5 Things to Know About Buying Used or Refurbished Tech to Ensure You’re Actually Getting a Good Deal

If I had all the money in the world, I’d buy everything new and directly from the company that made it—so I’d never have to worry about getting a lemon dumped on me. But with prices going up across the board, I’ve learned to embrace the classic motto “Reduce, reuse, recycle.” And when it comes to shopping for tech, that means buying used or refurbished items.

I’m not the only one making this switch. According to a recent poll from CNET, almost half of U.S. adults considered buying refurbished tech in the past year, including 57% of Millennials. While some cite moral concerns like wanting to reduce e-waste, most say it’s for budget reasons. And if you know where to look, buying secondhand tech can be a fantastic way to save money, especially as computer-memory and chip shortages jack up the costs of buying new.

Personally, I love shopping secondhand. My first iPod was a refurbished model, and just last week I picked up a classic 35mm camera at a flea market for a fraction of the price of a new one. That being said, buying used or refurbished tech comes with some risks that new products don’t usually pose. After all, while my first iPod still turns on if you plug it in, that classic camera took one photo before breaking down.

I spoke with secondhand-shopping expert Steven Athwal, founder and CEO of The Big Phone Store, a popular retailer for refurbished tech in the United Kingdom, to learn about the growing market for older tech. Here’s everything you need to know about buying used or refurbished gadgets, including tips on where to shop and what to watch out for.

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What’s the difference between used tech and refurbished tech?

Both used and refurbished products fall into the category of secondhand items, meaning that someone else has purchased and owned them at some point. But while used products are generally sold in the same condition they were when last owned, refurbished ones have gone through a process to make them resemble a new product.

“A refurbished phone gets inspected, tested, repaired (when it’s needed) and graded before it goes anywhere near a customer,” Athwal says. “Used means exactly what it says: Someone owned it, they’ve finished with it and it’s being sold as-is. There’s no guarantee of checks, fixes, warranties, repairs [or similar protections].”

Used and refurbished items differ in price as well. Used items tend to be cheaper than refurbished ones and much cheaper than new ones. Refurbished tech will sit nearer to the new product’s price. Just one example: Apple’s certified refurbished tech can net you about 15% off new, according to its website. For other brands, specific discounts will depend on multiple factors, including how pricey the original item was.

Another difference is who’s selling the tech: Used items often come from independent sellers who are trying to pass on specific items they don’t want. Refurbished items usually come from established companies that take the time to repair and certify the products before they’re resold.

What should you know before buying used or refurbished tech?

Both used and refurbished products can be just as good as new ones. But since they’ve left the safety of the factory that built them, any purchase comes with risks. Here’s what to know.

A device’s lifespan could be shorter

Modern devices aren’t made to last. As time goes on, batteries degrade, screens get scratched and charging ports clog. Even if you take perfect care of your items, chances are that a five-year-old phone won’t run as well as it did when it was new.

Buying a secondhand item means you’re already partway down that road. That’s especially true for used items, which haven’t gone through any repairs. Whatever flaws they picked up along the way will still be there. That could mean that the battery won’t hold as much of a charge or that the buttons aren’t as responsive.

Refurbished items are safer in this regard, since a technician has done work to fix major issues. This work could include replacing the battery or opening it up to clean gunk out of the hardware inside.

Quality will vary

Athwal says that not all refurbishments are made equal: “The quality entirely depends on who’s doing the refurbishing.” That’s why it’s important to do your homework.

“Ask whether the testing is done in-house, ask what the grading standards actually mean and ask what happens if something goes wrong,” he says. We’ll get into warranties more below, but Athwal says checking the seller’s warranty and return policies, along with buyer reviews, can help you decide whether it’s a good purchase.

And know that there are some issues that even the best technicians can’t fix, like a device becoming obsolete. There comes a time when all devices stop receiving software updates, and if yours relies on an internet connection, it will likely stop working altogether at some point. The older a product is, the closer it is to obsolescence.

Physical wear could be more apparent

Few things are as beautiful as a piece of tech in mint condition. But that beauty fades pretty fast. And the older an item is, the more chances it’s had to take on some wear and tear.

Again, this is more true for used items. Although it’s considered polite to clean a product before you sell it, most people won’t have the resources to fix issues like a cracked screen or chipped plastic. I once bought a PlayStation 4 on eBay that had a cigarette burn on it!

Any refurbishment technician worth their salt will take care of obvious damage. But even they might miss faults that are harder to find, like a cable that’s just begun to fray or a single dead pixel.

Warranties will differ, or you’ll get no warranty

If there’s an issue with your device, a warranty will let you send it in for repairs at no cost. But secondhand-tech warranties have different terms.

Popular refurbished sellers like Back Market offer an automatic 12-month warranty on all sales, with the option to extend it for a fee. But this is different from the official warranty provided by the manufacturer. For example, buying an iPhone on Back Market means that Back Market will handle any issues, not Apple. This doesn’t mean that the warranty is worse; it’s just different.

Used products, meanwhile, generally have a limited warranty known as “buyer protection.” This applies if you buy a product from a user marketplace (like eBay) but it arrives broken or doesn’t match what was listed online. The site you used to make the purchase will issue a refund if you can prove that your issue matches its policy. Individual sellers might have their own refund and return policies too.

