Fix the One You Have?
A used appliance is somebody else's appliance with a history you can't see. The one in your kitchen, you know. Most failures we see are one part: a drain pump, a heating element, a door switch, a control board. When the rest of the machine is sound, that's usually a better deal than a stranger's machine with its own worn parts.
It's not always the right call. When the compressor on an older fridge is gone, when parts are discontinued, or when two or three systems are failing at once, replacing makes sense, and we'll tell you so. Our repair-or-replace calculator gives you a quick framing, and our repair cost guide shows what repairs usually run.
Want a technician's opinion? Our $50 Quick Check gets you a real diagnosis from a video and a photo of the model tag, and it's credited toward the repair if you go ahead. If it isn't worth fixing, we say that too.
A Repair Tech's Used-Appliance Checklist
These are the things our techs look at first. None of them need tools. If a seller won't let you check them, that tells you something.
📋 Every appliance
• Photograph the model and serial tag. The serial usually encodes the build date, so you know the real age.
• Look the model up at cpsc.gov/Recalls for open recalls.
• Watch it run a full cycle if you can. "It worked when we unplugged it" is not a test.
• Ask why it’s being sold, and whether it was ever repaired.
🧊 Refrigerator
• After it has run a while, the fresh-food side should feel cold and the freezer should be freezing. Heavy frost on the freezer back wall usually points to a defrost problem.
• Listen for the compressor and fans. Clicking on and off every few minutes is a warning sign.
• Check the door gaskets for tears and the floor under it for water from the ice maker line.
💧 Washer
• Look under the lid or door for rust, a musty smell, and mildew in the front-load door boot.
• Run a rinse-and-spin: it should drain completely and spin up without banging.
• Look under and behind it for water stains or drips.
🌀 Dryer
• Run it on high heat for five minutes. The drum should get genuinely hot, not just warm.
• It should tumble quietly. Squealing or thumping usually means worn rollers or a belt.
• Check the vent opening for packed lint. A clogged vent is the top cause of slow drying, and a fire risk.
🍽️ Dishwasher
• Look at the tub floor and door edge for rust or standing water.
• Spin the spray arms by hand; they should turn freely.
• Hard to test without hookups. Budget for a tech to check it after install if you can’t see it run.
🔥 Range & Oven
• Every burner and the oven should heat. Time the oven to 350°F; much more than about 15 minutes is a sign of a weak igniter or element.
• Check that the door closes tight and the glass isn’t cracked.
• Gas ranges: have a licensed pro connect and leak-test it. Don’t hook up gas yourself.
Why Some Listings Still Say "Used Appliances"
The business started in 2012 buying, refurbishing and selling used appliances. We've since become a repair-only company, and some old directory listings never caught up. You may still see "Tn Appliance Exchange Inc." on Murfreesboro Rd in La Vergne listed as a used appliance dealer. That information is outdated, and we're working to get it corrected.
Current details: TN Appliance Exchange LLC · 3137 Skinner Dr, Antioch, TN 37013 · (629) 272-1234 · open 24/7 · appliance repair across the Nashville area, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, and South Louisiana (New Orleans, the North Shore, Hammond, Baton Rouge).
People Also Ask
Broken Appliance? Ask Before You Buy.
Tell Ant what's wrong and send a quick video and a photo of the model tag. A real technician tells you whether it's worth fixing, before you spend money on someone else's used one.