5 on Your Side: Tips to buying a used appliance

Do you need an appliance but are stuck waiting for them to become available because of pandemic slowdowns?

5 On Your Side's Monica Laliberte says consider buying used.

From the fridge to the washing machine, we work our appliances, and the pandemic has left us with a shortage of new options.

So a used appliance might be your only option.

Consumer Reports says skip yard sales and sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace because the appliances usually don't come with a guarantee or warranty.

Instead, hit a local, reputable repair shop or used appliance store, early and often.

Consumer Reports says you could save 50% or more, even if the appliance hasn’t been used at all.

Your best bets for buying used are washers, dryers, ranges and refrigerators. Just make sure you know how old the appliance is in order to to calculate how much life is left and if it’s worth the price.

“If you're spending a couple hundred dollars on a 10-year-old refrigerator, with an average useful life of 12 years, you need to balance that value in your mind," said Perry Santanachote with Consumer Reports. "Ask yourself if it's worth it if you’re only going to get two years out of it.”

The brand you buy often makes a difference, too.Data shows some are more reliable than others.

“CR’s reliability surveys of thousands of members found that LG, GE and Kenmore all earned a good or higher reliability rating for their fridges, ranges, washers and dryers,” Santanachote said.

If you find what you need, check it out. Plug it in, look for damage or rust, check the buttons and knobs, even smell for mold. And don’t be afraid to negotiate to save even more.

Also, check to see if the appliance is part of a safety recall. And If you can't find a model number and serial sticker in place, skip that appliance.

It could have been recalled or scrapped and illegally salvaged.