for the Apple AirTag. Four of the Bluetooth trackers, which will make sure that you never lose anything again, are available for just $80, following a $19 discount on the bundle's original price of $99. There's no telling how long this lowered price will last, so if you think you'll find some use for these tracking devices, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase as soon as possible.

Why you should buy the Apple AirTag
The Apple AirTag is highlighted in our roundup of the best Bluetooth trackers as the top choice if you're invested in the iOS ecosystem. In addition to a quick and easy one-tap setup to link the tracking device to your iPhone or iPad, the Apple AirTag uses Apple's Find My network to keep track of your things. Precision Finding with Ultra Wideband technology will lead you to your Apple AirTag, with the help of the millions of devices in the Find My network that will work together to locate your missing item when you activate Lost Mode.

Read more
Huawei’s gorgeous Pura 70 phones just got expanded availability
Huawei Pura 70 pink, green, white, and black colors.

Huawei Pura 70 Huawei

After being announced for China in mid-April, the Huawei Pura 70 series is now confirmed for the EU market. Those in the European market can expect to preorder the Pura 70, Pura 70 Pro, and the top-tier Pura 70 Ultra starting May 2 for 999 euros, 1,199 euros, and 1,499 euros, respectively. This pricing is in line with what we saw in China, with the Ultra coming in at 9,999 yuan ($1,400) and the base Pura 70 at 5,499 yuan ($760).

Read more