A refurbished device is one that has been used, returned, repaired or cleaned, and sold again. It is usually cheaper than new (sometimes 30-50% cheaper) and often comes with a warranty. Despite this, many people assume refurbished means unreliable.
The reality is more nuanced. Some refurbished devices are excellent value. Others are not worth the savings.
The categories of refurbished
Manufacturer refurbished. The manufacturer took back a used device, tested it, replaced failed components, and resells it. Usually the most reliable category.
Certified refurbished from a carrier or retailer. Verizon, Currys, or other companies did the same. Usually reliable, sometimes less thorough than manufacturer refurbished.
Refurbished from a third party. A reseller bought used devices, tested them, and resells them. This varies wildly in quality.
Secondhand private sale. Someone sold you their old device. No testing, no warranty. Avoid unless you know the person.
Manufacturer refurbished is always preferred. You want someone who knows the product doing the refurbishment.
What’s worth buying refurbished
Phones and tablets. Apple refurbished iPhones are excellent value. A two-year-old iPhone refurbished often has better quality than a new budget phone. Carrier refurbished is OK, third-party is less reliable.
Laptops. Business-grade laptops refurbished are often better value than consumer laptops new. The warranty is the deciding factor. A business laptop with a two-year warranty is a good buy.
Storage and hard drives. These either work or they don’t. Testing catches failures. Refurbished is fine if it comes with a warranty.
Large appliances. Washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers. These are usually expensive and often have long warranties on refurbished units.
Cameras. Either they work or they don’t. Shutter count is important (lower is better). A refurbished camera with low shutter count can be excellent value.
What’s not worth buying refurbished
Batteries. A refurbished battery is just a used battery. If battery health matters (and it does for phones), buy new.
Thermal paste and cooling paste. If you are replacing these, buy new.
Cheap consumer electronics. A refurbished £30 device is not much cheaper than a new one. Not worth the risk.
Anything without a warranty. If it comes with no warranty, the seller is already saying they don’t stand behind it.
Anything older than five years. For phones and laptops, components are aging and may fail soon.
Checking the quality
Ask about the refurbishment process. What was tested? What was replaced? Legitimate sellers explain this. Dodgy sellers dodge the question.
Check shutter count or battery health if applicable. For cameras, lower shutter count is better (fewer clicks means less use). For devices with batteries, ask about health. If they won’t say, walk away.
Read reviews. Third-party refurbishers often have reviews on major retailers. Read a lot of them.
Check the warranty. At minimum, 12 months for electronics. More is better. If they offer no warranty or a 30-day warranty, they are not confident in the quality.
Verify the seller. Is it the manufacturer, a carrier, an established reseller, or someone on an auction site? Establish seller with good reputation is safer.
Look for “like new” description. Most devices will describe their condition: like new, excellent, good, fair. Like new is usually genuine. Fair is not worth the money.
The price check
A refurbished device should be 20-40% cheaper than new. If it is more than that, it is priced too high. If it is less, something might be wrong.
Compare the price to a year-old new model at a discount. Sometimes buying a older model new is better value than buying that model refurbished.
The long-term math
A refurbished phone with a two-year warranty costs £300. A new phone costs £600. In two years, the refurbished phone is probably needing replacement. The new phone still has two years of life (probably four years total). The new phone is better value over four years even though it costs more upfront.
For five-year devices, refurbished often wins. A refurbished business laptop that lasts five years is great value compared to a consumer laptop that lasts three.
Where to buy
Manufacturer. Apple, Samsung, and others have refurbished sections on their sites. Highest quality, slightly expensive, good warranties.
Carriers and major retailers. Verizon, Currys, John Lewis. Decent quality, reasonable prices, reliable.
Established resellers. Amazon Renewed, eBay stores with thousands of reviews. Varies widely. Read reviews.
Local refurbishers. If you have a local computer repair shop that refurbishes devices, they often provide good value and you can inspect the device.
Avoid: Marketplace sellers with few reviews, eBay auctions from random people, devices from unclear origin.
The risk
A refurbished device failed once already (why it was returned), was repaired, and is being sold again. There is a higher failure risk than a new device. The warranty mitigates this risk.
With a good warranty, the risk is manageable. Without one, it is not.
The realistic outcome
Refurbished electronics are a reasonable choice if:
- It is from a trusted seller or the manufacturer
- It comes with at least a 12-month warranty
- The price is 20-40% below new
- The product category is worth buying used (phones yes, batteries no)
- You are willing to accept slightly higher risk
If all of those are true, refurbished often saves significant money without sacrificing reliability.