Buying used appliances on Marketplace without hauling home a dead one

Used appliances are the quiet bargain of Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and Craigslist: people remodel, move, or upgrade to stainless, and a working washer or fridge goes for a fraction of new because the seller needs it gone by the weekend. The risk is specific and avoidable: an appliance that does not work costs you the price plus a truck, a back, and a dump fee. The fix is to test it where it sits, with the seller's power on, before cash changes hands. Here is what to test for each one, the model-number trick, the moving plan, and how to be first.

Before you drive out

• Ask for the model number (on a sticker inside the door or on the back). Search it. You get the age, the recalls, the common failures, and what it cost new, in two minutes.
• Ask why they are selling. "Remodel" and "moving" are the good answers. "It makes a noise sometimes" is a quote.
• Ask whether it is still hooked up. A fridge that is plugged in and cold is worth driving to. One sitting in a garage unplugged is a gamble; ask them to plug it in a day before you come.
• Measure. The space it is going into, the doorways on the way, and the stairs. Fridge depth and door swing catch people every week.

What to test, with the power on

Refrigerator. It should be cold inside and the freezer frozen. Listen to the compressor: it should run and cycle, not click and stop. Check the door seals with a dollar bill (it should drag). Ice maker and water if it has them. Look at the coils and the back for oil residue. A fridge that is warm "because it was just unplugged" is a fridge you test tomorrow.

Washer. Run a short cycle. Fill, agitate or tumble, drain, spin. Listen for a roar in spin (bearings, the expensive one on a front-loader). Sniff the drum and the gasket on a front-loader for mold. Check under it for water.

Dryer. Run it on heat for five minutes and feel the heat. Check the plug: electric dryers come with a 3-prong or 4-prong cord and your outlet is one or the other; gas dryers need a gas line. Listen for squeal (belt or rollers). Check the drum turns true.

Stove and oven. Every burner lights or glows; the oven heats and holds; the door seals and closes; the glass is not cracked. Gas: the igniters click and light cleanly. Check the plug or gas type matches your kitchen.

Dishwasher. Hard to test unplumbed. If it is installed, run a cycle: fill, spray, drain, no leak at the door. If not, check the racks, the door spring and the gasket, and price it accordingly.

Microwave, chest freezer, window unit. Plug in, run, feel for heat or cold within a few minutes.

Moving it

Bring a dolly, straps, a blanket and a friend. Keep a fridge upright (laid down, wait a day before plugging in). Disconnect a washer's hoses and dryer's vent yourself; shut the gas off before pulling a gas stove or dryer and have the fitting capped. The seller's help is a courtesy, not a plan.

The scams and the near-scams

• The deposit to hold it. No.
• "Works, just not plugged in." Maybe. Test it or price it as broken.
• The scratch-and-dent reseller as a private seller. Fine if the price is right; just know the warranty is whatever they say.
• Stolen from a job site or a rental. Several identical new-in-box units from one seller with no story.

Is the price good?

Used appliance prices depend on the brand, the age, whether it is stainless, the type (a front-loader and a top-loader are different markets), and the area. New-on-sale is the ceiling; a working used unit should be well under it. The honest comparison is with the last several like it near you. Deal Scanner does this for you: once a search has seen a few listings, each new one gets a Deal Score showing how far under the typical asking price near you it sits.

Getting there first

Working appliances at a fair price go within hours, because the seller wants it gone and the first person with a truck gets it. Set one search in Deal Scanner for what you need ("refrigerator", "washer dryer", "gas stove", "chest freezer"), your town and how far you will drive, and a price range with a low limit that keeps the "free, doesn't work" listings off your phone unless you want those. Deal Scanner watches Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and Craigslist from that one search, with the app closed, and buzzes you when a listing is posted, Deal Score attached. Three searches are $3.99 a month, and you cancel anytime in your phone's subscription settings. Only need it for the month you're looking? Cancel when you've got it. It works for the person outfitting one kitchen and for the person who fixes and resells.

FAQ

Is it safe to buy used appliances on Facebook Marketplace?

Yes, if you test the appliance with the seller's power on before you pay and pay in person. Never pay a deposit to hold one.

How do I test a used refrigerator before buying?

It should be plugged in, cold inside and frozen in the freezer, the compressor running and cycling, the door seals gripping a dollar bill. Ask the seller to have it running when you arrive.

What should I check on a used washer?

Run a cycle: fill, agitate, drain, spin. A roar in spin means bearings. Sniff a front-loader for mold. Look underneath for water.

Do used dryers come with the cord?

Often not, and electric dryers use a 3-prong or 4-prong cord depending on the outlet. Check which your outlet is and whether the cord is included.

How do I get alerts for appliances near me?

Set a Deal Scanner search for the appliance, your town, a radius and a price range. It watches Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and Craigslist and buzzes your phone when a match is posted.

Sources checked

Manufacturer support pages on model-number lookup and dryer cord types; Facebook's, OfferUp's and Craigslist's own safety pages; our own kitchen and laundry room, furnished this way. Checked October 26, 2026.