

[packet manager][list of packages]
Clumsy? How?
Oh, and you don’t need to reinstall soft while upgrading adequate Linux distros.
And reinstalling Linux is done once in a decade when some serious changes are here. Like 32->64bit. And even then it isn’t necessary.
Yes, they need to be recycled in a special way. And yes, most shitty “appliances” are shitty.
Use devices that work from the power net or at least those that can use standard and widespread accumulator batteries.