Refurbished printers: what refurbished means and what to check before buying

When looking for a printer for an office, business or even for home use, it is not always necessary to buy a completely new model. Refurbished printers can be an interesting alternative when you want to reduce your budget without giving up equipment that is suitable for your needs.

But what exactly does it mean when a printer is described as refurbished? It does not simply mean that it is a used printer being put back on sale. The term implies that the equipment has gone through a previous inspection and preparation process before being sold again.

What is a refurbished printer?

A refurbished printer is a printer that is put back on sale after undergoing a process of inspection, cleaning and preparation.

It may come from a wide variety of sources. For example:

• Equipment from companies that have renewed their printer fleet.
• Printers returned by customers.
• Equipment used for displays or demonstrations.
• Printers whose packaging has been opened.
• Equipment that has required a repair or component replacement.

That is why two printers described as refurbished may have had completely different histories.

Do refurbished and reconditioned mean the same thing?

Yes. Refurbished is the term commonly used in English to describe a product that has been inspected, prepared and put back on sale.

You may also come across terms such as:

• Refurbished printer.
• Refurbished laser printer.
• Refurbished multifunction printer.
• Refurbished professional printer.

The terminology itself is secondary. What really matters is checking what inspection the equipment has undergone, its condition, specifications, consumables and the warranty and return conditions.

Is a refurbished printer simply second-hand?

Not exactly.

A used printer sold between private individuals normally changes ownership in its existing condition. By contrast, refurbished equipment sold by a specialist company has already undergone an inspection and preparation process.

How is a printer refurbished?

There is no single universal procedure because it depends on the manufacturer, seller and condition of the equipment. Even so, a refurbishment process may include several stages.

1. Initial inspection

The overall condition of the printer is checked first to identify possible mechanical, electronic or cosmetic issues.

2. Cleaning

The printer may be partially disassembled to remove dust, toner residue and dirt accumulated in internal and external areas.

3. Component inspection

A laser printer contains several components that are subject to wear. Depending on the model, the following elements may be checked:

• Pickup rollers.
• Paper trays and feeding mechanisms.
• Imaging unit or drum.
• Fuser.
• Sensors.
• Ports and connectivity.
• Control panel.
• Printing and paper-feed mechanisms.

Print quality can be affected by components such as toner or the drum, so these should be checked during diagnosis.

4. Replacement of parts when necessary

If a component does not meet the required criteria, it may be repaired or replaced.

5. Functionality tests

Tests are then carried out to check that the printer works correctly. On a multifunction device, the corresponding features, such as the scanner or copier, should also be checked when present.

Why buy a refurbished laser printer?

The main reason is usually financial: it can provide access to certain professional models at a lower price than when they were new.

This can be particularly interesting with business printers, where professional equipment may be designed for higher print volumes and more demanding working environments.

In addition, reusing equipment that can still continue to operate extends its useful life and fits with the principles of the circular economy.

Is a refurbished printer more sustainable?

It can contribute to more sustainable technology consumption by allowing existing equipment to remain in use instead of being discarded prematurely.

Reuse and refurbishment help extend device replacement cycles and reduce the premature generation of electronic waste. Manufacturers such as HP explicitly include product life extension and refurbishment in their reuse and circular economy strategies.

However, there is no universal CO₂ saving figure that can be applied to every refurbished printer. The impact depends on the model, the parts replaced, transport, the refurbishment process and how long the equipment continues to be used.

Refurbished or new laser printer: which should you choose?

There is no single answer that works for every user. It depends on your budget and the type of printing you need.

What should you check before buying a refurbished printer?

This is where you really determine whether a printer is suitable for you.

Printer type

First determine whether you need a monochrome laser printer, colour laser printer or multifunction printer. Your choice should depend on the documents you print and how frequently you print them.

Print volume

A small office that prints a few pages a day does not need the same equipment as a company that produces hundreds or thousands of documents.

Print speed

If several people will share the printer, pages per minute can be an important consideration.

Automatic duplex printing

Automatic duplex printing is particularly useful for administrative documents and allows you to print on both sides without manually turning the paper over.

Connectivity

Check whether you need Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB or other connection options. In an office with several users, network connectivity can be essential.

Scanner and copier

A multifunction printer can save space by combining printing, scanning and copying in a single device.

Consumables

Do not look only at the initial price of the printer. Also check how much compatible consumables cost for that model and what page yield they provide.

Page count

With professional printers, knowing the number of pages printed can be useful for understanding the equipment’s previous use. However, the page count should be interpreted in relation to the model and its duty cycle rather than as an isolated number.

Warranty and returns

Always check the conditions offered by the seller before buying.

What about the toner?

A refurbished printer does not automatically mean that it includes new toner or that the included consumable has a particular capacity.

That is why it is important to check the product page to see which consumables are included.

It is also important to distinguish between a refurbished printer and refurbished toner: they are two different products and the conditions of one do not imply the conditions of the other.

Who can benefit from a refurbished printer?

It can be a good option for several types of users:

• Small businesses that want to reduce their initial investment.
• Offices and professional practices with regular printing requirements.
• Freelancers who need a professional printer without necessarily buying the latest model.
• Educational centres that use several devices.
• Home users who print enough documents for a laser printer to make sense.

When might it not be worthwhile?

A refurbished printer should not be purchased simply because it is cheaper.

It may not be the right option if:

• You need a feature that the older model does not include.
• Consumables are difficult to find or too expensive.
• The equipment is not compatible with your current systems.
• You require a specific type of connectivity that it does not support.
• The size or power consumption of the device does not suit your environment.

An inexpensive model that does not meet your needs ultimately becomes a poor purchase.

Buying refurbished printers from Segundamanopc

At Segundamanopc, you can find printers within the refurbished IT product catalogue. Printers are currently one of the store’s main product categories.

Before choosing, we recommend comparing the printer type, speed, functions, connectivity, consumables and specifications of the particular model.

You can also check the current purchasing, shipping and return conditions available from the store. Segundamanopc currently provides the contact telephone number +34 927 226 715 and email address info@segundamanopc.com.

A refurbished printer can be an excellent purchase, but the key is not simply that it is cheaper. What matters is choosing a model that suits your print volume, checking its consumables and functions, and buying with clear warranty and return conditions.

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