Used Machinery & Electrical Equipment Trends in 2025

If 2025 has felt unusually busy, you’re not imagining it. Since launching the Surplus Record website in 1995, we’ve seen our share of growth spurts. But nothing compares to the surge in web traffic and inquiry volume this year. It’s been our most active stretch in decades.

In 2024, dealers called it flat and slow. After the post-COVID chaos of 2021 through 2023, last year felt like it stalled out. With election-year anxiety and global instability, many buyers froze up. Budgets were on hold. Projects were delayed.

Early 2025 started similarly. Activity picked up slightly, but most of it looked like more tire-kicking. Then things snapped into gear around March. Inquiry volume spiked across nearly every equipment category. These weren’t casual browsers anymore. These were serious buyers.

Tariffs caused some of the initial hesitation, especially with tension between the US and China back in the headlines. But when the two countries struck a deal by spring, uncertainty eased. Businesses resumed spending. And what became clear fast is that people want their equipment here, in the United States, and available now. Reshoring is no longer a talking point. It’s the strategy.

The Big Demand Drivers:
AC Electric Motors are leading the way in total inquiries. These workhorse components are critical in every sector: pumps, conveyors, compressors. As production ramps up, companies are grabbing used and surplus motors instead of waiting months
for new.

Vertical Machining Centers and CNC Turning Centers continue their reign in popularity. Automation and labor shortages are still major drivers, but so is availability. Buyers are prioritizing what’s in stock over what’s brand new.

Three-Phase Transformers have also climbed to the top. The biggest driver here is AI infrastructure. Data centers are being built and expanded at breakneck speed, and they need transformers to power it all. Whether for utilities or private deployments, the electrical backbone behind AI is in high demand.
Diesel Generators remain one of the most consistent high-interest items on our site. A large 1600 KW Caterpillar 3516B generator was the number one most viewed listing for multiple months. Power reliability issues, extreme weather, data centers, and demand for remote energy options are keeping this market hot.

What Listings Are Getting the Most Attention:
Looking at the top 30 most viewed listings on Surplus Record so far in 2025, over one-third of them fall under traditional machine shop equipment. Lathes, saws, and milling machines are still drawing serious interest, showing that core fabrication and machining tools continue to anchor the used equipment market.
Right behind those were engines and generators, dominating the power side of the marketplace. This lines up with the demand we’re seeing in electrical infrastructure and backup systems.

One surprise? A classic English wheeling machine, imported from the UK to Chicago, managed to climb into the top five most viewed machines on the entire site this year. Not bad for a vintage sheet metal tool that’s more art than automation. It shows just how wide-ranging buyer interest has been in 2025.

The Future:
The second half of 2025 looks strong. We expect continued growth in:

• Machining and fabrication equipment, especially CNC and automation-ready models for 2006 year or newer.
• Electrical infrastructure, including motors, transformers, breakers, and switchgear.
• Backup power systems, particularly diesel gensets.
• Data center support, such as CRAC units and battery cabinets.

Lead times for new equipment are still too long, and buyers are done waiting. The used market is filling that gap. Sellers with good inventory are getting results, and buyers who move fast are getting deals.

If you’ve got equipment sitting idle, this is your moment. Demand is strong, and the buyers are real.