What Item Would You Never Buy Second Hand?

I am a fan of second hand item. Almost all of my electronics are second hand. Those that are new, are purchased if only it is cheaper than second hand prices. My furniture and fridge are purchased at 10% of the actual costs, the trouble of moving them is worth it.

But there are some things that I had never buy second hand, but now considering maybe I should:
kitchenware, including cutlery. Although I do eat out at restaurants.
Clothes, not even branded ones.
Beds, although I do enjoy sleeping in hotel beds.

What about you?

Note: consumables like condoms and toilet papers are obviously not for second hand. If you say this, you must have lukewarm IQ.

Comments

  • +45

    Safety-critical equipment.

    • +2

      Like surge protector? Or like masks?

      • +31

        Everything from baby seats to surge protectors to fuses to PPE to hard hats/helmets to electric tools to harnesses to towing equipment to recovery gear to ear plugs.

        • -2

          I bought my baby seats second hand. Why not? I inspected it, it is absolutely fine.

          • +31

            @[Deactivated]: They are not meant to be used if they have been in a crash , they can suffer structural damage that the eye can not see. So unless you know and trust the history of them they should not be used second hand.

            • +5

              @Settero: To add on to this most have a 10 year life, so if you get it second hand, make sure you get it from someone you know won't sell you one that is almost 10 years old or been in an accident, and has been kept well.

          • +2

            @[Deactivated]: Are you qualified to make that claim?

          • +3

            @[Deactivated]:

            it is absolutely fine.

            Seems like a bold claim.

            • +2

              @brendanm: especially when it revolves around the life of a child

        • +5

          ear plugs

          Surely people don't buy second hand hygiene related goods! 😷

      • +3

        Masks is a very good one. They probably have a very small second-hand market.

        • -5

          Back in early pandemic days, while I would not buy second hand, or Unsealed packets, I do recycle my one. Some video shows by ironing it or put it under rice cooker.

        • +6

          Masks is a very good one. They probably have a very small second-hand market.

          Yer reckon? Seriously, how hard up/tight would you have to be to buy a second hand mask?

    • +8

      Do you buy all your cars brand new?

    • Anything to do with safety just isn't worth the $ saving

  • +45

    Mattresses

    • What if it is sold by reputable refurbisher, and comes with free protector, all at say 80% off.

      It is cleaned by all kinds of tools, from super vacuum, uv light, microwave, fire oven, washing machine, etc.

      • +10

        Watch Gordon Ramsay's Hotel Hell and the notorious "sperm light" he uses in every episode, then let us know your thoughts.

        • +10

          So where do you sleep when going on holidays?

          • +4

            @[Deactivated]: You know the answer to that.

            But there's a difference between a holiday, where the sheets are getting changed everyday, and something you're bringing into your home to use everyday for years.

          • +1

            @[Deactivated]: Stop kink shaming.

      • +3

        Even then, how clean would it really be? A mattress is like a sponge and if you're spending on average around 7 hours a night in something then I'd rather it be my own filth then someone else's.

        • -1

          So where do you sleep when going on holidays?

          • +2

            @[Deactivated]: Personally, I'm too busy shooting blanks at the TV remote to sleep.

      • +1

        I once tried to clean a mattress that showed no visible stains but stank so badly. I scrubbed with detergent water, sprayed with copious amount of fabric cleaner and left under the sun for a week. It barely made a difference so I threw out the mattress.

        Buy used mattresses at your own risk.

        • We use a bed/pillow protector cover, helps with longevity and resale, even though at cheap.

          • @capslock janitor: The bed I mentioned earlier had a mattress protector installed. Whatever ex-/secrement the user unleashed on it seeped right through.

    • went through the saga of dealing with bed bugs after moving to a new place (took a week or two to even realize what the hell was biting me)… since then - no way to secondhand mattresses or bedframes!

    • -3

      I had a discussion with a friend about second hand mattresses a few years ago.

      I put an ad on Gumtree saying that we were selling a quality mattress that my mother had died in it after a few months use.

      I had to take the ad down as I was getting quite a few enquiries.

    • I give this an upvote, as I remember that my current mattress was a hand-me-down, from an ex partners parents who were upgrading.

      Very close to finally caving and purchasing the well recommended Koala mattress.

  • +39

    Undies

    • +3

      I'd pretty much do most other things second hand though. Definitely regular clothes, just wash them, some of my favourite things are from op shops.

      • +1

        I'm wearing a $4 tee today, we have a savers near us
        .

