Buying second-hand appliances

I’ve been around the block a few times buying appliances at garage sales. I almost always get a good (or great) deal, but occasionally I get a dud.

My most recent purchase is a small rice cooker for a bachelor in the Navy. He really doesn’t cook, but is trying to save money, so I picked the cooker up for him the other day for $2.

When buying appliances you need to check for several things:

• Make sure all parts are included (manuals can usually be downloaded) – having all the parts is critical. Ordering replacement parts can be expensive (it’s the shipping that gets you!).
• Make sure there are no obvious cracks, and that the finish is in good shape on cooking surfaces
• Make sure all appropriate lights come on when it’s plugged in (insist that the seller let you plug it in)
• Consider the maintenance on the item; if the seller hasn’t cleaned it well, they may have neglected it in other ways

If you have the option, look the appliance up by it’s part number online to make sure it hasn’t been recalled for safety defects.

Know how much the appliance costs new; you need to know this in order to negotiate for a good price. Don’t trust the seller’s version of it’s worth, if you don’t know, don’t buy it. (I saw a lady pay $10 for a used quesadilla maker, they sell for $18 at Walmart new.)

Happy shopping!