Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Items No One Should Buy Second Hand

People Break Down Which Items No One Should Buy Second Hand
men standing in front of vinyl record sale

Everything is expensive! This has always been true. There are ways to save a little money here and there, however.

You can buy things only if they are on sale. You can clip coupons or try and find certain items at different stores for less.

Another thing you can do to save money is to buy things second hand. Certain items, such as outerwear, home decor, exercise equipment, toys, books, and games among others can be purchased after being lightly used by others.

However, there are some items you should NEVER purchase secondhand, and Reddit is here to help us discover what those items are.

To get us started, Redditor ReverseFlash_94 asked:

"What should you never buy second hand?"


Ew.

"Anything that most likely to have human fluids on it. Such as sweat. 2nd headsets and earphones.. you might see earwax in them. It’s gross."

– Fiesteh

Not Very Protective

"Well, if you actually want a serious answer, I'd say protective equipment, such as motorcycle helmets. You never know what stress they've already been through and your safety is worth proper new equipment."

– anonymousmetoo

"This is a good answer. Most helmets are really only rated for one serious impact and then they're "dead" and won't properly protect from a second serious impact. Any kind of harness is also a gamble because nylon straps really only have a shelf life of 5 years before they start losing strength."

– Devinitelyy

What Ever Happened to Hygiene?

"I saw a used toothbrush at a garage sale once that looked like it had been used for a year at the very least. I still wonder to this day who would buy that."

– Transparent-Paint

"Underwear, I don’t care if the tag is on or not I cannot get underwear second hand it’s the same for lingerie. Bras are a hard pass too. They may be clean but just nope nope. If you want cheap undies go buy fruit of the loom at Walmart"

– AngelNHorns

"Definitely not mattress/box springs. Even if they look new. The chance there is a bedbug hibernating in there somewhere is NOT worth it."

– Head_Razzmatazz7174

Medical Equipment...Sort Of

"Colostomy bags"

– ButtholeQuiver

"That would be a sh*tty situation"

– PBandGym

"Catheters"

– SantaDog81

"I want to say no one has probably never done that but you know.. humans exist so."

– ReverseFlash_94

"CPAP machine"

"Retainer"

– Setthegodofchaos

Protect Your Kids

"Car seats"

– michjames1926

"Child shoes. Second hand shoes really can do serious harm to a child's feet."

– Business-Raise2683

"Anything Safety Related, Children come to mind."

– zombietampons

Typically Don't Think About This

"To go against the grain here; used electronics, especially televisions, desktop computers, and laptops. Want bed bugs? Buy used electronics."

– hockey_stick

Already Broken

"Any outdoor power equipment such as: weed eaters, chainsaws, leaf blowers, etc."

"They most likely already have an issue you don’t know about and pinpointing that exact issue is a pain in the rear. Plus you have to spend time fixing it."

– NewYearSameM3

"Power Equipment like Circular saws, jigsaws, drills, hammer-drills, sanders, grinders, routers etc.."

"Never buy any second hand power equipment because you will never know when they will break down any minute and you have to buy parts to replace the old parts which is waste of money."

– Goatmanthealien

Very, Very True

"Experience."

"That should always come first hand."

– Pistachiwoes

"But where can I buy experience in the first place?"

– unimaginablywise

Even As A Joke, This Is Gross

"Most original comment here: condoms"

– johnmojr2005

"Can’t have to many second hand condoms."

– ReverseFlash_94

How Do You Even GET These Second Hand?

"Coffins. You’ll get stiffed on the deal every time."

– lilsparky82

"A used coffin is the last thing I need."

– Azuras_Star8

"Well- how would you even find a used coffin would you like dig it up out of the graveyard. Or was somebody just sleeping in it no but they weren't dead they were just using it as a God damn bed."

– 1shines4u

Okay, so some of these are not serious considerations. However, there is some good advice here.

Saving money is important, but don't risk your health or safety just to get a good deal.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Donald Trump
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

People Bring Receipts After White House Claims Photo Of Trump Asleep During Oval Office Event Was Just Him 'Blinking'

After President Donald Trump appeared to fall asleep during an event on maternal health in the Oval Office on Monday, people brought the receipts when an official White House account claimed he was simply "blinking."

The event was used to launch moms.gov, a new federal resource hub focused on prenatal care, nutrition, and postpartum support, along with information on employer fertility benefits and expanded childcare options, including assistance for stay-at-home parents.

Keep Reading Show less
Dr. Mehmet Oz
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Dr. Oz Just Made An Alarming Comment About Fertility Rates That Sounds Straight Out Of 'The Handmaid's Tale'

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, made an alarming comment about fertility rates, declaring that 1 in 3 Americans are "under-babied."

In the United States, infertility affects roughly 9% of men and 11% of women, while globally the figure is estimated at about one in six people.

Keep Reading Show less
Stephen King; Donald Trump
Mathew Tsang/Getty Images; Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Stephen King Just Said What We're All Thinking After Trump Admin Released First Batch Of UFO Files

Horror icon Stephen King said what is on everyone's mind after President Donald Trump's administration released the first batch of files related to UFO sightings.

Earlier this year, Trump issued an order to different agencies to "begin the process of identifying and releasing government files on aliens and extraterrestrial life."

Keep Reading Show less
Donald Trump Jr.; Donald Trump
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Don Jr.'s Old Tweet Praising His Father For Avoiding War With Iran Just Resurfaced—And It's Aged Like Milk

As President Donald Trump's war with Iran rages on, his son Donald Trump Jr. is facing criticism after an old tweet he wrote praising his father for avoiding war with Iran resurfaced.

Back in April 2024, the president's eldest son wrote the following on X:

Keep Reading Show less
Images of Savannah and Nancy Guthrie
@savannahguthrie/Instagram

Savannah Guthrie Shares Heartfelt Video Of Her Missing Mom On Mother's Day: 'We Miss You With Every Breath'

Today co-host Savannah Guthrie's mother, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, was declared missing on February 1, 2026, after she did not routinely arrive at church that morning, and a well-check confirmed that her home was empty and the door was left wide open.

Due to her need for multiple medications, including for her pacemaker, and her limited mobility, the Pima County Police Department deemed her case a high priority, soon welcoming the help of the FBI.

Keep Reading Show less