Durable goods hold their value — and many are actually smarter to buy secondhand. A used Aeron chair or Speed Queen washer has years of life left at a fraction of the price. Here's what survives resale best, and exactly what to check before you buy.
Mechanical parts are serviceable and remanufacturers exist; a 12-year design life means a used one has plenty left.
Before you buy: Gas cylinder holds height, tilt is smooth, and the mesh isn't sagging or torn. Confirm the size (A/B/C) and Classic vs Remastered.
Commercial-grade and mostly mechanical — far fewer electronics to fail than a modern machine.
Before you buy: Listen for bearing rumble on the spin, look for leaks or rust under the tub, check the belt, and ask the model year.
Nearly indestructible, hold resale value, and every part is cheap and user-replaceable.
Before you buy: Note the monitor generation (PM3/4/5), check chain and handle wear, and make sure the flywheel spins freely.
Iron doesn't wear out — a used pan is often better seasoned than a new one.
Before you buy: No cracks, sits flat with no wobble, and no deep pitting. Surface rust is fine and easily reversed.
Metal gearboxes in older tilt-head units run for decades, and the refurbished market is huge.
Before you buy: No grinding or slipping, no grease leaking into the bowl, and confirm it's a metal-gear model.
Enamel and iron age gracefully, and secondhand pieces are plentiful and cheap.
Before you buy: Interior enamel free of chips or cracks (exterior chips are just cosmetic), lid seats flush, no rim rust.
A worn welted boot can be fully rebuilt for a fraction of the cost of new.
Before you buy: Upper leather not cracked through, welt intact and stitched (not glued); budget $100–150 for a resole.
Factory-refurbished units come with a full multi-year warranty — the one case where official refurb beats gambling on a private sale.
Before you buy: Buy only Vitamix-Certified for the warranty; on private sales, listen for bearing whine or a burnt-motor smell.