Is it ever worth buying a second hand washing machine, and how do you know where it has been, who has used it or how long will it last?
These are very good questions, and you should really think very hard about it. I know there are times when your old machine has broken down, and it may seem like a good idea at the time, but you may well be buying yourself a whole lot of trouble.
If you know the person selling the machine, and you know how it has been used and you also know the genuine reason for selling the machine, then you would be able to feel far more confident in this kind of purchase.
Most people will only be changing their washing machine for one of the following reasons:
- Moving home
- Updating their kitchen or utility room
- Not happy with the machine they have
- Like to have the latest gadgets going
- It is broken, needs new parts or plain just doesn’t work – which is what they don’t tell you
It is a huge gamble to buy a second-hand machine on line, as you have no idea where this machine has come from, and also how it has been used. For all you know it has been in a short let premises, which means it has probably had a very hard life, and as they don’t own it, some tenants in this type of property would not necessarily treat the appliances with respect and you have no idea what has been washed in the machine.
It could also be from a private seller who knows the bearings are going – very noisy machine – or something else is going wrong that will cost a lot of money to rectify.
In other words, you will have absolutely no idea where this machine has come from. Also the quality of the machine cannot be verified, the seller could claim it is a bona fide manufactured machine, when in fact, it is a cheap far eastern copy. There is no way you can tell from a picture.
You may also be interested, or amazed, to learn that there is likely to be a considerable amount of slime contained in the machine, that you will never be able to see, from countless washing cycles and has built up over years. This slime may not only come with a noxious smell, but will also contain bacteria.
Apart from purchasing a second hand machine from someone you know, as detailed above, the only other safe purchase would be from a local shop that deals in second hand domestic appliances. They will have stripped down the machine, cleaned and sanitised it thoroughly, plus replaced any broken parts. In fact, in most cases, they will have carried out a full refurbishment. These machines will come with a higher price tag than the cheaper ones available on line, but will also come with a warranty of some kind. If they are not offering a guarantee, then it is probably a good idea to find another shop!
On the matter of cost, we are all aware of some very cheap washing machines available – these are generally again from a non-European Union country. You should also give these a wide berth as not only are they made from very cheap materials, they will only give you a poor performance, and, as will more than likely happen, when the machine breaks down, it is almost impossible to get spare parts. You may also find that you will struggle to get satisfaction from the warranty provided by the supplier.
On the whole it is fair to say that, purchasing second hand machines or very cheap machines, you need to proceed very carefully and can only repeat the only recommended purchases would be:
- From someone you know well, and you are happy with the reason they are selling the machine. This is even better if it is a family member.
- Buy from a well-know local company who specialise in refurbishing old machines, and provide a genuine guarantee.
Caution is definitely the watch word.