Refurbished Printers vs New: Why Refurbished Wins for Most Offices
Refurbished printers vs new models: which is the smarter buy? When a printer breaks, or your office outgrows its current setup, the instinct is often to buy new. But a refurbished printer usually wins on cost, on the environment, and even on reliability. Here’s why.
The Cost Difference Is Substantial
Refurbished printers usually cost 30–70% less than a similar new model. This estimate comes from IT recyclers and resellers across the industry. For a growing business, that difference matters. It frees up capital you’d otherwise tie up in a single machine. You can then spend it on a higher-spec printer instead.
Most UK businesses replace their IT hardware every 3–5 years. So a refurbished model from just a generation or two back already covers today’s must-have features. Think automatic duplex printing, network and wireless connectivity, and fast print speeds. You rarely pay extra for outdated technology this way. Instead, you pay less for the same capability, just with a previous life behind it.
The Environmental Case Is Hard to Ignore
Global e-waste hit around 62 million tonnes in 2022. Experts project this will climb to 82 million tonnes by 2030. Yet recyclers formally collect and process only around a fifth of it worldwide. Electronics also make up more than their fair share of the world’s toxic waste. Circuit boards, toner residue, and plastics simply don’t break down safely on their own.
The UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations tackle exactly this problem. They aim to keep printers and other electronics out of landfill and incineration. The rules also place real legal duties on businesses around collection, treatment, and disposal. You can read the full regulations on the UK government’s website. Buying refurbished avoids a chunk of that problem from the start. Every refurbished printer sold is one that didn’t need fresh raw materials. It’s also one that didn’t add to a growing pile of hardware with years of life left in it.
Refurbished Doesn’t Mean Second-Rate
A common worry is that “refurbished” means “worn out” or “unreliable.” In practice, the opposite is often true. A new printer only goes through batch testing on a wider production run. A properly refurbished printer gets different treatment altogether. A technician inspects, tests, and cleans that exact unit by hand. They check print quality, paper feed, connectivity, and the control panel before it ships. So each refurbished printer gets individual checks that mass production simply skips.
Print quality comes down to the drum, the fuser, and the toner cartridge, not the age of the casing. Good refurbishers replace or service exactly these parts. As a result, the printer performs to the same standard it did when new, or close to it.
What to Check Before You Buy
Not all refurbished listings are equal. So check a few things before you commit.
Who did the refurbishment — in-house testing by the seller gives you a clearer picture than a vague “refurbished” label with no detail
What warranty comes with it — a genuine return-to-base warranty, with a real return window rather than a same-day DOA policy, shows the seller stands behind the unit
What’s actually included — a power cable is standard, but ask whether the printer includes toner or a drum unit, and how much life is left in it
Delivery terms — trusted UK sellers often offer free mainland delivery, so confirm this upfront
Our Own Standard
At Northwood Computer Services, our own technicians refurbish and test every printer in-house. We never outsource this step. Each printer ships with a 90-day return-to-base warranty, including a 14-day return window. We also offer free delivery to mainland UK addresses. That’s the standard we’d want ourselves, if we were the ones buying. You can read more about us, or check our terms & conditions for full warranty details.
The Bottom Line
A refurbished printer gives you a fully tested, working machine at a fraction of the new price. It also keeps a functioning device out of landfill for a few more years. For most offices and home workers, that combination is hard to beat. This is why refurbished has moved from a niche choice to a sensible default.
Sources: IT recycler and reseller cost estimates (Green Wave IT, FSB small business guide); Innovent Recycling UK IT hardware lifecycle data; UN Global E-waste Monitor, cited via Wikipedia and Ricoh USA; GreenCitizen e-waste composition data; UK WEEE Regulations 2013 (as amended), gov.uk.