Used vs scratch and dent appliances: which should you buy?

Used or scratch and dent: what is the difference?

A used appliance has been owned and run before, sometimes for years, and usually comes with no warranty and no history. A scratch and dent appliance is brand new and has never been used — it simply picked up a minor cosmetic mark in shipping or handling. So when you compare a used washer to a scratch and dent one, you are really comparing a worn machine of unknown age to a factory-fresh unit that happens to have a small scratch. See the full side-by-side on our used appliances page.

Which is actually cheaper?

Used appliances look cheaper on the sticker, but that is only half the story. A used unit with no warranty that fails in six months costs far more than a scratch and dent one that runs for a decade. Our scratch and dent washers, refrigerators, ranges and dryers run up to 70% off retail, and once you weigh reliability and the included warranty, they often beat used on true cost. Watch the weekly deals for the steepest markdowns.

The risks of buying used

Buying used off a marketplace usually means no warranty, no returns, no delivery, and no way to verify how the appliance was treated — you are trusting a stranger and hauling it yourself. Scratch and dent removes every one of those risks: each unit is inspected, its condition is disclosed up front, it carries a warranty on the working parts, and we deliver and install across the DMV with local delivery and old-appliance haul-away.

When used still makes sense

To be fair, if you need the absolute cheapest possible unit for a short-term rental and do not care about warranty or lifespan, a used appliance can do the job. For everyone else, scratch and dent is the better value — brand-new reliability at a used-appliance price. Still weighing it? Read are scratch and dent appliances worth it and the complete buying guide, or run the numbers with our savings calculator.

Shop a better alternative to used near you

We serve Woodbridge, Dale City, Manassas, Alexandria and the wider DMV from our Woodbridge warehouse. Compare in-stock refrigerators, washers and dryers, or start on the used appliances page to see the difference for yourself.

← Back to all guides