Throwaway sorrow: Replacing the basket almost as expensive as buying a new Airfryer

Since this summer, European legislation—the Right to Repair Directive—was supposed to make this kind of parts replacement and repair easier and more affordable. But my airfryer, and other household appliances, are not covered, and the Netherlands has not even finished implementing it.

The case of my broken Philips Airfryer

My airfryer cost me €89 (Philips model HD9252/90). Everything still works, except for the pan and the basket. Over 2 years old, so claiming my right to a warranty is going to be made difficult. (See also this study by the Consumentenbond.) I'll just sort it out myself, I think.

Good news: I find three online shops where I can buy the parts: Parts.nl, Onderdelen.nl, and also the online shop of Philips Home Appliances. But it's going to cost me almost as much as I originally paid.

Research shows that consumers are not willing to pay more than 18% to 31% of the original purchase price for a repair. Above that threshold, buying new almost always wins out. The system is simply designed that way: manufacturers make money by selling new appliances, repairs are expensive, and the manufacturer is often not the seller. All of this makes it costly and complicated for us. 

The response from Philips, or rather Versuni

I wanted clarification from Philips, but was told I shouldn't be contacting them. All Philips household appliances are manufactured by Versuni under the Philips brand label. For a consumer, this is an unnecessary hurdle: you first have to figure out who you actually need to address and where the responsibility lies. 

However, Versuni emailed back: 

• According to Versuni, the price reflects more than just the part itself: quality and safety tests, packaging, warehousing, distribution, and the cost of keeping a part available for years, even after a model is no longer sold. 

• According to Versuni, individual parts do not benefit from the same economies of scale as a complete appliance. In addition, Versuni states that it has no profit motive regarding the sale of spare parts themselves.

• According to Versuni, they are closely following the implementation of the Right to Repair Directive and are working towards meeting all applicable requirements. Airfryers—like many other appliances—currently fall outside the directive, but the company says it 'acknowledges' the direction of the legislation.

It's nice that I received an answer, but they are beating around the bush. Why do two containers cost 70% of what I paid for the entire airfryer? Logistics and storage might make an individual part a bit more expensive, but surely not that expensive? And following the policy is not yet a commitment that anything will change regarding the high prices, repairability, or availability of spare parts. So for my basket and drip tray, it gets me nowhere.

Not an isolated incident: the same pattern with other electronics

The case of my airfryer is not unique. A recent NRC article shows that the problem goes beyond expensive parts. Using the iPhone as an example: limited provision of information by the manufacturer, lack of parts standardisation, glued-in parts, expensive parts, and often only the manufacturer's original parts work. Research by the European consumer organisation BEUC into spare parts for smartphones (which are covered by Ecodesign rules) and vacuum cleaners (which are not) confirms the pattern: the price of parts is the biggest barrier to repair.

A brief price comparison between spare parts of other household appliances shows that parts are genuinely expensive compared to the purchase price when new. 

For a €57 Philips blender, you pay €45 for a new jug: almost 80% of the new price. A new battery for the Philips 7000 Series vacuum cleaner costs €97, against an original price of €261. A new floor nozzle for the Dyson V8 costs €115, against an original price of €299. Imagine the nozzle of my vacuum cleaner breaks and I see that price tag. I'd definitely think twice: wouldn't a new one be smarter? A manufacturer's goal should actually be to make an appliance last as long as possible, not to make buying new the more logical choice.

There is another way. The brewing group of the De’Longhi Magnifica, the part where the coffee is brewed, costs around €30. That is about 10% of the original purchase price. And that is where Versuni's explanation becomes less convincing: storing, packaging, and shipping individual parts is just as much of a challenge for De’Longhi. The same logistics, a completely different price.

Some parts are simply not sold or are out of stock, forcing you to turn to a third-party website with higher prices, or worse: having to replace the entire appliance while it still works otherwise. 

Why the EU Right to Repair Directive offers no solution

These issues are precisely what the EU Right to Repair Directive (2024/1799) is supposed to address from 1 July 2026. It aims to remove obstacles to repair beyond the warranty period. Specifically, the directive promises, among other things, an obligation to repair at a reasonable price and within a reasonable timeframe (Art. 5(2)), availability of parts and tools at a reasonable price (Art. 5(4)), and accessible information about repair services. Member states must adopt at least one measure that financially incentivises repair before 31 July 2029.

A European directive only works once each country transposes it into national law. Member states had until 31 July 2026 to do this. The Netherlands did not make it: the bill was only sent to the House of Representatives on 10 July, and debate and voting are still pending. We don't know when those are scheduled. 

The European Right to Repair Directive is a step in the right direction, but there are still too many snags to genuinely tackle the throwaway culture. Specifically, we at FRF are calling for:

• The right to repair must apply to all appliances. Currently, it only applies to products for which European ecodesign repairability requirements exist, such as washing machines, refrigerators, televisions, and smartphones. Airfryers, blenders, and coffee machines are excluded. Tough luck for my airfryer.

• Enforce lower prices for repairs and parts replacement. Make 'reasonable' concrete. From the aforementioned research, we know that consumers give up if a repair costs more than 18 to 31% of the new price. A reasonable price must be below that. That applies not only to the part, but to the entire repair. 

• Ensure genuine enforcement. Enforcement remains uncertain since there will be no central European regulator and each member state must set it up themselves. 

In addition, the Netherlands must now choose an additional incentive in the bill, such as repair vouchers or a VAT reduction are still missing from the Dutch bill. Such an incentive can make it easier to replace parts that wear out, such as a battery in a mobile phone. France shows with the bonus réparation that it can be done. 

What now for my airfryer?

At the time of writing, my basket and drip tray are still lying broken in the cupboard. The prices of the parts are not going to drop any time soon. As long as that remains the case, I will have to choose between buying expensive parts or just getting a new airfryer. A textbook example of the throwaway economy that we need to put an end to.