Do you have an old toaster, lawn mower, fan, mixer, hair dryer or other small household appliance that you wish you could repair? If so, you’ll likely have a difficult time finding a company to help you with the repair.
Most appliance repair companies like Sharper Service Solutions don’t work on small appliances like mixers and hair dryers because the cost of labor to repair the item is typically more than the cost to replace it.
But what if you really love that hair dryer? Or maybe there’s sentimental value in the mixer because it came from your grandmother. Or maybe you just don’t want to throw away a perfectly good appliance. No matter your reason, if you have a small appliance you want to fix, consider attending a local Repair Cafe.
What is a Repair Cafe?
A Repair Cafe is a nonprofit event hosted by community volunteers to assist everyday people with fixing their broken small appliances and garments at no charge. Participants show up with their broken appliance and repair parts and the community experts help them repair the item.
The types of items that can be fixed at a Repair Cafe will depend on the skills of the available volunteers. Typical items repaired include bicycles, blenders, mixers, vacuums, blow dryers, lawn mowers, and other “small appliances.” Items like refrigerators, ovens, and dryers aren’t repaired at Repair Cafes. If you need to repair a major home appliance, call an appliance repair specialist.
When attending a Repair Cafe event, keep in mind that the volunteers are there to help you at no cost! So be kind and grateful for the assistance.
Here’s a video from attn: Video about Repair Cafes:
Where Can I Find a Repair Cafe in Portland?
Repair PDX is a Portland Repair Cafe that has been helping the Portland community repair small appliances and garments since 2013. Members gather 1-2 times per month to help community members fix their household items. Learn more about Repair PDX events on their website at RepairPDX.org.
