BUYING GUIDES

How to Evaluate Refurbished Equipment

Last updated: August 2026

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Selecting new or refurbished medical equipment for a new surgery center — or an existing facility that’s upgrading or expanding — can be a difficult task. Vetting the company you’re buying from can be even harder. But when refurbished properly, medical equipment can be extremely reliable and deliver significant savings to your facility.

Four questions to ask before you buy

Before you make a decision on the equipment or the company you’re buying from, consider the following:

Is there a significant price difference between new and refurbished?
Are there features on the product I’m considering that I don’t actually need?
How do I know if I’m buying from a reputable refurbished medical equipment company?
What should I ask the refurbishing company about how they handle their equipment?

💡 Buying tip: Always ask for a documented refurbishing process, confirm the supplier has in-house biomedical technicians who test equipment before it ships, and get warranty terms in writing before purchasing.

When new is better than refurbished (and vice versa)

Sometimes it isn’t worth buying refurbished. When comparable new items are only a small percentage higher in price, items like stainless steel products, over-bed tables, and step stools are rarely worth the discount. Buy these new and you’ll get the same — or better — longevity, without inheriting cosmetic wear or unknown operational history.

On larger equipment, the math flips. Operating tables, stretchers, patient monitors, and blanket warmers can see savings well over 50% compared to new, without sacrificing reliability if the equipment was refurbished correctly.

Don’t pay for features you’ll never use

New equipment often comes bundled with capabilities you won’t use — and you pay for all of it either way. Going back a model generation can get you everything your facility actually needs at a fraction of the cost. For example: if a manufacturer only sells operating tables rated to 1,000 lbs, but your surgery center doesn’t perform procedures on patients over 400 lbs, that extra rated capacity isn’t buying you anything.

The same logic applies across equipment types. If you’ll never draw more than 200 watts during a procedure that requires an electrosurgical generator, there’s no reason to pay for a unit built for 300.

A knowledgeable refurbished equipment company — or any equipment distributor, for that matter — should be able to tell you quickly which unit actually fits your center’s needs. If they have any integrity, they won’t oversell you: either they already have the right unit in stock, or they’d rather earn your trust than a bigger margin.

Choosing a refurbished equipment supplier

This is where most of the real risk lives — not in the equipment, but in who you’re buying it from.

Trust your first impression. If a company is cordial, responsive, and knowledgeable from the first call, that’s a good sign. If they’re rude or short with you before you’ve even placed an order, ask yourself what that relationship looks like once you actually need support during the warranty period.

Pay attention to how fast — and how complete — the quote is. A serious supplier sends quotes quickly and in a clear, usable format. Supporting documents should arrive with the quote, not after you have to ask twice.

Ask what their refurbishing process actually looks like. If they can’t describe it without stalling, that’s a red flag. Ask for references and recent completed projects.

Ask if they have an in-house service department or biomedical technicians on staff. This ensures equipment is actually tested before it leaves their facility.

Understand the warranty terms and how they’d handle a problem during the warranty period.