My Position: Tested Refurbished Beats Untested New
I'd rather buy a refurbished Videojet inkjet printer from a supplier who can prove it works than a brand-new machine from someone who treats testing like an optional add-on. That's not a cheap procurement strategy. It's a quality strategy. In my opinion, 'new' and 'old' are less important than 'verified.'
I'm a quality and brand compliance manager at a packaging supplies company. I review every equipment quote before it reaches our production floor—roughly 120 items a year. In 2025, I've already rejected 18% of first submissions because verification data was missing or inconsistent with the spec.
This post is not anti-Videojet. Videojet is a solid brand for industrial coding and marking. The problem is how some suppliers present refurbished equipment. So let's talk about what actually matters when you buy a refurbished machine.
The 'New Is Always Safer' Myth
The 'new is always safer' thinking comes from an era when refurbished meant 'a used machine with some paint and no paperwork.' That's changed. A professional refurbishment includes cleaning, wear-part replacement, ink system service, and a documented print test. But the market still has a wide range.
Here's what you need to know about Videojet suppliers: the gap is not 'new vs refurbished.' It's evidence vs promises. A supplier who can show you the exact machine's test data, printhead hours, and service history is giving you something auditable. A supplier who says 'they're all in good condition' is asking you to trust a sentence.
In December 2024, I reviewed listings for similar refurbished Videojet 1510 units and saw prices from about $6,500 to $15,000. That range is not all 'condition.' A good part of it is whether the supplier includes serial-number-specific service records and an acceptance test. Verify current rates before you buy, but build that into your request.
What a Rejected Batch Taught Me
In Q1 2024, our quality team reviewed a batch of refurbished printers from a supplier who claimed the units were 'within industry standard.' Normal code placement tolerance for our line was ±0.5 mm, and our spec included that. The vendor used their own broader tolerance. We rejected the batch, and they redid it at their cost. Now every contract includes printhead hours, ink system service history, and test print samples as pass/fail criteria.
The most frustrating part of buying used industrial equipment is the same issue recurring despite clear communication. You'd think a written spec would prevent misunderstandings, but interpretation varies wildly. That's why I treat an acceptance test as a quality gate, not a formality.
If you're in procurement, add this to your contract language: the machine must meet the agreed line speed, print quality, and code placement tolerances in a written test performed within 48 hours before shipment. And include a clause for what happens if it fails on-site. It reduces the gray area more than any supplier walkthrough. For batch acceptance, we use an AQL 1.5 sampling plan per ISO 2859-1. It sounds technical, but it gives you a defensible rule instead of a negotiation.
How to Evaluate Videojet Suppliers
Not all Videojet suppliers operate the same way. Some are authorized agents. Some are independent refurbishers. Some are brokers who just move inventory. All of them can be useful, but you should ask different questions.
- Ask for the serial number and the actual printhead hours from the machine you're buying, not a range across a product family.
- Ask which parts were replaced and whether they were original manufacturer parts. Original parts make the machine easier to validate and maintain.
- Ask for a test print from the specific unit, produced within 48 hours of loading. A sample from 'the same model' is not data.
- Ask about after-sales support. Who do you call when the printhead needs service? What is their response time?
If a supplier hesitates on any of these, I'd walk. There are enough good Videojet suppliers that you don't need to gamble.
Laser Marking: Where I See the Most Confusion
Laser specifications are where I see more mix-ups than any other product category. One recurring issue is search intent. Searching for 'CO2 laser Salem' might show you a medical clinic, an industrial machine supplier, or something in between. The same happens with 'CO2 laser keloid scar': that's a dermatology application, not a packaging-marking application. A CO2 laser keloid scar treatment uses a different power profile, wavelength, and safety protocol than a laser coder. The word 'laser' is not a specification.
For industrial coding, a CO2 laser marker is designed around marking field, line speed, and substrate. Videojet's laser range includes sealed CO2 lasers and fiber lasers for marking applications. A 4000W fiber laser is a cutting and deep engraving tool. It could mark your product, but it will cost way more, use more floor space, and require more infrastructure than a marking laser. If someone quotes you a 4000W fiber laser for a packaging coding line, that's a red flag.
Here's the efficient way to think about it: the right laser is the one that produces an acceptable mark at your required line speed, day after day. The 'most powerful' spec in the brochure is not the best process. I'd argue efficiency in laser selection comes from matching the tool to the application, not from buying headroom you'll never use.
But Isn't New Always More Reliable?
Not automatically. A new machine can be poorly specified, delivered without proper integration support, or installed on a line where the product handling creates more code failures than an older tested unit. I've seen new equipment fail because nobody checked line speed and print distance before installation.
So if you can buy new from Videojet or an authorized agent, do that. But make the same demands: application review, line integration plan, and a documented acceptance test. If the supplier treats testing as optional because the machine is new, you're getting a refurbished-word-for-new price.
'New is safer' is a legacy belief from a time when refurbishment quality was less visible. Today, with serial-number-specific service records, photos, videos, and test samples, that belief is outdated.
One More Thing About Verification
The best part of finally getting our acceptance process systematized: no more 3am worry sessions about whether the shipment will work. There's something satisfying about a machine that prints within tolerance on the first day. After weeks of spec reviews, supplier calls, and integration planning, seeing the code hit the right spot at the right speed—that's the payoff. I've had that with new equipment and with refurbished equipment. The common factor was not newness. It was verification.
So I'll keep my position: I'd rather buy a tested refurbished Videojet inkjet printer from a supplier with data than an untested new one from a supplier with excuses. Trust me on this one.
