15 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Rent

Alex Pastukhov
Rent4Me — P2P Rental Marketplace
8 min readAug 16, 2020

Some things are commonly rented, like cars and boats. However, there’s a whole world of rented items out there! They don’t even have to be big-ticket items like vehicles. You can rent smaller objects as well. Whether you are the one who needs to borrow something or you own an item that others may want to borrow, perhaps this article will give you some ideas. Here are 15 things that you may not have known you could rent!

1. Travel Equipment

Going on a road trip, but don’t have room for all the belongings you need to bring along? Rent a roof rack or a trailer! Going on vacation and can’t bring your baby’s stroller, crib, or high chair? Rent one at your destination! There’s a thriving market that rents out needed items to travelers and vacationers all over the world. Traveling is often expensive. Why buy more gear than you need to? By renting travel gear, you can save money and save space.

2. Camping Gear

For most people, camping gear is only used a few times per year, at most. Unless you’re a really avid camper, your tent, backpack, campfire cooking gear, and other outdoor equipment spend most of its time sitting in storage. For first-time campers or people who don’t have space or money to buy their own camping equipment, renting it from another outdoor enthusiast is a great option! Now get outside and sleep under the stars!

3. Telescopes

Have you always wanted to take a closer look at the night sky? Bring the planetarium to your own home, or wherever you want, by renting a high-quality telescope! Telescopes are out of the budget for most people, but they are affordable to rent. They can open a window to a whole new world! It’s a great way to teach your kids about the stars, impress a date, or relax and explore the uncharted territory of outer space.

4. Gaming Consoles

Maybe you’re a diehard PlayStation person but there’s an Xbox game you want to try. Maybe you’re having a party with your gamer friends and you need multiple gaming consoles. Or perhaps you need to rent a newer or older version of a console. Whatever the reason, there are gaming consoles available to rent. You can even get additional equipment like VR headsets for an amazing virtual reality gaming experience!

5. Guard Dogs

This might take the crown for the most unusual rental item on the list because it’s not an object — it’s an animal! A highly-trained animal, that is. Getting a trained guard dog is a huge and long-lasting commitment. If you don’t need a permanent K9 protection team, you can rent instead! Real live guard dogs can be commissioned to protect your home, family, and belongings.

6. Animals for Photos or Videos

Besides renting a dog for security, you can also rent all kinds of animals — ranging from cats and dogs to llamas and hedgehogs — for a photo shoot or a video scene. So if you need an animal for just a few hours, there’s no need to spend a large sum on buying one.

The price you have to pay for renting an animal is typically determined by three factors:

1. How rare the breed is

2. The competition in your local area

3. Whether the animal is trained to model for photoshoots

7. Solar Panels

Would you like to convert to solar power, but the only problem is you can’t afford the cost of the panels and installation? If so, rental solar panels are exactly what you need.

Most companies that rent out solar panels take care of everything, from installing the panels to providing any necessary maintenance and upkeep. In exchange, you have to either pay a monthly fee or sign the power over to the company with a power purchase agreement, which allows you to purchase the power you need at a cheaper rate than your local utility company would charge.

8. Dumpsters

Dumpsters (Garbage containers) are one of those items that are better rented than bought because their rental prices are extremely low. So whether you need to remove a gigantic pile of garbage or clear out junk from your garage, you can get the job done for cheap by renting a dumpster instead of buying one.

One mistake many people make when renting a dumpster is they get the wrong one. As a result, they have no choice but to rent another, which defeats the purpose of renting — saving money.

That’s why we advise you to find out the requirements of your job before renting a dumpster, including what capacity you might need and what the weight limits are. For instance, a 6 cubic yard unit that can hold 3,000 lbs is more than enough for small junk clean-outs, whereas a 30 cubic yard dumpster that can hold approximately 10,000 lbs is required for a large remodeling job.

9. Toys

If your little one loves to play with all sorts of toys but quickly outgrows them, welcome to the club! For decades parents have had to make room for toys that their kids only play with once or twice before losing all interest. Well… not anymore! At Rent4me, you can pick toys from a large inventory to rent at a fraction of their buying price.

So in short, you can now give your kids their favorite toy (at the moment) for a small price and without having to add more inventory to your home.

10. Heavy Equipment

Did you know even the cheapest heavy equipment is sold at a minimum of $100,000? In comparison, you can rent the same equipment for as long as a week for as little as a thousand bucks. So if you need heavy equipment at a construction site for only a couple of weeks or months, renting is the way to go.

11. Sports Equipment

When exploring a new sport, we recommend renting the equipment you need until you’re sure you’re going to stick with it. It’s a smart move because doing so can save you from spending money on potential dust collectors.

Talking about smart moves, you should also rent sports equipment for kids since they outgrow it so quickly.

12. Expensive Clothes

Do you need a fancy outfit for an evening out? If so, then renting makes a lot of sense. Here’s why. Renting expensive clothes not only saves you money but also:

● Saves space in your closet, as those clothes pile up because you plan to wear them occasionally — most likely only once or twice a year

● Allows you to enjoy the lavish lifestyle, as you can rent clothes with high-end labels that you would otherwise never be able to afford

● Allows you to choose from a larger variety, giving you the freedom to decide your outfit according to your mood on the day of the occasion instead of a few weeks beforehand

13. VR Headsets

Here’s an example that explains why renting a VR headset is a smart choice: a modern VR headset such as the Oculus Quest costs over $400, whereas its rental price is less than $40 per week. Besides the price, there are more downsides to buying a VR headset. For instance, owning one means:

● You have to pay for repairs.

● Use the same old device for a long time.

● And eventually, pay for a new one as most VR headsets don’t last very long.

So unless you need to use a VR headset every day, there’s no reason to buy one.

14. 3D Printers

For people who need a 3D printer to complete a short-term project but don’t have the budget to purchase one, renting is the way to go. Here are three things you should know about renting a 3D printer:

1. You can rent a 3D printer for as little as $50 per week.

2. You can not get the printer for just a few hours or even a day — the minimum time is one week.

3. Most companies that rent out 3D printers require you to make a deposit that is refunded as long as the printer is returned in its original condition.

15. Drones

Unless you plan to use a drone every day, there’s no reason to buy one. It will be money down the drain because the drone will just sit around a corner of your home collecting dust.

Renting a drone, on the other hand, is a great option for all purposes. For instance, if you want to learn about flying a drone or just want to have a little fun with it, a rented drone could accomplish that for a fraction of the purchase price.

Some other purposes a rented drone can serve are:

● Keeping an eye on your property from a bird’s eye view

● Taking pictures of your home from above that you can show to potential buyers

● Capturing the beauty of your hiking experience in the high mountains and rugged terrains

Find a variety of items for rent at Rent4Me. Available in several countries across the world, it’s easier than ever to rent items whether you’re traveling or at home!

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