The repair kit every household should have
16/5/2023
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
I’ve been the proud owner of the iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit for four years. I’ve used it to assemble various PCs and keyboards as well as to repair toys and misuse tools.
It’s 10 p.m. on a Sunday. I’m ready to read some Vinland Saga before drifting off to sleep. Alas, along comes my wife with yet another perfectly timed idea. She wants to remove the cover from an old armchair to bare the foam mat underneath. We’d upholstered the chaise longue ourselves a few years ago and were a bit over-enthusiastic with tacking it down. In other words, we now need to remove about 50 tacks.
Lucky for me, I know just which tool to grab: the metal spatula from my iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit. Within fifteen minutes, all the tacks are gone – and I can devote myself to my manga.
This is just one of what feels like hundreds of cases where the toolkit has helped me over the years. And that’s precisely why it should be a staple in every household.
Screwing
iFixit offers several kits. Personally, I always recommend the Pro Tech Toolkit I own. The only parts of it I haven’t used yet are the grounding bracelet and a couple attachments and bits. I’ve never needed anything that isn’t already included in the kit.
Source: Kevin Hofer
I recently needed the SIM Eject Bit for the first time; I always lose those that come with the phone. There’s even an attachment for my Game Gear. Back in 2018 when I’d hoped to repair it, I ended up buying an additional screwdriver. The kit includes a total of 64 bits. Here’s an overview:
- Phillips: 000, 00, 0, 1, 2
- Flathead: 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4 mm
- Torx: T2, T3, T4, T5
- Torx Security: TR6, TR7, TR8, TR9, TR10, TR15, TR20, TR25
- Pentalobe: P2, P5, P6
- JIS: J000, J00, J0, J1
- Hex: 0.7, 0.9, 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5 mm
- Tri-point: Y000, Y00, Y0, Y1
- Nut Driver: 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 5.5 mm
- Square: 1, 2
- Gamebit: 3.8, 4.5 mm
- Spanner: 6, 8
- Triangle: 2, 3 mm
- Standoff Bit for iPhone
- Oval Bit
- Magnetic Pickup Bit
- SIM Eject Bit
- 1/4" to 4 mm Driver Adapter
The lid of the set doubles as a sorting tray for screws. A magnetic pad is also included, which is perfect for complex tasks like disassembling a graphics card.
There’s just one thing I’d change about the screwdriver. Namely, I’d make the thin end of the shaft a little longer. It’s too thick for certain jobs, so I find myself having to switch to an Allen wrench.
Source: Kevin Hofer
Open and hold
The opening and gripping tools leave nothing to be desired. With Jimmy the device opener, I can lift the lids of notebooks and the like quickly and easily. The three tweezers have proved themselves not only for placing screws precisely, but also for unclogging the drain. Here’s an overview of the other tools in the kit:
- Anti-Static Wrist Strap
- Small Suction Handle
- 3x iFixit Opening Tool
- 6x iFixit Opening Picks
- Nylon Tipped Reverse Tweezers
- Angled ESD Tweezers
- Blunt ESD Tweezers
- Standard Spudger
- Halberd Spudger
- Metal Spudger
- Jimmy
- Magnetic Pad
- Tool Roll
Source: Kevin Hofer
In terms of quality, the kit is almost perfect. After four years of use, the paint on the screwdriver is coming off a bit and the plastic tools no longer look like new. However, this has no influence on their functionality – even the Velcro fastener on the set still closes perfectly.
I used to have various tool sets. Today, I can manage almost anything with just my iFixit kit. But for larger jobs, I do fall back on a ratchet set.
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
