Buying used: a checklist

New gets you a warranty and support. Used can protect your cash, but you’re the inspector. This checklist comes from Ink Kitchen’s July 2026 article, which interviews a used-equipment dealer, so keep that viewpoint in mind.

1. Start with your room, not the listing. Check door width, floor space and your power (single- or three-phase, and how many amps).
2. “Dirty” isn’t automatically bad, but dig. Ask for maintenance records and current photos; old photos get reposted.
3. Know the weak spots. On older carousels, check for wiggle in the center shaft and inner bearings. On automatics, air lines, solenoids and sensors fail.
4. Test registration yourself. Zero out the press, put the same screen in every head, and see which head is off or out of level. Or hire a technician to inspect it.
5. Don’t panic about impression counts. Maintenance history matters more than the number.
6. Budget for hidden costs. Pneumatic presses need a compressor. Big pieces may need a forklift to unload. Electrical work comes before installation.
7. Check for liens. Before paying, confirm any UCC-1 lien filing is cleared, or get paid-in-full or lien-buyout paperwork. The article describes banks repossessing presses from buyers who had paid a seller in full.
8. Keep a cash reserve for parts and service calls after the purchase.