Buy used? Buy new?

There are lots of good reasons to buy new lab equipment, BUT, we are not going to talk about them here.
We want to buy used good lab equipment, save a bundle, not get taken to the cleaners, not have to fix it when it gets here.  This is especially important in the Health Care or Life Science Field where results of the testing you do directly affect our way of life or well being. So, how do we figure out whats good and whats not.
1.  Reputable vendors, thats right, there are lots out there.  A reputable vendor will have a good feedback score.  By good I don,t mean hundreds or thousands, I mean good for the types of goods they are selling.  Lets face it some products are more complex than others. 

laboratory equipment is complex and often very specific to one use. Does your vendor have a way to service the equipment if it defective. Does he or she service it before it is shipped? Is it shipped as is or is there some promise of performance? For Bio Medical and research labs the equipment must meet the needs of the researcher, not the seller. Complexity..For example If I am selling glass marbles theres a pretty good chance I can throw them in a padded envelope and mail them to you and you will be happy and leave good feed back (any glass marble sellers out there?  I know your business has more ins and outs than that, but I needed an example).  I would expect high feedback numbers.
Now if I am selling a glass marble making machine and you want to go into the glass marble business your expectations are much higher.   You want a machine that will make millions of marbles trouble free.  Anybody selling such a specialized machine won't likely sell that many, but each one that gets a good feedback is a tremendous feather in their cap.  Imagine the complexity of such a machine.  A feedback score of 10 would be pretty amazing.

2. How is it described?
You have seen them all, like new, refurbished,clean,good working condition, complete,best, the adjectives go on and on.  Look for something with some meat in it. For Example:  Unit completely refurbished, belts changed motor lubricated, light bulbs changed, new power cord, ready to make marbles.
Or, complete:  this unit has all the adapters you need to make solids, swirls, tiger eyes and clear marbles, specialty adapter to make Augies included.
Best:  Our marble maker was tested against 3 others and it made the roundest marbles.

You get the idea, the adjective alone is not good enough, if the item is that GOOD the vendor will support that with a CLAIM or proof or example of why he or she thinks its that good.

3:  Look for other evidence that the seller is in that business.  I'm not saying don't, but do a little research if the vendor selling the glass marble making machine usually sells Ice fishing huts, the technology is probably not mutually supportive.  If the seller sells glass powder, mesh bags, glass coloring AND marble makers thats a pretty good match.

4:  If the Deal looks too good to be true...it probably is, your Dad was right on this one.  Picture this:
Glass marble maker, used twice, first time 1923 to 1975   second time  1999 to 2000, unplugged due to Y2K compliance.  Should still work.

5:  Ask questions:  If the vendor is not willing to answer the questions that YOU, the customer ask, then keep looking.  If you are buying lab equipment on line you are likely spending hundreds or thousands of dollars.  Each one of those dollars are as important to you as they are to the vendor, know what you are buying, make sure the device will do what you want it to do.   "Will your marble maker make square marbles?"  Not a silly question if you want to make dice, now is it.   " I am replacing my counter top, will your machine make a marble top 28 inches wide by 8 feet long"
ASK ASK ASK

Enough of marbles, but you get the idea. You know exactly what you want in your lab, challenge the vendor to provide just that. In today's economy you can save money in your lab budget, shop Ebay for reliable used laboratory equipment and shop smart. Get the answers to your questions. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed and I hope it helps you when you are buying used lab equipment.