There are a lot of advantages to buying things secondhand. It’s light on your wallet. It’s eco-friendly. You can stumble upon some truly cool and weird treasures in thrift shops. And there’s a deep sense of satisfaction when you give new life to items that would have otherwise ended up in the junkyard. However, this doesn’t apply to all used objects. Some things are best completely avoided if you ever spot them at a secondhand store!
One redditor started up a very interesting thread on r/AskReddit, asking folks to share their opinions about what they’d never, ever buy secondhand. Their answers were illuminating (with the exception of a few dumb jokes), and you’ll find them as you scroll down, dear Pandas. We’d love to hear what used items you’d be on the fence about getting. Be sure to share your thoughts with all the other readers in the comments!
Bored Panda got in touch with the author of the viral thread, from the UK, and they were kind enough to answer our questions. They noted that for some people, like them, secondhand items can be literal life savers. Read on for our full interview with the redditor.
#1
Underwear!
Image source: Hyperb0le, Tricia
#2
A Helmet. They can only take one good hit.
Image source: hermanalexie, GrejGuide.dk
#3
Sex toys. The fact that there is even a market for used ones is highly disgusting and disturbing.
DannyDorito96 added:
a vibrator. I worked at goodwill a handful of years ago, and someone donated a “lightly used” body wand. one of our managers decided she wanted it… she hid it where she thought no one would see it. at the end of the day, me and my coworker watched her take it from her hiding spot and stuff it in her purse before we locked up and walked out together. I couldn’t imagine using a pre-owned toy.. I’m assuming she cleaned it before using it at least, but I genuinely wouldn’t put it past her to skip that step.
Image source: SMG329, Lina Kivaka
#4
Makeup, never know what germs or smth they have
Image source: iatecake0, Arienne McCracken
#5
Skydiving equipment / climbing equipment / anything safety related.
Image source: nofrigginway, Tom Fisk
#6
Pacifiers.
When I was pregnant, my mother in law gave me a plastic baggie of used pacifiers. She had bought them at a garage sale and told me they’d be fine to use if I just boiled them first. No. Hard pass. They went straight in the trash when I got home.
Image source: youneednewshoes, Tim Samoff
#7
Mattress.
Image source: lilbittypp, The Sleep Judge
#8
It bothers me the amount of half used product i see in thrift stores. Half empty bottles of shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant….
Who is donating a bottle of lotion that’s 2/3s of the way empty? Why is the thrift store not throwing it out? And even worse than those two points, why are they charging almost new bottle price for it?
I could understand if someone down on their luck purchased it for like .25-.50 cents but $4.99? For a USED bottle of product??
Image source: Hyentics
#9
Twitter.
Image source: LongTimeHuman, World’s Direction
#10
Baby carrier or child seat. Only from friends were i can be sure that they are accident free and clean.
Image source: Justeff83, Jim Champion
#11
A couch. I used to work at a pest control company, and the #1 thing that brought them in was used furniture, but usually a couch.
Those f***s are terrifying- they hide in tiny cracks and crevasses during the day and then come out to feed on you at night. You don’t notice until it’s too late. You’ll start waking up with itchy bites, see little red sprinkles in the seams of your mattress, and eventually see them. One single pregnant female on a throw pillow is all it takes. The male stabs the female in the abdomen (literally) one time and she’s pregnant for life and off to make your life miserable. Then you have to pay $2500+ for a company to treat them. And if they miss one pregnant female…
Happy_Muscle added:
I know people buy them second hand often, but I find it’s easy to conceal prior spills on certain couches. Most couches are disgusting after a few years of use.
Image source: stilettopanda, Matthew Clark
#12
Earphones.
Image source: paintingsunset, Toshiyuki IMAI
#13
I do a bit of outdoor climbing and anytime I see a rope or harness for sale it makes me cringe. Like you need to trust your life to this equipment so spend the extra £30 on it.
