In article > ,
"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:

> "limey" > wrote in message
> > I'm always a little apprehensive about refurbished units and don't feel
> > the lower price is worth it. Is there a warranty?
> > Just my 2 cents.
>
> Most of the "refurbished" items for sale are brand new fresh from the
> factory items. They stamp them "refurbished" so they can sell them cheaper
> that their regular distribution channels can. Just like some of the
> "irregulars" in clothing lines sold at outlet stores.

I'm a little late jumping in on this, but ....

When a customer buys something, takes it home and opens the box, if they
return it for ANY reason, it cannot be resold as new. At this point,
high ticket items like KA mixers go back to the factory where they are
checked (usually nothing elaborate), all parts are washed and/or wipe as
appropriate, and the box is stamped Refurb.

If a machine is returned as defective and the retailer fails to pass on
the relevant info to the refurb center, the test may not catch the
problem in their test. And all it takes is for one person to get that
defective unit as a refurb and have a bad experience, and then they get
the word out and a company's refurb line can suffer. A company worth
its stock index price will bend over backwards to rectify those rare
problems, but it usually takes a little more upward persistence on
communication to get such problems fixed.

That said, I have a refurb KA Epicurean (the 475 watt top of the line
consumer model before the 525 watt Professional came out) that I bought
for a Holy Smeg deal of $114 due to the $169 speacial purchase price
being discounted 10% and my then employee discount of %15 on top of
that. I got this several years ago and the machine has not given me a
ounce of trouble. (FWIW, I also have a 325 watt Ultra, and I bounce
back and forth between which of the two I use, and at Thanksgiving, it
is so nice having both at the same time.)

jt