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Buying Guides
Category-by-category guides covering what to inspect, which models hold their value, and what red flags to walk away from. Prices benchmarked against the Robot Resale Index.
Also: Bench Tests · Model comparisons · Browse listings
The most important checks depend on the category. For robot vacuums and mowers, battery health is the biggest value driver — look for 80%+ capacity and ask for a screenshot from the manufacturer's app. For drones, check firmware version, gimbal calibration, and CAA registration. All second-hand robots should come with the original charger or dock, and the condition should match Robot AutoTrader's grading scale.
Check the Robot Resale Index before agreeing a price — it tracks what robots actually sell for (not asking prices) across a basket of 62 models. Listings on Robot AutoTrader show an index delta so you can see at a glance if a price is above or below the going rate for that model in that condition.
Advanced and humanoid robotics is the only segment with rising prices — the Unitree Go2 Pro is up 18.4% year on year. Premium robot vacuum brands (Roborock, iRobot Roomba) depreciate at around 6–10% annually, which is slower than robot mowers (8–12%) or drones (12–20%). 3D printers depreciate fastest due to rapid model cycles.
Used robot vacuums can save you 40–60% versus new — but a worn battery or missing dock accessories wipes out the saving. Here is exactly what to check before you buy a secondhand robot vacuum in the UK, plus the models worth buying used and the ones to avoid.
Robot vacuum-mop combos are the fastest-depreciating category in the domestic robot market — down 8 to 12% per year. A Roborock S8 Pro Ultra that cost £1,099 new is available used for £580 to £720 today. But the mop system is also the most complex thing to verify used. Here is what to check before you buy.
Robot mower prices drop 12% every November. Here is exactly what to check before you buy a secondhand unit — boundary wire, blade condition, drive wheels, and the models that make sense used.
Robotic pool cleaners depreciate 10% per year on average. A unit that cost £599 new last summer is selling for £280–£380 today. Here is exactly what to check before you buy secondhand — track bearings, filter baskets, cable swivels, and the seasonal timing that cuts another 15% off the price.
Sub-250 g drones hold their value. Full-size camera drones drop 20 to 30% after a new-model release. Here is what to check before you buy a secondhand drone — gimbal ribbon, battery cycles, CAA registration, and the models worth buying used.
3D printers depreciate faster than any other robot category — 8.2% year on year. Here is what to check before you buy a secondhand printer: bed condition, hotend wear, extruder health, and the models that make sense used.
Quadrupeds and humanoids are the only robot category where used prices are rising — up 18.4% year on year. Here is what to check before buying a secondhand robot dog: joint condition, firmware status, SDK access, and what these machines actually do well.
A used Universal Robots arm at 30,000 cycles costs 40 to 60% of its new price and can run for years with routine maintenance. Here is what to check before buying a secondhand cobot — cycle count, safety certifications, service history, and what integration actually costs.