Not everyone replaces their kitchen appliances when they finally irretrievably break down. Some people are quite happy to get rid of them before that point, perhaps when they are thinking of re-designing their whole kitchen.
This means that there are a lot of second hand appliances around that are perfectly usable. But is it wise to just go out and buy the first one you see?
The first thing you need to bear in mind when you are thinking of buying a second hand kitchen appliance is that it is electrical in nature. There is a reason why you are not supposed to sell old appliances or electrical items at places such as car boot fairs. It is because the buyer doesn’t know whether the item is safe or not.
The first place a lot of people go to when they are considering buying second hand is their local paper. They will look at the classified ads to see if there is an appliance there that will fit their needs.
But of course you never quite know why someone is trying to sell it. It could well be for a genuine reason, such as the upgrade of their whole kitchen. But you never really know for sure, do you?
That’s why this route is fraught with problems. Perhaps the best place to go to in the first instance is to the people you know – your friends, your family and your work mates. If you are in need of a particular second hand appliance for your kitchen, ask around and see whether anyone has one that they want to get rid of. You can then go round and see it, and find out more about it before you think about buying it.
The advantages with this method are obvious. First of all you are asking people you know, so you know you won’t be sold something that really should not be used any more, for whatever reason. Secondly you are likely to benefit from ‘mate’s rates’! This means you will pay less than anyone else would for the appliance. And finally, you may even get some help to get it home and installed.
There are of course countless second hand shops around the country that sell on second hand appliances. Many of these are very good and it is worth checking them out, but try and get a recommendation from someone else before deciding which shop to go to. You are better off going to a well known retailer who offers second hand appliances, because you are much less likely to run into problems.
As you can see, there are some decent bargains to be had in the world of second hand appliances. But in many cases it is safer and more reliable to buy your kitchen appliances brand new. It might cost you more in money, but it could cost you more in other ways if you take a chance and get the first thing you see in a second hand shop.