"Sometimes the peace of mind from a solid warranty and knowing exactly what you're getting is worth shelling out a bit extra upfront... at least for me."
Yeah, I get that. When we moved into our place, we grabbed a used dishwasher off Marketplace—looked spotless, seller seemed legit. Worked great for about six months, then started making this weird grinding noise. Turned out repairs would've cost almost as much as buying new. Kinda made me wonder if saving upfront was really worth it in the end... guess it's always a bit of a toss-up.
I totally relate to your dishwasher saga—been there myself! A few years back, I snagged a used fridge from Craigslist. It was one of those sleek stainless steel models, looked practically brand-new. Felt like I'd scored the deal of the century... until about three months later when it randomly decided to turn itself into a freezer overnight. Woke up to frozen lettuce and rock-solid milk—definitely not ideal for cereal.
"Turned out repairs would've cost almost as much as buying new."
Exactly my experience too. After paying for repairs twice, I ended up spending more than if I'd just bought new from the start. Lesson learned: sometimes saving money upfront can cost you more down the road. Now I usually lean toward buying new appliances, especially if it's something critical like a fridge or washer. But hey, I'll still roll the dice on smaller stuff—can't resist a good bargain hunt now and then!
Same here, I've had mixed luck with used appliances. Got a washer once that lasted forever, but then bought a dryer off Facebook Marketplace that died in two months—repair guy said the heating element was shot, total money pit. Now I usually go new for big stuff... peace of mind matters.
I get the peace of mind thing, but honestly, I've had decent luck with used appliances by being super picky and methodical. Last year, I grabbed a fridge off Craigslist—risky, I know—but here's what I did: asked the seller to plug it in overnight before I came, checked temps with my own thermometer when I got there, listened carefully for weird noises, and even peeked at the coils for dust buildup. It's still running fine...maybe it's partly luck, but careful checking can really help cut down risk.
Totally agree on checking temps and coils, but do you also ask about previous repairs or maintenance history? I've found sellers who openly share that info usually have appliances that last longer...just my experience.
