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 supply tons and many waste for those who’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, printed by the great of us at NCASS, about not shopping for second hand gear. The logic was that it will probably and can break, and that new equipment comes with ensures, security testing and glossy, shiny newness. That is all true. However because the self-appointed skilled who actually wrote the guide as regards to avenue meals carried out 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 aspect of our kitchen. Additionally they reside at festivals all through the summer time and get shunted out and in of the vans so as to have the ability to accomplish that. Bear in mind the principles about leaving a fridge to face for twenty-four hours after shifting it? It’s a beautiful thought, however we have now meals to sit back.
So our fridges endure in a manner that basically isn’t coated 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 shiny new fridge that may final us for 2 seasons after which head to the recycling.
Shopping for Second Hand Cooking Gear
Cooking gear is a bit of 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 price us a number of hundred kilos, and is now an overpriced, uncomfortable chair.
On the plus aspect, it matches the out there area completely.
Then you will have the grills: massive Parry grills in each vans. They have been new, and have each labored faultlessly up to now for 3 years and counting. Our slicing machine, which we purchased second hand, is used to make lots of of cheese slices every week (hundreds in pageant 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 Prime Road Meals Tip for getting second hand catering gear is catering auctions. Those you need to present as much as in individual. 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 plenty of stuff you weren’t solely positive you wanted, however yow will discover some nice bargains. It’s the place we discovered our electrical toastie press, which comes and saves the day sometimes when the vans break down. And the enormous, indestructible bowl we use for the whole lot and the tea urn now present in Betty. It’s additionally an exhausting however weirdly enjoyable time out for those who’re into that type of factor.
Second Hand Abstract
In the event you can’t afford to have it fail in the course of service, purchase new. In all different issues it pays to no less than take into account second hand.
