Replacing one or two dry cleaning machines and other equipment with used machines is fine in my opinion.  Actually, if you are looking to replace all your machines at the same time with used equipment you may actually find some really good deals.  If you are looking for a specific brand or model to match your existing equipment when one or more and beyond repair then I suggest ebay actually.  Ebay can be a great source of used equipment that you may not have thought of.

By looking on ebay for used machinery you can be as specific as you need to be.  You will be protected through their payments systems and you can work out a deal with the seller for additional help or service in most cases.  The down side to going through ebay is that you will usually have to deal with shipping, delivery and installation yourself.

Another great place to find used dry cleaning supplies and equipment is also craigslist.  Although not my favorite site to use… it can be done.  I just find it so hard to find what I am looking for, you need to narrow down to specific areas and can’t easily do a proper search over a larger area.  If you get lucky and you do find what you are looking for within your local area, all the power to you.  I just never have that luck on craigslist.

What I recommend the most is that you look for a used equipment dealer.  Even the new equipment sellers also have access to or work with another used equipment dealer.  Check for local listing for businesses that deal in commercial laundry and dry cleaning machines, both new and used and give em a call or check out their websites.  I usually have a few links that I rotate through if you see one, check them out.

There are a lot of used equipment dealers all over North America.  Why? Because the dry cleaning business is in every city and town from east to west coast.  With tens of thousands of stores, there will be a large selection of used equipment in almost any metropolitan area.  Several of the more well known companies include Ecotex, JP Equipment, Onward Laundry, LPD, PWS and many many more.

Another question I have for you is: Are you looking to replace all your equipment, or just one off’s?

If you are replacing one or 2 machines, then I suggest you do find some used ones to match your existing equipment.  Keeping your machines and brands the same will save you a lot of time and headache when it comes to maintenance and service.  If you either do the maintenance yourself or hire a contractor to do regular maintenance it will be a lot easier if you had the same products.  The best would actually be if you can find the exact same machine you are replacing… then you have your old one for parts ( that are still good ).

If you are replacing all your machines at the same time, or furnishing a new business, then I also suggest leasing.  From dealing with not only dry cleaning equipment, but also laundromats, Medical and Dental offices.  Leasing provides a wider range of options for any business.  In some cases you can lease new equipment for about the same monthly costs as your financing of used machinery would be.  Leasing allows you to retain capital dollars and you can customize the payment plans to fit your financial budget and allow you to use the business flow as your guide.

Leasing equipment also allows you to include maintenance and service as part of the agreement for the life of the lease period.   This is usually at a lower rate then you could negotiate a third party contractor for.  The leasing company often has in-house technical staff that service all the machines they provide and will also be able to provide necessary parts at any time during the life of the contract.

In the end, it is up to you what you want to do.  It also depends on your financial situation, how many machines you are looking at and what is available locally to you.  Stick with a local supplier and make sure you or someone local can service whatever you buy.  The last thing you need is to have a machine down on a busy day and the closest service technician is a day away, or not even close enough to get to you.