Refurbished laptops, phones, and tablets cost less than new, but how well each is backed depends on who refurbished it. Before you buy, check the warranty and the return window. Favor programs that cover the device for at least a year, like most new electronics, because a short warranty signals less confidence in the work.
Refurbished electronics often cost 15% to 25% less than new, and a model two or three years old in good condition can sell for about half its new price, according to the consumer group MASSPIRG. Consumer Reports found a refurbished 256GB iPhone 15 Pro Max for $699 in 2025, roughly $400 less than a new one. It also warns that non-certified resellers may use secondhand parts where certified ones use new parts, and that a phone can arrive with a cheap third-party battery.
Apple shows what the top tier looks like. Its refurbished iPhones get a new battery and outer shell, ship in a new box, and carry Apple’s standard one-year limited warranty, for savings of up to 15%.
Coverage elsewhere varies widely. eBay’s Refurbished program gives its Certified tier, sold by brands or authorized sellers, a two-year warranty and its other grades one year. Most Amazon Renewed items come with a 90-day return period instead, while Renewed Premium listings get 365 days. The length of that promise tells you how sure the seller is of its own work.
Before you check out, confirm three things. The warranty should run at least a year, which is what most new devices come with. The return window should give you time to test the device, and Consumer Reports suggests at least a month. On a phone or laptop, ask whether the battery is new or has been tested for capacity.
Once it arrives, test everything in the first week while returns are easy. Charge it fully, run the battery down, and try the cameras, speakers, microphone, and every port.
Save refurbished buying for the expensive gear you replace every few years, where even 15% off a $1,000 laptop keeps $150 in your pocket. Then let the warranty decide which seller gets your money.
Editorial & Advertiser Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser. Opinions expressed here are ours alone, not those of any advertiser. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. That compensation may influence which products we cover and where and how they appear on a page – including the order in which they appear – but it does not influence our evaluations, ratings, or opinions. We do not include every company or offer available in the marketplace.
Related:
