Ever buy an appliance from Craigslist?

[Mellie2162]

My dryer died on my last year and normally I just hang the clothes outside. We recently started saving to get a new dryer, but Im having shoulder surgery next week and would really like to get one a lot sooner than we are planning to avoid having to hang laundry after surgery. Normally my teen would do it, but now she's back in school. Anyway, I found a dryer on Craigslist but Im a little scared of giving up 125 of our saved dryer money. Im afraid Ill get it home and it wont work or wont last for long. Has anyone ever purchased a large appliance from Craigslist with success? I could ask on Freecycle for one but around here there are tons of people asking on Freecycle all the time for dryers.

 

[Swimalie]

I have never bought from craigslist but I can tell you we have sold on there. When we moved in to this house the previous owners left their washer and dryer. We had brought ours and preferred ours so we sold theirs. Their set worked and was in great shape (we used it until our moving van arrived) but we just liked our set better). We also upgraded the fridge and sold the old one on Craigslist as well. Would I be leery of buying, yes but I think you can still get good, nice people out there that are selling for a similar reason as we did.

Good luck with the shoulder. I just had ankle surgery 2 weeks ago.

 

[lilandvisma]

My dryer died on my last year and normally I just hang the clothes outside. We recently started saving to get a new dryer, but Im having shoulder surgery next week and would really like to get one a lot sooner than we are planning to avoid having to hang laundry after surgery. Normally my teen would do it, but now she's back in school. Anyway, I found a dryer on Craigslist but Im a little scared of giving up 125 of our saved dryer money. Im afraid Ill get it home and it wont work or wont last for long. Has anyone ever purchased a large appliance from Craigslist with success? I could ask on Freecycle for one but around here there are tons of people asking on Freecycle all the time for dryers.

Oh goodness yes! I buy on CL and sell all the time. There are decent people out there, just asses the situation and make sure nothing seems shady...tell them you'd like to see it in action. I usually have them write a little note stating that the appliance they are selling me is in working order and have them sign it as well. I typically do the same for my buyers just to make them feel a little more at ease. It's a great way to save $$$, we buy used all the time!

GL on your surgery and hope you heal well!

 

[rapmarks]

My friend had good luck on Craig's list with a washer and dryer.
she encouraged me to try it to sell furniture.
Yesterday, two different people for two different items never showed up. We wasted a lot of time waiting for them. Were they just trying to get personal information such as address from me?

 

[Mellie2162]

Thanks for the replies. Ive never had trouble selling on CL, in fact we've done really good, you just have to be careful. I usually don't buy from CL, not that I wouldnt, I just dont buy a lot of things as we are trying to get money saved. Im just a little scared about a purchase this big and then it not working.

 

[DaniB]

I'm in Canada. We also purchased a fridge & stove matching set either through Craigslist or Kijijii. Love it! People were very upfront with us. Gave us the model # and everything thru e-mail so I could check out the info before even seeing it at their house.

 

[sweetpeakaris]

I purchased a Washer & Dryer off Craigslist, both for $300, Kenmore Elite model, 4yrs old. I was able to find an older couple that was moving out of town, & had was selling everything in there condo.

Be careful of the people on Craigslist selling nothing but Appliances. Try to find regular people that are just selling personal appliances & will let you come to there house to check it out.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Yepper just made my first purchase off of craigs list and gave it a try after recommendations from friends anyways our dryer up and died and I just really didnt want to spend 500+ for a new dryer..so I jumped on craigs list and found a dryer for 100.00 that I like better than my old dryer (flip down door) AND the seller was offering a 60 day warrenty!!! It is a great dryer we have had it for over the 60 days now. He did turn it on and let it run at his house (garage) so that we could see that it worked and heated up. ANyways our first time saved us LOTS of money

 

[mrsheppo]

When I moved into my house last year, the previous owners stripped it of all appliances (foreclosure). I already had a washer, dryer and refrigerator so I needed a stove. I was able to find a GE Profile 5 burner gas range with double convection oven for $285. The sellers were getting rid of it because they were upgrading to SS appliances. Last month my refrigerator decided to die and I once again found a GE Profile fridge - stainless with the french doors and bottom freezer for $700. I have had excellent luck with my appliances from CL.

 

[feezle]

Bought a deep freeze last year. Brought it home and it didnt work. Out $275. Never again.

