Fortunately, when I moved into this house, I had the money to purchase a new washer, dryer and refrigerator. The stove and dishwasher were older, but appeared to work. I would like to replace the stove at least, at some point, but don't have the money right now. Because I do a lot of cooking and baking, I would probably try to purchase a new stove, rather than a used one. However, I'd be o.k. with purchasing a used dishwasher, since I rarely use it anyway. I've gotten a second hand washing machine in the past, and it worked quite well. Would y'all purchase used appliances, and if so, are there certain appliances you'd prefer to buy new, rather than used?
There are definitely certain things that I'd be more apt to buy myself just due to limited lifespans of some appliances. For example, I can't really imagine too many troubles coming from a used gas or electric stove, assuming there aren't any hot spots, but I wouldn't buy a used toaster or blender, just because few people actually properly clean either of these appliances. I also wouldn't buy used rice cookers or coffee makers for the same reason.
There are small appliances shops here that sells used items mostly from Japan and Korea. Those big tv sets and the olden dvd players. I wonder if they have buyers. But a friend said that those shops wouldn't last if they don't have business. Those poor people who cannot afford to buy brand new appliances would resort to buying used appliances since that would be better than waiting for the money to buy a new one. We bought a second hand appliance just once for an emergency. I had a fractured arm and I needed to rest in the bedroom after the operation. This is a tropical country and the heat is unbearable during summer so my husband bought a used air conditioner. It worked fine although the bedroom was not cooled enough but comfortable though. After 6 months of use, we mustered the courage to get a new one on installment. And the old one? We gave it to my sister who was just glad to have a used air conditioner for free.
It depends on their age. Newer appliances are energy efficient and though they will be more expensive than the used appliances you would buy, you could end up saving more money on electricity bills. If an appliance is older than two years, you probably shouldn't buy it. I've heard tales of appliances dying after two years of use, so don't buy one that's will die on you real fast as you won't getting a warranty.
With certain items I like to buy new. When we purchased our house we kept the dishwasher, washer and dryer that came with it. The dishwasher was an old Kenmore that had to have been built in the late 1970's /early 1980's. When we renovated last year, that dishwasher still worked. It has never given us any problems and washed the dishes so well. I was really sad to see it go. My new Bosch dishwasher cannot hold a candle to that old Kenmore for the way it cleaned baked on grime on casserole dishes. It left glasses spotless. So sometimes older models of appliances are built better than newer so buying a good quality used appliance may be worth it.
I agree @purplepen88, but I think it depends on the initial quality, as well as upkeep. I'm pretty sure the dishwasher here is original to the house. It worked a few times, but doesn't work at all now, and just sits there taking up space. I prefer to hand wash dishes, other than on a few occasions. I wouldn't mind having a dishwasher if it worked, but if it's not going to work, I'd rather pull it out and put a cabinet in its place. I'm sure it was a very low end dishwasher to start with, so who knows how many times it's been tweaked over the years just to get it going long enough to satisfy someone moving in here, only to die right afterwards.
I generally like to buy fresh, providing I have the money. But if I'm struggling or need to save a few pennies, I don't mind buying refurbished or gently used appliances. Once when I was just starting to work in a new town, I needed a microwave and got a lovely Samsung one that looked brand new but was actually refurbished. I thought it would be enough to tide me over until I could afford a brand new one. But it lasted me a whole decade, and I actually gave it to a friend when I moved countries.
We normally buy new appliances, but I can think of a couple of small appliances that we bought at garage sales. One was a Krups juicer. It was in good shape, like new, really. And it has been a good appliance. It's been several years and it still does a good job. Then we bought an older small appliance, a Presto fry daddy, it had more wear but we only paid $2.00. That has been a great little appliance. We have owned it several years and it is still servicable, and heats the oil perfectly. There was one other, a Lasko wall-hugger heater. It had a lot of use when we got it, and I think it only worked maybe 3 more winters and then it went kaput.
I prefer new, but if the second hand item is from a reputable source and is lightly used then I have no problem. My friend gave me a vacuum cleaner they didn't need and I was fine with that, and I would be okay with a fridge or freezer too because you can see if they are good, and can clean them out.
Ha, speaking of used vacuum cleaners, years ago, I bought I used vacuum from someone. It's been so long that I don't even recall where I bought it, but it was probably from a neighbor or co-worker, and it ended up causing a spark and small fire at the wall outlet. That was scary. My electric kettle broke recently, and I couldn't afford to replace it with a new one, so I purchased a used one. I'm going to clean and descale it when it arrives, then give it a test drive. I always keep white vinegar on hand for descaling appliances such as my kettles and coffeemakers.
I think I would consider buying a used tv, but not really kitchen appliances or washing machines, since I assume that they are "dirty" already or heavily worn out. But knowing myself, I would try to save money to be able to buy a brand new one as much as possible.
I would definitely want appliances I'd use heavily to be new, because I'd assume others had also used them heavily. I don't use my washer and dryer nearly as much as many people, since it's just me, and I only do a few loads per week. A pottery dish I was cooking with yesterday broke in the oven, and the liquid spilled all over the place, within the oven, and dripped down into the broiler and also across the floor. Ugh. I had to get it out of the oven, and the only place to put it was on top of the stove. If I had the money available, I would have just bought a brand new one right then and there and tossed the old one. I've got it soaking right now, and have already scrubbed off the worst of it, but the next one I get (this was here when I moved in, so I didn't have a choice) will be self-cleaning. My hands just can't handle the heavy duty scrubbing necessary to clean a stove. Incidentally, the kettle arrived last week and I didn't even have to descale it. I cleaned it up, even though it looked almost brand new, so I think the previous owners probably didn't drink nearly as much tea as I do. The kettle is really good quality, so it was a great deal.
Well, if you think about it, most of us have probably bought used appliances if we bought a house that had been lived in before and came with existing appliances. I have also shopped for a few used ones at times. Way back when, I moved into a rental house once when I was single, and it had no fridge. I got a very nice, gently used refrigerator for quite a bargain. I only paid like $100.00 for it, and it worked great. I also bought a nice apartment sized washer and dryer set from a friend. That worked out very well too. Sometimes, you can find good deals if people took care of their stuff.
That's a good point @Zyni, and it's usually pretty apparent from how they look, whether or not the appliances have been taken care of and gently used. I watch a lot of home and house hunting shows, and it always irritates me when the people walk through someone's house and make disparaging remarks about what look like beautiful appliances, that just aren't up to their standards. They do the same with furnishings and counter tops. Not everyone wants granite. I personally would prefer marble or quartz if i had money, but I certainly wouldn't make negative comments about someone's house, especially when I was being recorded and televised. They often get rid of the counter tops, appliances, and cabinets when they buy the home, and I always hope that they donate, or at least sell them, since most of them look to be in really good condition, and someone else would no doubt really appreciate them.
I would if they were really worth the money, But usually appliances are not really worth it that much, and they really need to be in very good condition, since you use it for food. I have bought an used microwave before when I knew I would only live in a place for one year, and that worked as good as a new one would.
