When it comes to purchasing restaurant equipment, the cost of buying said equipment can amount to a huge sum. This could lead one to consider buying used equipment instead, and since it can be up to hundreds of dollars cheaper, why not?
Well, a used equipment is not new, and it can bring a whole set of challenges that would have been absent when buying new. Ultimately, the choice is yours and only you would know if getting new equipment fits your needs and budget.
Below are some reasons why new is always better.
Reduced maintenance
Just like a car or any other used items, these equipment would have been used for quite some time and therefore require more maintenance. Due to wear and tear under the previous ownership, you ight have to incur maintenance costs. There is a good chance you will have to call the service company out earlier and more frequently than you would with a new unit. Not to mention that if your equipment is of an older model, the replacement parts may not be as readily available and also cost more. Soon enough, these would cost you more than what it would have when you've gone for a brand new unit.
Longer warranties
With a used unit, there are many potential issues that can arise and at this point, your item is most probably not entitled to warranties of any sort. Or even if it does, it would be extremely limited. However, with new restaurant equipment, you’ll get at least a year of manufacturer’s warranty, maybe even more, to protect from potential failures. That’s a peace of mind that you can't get with used equipment., and should problems arise, it is probably covered by the warranty. .
Assured performance and reliability
With a new unit, the equipment would have come from the manufacturer and right off the manufacturing line. So you wiill be assured that it will perform as intended and less likely to have problems.
Not to mention that if it breaks down in the middle of a meal service, you could lose from several hours to a few days’ worth of business, depending on how long it takes to repair your equipment. But that's not all at stake. It is likely to generate some ill will or lost faith, and may damage your reputation in the dining community.
No mysteries
When you buy new, you will be aware of the equipment's histroy as you and your staff would be the ones using it. The fact is that in the foodservice industry, commercial equipment are used and abused all the time, thus it might not be running properly by the time it comes into your possesion.
Get what you need
When you buy new commercial restaurant equipment, you can order according to the specification you need, whether it's a stock piece or a custom build. With second hand, you are limited by whatever specs are part of the units you can find, even if that means not getting exactly what you require for your business. At first it might seem like not a big deal, but those savings can backfire if the equipment can’t handle the volume of your customers’ demands.
Improved efficiency
Take, for instance, a car. The longer you drive a car, the worse its mileage. As time goes by, the engine don't fire like they used to, meaning it takes more gas to keep going. The same applies to kitchen equipment. Over time, wear and tear makes it less efficient, meaning it consumes more energy or gas. Additionally, with newer technologies, the equipment becomes more efficient, so new ones are definitely better to keep consunption costs low in the long run.
