Tool Tester Questionaire

Ever buy a gadget or tool only to find out that it wasn’t worth the cost or hassle? For example, recently I had bought a pair of jumber cables (a cheap set from one of those big box discount stores). Only to find out when in the heat of the moment, it did not fulfill my need. It couldn’t transfer enough juice to jump a head set battery. It was a headache of 30-45 minutes of claimping and adjusting and motor revving. With a good set, it would’ve been magic — in ten seconds that dead car is resurrected, and away it goes!

All those tools we’ve bought, thought of buying, or had given to us … wouldn’t it be great if we had a little meter to run them past, to let us know: Useful or Questionable, Keeper or Caster, Asset or Liability? Well, here is a simple evaluation you can run on your tools and gadgets (rate the item on a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being poor and 10 being excellent):

Affordability - How much of a strain will it be to buy it right now?

Versatility - How versatile is it, how many things can it be used for?

Seasonability - Can you use it year round? Do you need it year round?

Fuelability - Will fuel, energy, batteries, etc., always be available and accessible? How expensive are they?

Maintainability - What will it take to keep it working, and how often will it have to be done? (Cleaning, adjusting, tuning, oiling, etc.)

Durability - How long is it likely to hold up?

Breakability - How easy is it for you or others to hurt or ruin it?

Reapairability - If it dies or gets wounded, how easily can it be fixed, how hard will it be to get parts, how much will the fixing cost?

Storability - How much room does it take up, and how easy is it to hang, store, or park?

Availability - When and where you need it, will it be there?

Crippleability - Is it safe for you and others to use and be around? Will using it do anything bad to you, physically or mentally?

Portability - Can you use it here, there, and anywhere, or just here?

Loseability - What are the chances of it being lost or mislaid?

Borrowability - Will you be able to keep it on the premises?

Stealability - Is it attractive enough to “walk away”?

Extinctability - How soon will it be obsolete?

Depreciability - How long and well will it hold its value?

Responsibility - How does it affect the environment and/or society?

Disposability - When you’re through with it, will you be able to sell it or otherwise diespose of it?

Inevitability - How badly do you need it? How often will you use it? Will its lifetime usefulness to you be worth what it costs?

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