New vs used robots: the buyer's evidence checklist

A used robot is not automatically a bargain or a liability. A new robot is not automatically complete or supportable. The sound comparison is between two evidenced offers: the exact asset, its condition and rights, what is included, and the work required before your intended use.

This checklist focuses on condition and provenance. For the wider purchasing process, including defining the job and acceptance criteria, start with how to buy a robot in the UK.

Build an evidence pack for each offer

Do not compare a new list price with a used marketplace headline. Create a one-page record for every candidate and leave unsupported fields blank.

1. Identity and configuration

Capture the manufacturer, full model, variant, serial number, manufacture date if available, hardware revisions and installed options. Photograph identity plates and check them against the invoice and software interface.

Family names hide important differences. Unitree’s Go2 product page shows multiple configurations with different stated capabilities. A listing that says only “Go2” is not sufficient for a fair valuation.

For a used system, list every controller, charger, dock, battery, sensor, tool, cable and transport case by part number where possible. For a new system, ask whether the quoted configuration includes the items shown in promotional media.

2. Seller and provenance

Establish who owns the asset, who is authorised to sell it and whether finance, lease, subscription or software obligations remain. Request purchase records and a chain of ownership. Match the seller’s identity to the invoice and serial number.

Confirm whether the seller is a manufacturer, authorised partner, broker, previous operator or marketplace trader. This is not a quality ranking; it determines which representations and support rights can be verified.

Be particularly careful with unusually cheap online offers. Pudu has published a warning about unauthorised online sales, including concerns about false prices, stock information and unavailable support. Verify channel status directly with the manufacturer where it matters.

3. Operating history

Request available operating hours, mission counts, charge cycles, service logs, faults, repairs, collisions, water or dust exposure, transport history and storage conditions. Ask what telemetry produces each number and whether the record can be exported.

No history does not prove misuse, but it increases uncertainty. Price and acceptance planning should reflect that uncertainty rather than converting a seller estimate into a fact.

Inspect condition by subsystem

Use a technician familiar with the model where the asset is complex or intended for workplace use. The depth of inspection should match the risk and purchase value.

Structure and movement

Look for cracks, deformation, corrosion, loose fasteners, damaged covers, non-standard holes and mismatched panels. Check joints, wheels, feet and end effectors through the manufacturer’s permitted range. Record noise, play, vibration and repeatability; do not diagnose them from appearance alone.

Confirm guards, interlocks, emergency stops, indicators and other supplied safety features are present and function as intended. The HSE’s guidance for second-hand products says suppliers of second-hand work equipment must ensure it is safe, has adequate intended-use information and retains necessary safety features. Apply the exact current rules to your circumstances with competent advice.

Batteries and charging

Record battery identifiers, age, stated cycle count, physical condition and any available health report. Test charging and operation under a representative load for an agreed period. Note shutdowns, imbalance warnings and temperature behaviour reported by the system.

Ask the manufacturer or authorised service route whether replacement batteries are available, their lead time, shipping constraints and compatibility with the installed revision. A working battery today does not establish the cost or availability of the next one.

Sensors, compute and communications

Test cameras, microphones, lidar, proximity sensors, encoders, displays, speakers, ports and radios relevant to the intended use. Confirm network bands, region restrictions and required cloud services. Check whether remote administration or a previous owner’s accounts remain attached.

Run only approved diagnostics and retain their output. A staged demonstration should include restart, reconnection and fault recovery, not just the most photogenic routine.

Verify documents and compliance evidence

Request the original instructions, safety information, declaration documents, technical labels and maintenance schedule supplied with the exact asset. Check language, serial or model references and whether modifications invalidate them.

GOV.UK product-safety guidance explains that businesses placing consumer products on the market have safety, compliance, traceability and information responsibilities. For machinery used at work, HSE machinery guidance says second-hand equipment must be safe so far as reasonably practicable and should come with instructions; it also addresses selection, training, inspection and maintenance duties.

Marking alone is not an inspection and a missing document is not repaired by adding a sticker. If equipment has been imported, substantially refurbished or modified, establish which responsibilities apply before use. The government’s current Supply of Machinery guidance is the better starting point for Great Britain than an old marketplace summary. Obtain competent legal or conformity advice where the facts require it.

Establish software and account rights

Modern robots can depend on licences, apps, cloud accounts, developer access, maps and vendor servers. Ask:

• Which software licences transfer with the hardware?
• Are subscriptions required for core or optional functions?
• Can the previous owner remove the device from its account?
• Can the buyer create administrator credentials?
• Are updates still provided for this hardware revision and region?
• Can maps, logs and personal data be securely removed?
• Does unlocking, rooting or third-party software affect support?
• Are API or developer rights included, restricted or separately priced?

Test a factory reset or documented ownership-transfer process before final acceptance where feasible. “App included” is not evidence that the buyer can obtain an account or future updates.

Compare support, warranty and spares

For new equipment, obtain the warranty start event, territory, covered customer, duration by component, exclusions and claim route. For used equipment, request any written confirmation that remaining cover is transferable. Manufacturer terms vary by product and conduct; Unitree’s published policies list exclusions associated with unauthorised changes and non-original accessories, illustrating why assumptions are unsafe.

Create a five-item supportability test:

1. Named organisation that will accept the first support request.
2. Available remote diagnosis and on-site service route.
3. Lead times for high-failure or operationally critical spares.
4. Access to service manuals, tools and qualified technicians.
5. Software-update and end-of-support position.

Our separate guide to robot warranties, spares and service support turns those answers into a lifecycle plan.

Demonstrate your actual use case

Write an acceptance script before paying the balance. It should test the work you intend to perform, not a generic demo:

• startup, shutdown and recovery;
• all purchased controls and accessories;
• representative route, payload or interaction;
• expected connectivity and account access;
• a defined operating period and charging cycle;
• supplied safety functions;
• logs, documentation and asset inventory;
• handover training and support contact.

Record objective pass criteria and who can accept a deviation. For a remote purchase, agree what video, diagnostic and independent inspection evidence is needed before dispatch, then repeat critical checks after delivery.

Compare total readiness cost

Use the same headings for new and used:

Do not force every uncertainty into a precise pound value. Use a decision gate: if ownership, safety evidence, software transfer or support cannot be established, pause the purchase until it can.

The buying decision

Prefer the offer that reaches an accepted, supportable operating state on known terms. That can be a well-documented used robot with available parts, or a new robot bought through a route capable of commissioning and supporting it.

Browse robot ownership research to define the questions for a shortlist, then share the intended use, location and evidence already available. Use the same readiness record to compare any supplier offers rather than treating age as the decision.