Below are some plus points to purchasing a used 3D printer:

• Cost: A printer that has already seen some action, however brief, is always going to be a cheaper option than the same model brand new.
• The printer works: Anything that has been used has the capacity to be used again, and is therefore already at an advantage to the “cheap and cheerful” FDM printers that are entry-level in price and quality. Never underestimate the power of a working unit, as many hours can be wasted fine-tuning settings on a cheap machine to make sure it will actually print at all.
• Higher quality for a lower price: You’re more likely to get a higher quality machine on the same budget when going used versus new.
• Recycling: The fact that you’d be reusing resources currently in existence and giving old parts a new purpose is another great incentive to purchase a used 3D printer.

Some of the drawbacks of buying used include the following:

• Buying from unreliable sources: A lot of eBay and Gumtree sellers have popped up offering used 3D printers, but there is a major unknown attached to this. The machine has no guarantee of being in working condition, and you likely won’t be able to see the printer working before you purchase it, either.
• Wear and tear: There are problems that may not surface until you’ve paid up and started attempting prints. Problems could range from as simple as needing a new nozzle to replacement of the entire motherboard, so keep the age of the product in mind.
• No after-sale service: A seller that offers no assistance with technical problems or even an additional refurbishment service may well be a third party seller, which can cause endless problems when attempting to trace issues back to their original source. Users would, in this case, be settling for an older machine, with no telling how many spare parts would need purchasing in the first few months of ownership.
• Shipping issues: Sellers (in particular independent ones) may not offer shipping due to the size of the printer or fragile nature of its components. They could also offer a poor service that damages the printer or loses it in transit.

Here are some general tips for how to go about buying a used 3D printer:

• Make sure you buy from a reliable source. Likely this will be a local redistributor or service, so finding a good one may require a bit of investigation.
• Make sure you see the printer (and ideally test it yourself) before buying to make sure it is in working order.
• If you can’t test it yourself, make sure the seller sends you a sample print (with photo and video evidence that it came from that exact printer you’re potentially purchasing).
• Get as much info as possible from the seller, such as
  • exactly how old the printer is
  • why they are selling
  • what print settings they use for different materials
  • nozzles that will come with the printer
  • where they currently buy spares
  • what has been changed/modified/replaced on the printer
  • which parts are still original
• Do your research. Visit forums or contact the manufacturer for details on what a good price for a used printer of that type would be.
• Use your cunning. Does the seller have any material they can throw in for free? Or any parts they don’t need anymore that can be bundled in with the purchase? If you don’t ask, you won’t get it!

While it is worth conceding that nothing pre-owned would ever beat a well-recommended, brand new 3D printer, buying new can be expensive for a novice. With this in mind, a used 3D printer is a great entry point into the 3D printing world.

For some tips on what to do when evaluating a used 3D printer for purchase, check out our used 3D printer buyer’s guide.

Also, check out some official resellers offering used printers, such as 3DGBire in the UK (who offer a good range of reconditioned units) and MatterHackers in the US, who do the same, along with free shipping to customers based in the country.

Feature image source: Digital Trends, B&H, Source Graphics