The tech might not work at all

This almost entirely applies to used products. If you bought something marked as “refurbished” and it outright doesn’t work, either you got scammed or there’s been a mistake. Either way, you need to contact the seller.

It’s rare that someone would sell something online that’s totally busted, considering how much work it takes to put up a listing, manage payment and ship it out. But some people will throw listings up without checking whether the product still works. If they’re selling lots of items in a bulk purchase—like, say, a box of old video games—this becomes more likely.

Casual marketplaces are big on this, especially if they’re offline. During a yard sale, for example, the seller might just take all the junk from their attic and slap a price tag on it. The goal is to get rid of things, not make the customer happy. That’s how I ended up with a broken camera.

In some cases, the seller might mention that the product is broken … but in extra-small font or in a sentence buried in a larger paragraph. Make sure you read carefully before handing over any money.

What are the best sites to buy used and refurbished tech?

The first thing to know is that refurbished items and used items tend to come from different places. Established companies handle refurbishments, while individual sellers handle used tech. But wherever you go, make sure that you examine the products and the seller carefully before you make a decision. “If a price looks too good to be true,” Athwal says, “it usually is.”

Here are some great places to find both kinds of pre-owned tech.

The best sites to buy refurbished tech

Back Market: Probably the most popular site for refurbished tech right now, Back Market has a massive catalog ranging from phones to computers to audio equipment and more. It also offers a competitive warranty policy and a thorough refurbishment process.
Micro Center: With locations throughout the United States, Micro Center is one of the most reliable places to buy refurbished tech. Their repair teams are skilled, and the customer support is top-notch.
Best Buy: The retail juggernaut offers a wide selection of refurbished tech. When you’re browsing, keep an eye out for the “Geek Squad Certified Refurbished” tag—that means Best Buy’s experts personally handled the repairs instead of a third party. “Communication, support, and complaints procedures are all far harder to navigate when you’re dealing with a third-party seller,” Athwal says.
Official manufacturer websites: Most major tech brands have an in-house refurbishment team and will sell officially refurbished products for a discount. These include the Apple Certified Refurbished store, the Nintendo refurbished systems page, the Dell Outlet, Sonos Certified Refurbished and more.

The best sites to buy used tech

eBay: The classic online auction site is still a great place to find used tech. eBay also has a broad buyer-protection policy if you wind up with a dud.
Mercari: Originally founded in Japan, this viral marketplace offers deals on all sorts of items. Mercari also features a unique buyer-protection policy that holds your payment until the item you bought is delivered and you give it a rating, or three days pass after delivery without a dispute.
Facebook Marketplace: Meta’s community-based marketplace has become one of the world’s biggest e-commerce platforms. Unlike other sites, it puts more emphasis on in-person transactions; you communicate with a seller online but exchange items offline. However, its popularity also makes it a common shop for scammers. Keep an eye out, and remember that paying in cash means no buyer protections.
Buy Nothing groups: Facebook is also home to Buy Nothing, a massive collection of local groups where people offer items they don’t want anymore for free—including tech. There are thousands of Buy Nothing groups worldwide, so no matter where you live, chances are that there’s one near you.
Garage sales: Consider logging off to find a deal. If you live in a suburban area, it’s never hard to find a yard sale. And while flea markets are a great place to meet local artisans, large ones—like Connecticut’s Elephant Flea—also feature tons of used tech.

Is it worth buying used or refurbished tech?

Buying a refurbished item is absolutely worth it. If you’re buying from a legitimate refurbisher (like the ones listed above), there’s an overwhelming chance that you’ll wind up with a great item while saving money at the same time. And used tech can be fantastic, too, though with all the extra risks, it might seem like fool’s gold. “It’s the cheapest phones that are likely going to have all the hidden faults and end up costing you so, so much more in the long run,” Athwal says.

But not all used items are worthless. Personally, the first flatscreen TV my family ever owned was used, and it lasted nearly 10 solid years before giving out; the cigarette-burned PS4 I mentioned earlier might have been ugly, but I still played loads of games on it without any problems.

In either case, you have to be aware of the risks, read the fine print and make sure you’re buying from someone trustworthy.

About the expert

Steven Athwal is the founder and CEO of The Big Phone Store, a U.K.-based retailer specializing in refurbished phones, tablets, smartwatches and mobile accessories. He’s also an expert on tech repair, secondhand shopping and e-waste.

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of articles on personal technology, arming readers with the knowledge to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats and internet scams as well as revealing the best tips, tricks and shortcuts for computers, cellphones, apps, texting, social media and more. For this piece, William Antonelli tapped his experience as a tech journalist to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We rely on credentialed experts with personal experience and know-how as well as primary sources including tech companies, professional organizations and academic institutions. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

Steven Athwal, founder and CEO of The Big Phone Store; email interview, June 2026
CNET: “Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Have Considered Secondhand Tech, CNET Finds. Here’s What’s Motivating Them”
Apple: “Certified refurbished”
TechRadar: “‘Phone prices are going up and they’ll keep going up into next year’ — yet another tech CEO says the RAM crisis won’t end soon”

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