 

[Purseval]

When I moved into my house last year, the previous owners stripped it of all appliances (foreclosure)

That has been happening a lot lately, people trying to make a few last dollars before they move out. Craigslist is a good source for appliances, light fixtures, cabinets, plumbing, basically anything that can be stripped out of a home. Also moving sales for furniture because a lot of these folks have to downsize.

Because of the huge downturn in new home construction there is also a glut of building materials. If you are a homeowner with some extra cash this is a great time to do some improvements because labor prices have also come way down along with materials.

The fridge in our kitchen is a 22 cu ft side by side with a bottom freezer purchased off of CL when it was practically brand new and almost 80% off of the price we would have paid in the store.

 

[DawnM]

Yes, when we were in CA still, our dryer died. We knew we were moving and would NOT be hauling a dryer with us as it was gas and we were told most things here in NC are electric (which turned out to be true).....but we had a full 6 months before we were moving.

I got a dryer off of CL, used it for 6 months.....then gave it to some dear friends who didn't have a dryer, and they used it for 2 more years. When they moved out of CA they gave it to someone else who has now had it 3 years.....and it is still going strong!

I think we paid around $100 for it. It was a Kenmore.

Dawn

 

[umaangel00]

I love Craigslist! I have bought and sold many many times. I got my upright deep freezer from there. It was only 50 bucks! Not an old either. It was filthy but some bleach water fixed that right up! Just make sure you are careful and you should be fine!

 

[arihillfarm]

That has been happening a lot lately, people trying to make a few last dollars before they move out. Craigslist is a good source for appliances, light fixtures, cabinets, plumbing, basically anything that can be stripped out of a home. Also moving sales for furniture because a lot of these folks have to downsize.

Because of the huge downturn in new home construction there is also a glut of building materials. If you are a homeowner with some extra cash this is a great time to do some improvements because labor prices have also come way down along with materials.

The fridge in our kitchen is a 22 cu ft side by side with a bottom freezer purchased off of CL when it was practically brand new and almost 80% off of the price we would have paid in the store.

Just wanted to add that with the exception of built-in dishwashers, appliances are not expected to transfer with a house unless the buyer and seller agree to it, so people "stripping" appliances is not at all uncommon whether it's a foreclosure or traditional sale. Those are considered to be personal belongings like drapes, shower curtains, etc.

-Astrid

 

[Astro Orbiter]

Just wanted to add that with the exception of built-in dishwashers, appliances are not expected to transfer with a house unless the buyer and seller agree to it, so people "stripping" appliances is not at all uncommon whether it's a foreclosure or traditional sale. Those are considered to be personal belongings like drapes, shower curtains, etc.

-Astrid

True but not always expected. I've lived in places where the norm was to take your appliances with you, and in places where the norm was to leave it behind. The general rule has always been something screwed into the wall stays belongs with the house; anything hung on a screw can be taken with you. In my experience drapes and shower curtains stay behind. And most definitely light fixtures and cabinets.

I'd buy an appliance on CL (and have both bought and sold) but with extreme caution. I'd make the owner plug it in and prove it works, even if we're sitting there for 30 minutes to make sure something heats up or cools down.

 

[lucigo]

My oldest just started college in Orlando, we got her a washer and dryer using craigslist. The people even delivered them to her, set them up and showed her how to use them! I think they were around $230.

We have purchased a dryer from a used appliance store. Apparently they received brand new items returned to Lowes. Our dryer says "destroy" across the side in permanent marker! LOL It has worked great for at least 8 years now, and I think we paid $100 for it!

 

[Mellie2162]

Thanks for all the replies. I think we are going to pass on this one because the person says it's not able to be plugged in to check it out because they swapped the plug off the back for their new one and they are storing it in a facility that does not have an outlet. Money is just too tight to take the chance, we've been saving for a while so we will just keep on saving and hopefully something else will pop up.

 

[DawnM]

That is really odd. Yeah, I wouldn't buy that one either.

Dawn

Thanks for all the replies. I think we are going to pass on this one because the person says it's not able to be plugged in to check it out because they swapped the plug off the back for their new one and they are storing it in a facility that does not have an outlet. Money is just too tight to take the chance, we've been saving for a while so we will just keep on saving and hopefully something else will pop up.