The three checks before you buy used
Run it under load. A drill that spins fine in the air but chatters driving a screw has a worn gearbox. Listen for grinding, smell for burnt windings.
Check the battery situation. A cheap used tool with dead batteries is no bargain when replacements cost more than the tool. Count the batteries, check their age, and price replacements before you negotiate.
Look at the vents and screws. Caked drywall dust means a hard life; rounded screw heads mean someone's been inside it, possibly not skillfully.
When new budget beats used pro
For occasional-use tools, a new budget tool with a warranty usually wins. A used pro torque wrench of unknown history is a gamble; a new budget one reads true out of the box.
Used makes the most sense for the weekly-use tools — a pro-brand drill or saw with life left in it beats a new budget one at the same price.
The math that settles it
Compare the used price against the budget-new price in our catalog, not against the pro-new price. If the used tool isn't at least 30% under budget-new, take the warranty and walk away.