Consumers were more likely to consider purchasing a reconditioned washing machine in the past and are less likely now, since many modern washing machines are cheaply built and easily disposed of. The pros and cons of buying a reconditioned washing machine have therefore changed over the course of decades. When considering purchasing such a machine, it is important to do a bit of research about that particular model of washing machine and understand that it may be very expensive to recondition a cheaply built washer, negating the advantages of a reconditioned unit.
The biggest advantage of buying a reconditioned washing machine is often the cost savings: when a high-end unit is repaired, it may be sold at a lower cost than its original cost. This means the consumer can get a high-end machine at a mid range price. In the past, this was a viable option for saving money while still getting a high-quality unit. As the technology and price points have changed, this has become a less viable option, since most washing machines are made to be affordable rather than high quality. Cheaply built washing machines can be reconditioned, but they can not always be reconditioned affordably.
One important thing to look for when considering buying a reconditioned washing machine is the company doing the reconditioning. If the original manufacturer does the reconditioning, they may offer a limited warranty on the unit, and they are more likely to do the reconditioning with original factory parts. An independent company doing the reconditioning may be able to offer the unit at a lower price, but they may use aftermarket parts; this is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the parts they are using are of a high quality, but it will be difficult or impossible to determine the quality of the replacement parts.
Perhaps the biggest disadvantage to buying a reconditioned washing machine is the price. Since so many new models are built to be affordable, reconditioned models very often cannot compete with the lower price points. The best customer for a reconditioned washing machine is someone who cannot afford even the cheapest new model, but even he or she will need to do some shopping around to find a reconditioned unit that will be both inexpensive and high-quality enough to be used on a regular basis. That person may also be responsible for transporting the unit, while most new units include free shipping.