
Buying new versus refurbished analytical instruments can be compared to buying new versus certified pre-owned cars. New feels nice, however, it costs more. And as soon as it’s put to use, it becomes “used.”
The beauty of refurbished lab instruments is that they perform every bit as well as new ones. They’re tested to the same specifications, pass the same tests and produce the same results.
As original manufacturer service and support starts to wane, many labs believe they must replace their fleet of instruments. However, upgrading often simply provides a newer interface and improved aesthetics, without any material difference in the usability and results.
The technology around Mass Spectrometry is mature and long-lasting. Purchasing a new instrument is unlikely to make an impact on your lab’s bottom line. Instead, there are a variety of options to consider that include upgrading and refurbishing existing platforms or purchasing refurbished (or new-to-you) instruments altogether.
Current LC-MS Technology is Exceedingly Similar and Just as Reliable

The major liquid chromatography platforms, such as the Thermo Scientific Aria Transcend, Shimadzu and Agilent systems, have been in service for almost 20 years, steadfastly producing results over and over.
In the Mass Spec world, Sciex 4000s, 4500, 5000s, 5500s, and the newer 6500s along with comparative manufacture lineups from Shimadzu, Waters, and Thermo, were purpose-built to be resilient and long-lasting. While some instruments provide advantages over others, methods currently being run on these reliable instruments will continue to produce accurate results well into the future, irrespective of new iterative models that will continue to roll out over time. In some cases, the instrument you currently employ might just run the method more reliably than an instrument that was designed to be more sensitive and more feature-packed.
The iterative models provide incredibly similar performance with new capabilities or features that you may or may not need. For example, when outfitted with Agilent or even (on legacy systems) Shimadzu pumps, a single Aria Transcend system—via its multichannel configurations—can produce upwards of half a million results in one year with one mass spectrometer. Leaping one generation in pump technology won’t make a substantial difference in performance or production.
Standard low-throughput LC systems are no different. Moving from an 1100 to a 1290 Infinity-based system is a massive leap. However, this is rarely the case. From a practical perspective, whether or not those pumps are 1200 versus 1260 Infinity II or LC-20 versus LC-30 has no meaningful effect on the throughput or sample processing time.
In some cases, these iterative upgrades are fundamentally the same pump. Moving to cutting-edge UHPLC instruments like the Agilent 1290 system or the Shimadzu LC40 system avails you to more capabilities within your method and subjectively improves aesthetics, but won’t meaningfully impact production in most cases.
Generally speaking, newer doesn’t necessarily equate to better. The right instrument, whether you already use it or are looking to expand/upgrade, is the instrument that fits your purpose for the instrument. A Sciex 7500 or an Agilent 1290 Infinity system are marvels of engineering but very well could be more detrimental than beneficial if the instrument’s design doesn’t line up with your intended use case.
Outside of increased pressure limits or integrated degassing, the ultimate goal is reliability—and that depends more on properly servicing these instruments rather than how long they’ve been off the assembly line.
These instruments have a proven history of being durable, maintainable and repairable. New instruments off the assembly line exhibit the same problems as instruments that have been in service for a decade. Ultimately, buy what you need but in a way that best fits your needs, which may be choosing to refurbish your lab instruments.
Benefits of a Refurbished LC-MS:
Flow path components are brand new.
Core hardware is tested to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Performance is identical to new instruments.
The instrument is warrantied as any other system.
Refurbished LC-MS instruments cost 30-50% less than a new instrument.
While there are assays that require the latest technology, there are tried-and-true assays that simply need scaling or maintaining. Professionally refurbished analytical instruments can be a beneficial alternative to new, especially when the key catalyst for purchasing new systems is simply a lack of availability for OEM support.
Third-Party Service and Refurbished HPLC and LCMS Systems
Over the last 10 years, Elite LCMS Services has installed refurbished LC-MS and HPLC systems, including over a dozen systems in the last four years. These refurbished analytical instruments have run perfectly and continue to produce steady results.
With more than 40 years of combined experience at Elite LCMS Services, our experts are knowledgeable about HPLC and LC-MS technology, including those that have been discontinued. We’re proficient at sourcing parts, as well as guiding you on how to buy used lab instruments online via our unique sourcing service.
Extend the longevity of your instruments by refurbishing your analytical instruments.
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