Refurbished Power Tools
- Thread starter Bruce51d
- Start date
1950mercury
Well-known member
The place I work used to get our dewalt hammer drills reconditioned. They found that they lasted about 1/3 to 1/2 the time new drills lasted. So they just started replacing them with new. These are heavy use drills. That was 5 years ago so I don't know if its the same now. We took them to a factory dewalt place to have rebuilt.
I would think it would be fine on the grease gun but the saw zaws seem to take a beating
I would think it would be fine on the grease gun but the saw zaws seem to take a beating
hautpot
Well-known member
The thing questionable for me are batteries if included. I wouldn't trust a second hand battery, you just don't know how long it was baking at a construction site.
I think most places refurbish it to the point it can be resold, not rebuilt to new specs. I wouldn't mind owning a second hand tool, you just have to look for signs of abuse.
I think most places refurbish it to the point it can be resold, not rebuilt to new specs. I wouldn't mind owning a second hand tool, you just have to look for signs of abuse.
tyyost
Well-known member
I buy refurbished cordless tools when I can as bare tools. Saves about 25% when I can. I have bought corded refurbished too, and have had great luck. Only one so far looked anything other than perfect. Stick with Cpo and other name brands and you will be fine.
Alot of refurbished kits come with new batteries.
Otherwise buy the bare tools I have many in service and have for many years.
I remember a couple times having a tool die on the job and thinking it must have been been a refurbished unit only to find out it was new, or a refurbished I bought 10 years prior.
Also I bought my m12 grease gun for $30 at a pawn shop 5 years ago and it's never let me down. Unless you consider my guys running the hose over the tools fault.
Otherwise buy the bare tools I have many in service and have for many years.
I remember a couple times having a tool die on the job and thinking it must have been been a refurbished unit only to find out it was new, or a refurbished I bought 10 years prior.
Also I bought my m12 grease gun for $30 at a pawn shop 5 years ago and it's never let me down. Unless you consider my guys running the hose over the tools fault.
crewchief888
Well-known member
for me it would depend on warranty.
a "deal" on a refurbed tool doesnt mean much if it craps out, and the manufacturer doesnt stand behind it...
a "deal" on a refurbed tool doesnt mean much if it craps out, and the manufacturer doesnt stand behind it...
Packard V8
Well-known member
Many "reverbs" are just store returns - never used or used once.
jack vines
jack vines
for me it would depend on warranty.
a "deal" on a refurbed tool doesnt mean much if it craps out, and the manufacturer doesnt stand behind it...
Between that and the price, if it's close enough to new, I might as well buy new and hope for better odds.
for me it would depend on warranty.
a "deal" on a refurbed tool doesnt mean much if it craps out, and the manufacturer doesnt stand behind it...
Exactly my feelings.
Remanufactured, refurbished and reconditioned are often used interchangeably to mean the same thing.
Legally, once a product is opened, the product can no longer be sold as 'NEW'. Again, once it is OPENED. It does not mean used or ever even powered on.
A large percentage of 'Remanufactured, refurbished and reconditioned' have never been used, some products never before distributed for retail sale.
Some examples include:
- Design/Label/Packaging changes. Items are produced and inventoried. Items require rework to correct a label, instruction set or packaging and repacked. No longer legally new. This could also happen for repackaging for a new market. i.e. Overstock of item in Quebec province of Canada with French language packaging and instructions. Repackage with English instruction set and distribute to other Canadian provinces. This can also happen between countries. Unexpected low demand in Mexico, repackage, potentially relabeled and sold in the US. I some regions of the world, this could also include changing a plug end or included charger.
Product or accessory change. Item is produced and inventoried. There is a design change. Maybe a flaw, weakness, or improvement. Package is opened and product reworked. Not legally 'New'
Kits. Promotional or discontinued kit combinations broken up and repackaged as individual tools. Not legally 'New'.
Retail Store Pulls. Could be an overstock the retailer is returning from their distribution center or a dropped product or product line. May have retailer specific packaging or UPC codes. Repackage in generic packaging. Cannot legally be sold as 'New'.
For this reason, I have no hesitations buying remanufactured, refurbished or reconditioned tools. Almost every item I have ever purchased has looked new. I cannot think of a single exception.
Note: The above content is specific to 'SOLD' product. This may not be your experience if receiving a replacement or exchange. For example, at factory repair centers, they will often have 'refurbished' units that are offered as an exchange. These units often lack the packaging and formality of factory remanufactured, refurbished and reconditioned units. Or, they are marketed as 'USED'.
Legally, once a product is opened, the product can no longer be sold as 'NEW'. Again, once it is OPENED. It does not mean used or ever even powered on.
A large percentage of 'Remanufactured, refurbished and reconditioned' have never been used, some products never before distributed for retail sale.
Some examples include:
- Design/Label/Packaging changes. Items are produced and inventoried. Items require rework to correct a label, instruction set or packaging and repacked. No longer legally new. This could also happen for repackaging for a new market. i.e. Overstock of item in Quebec province of Canada with French language packaging and instructions. Repackage with English instruction set and distribute to other Canadian provinces. This can also happen between countries. Unexpected low demand in Mexico, repackage, potentially relabeled and sold in the US. I some regions of the world, this could also include changing a plug end or included charger.
Product or accessory change. Item is produced and inventoried. There is a design change. Maybe a flaw, weakness, or improvement. Package is opened and product reworked. Not legally 'New'
Kits. Promotional or discontinued kit combinations broken up and repackaged as individual tools. Not legally 'New'.
Retail Store Pulls. Could be an overstock the retailer is returning from their distribution center or a dropped product or product line. May have retailer specific packaging or UPC codes. Repackage in generic packaging. Cannot legally be sold as 'New'.
For this reason, I have no hesitations buying remanufactured, refurbished or reconditioned tools. Almost every item I have ever purchased has looked new. I cannot think of a single exception.
Note: The above content is specific to 'SOLD' product. This may not be your experience if receiving a replacement or exchange. For example, at factory repair centers, they will often have 'refurbished' units that are offered as an exchange. These units often lack the packaging and formality of factory remanufactured, refurbished and reconditioned units. Or, they are marketed as 'USED'.
DonPowers
Well-known member
Several years ago I went to a large woodworking tool show. One of the booths had a mountain of refurbished cordless power tools. When talking with the person in the booth, I commented on the quantity of refurbished tools doesn't speak well for the quality of their product. He told me that the majority of the tools came from big box stores with liberal return policies.
It was the DeWalt Booth.
It was the DeWalt Booth.
I always wonder what it really means when an item is sold as refurbished. Does it mean the item was verified to be like new or at least very close to new condition? Or does it mean some minimum wage worker looked at it and thought it was still shiny enough to sell as refurb? I'm sure it means all kinds of different things, depending on the seller.
I hardly ever buy anything refurbished for just this reason. I just don't know and don't feel like spending time researching it to save $10 on something.
I hardly ever buy anything refurbished for just this reason. I just don't know and don't feel like spending time researching it to save $10 on something.
Sometimes, rebuilt is better. The problem items are replaced with updated parts that solve the weak link/failure point in the original. Some rebuilt transmissions (not all) are better in that they use updated parts that address the weak link that lunched the transmission in the first place.
I would gather some tools are like that, all depends.
I would gather some tools are like that, all depends.
That's probably why the refurb'd tools I bought have "REFURBISHED" burned into the plastic case of each of the tools. But I am sure the $8 an hour store clerks probably don't bother to look for it.
I bought those from CPO.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I have bought several Craftsman refurb power tools. Usually about 25-30% of original list price. Never an issue.