I'm starting to think multipurpose things (with few exceptions) are shit coins.

I gave up on can openers a few years ago because they're garbage these days. Most manufacturers can't even do one thing right these days.

I'm returning to specialized equipment that is built simply to do one thing very well.

Using the can opener example, I've been using this little guy (it opens bottles too, sue me).

Increasing the number of components to do more things increases complexity, which seems to usually lead to higher failure rates. Many manufacturers don't bother making things repairable, probably because it's impractical at a certain point.

There's no need for spare parts for this can opener. It's composed of two metal parts held together by two metal pins.

This Cuisinart electric kettle has worked for years (you could use the stove and a thermometer for less complexity). It doesn't make my coffee. It doesn't grind beans or froth milk. It just boils water to a specific temperature. My simple pour over coffee pot handles it's one job.

(Should I clean it? 😬)

These AquaTru machines just filter my water. They don't measure cool the water. They don't tell me the weather forecast or require a stupid app with a data connection to work. They just filter my water. They have a "connect" version now. I don't want it. These have been chugging along (with proper maintenance) for about 5 years.

Keep things simple. One job. Maybe two. I do this as much as possible (simple vehicles, no smart TVs, etc) and I rarely have to replace things.