Have you noticed that more and more "refurbished" appliances are hitting store shelves on Black Friday and Cyber Monday these days? Brands like Dyson even have dedicated pages for refurbished products. At first glance, it would seem that you can get the latest and greatest product, whether it's the best coffee maker or the best robot vacuum cleaner, for a fraction of the price. But that is not all.

Buying refurbished products means you are buying a more upscale brand, but there are pros and cons to this requirement. Here are the practical implications of buying refurbished products, what to expect, and what to watch out for.

Refurbished or reconditioned products essentially mean that the product is no longer new. You may have gone through some of the following scenarios:

The condition of the product and the reason it is being sold as refurbished should be advertised along with the discounted price.

Naturally, the biggest advantage of purchasing a refurbished product is the price reduction. Some brands offer discounts of 50% or more, depending on the condition of the product. This makes it possible to get a bargain.

It also opens up the option for budget shoppers to purchase more upscale brand-name products, which for some is the biggest selling point. It also means that some of the newest products on the market will be more affordable.

In most states, the law states that the products you buy must be fit for purpose. The only exception is when a product is sold "as is." In this case, the customer bears the risk that the product may not function as expected and cannot be returned if unsatisfactory. Therefore, we do not recommend purchasing appliances sold in such a manner.

Some refurbished products come with a warranty for added peace of mind. With a warranty, you can get repairs in the event of a malfunction.

Refurbished appliances may have been used. They may have scratches or dents, so if this is a concern, ask to see the product before purchasing.

I recently purchased a reclaimed juicer that looked like new when I looked underneath, even though it was covered in food stains.

Even if a refurbished product comes with a warranty, the warranty period is one year, which tends to be much shorter than buying new. Again, if it breaks after the warranty period, you run the risk of being on your own. As with any warranty, it may only cover certain parts of the product, so you need to make sure this is sufficient as well.

I definitely recommend buying serviced. I have bought several kitchen appliances that way and have been pleased with these purchases. Some of them look like new and you won't believe you got them for such a low price. [Not an appliance, but I once bought a refurbished mirror and when I got home the mirror was broken. This was my own fault for not checking before purchasing!

However, making sure the product comes with a warranty and is sold by a trusted brand gave me the confidence to take advantage of such a discount. Ultimately, it all comes down to whether you are comfortable with your purchase.