        • I have an op shop tee on today too… it’s actually a great fit and good quality.

        • +1

          Bought many brand name clothes at op shops for 1/10th of retail price

        • -2

          You got ripped off, Kmart has shirts for much less

        • what is 'a savers' ?

          • @darkmoss: commercially run second hand stores in Melbourne

            https://stores.savers.com.au/au-vic/

            "We are a for-profit company that champions reuse. Shopping in our stores doesn’t support any nonprofit, but donating your reusable goods does. We pay nonprofits for your stuff, helping them fund programs in our communities. "

      • Today before I head to the gym I’m wearing the $3 basic gym shorts and $5 Adidas gym shirt.

        I’d rather spend $8 on that set of items, and save my $$$ for a nice, fancy, on-sale pull-over jumper for winter.

    • +2

      I was going to write this but then I wrote the hat one. Because…maybe that's your kink?

    • +1

      I was looking through the comments to see if anyone had posted this yet. I saw someone on the local community FB page selling a bag of their young daughters knickers some time back….so wrong

      • +1

        Well there could be a market….

        • +1

          Bill Cosby is now a free man, always a buyer.

          • @lew380: HUH?

            • @darkmoss: Google

              • @lew380: Bill Cosby was arrested for drugging and raping adult women. What's that got to do with a bag somebody's daughters underwear?

                • -3

                  @darkmoss: Are you his apologist, "he's an honest man, hes not a creep sniffer, he just does good honest rape"

      • +1

        😂 I feel in this situation if they are brand new they could offer to a smaller friend or relative, still a bit weird, but shame to throw them out.

    • True ozbargainers don't wear undies and save 100%.

      • Debatable - is there a saving on laundry costs by wearing undies and having to wash trousers less?

  • +19

    Condoms

  • +4

    I'd be hard-pressed to buy a hat second-hand. I've seen how much sweat your forehead bleeds over time. If someone offered me a killer deal on second-hand cap from a famous sports player - maybe I'd make an exception - but I wouldn't wear it.

  • +6

    Anything that touches them nether regions i.e. underwear
    Mattresses… ye nah. People sleep, chillax and have the $exy times so no thanks.
    Socks
    Pillows
    Shoes

    List goes on.

      • +37

        Youve asked that 7 times already

      • -1

        I literally just picked up a huge pillow top mattress for free worth $500 so ner

    • How about a car ? People do sit on car sets :) same as a Mattress

      Oh and bath towels in hotels used by multiple people

      Forget buying, We cant even use a public toilet :D

      • -1

        Exactly, I would have thought the only downside of mattress, is like furniture, they are difficult to transport

      • I reckon the use cases for your typical car seat are quite different to your typical mattress.

        Just watch our for vehicles owned/used by teenagers.

        • How about Car rental? Would you rent them?

          • @[Deactivated]: I would and I have. Yes, yes, of course anything could have happened in there, but car seats are simply not treated in the same way that mattresses are day in, day out.

            Also consider the practicalities. Whereas the cost differential between buying a new mattress, that I'm going to use effectively everyday for the next 10+ years and a second hand one is relatively small, the cost of having my car shipped over to Europe and back so I can drive around for a couple of weeks is markedly different.

          • @[Deactivated]: Happily rent cars but would never buy an ex rental car.

            The things that can happen is mind blowing. River crossings, beach driving, flogging the engines, off roading and more. I’ve hired at least 150 cars/vans over the years and stories I hear are crazy

    • what are you doing into your shoes weirdo?

    • Virginia wife?

  • +1

    Honestly, most clothes are fine, like shirts and jackets and whatnot, but I wouldn't get any bedding such as sheets or dunas or blankets.

    • -3

      wtf is a dunas?

      • +3

        They mean a doona. Duvet if you're from the UK. Not sure what Americans call it, a gun swaddler maybe?

        • In the US it’s called a comforter.

  • +2

    Reputation.

    • How do you buy someone's reputation?
      Maybe like in the movie Face/Off?

      • Maybe they're talking about karma on reddit? Or upvotes on OzBargain?

        • That would be paying to increase your reputation but it wouldn't be second hand.
          I guess if buy someone's account then it would be

          • +1

            @FireRunner: Not too difficult to buy an account on reddit.

  • +20

    Plants.. especially one dug up from someone else's garden

      • +9

        absolutely…

    • +4

      You can get it for free if it's planted on the nature stip
      Sorry OP, couldn't resist

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