Image source: flamedown12, Nick Vidal-Hall
#14
My local goodwill sold bathing suits, used bathing suits. Used lingerie too (just the tops), once my big sister was going to buy both but assumed they were new but given to goodwill because the person who bought it ended up not liking it or something. She even asked the lady at the desk about it. When we got to the car she found out both were stained especially the lingerie. You can assume with what.
I could never buy either of those used, especially after that.
Image source: unkempt-ghoul, kelly
#15
Breast pumps. Unless it’s a closed system. When mine were small, most were not closed systems, which allows aerosolized breast milk particles to get places you can’t clean. FDA does not recommend it.
Image source: Guilty-Web7334, ajay_sures
#16
Puzzles.
I couldn’t handle not knowing if ONE piece is missing until the end
Image source: HellbornElfchild, Collin Anderson
#17
Prosthetics.
No second hand second hands for me
Image source: NonCompliantGiant, Cluster Munition Coalition
#18
Air Conditioners. I bought one from a thrift store once. I gave it what I thought was a thorough cleaning on the inside. Then, for the next week, I suffered awful flu-like symptoms. Runny nose, headaches, the works. Turns out it was mold poisoning from the AC. Took that unit out and was fine by the next morning. Never going to risk that again.
Image source: Sinaskafitch, HS You
#19
A Tesla.
SaCTaCo replied:
There is a reason it’s up for sale. It will be all cool the first day you bought it but than there is this rattle that you just can’t pin point where it is coming from and it will drive you crazy and no one can fix it as they (Tesla Service) would say it is normal.
A month goes by and now your friends and love ones are noticing it too and ask you “Hey what’s that noise?” You snap at them because you are already irritated you bought this $50,000 rattle machine.
Half a year goes by and you’ve had enough, now it’s time to sell it to some poor soul, but you do not disclose the rattle and you have every tire kicker in town coming over and haggling you on the price till you’ve had enough and sell it at a lost.
After 2 month of selling the Tesla, you get a message from the buyer cursing at you for making their lives miserable and want their $40,000 back.
Image source: The5thLoko
#20
I never understood the used tire market. I know they’re expensive, but for something that literally separates you from a 70mph fiery death, I’d rather make sure I’m getting ones that are new.
Image source: SnooEpiphanies2931, tdo
#21
Dentures and hearing aids. I have seen used hearing aids for sale
Image source: Helly_BB, Kathy McGraw
#22
Plunger.
Hard pass. I’ll buy it new.
Image source: Draknamar, Will Powell
#23
Medication. It will probably taste a bit nastier.
Image source: Jabber-Wookie, Marie
#24
I play paintball. General rule of thumb is don’t buy anything used that protects your eyes or touches skin. Pre owned everything else.
Image source: AmericanMeltdown
#25
Kevlar.
Image source: AReluctantEssayist
#26
Bed sheets. No thanks. Hard pass.
We don’t even bother trying to give them away to other people. Best we can do is donate to animal shelters so the furry ones have something soft to snuggle around in.
Image source: devilmaycode, Suzanne LaGasa
#27
Luggage. You don’t know what the former owner had in it, could set off dogs at the airport
Image source: Confident-Owl-6696
#28
Mens pj pants. My husband started to look at some and I said, “nope. no way!” Some men wear pj pants all night and all day with no underwear for days at a time. Like the same pair for multiple days of sitting around the house not showering. Also not to mention teenage boys. I can’t get myself to let my husband buy used ones. It grosses me out.
Image source: oxabexo, Andrea Piacquadio
#29
E-bike batteries, you never know what they’ve been through and when they explode they cause serious damage
Image source: durber101
#30
Water cooled graphics cards for a gaming pc. Made that mistake once. The seal broke in more than 1 place within 5 mins of taking it out of the pc. Only took it out bc temps were not making sense and I thought it might be low on water.
Image source: Hoogn_McDoogn
Follow Us
