I've been making a conscious effort to buy goods I can repair. It's REALLY hard work to find anything!
Then there is the cost - people want cheap crap AND they want it repairable??? Good luck.
After our Toaster crapped out, I spent a bit of time researching what I wanted.
I eventually found the Dualit Toaster, which I could buy in NZ for NZ$ 699!!!!!
After buying it on Amazon UK and shipping it to NZ... I paid NZ$360! (US$250)
So while I've still spent double what a decent toaster costs, I have a toaster that I can buy all the parts for, and is DESIGNED to be repaired! Overall, I don't expect it to cost me less than replacing toasters every time they crap out, It means I don't have to dispose of the old one, and I can make a manly attempt at repairing it
Plus... LOOK AT IT! After I got it, one of the guys at work got one out of his storage, from 1993. It has one element burnt out, so I've been playing "NZToasterNurd" for a while
, restoring it from this state:
Old and New:
Mine was hand assembled by Michael, in the UK (so far the electrics still work, and it hasn't leaked any oil!):