Shopping for Second Hand Tools | The Jabberwocky Soliloquy

There are two good causes for getting second hand gear: It’s cheaper and it’s much less wasteful. Waste sucks, and avenue meals, bless it, tends to provide heaps and plenty of waste when you’re not cautious. Nonetheless, the associated fee might be why you’re right here, until you’re already attaining vegan-levels of eco-friendly smugness.

It began with an article in our quarterly commerce journal, revealed by the nice of us at NCASS, about not shopping for second hand gear. The logic was that it may possibly and can break, and that new package comes with ensures, security testing and glossy, shiny newness. That is all true. However because the self-appointed knowledgeable who actually wrote the guide with reference to avenue meals accomplished cheaply, I really feel like I can fairly weigh in with a counterpoint. Let me introduce you to our fridges.

Two freezers, two fridges. A lot chill.

Shopping for Second Hand Fridges

Our fridges reside within the Tardis, which is off the facet of our kitchen. In addition they reside at festivals all through the summer season and get shunted out and in of the vans so as to have the ability to achieve this. Keep in mind the foundations about leaving a fridge to face for twenty-four hours after transferring it? It’s a beautiful thought, however we’ve got meals to relax.

So our fridges endure in a means that actually isn’t lined by the assure, poor issues. That’s why a £40 ebay fridge which is able to final us for 2 seasons after which heads to the recycling is significantly better worth than a glittery new fridge that may final us for 2 seasons after which head to the recycling.

Shopping for Second Hand Cooking Tools

Cooking gear is a bit totally different. We purchased Betty’s oven second hand. It lasted a grand complete of three occasions, after which died in the course of service. At this time it’s used as a seat on quiet days and to retailer further toastie baggage in. Again within the day it value us just a few hundred kilos, and is now an overpriced, uncomfortable chair.

On the plus facet, it matches the accessible area completely.

Then you could have the grills: huge Parry grills in each vans. They have been new, and have each labored faultlessly thus far for 3 years and counting. Our slicing machine, which we purchased second hand, is used to make lots of of cheese slices per week (1000’s in competition season) and we have been taking moody pictures of it way back to right here. It has but to fail us.

Most of our fridges come from Ebay, however my High Avenue Meals Tip for getting second hand catering gear is catering auctions. Those you must present as much as in particular person. Rent a van for the day (or get a Volvo, which has infinite storage capability) and go stand in a freezing warehouse for six hours ingesting styrofoam tea and consuming bacon butties. You’ll in all probability find yourself shopping for numerous stuff you weren’t totally certain you wanted, however you could find some nice bargains. It’s the place we discovered our electrical toastie press, which comes and saves the day often when the vans break down. And the large, indestructible bowl we use for the whole lot and the tea urn now present in Betty. It’s additionally an exhausting however weirdly enjoyable day trip when you’re into that form of factor.

Second Hand Abstract

For those who can’t afford to have it fail in the course of service, purchase new. In all different issues it pays to a minimum of contemplate second hand.