What are Remanufactured Power Tools?
According to a case study from Berkeley.edu, remanufactured means that power tools are remade or rebuilt with used products to a condition as good as new. Bosch is one company that is committed to environmental awareness, including the recycle-reuse materials component. Extensive quality control at the Bosch facilities ensures that the quality of remanufactured power tool is equivalent to the quality of a new power tool. Bosch also is reusing high-grade plastic polymers from recycled power tool housings in their remanufactured power tools.
Remanufacturing processes are very similar to manufacturing processes and there is certain criteria that a power tool needs to qualify for to be remanufactured.
Specifically at the Bosch facility:
1. The power tool must fail functionally meaning, there must be a "core" - a discarded, malfunctioning, or used power tool that becomes the remanufactured power tool.
2. The technology must exist that can restore the power tool to its original shape, condition and function.
3. The power tool must be factory-built, standardized, and made with interchangeable parts.
4. The recoverable value added in the remanufactured power tool is a high percentage of the power tool's original market price.
The advantage of buying remanufactured power tools is that you keep more money in your wallet. The retailer can price these at 60% or less of the new power tool price and still make a profit. You get to purchase a high quality power tool that has a manufacturers warranty and have money leftover for lunch.
So then what's a refurbished power tool? and what's a reconditioned power tool?
According to Dictionary.com, the word "refurbished" means: To make clean, bright, or fresh again; renovate.
On the other hand, the word "reconditioned" means: To restore to good condition, especially by repairing, renovating, or rebuilding.
If a seller claims that a power tool has been "refurbished", it means it has been returned, lightly tested, cleaned, repackaged and then resold. However, "reconditioned" power tools have been thoroughly tested, repaired (if necessary), cleaned, repackaged, and resold. Reconditioned power tools are required to meet the same stringent quality-assurance standards that a "fresh" power tool from the same factory would have to achieve. In fact, most power tool manufacturers offer the same warranty for reconditioned power tools that they offer for their brand new counterparts! The main advantage to reconditioned power tools is that you save money.
One place to get professional grade reconditioned power tools is TKRecon.com. At TKRecon.com some reconditioned tools cost as much as 50% less than their brand-new brethren. Buying reconditioned or remanufactured power tools is a great way to maximize your tool budget and still purchase name-brand power tools.
But be wary if someone is advertising a "refurbished" product.
Refurbished power tools have probably not been rigorously tested and are usually just eyeballed, repackaged, and resold. Reconditioned power tools are tested and repaired in accordance with tool manufacturer standards before being resold, so they are always the better choice.
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