Where to buy baby equipment second handGood sites for second-hand baby equipment

Looking for second hand baby equipment online

A new baby is a joy, but the costs can soon mount up. Many items can be bought second-hand

The costs attached to a new baby can be positively frightening, but there is no reason why you need to buy everything new. Many essential pieces of baby kit can be bought second-hand with some checking to assure they're safe.

We help you with what specifically to look for when buying a second-hand pushchair, highchair and other baby products in another part of this guide.

But as well as those items, other items can be pricey and have a relatively short lifespan, so buying second-hand is an ideal solution. Some things you might consider buying second-hand include clothes (which are only used for a few months before they are outgrown), play equipment such as an automated swinging cradle or a baby bouncer, Moses baskets, cribs and carrycots, and toys.

If you want to buy new baby equipment have a look at our guide to buying it online.

Whether you are buying first- or second-hand, why not visit our our in-depth reviews of pushchairs, child car seats, stair gates, high chairs and baby monitors. All the products we review are subject to rigorous testing and our Best Buys point you to the items that are safe, easy to use and suited to you, your baby and your lifestyle.

Second-hand and free sites for baby equipment

Below we list the best sites for buying baby equipment and clothes second-hand. At some of these sites you may even be able to pick up some things for free. When you buy second-hand from a shop you have the same legal rights as when buying new.

This means the goods must be fit for the purpose for which they’re intended, including any purpose you made clear when buying, and must be of satisfactory quality. But the law also says you must take into account the price you paid and be prepared to have lower expectations of quality than if the goods were new.

Free sites

Freecycle

Freecycle encourages people to give things away in an attempt to reduce waste, save resources and ease the burden on our landfills. It works as a network of local groups, you join the one nearest to you. The amount of baby equipment on offer varies between local groups. Membership is free.

Particularly good for: Free to join, free stuff!

Recycle.co.uk

The UK's most popular recycling marketplace online. This is a giveaway website, helping people to recycle all their unwanted items for free to people in their area. You need to register to use the site. Like freecycle, its motivation is to reduce the waste that is taken to landfills.

Particularly good for: Free baby products, doing your bit for the environment.

Parents' forums

Nappyvalley.co.uk

An online network for parents to buy and sell good quality second-hand items. Search the site by browsing by product type, or enter your postcode to find items on offer near you.

Particularly good for: Finding second-hand items locally, tips to avoid fraud when buying online.

Net Mums

This site is both a local information website for parents and a discussion forum. The ‘Nearly New’ section of the site has a ‘buy and sell’ facility for trading second-hand items.

Particularly good for: Finding second-hand items locally, other useful local info for parents.

Other second-hand sites

Babywear Exchange

This site allows you to buy second hand baby clothes with no charges or fees. You have to register to use the site. You can also advertise to sell your used baby clothes at no cost to you.

Particularly good for: Second-hand clothes bargains, no costs to the buyer or seller.

Preloved

Browse ads to find second-hand bargains. It is free to place ads and no fees are incurred by the buyer either. Browse the 'children' section for all baby items on offer, or search by your postcode to see what's on sale locally.

Particularly good for: Good amount of items for babies on sale, free to use the site.