Refurbished can mean anything when it comes to machines. If someone opens a box and changes their mind, the machine cannot be sold as new. Most places that resell these machines have a qualified machine repair person go through the machine to make sure it does work. Sometimes during shipment, a computer/electronic board can be damaged which explains by dolphingyrl's machine didn't work. Overstock can be a great resource to tap into for what you are looking for.