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A used TV is good value if you test the screen with plain colour images before you pay. OLEDs can have burn-in, LCD TVs can have clouding and dead backlights, and all of them can have cracked panels that look fine when switched off.
Most TVs are LCD with an LED backlight. 'QLED' (Samsung, TCL, Hisense) and 'NanoCell' are LCD TVs with an extra colour layer. Mini-LED is LCD with many small backlight zones, giving better contrast. OLED (LG, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, Samsung) has pixels that make their own light: perfect blacks, great viewing angles, but some risk of burn-in.
Philips Ambilight TVs are popular in the Netherlands and plenty are on Marktplaats. Ambilight is the coloured light on the wall behind the TV. Test that it works on all sides.
Put full-screen colour images on a USB stick: white, black, grey (around 20% and 50%), red, green and blue. Or ask the seller to play a 'dead pixel test' video on YouTube. Normal TV content hides most faults.
Look at each image from up close and from your sofa distance.
Burn-in happens when a static image stays on screen for thousands of hours. OLEDs used as a PC monitor, for 24-hour news or for long gaming sessions are the risk cases. Ask how it was used. Mild burn-in is often only visible on a grey screen and won't bother you in films, but it doesn't go away, so it should be reflected in the price.
Check the hours of use if the TV shows them in a service or settings menu. Low hours on an older set is a good sign.
An older smart TV may no longer get app updates, so some streaming apps can stop working. A cheap streaming stick fixes that, so don't overpay for 'smart' on an old set. Check that the remote is included (original remotes can be hard to replace) and that every HDMI port works. For a PS5 or Xbox, look for HDMI 2.1 and 120 Hz support.
Ask the seller to log out of their Netflix and other accounts and to do a factory reset.
LG's C-series OLEDs (C1, C2, C3) are the most common used OLEDs and a safe pick. Sony and Philips OLEDs use similar panels with different processing. Among LCD sets, Samsung's Q60 and Q70 ranges and Philips mid-range models sell in large numbers, so prices are easy to compare. Very cheap no-name brands often have poor backlights and short software support.
The model number on the back label tells you the year. Look it up before you go so you know the original price and features.
Large TVs should be transported upright, ideally in the original box. A flat TV laid on its back in a car with nothing under it can crack. Bring a blanket and a second person for anything 55 inches and up. Check the stand feet and screws are included, and that the panel has no impacts in the corners.
Listings with 'scherm kapot', 'barst' or 'geen beeld' are for parts. Replacing a panel costs about as much as a new TV, so those are only for repairers.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| 43 inch 4K LED TV, 2-5 years old | EUR 100-180 |
| 55 inch Samsung QLED (Q60 range) | EUR 250-380 |
| 55 inch LG OLED (C1 or C2) | EUR 400-600 |
| 65 inch LG OLED (C2 or C3) | EUR 650-900 |
| 65 inch 4K LED TV | EUR 250-400 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
LG OLED 55 inch, C1 or newer, no burn-in, with remote and stand, under 550 euro, within 25 km of UtrechtSearch Marktplaats like this
Show a full-screen grey image (around 20%) and look for faint shapes such as channel logos or game interfaces. Check from close up and at a slight angle.
Yes, if it tests clean on grey and colour screens. OLEDs drop in price fast, so a two or three year old model is often half its new price.
It's risky, because the panel can bend and crack. Transport it upright and secure it, ideally in its original box.
Some older models lose app support. If that happens, a streaming stick plugged into the HDMI port solves it.