Where to buy baby equipment second hand Good 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 ensure they're safe.
We help you with what specifically to look for when buying a second-hand pushchair, highchair and other baby products in the safety section of this guide.
As well as these products, other baby items can be pricey and have a relatively short lifespan, so buying second-hand is an ideal solution. Some other 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 baby equipment online.
Whether you are buying first- or second-hand, make sure you check out 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.
Free sites
Freecycle is a site that encourages people to give things away in an attempt to reduce waste. 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. We've listed many more sources of free items in our guide to free pregnancy and baby stuff.
Second-hand 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.
Parents' forums and exchanges
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.
Netmums
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.
Community classified sites
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.
Gumtree
The UK's biggest website for local community classifieds with more than a million visitors each month. They are a tool to help you find things that you are looking for. They strongly suggest that you trade face to face with advertisers on the site and don't hand over any money until you see the item you are buying.
Particularly good for: Finding items close to home, large range of items on sale.
Classified sites
Classified adverts are great for larger items that people will struggle to take to the tip, or that they have paid a lot of money for and would like to earn a little back. Try your local paper, or any of the sites below, and be ready to do a bit of travelling to view your items before handing over any cash..
Pushchair Trader
This website lists second-hand pushchairs for sale by make and model, or by most recent listings. You'll need to register your details to log in and see the location of the seller.
Particularly good for: looking for a particular brand or model of pushchair.
Ad Trader
A classifieds service with lots of baby stuff on offer. You'll need to register with them to fully search the site. You can save details of a specific search to receive email alerts when items that match your criteria become available.
Particularly good for: Can search for items by location or price, lots of baby items for sale.
Friday Ads
A national classified paper that you can also search online. Search the site without having to give any personal details. Tailor your search to your local area, or search nationally if you are willing to travel.
Particularly good for: A good range of baby items on offer, free and easy to search the site.
Loot
A well-known classifieds paper that you can also search online. You'll need to register with them so that you can log in and search the site. You can save details of a specific search to receive email or SMS alerts when items that match your criteria become available.
Particularly good for: Set up searches and wait for results, wide variety of baby items available.
Auction sites
eBay
eBay has an enormous range of baby items on offer, many of which are second-hand. You can't inspect items carefully on this popular auction site and have to take the seller's word as to condition. Excellent for staying on your budget, if an auction goes past the price you want to pay, simply stop bidding and try for another item.
Particularly good for: A very large range of baby items on offer, pay what you want.
Ebid
Another online auction site with a good range of baby items on offer. Like eBay some items are new and some second-hand. You can browse items for sale, or place an ad for an item you want in the hope that someone will offer it.
Particularly good for: Good range of baby items, you can advertise what you are looking for.
If you want to find out what you could get for free whilst pregnant, or once you've had your baby, check out our guide to free pregnancy and baby stuff. Here we've rounded up the freebies and benefits you're entitled to whilst pregnant, and offer top tips on tracking down freebies, samples and gifts for your baby.
Which? Best Buy products for your baby
Which? combines rigorous lab testing with real-life parent reviews to help you find the safest and best baby and child products on the market - as well as revealing the Don't Buy items to avoid.
Take a look at our reviews and expert advice on pushchairs and buggies, child car seats, high chairs, stair gates, baby monitors and more.