Riga's Repair Cafe Technicians: Fixing Often Makes More Sense Than Buying New

A Repair Cafe workshop operates in Lastādija, Riga, on the first Sunday of every month. It belongs to a movement that began in the Netherlands and has spread worldwide: people bring electronics, textiles or bicycles and try to repair them themselves, with tools and advice from volunteer technicians. In the weekend supplement of the Latvian newspaper Diena, two of the workshop's technicians, Dagnis Zviedris and Krišjānis Zariņš, share their experience of why things break and how to buy more wisely.

According to the source, more than half of the items brought in are successfully repaired. Technicians can sometimes be busy with a particularly tricky case, so visitors need patience.

Diagrams and spare parts

Zariņš says repairing is partly harder today: manufacturers provide less information because repairs cut into their profits. He recalls repairing Hammond organs from 1973 that had a wiring diagram on the lid. Zviedris adds that large manufacturers do not want to share diagrams, since they could not sell new products if old ones can be fixed. At the same time, the internet offers many guides. Before buying, Zariņš says, check whether spare parts are available; if the manufacturer has not provided for them, the product should not be bought.

What to consider when choosing a product

Zviedris advises checking whether a device can be taken apart, whether its memory and battery are replaceable, and what materials are used. Teardown videos online can help. He also notes that people often ignore cost per use. The technicians believe cheap products are driven by buyers' choices and that price does not necessarily mean quality.

Overconsumption

Zviedris argues for ways to borrow or rent items, such as tool libraries. He notes that Eco Baltia's waste-management business at Getliņu iela 5 receives almost 300 tonnes of electronic waste every month. Zariņš cites the United States, which he says has about 160 million power drills with an average working life of 30 minutes.