If you are ready to buy a computer for your own personal use, set up an office in your house, or just replace a printer you have used for years, you face a lot of choices. Even if you have already decided you want a Canon printer, you might decide that you budget does not allow for a new one. Now you have to decide whether you will buy one that is refurbished.

What is the difference between a refurbished printer and one that is new? Why would anyone return a printer that still works to the dealership? Will you have problems with a computer that someone else did not want. Will you really save any money by buying a refurbished product? What are the industry standards for refurbishing printers?

Some refurbished printers have seen little or no use at all. They are customer returns and cancelled orders. If it is the policy of the manufacturer that these can no longer be offered as new, they are dusted off and sold to the buyer who is seeking a bargain. Some are demonstration models or the result of overstocking.

Printers that have seen a little more use might be units returned at the end of a lease or rental agreement. These products may have been needed for training or other short-term use. Printers returned by image-conscious customers because of cosmetic damage might also fall into this category.

Some customers become easily frustrated with a printer which is not working as expected and simply return it rather than accept repair or trouble-shoot according to the manual. Often a simple adjustment is all that is required. This is performed by the dealer or manufacturer and the printer is sold as refurbished.

Today's image-conscious consumers sometimes want their offices and homes to stay on top of every new development in technology. It is common practice with some users to replace computer equipment, including printers, regularly whether they are functioning properly or not. These returned, out-of-date printers are offered at a discounted price to those who are less concerned about appearances.

There is no industry standard for printer refurbishing. Some companies do little more than clean and check a returned or traded product and put it right back on the shelf to sell as refurbished. These printers may not stand up well to challenging conditions, or offer the length of service you would desire. Private sellers might call a printer refurbished when they have done nothing at all to improve the condition of the machine. But reputable companies do a thorough check of the machine and replace all worn or damaged parts with new ones, guarantee their work, and offer a warranty on your Canon printer no matter how old the machine is.