Workbench · decision-lab · tools & parts
Pick the kit. Run the math. Know when to stop.
FixKit Lab is a workbench for people who open devices: which bits won’t round on a pentalobe, which parts you’d trust against a chassis, and when the honest move is paying a shop. We don’t rewrite iFixit’s manuals — we help you decide what to buy before you turn the first screw.
On the bench
Toolkit roundup (2026)
S2 vs CR-V · P2/Y000 coverage · opening tools — scored like a fixer, not a listicle.
Pro Tech vs Essential vs budget
Three lanes. Buy the one that matches how many repairs you’ll actually do.
Repair vs replace
Parts + tools + time + risk. If the math loses, don’t DIY.
Jobs on the queue
Joy-Con drift
Toolkit + joystick module — when cleaning is just delaying the swap.
MacBook battery DIY
Cost sheet before heat, glue, and puncture risk.
iPhone battery tools
Pentalobe, adhesive, heat, ESD — checklist, not a teardown clone.
Apple SSRP vs iFixit
Genuine-parts path vs owned tools — no “official partner” cosplay.
How this lab scores gear
Steel and the bits phones actually use beat “150-in-1” marketing. Opening tools and adhesive count as much as drivers. We write stop conditions out loud. Full criteria: methodology.