10 Everyday Electronics Worth Buying Refurbished (And 5 To Avoid)

Refurbished electronics are an excellent lifehack if you know what you're doing. You get like-new electronics at a steeply reduced price, and you don't need to wait for holiday sales to score a good deal on them, since they're discounted all the time. I've purchased several refurbished products over the years, including a couple of laptops, a smartphone, and several components for a DIY PC build. So far, I've had pretty good luck and none of the things I've purchased have gone haywire.

One of the reasons for this is because I know how to avoid common pitfalls when it comes to refurbished electronics. After all, not all refurbs are the same quality, and there are some rules one should follow when going that route. For example, factory refurbished is always the best way to go if you can find it. In any case, you can buy virtually any piece of tech refurbished if you look around long enough, so it's good to know what is and isn't safe to get. Most things are perfectly fine, but it's always worth checking.

A general rule for refurbished product is to not buy anything that has been inside someone's body, and earbuds certainly qualify. Sharing earbuds can definitely cause ear infections, so it's generally not a good idea to put one in your ear if it's already been used. This is one of many cases where it's not intrinsically bad to buy something refurbished, but it's definitely important to make sure that the refurbished product has been properly cleaned and conditioned before it reaches you.

So, if you're shopping around for a really good pair of earbuds and you want to look at the refurbished market, do your due diligence and make sure that it comes from a seller that has thoroughly cleaned the earbuds. Best Buy refurb models typically come with replaced tips and are sanitized. Some companies, like JBL, sell refurbished products and have it in their policy to restore and clean earbuds before resale. Even if you do go with a refurbished pair, a Q-Tip and some rubbing alcohol isn't the worst idea.

Storage drives are iffy to buy used or refurbished, and it's for the same reason either way. Mechanical storage drives have moving parts, and moving parts wear out over time. Most sellers will tell you that they test and verify that the hard drive works before reselling it, but you have no idea how much use the drive received before it was refurbished or which pieces were replaced, if any. Thus, no matter what, a refurbished drive won't last as long as a new one.

SSDs have a similar issue in that NAND storage has a finite lifespan. Thus, there is no two ways around it, a refurbished SSD simply won't last as long as a new one. Add to that the fact that some OEMs can (and will) reset drive health to 100% before reselling it, and it's simply impossible to know how old the SSD really is before it was resold. Like other products, some sellers do better than others, though, so if you find a good seller, then by all means, buy a refurbished storage drive.

TVs are quite expensive, and they're often the centerpiece of a living room for many years before they are replaced. Refurbished TVs do exist in the wild, and like most refurbished products, they have an excellent value proposition. However, like some other types of electronics such as storage drives, TVs can be tough to gauge in terms of quality because of wear. TVs have finite lifespans thanks to component degradation, and refurbished units rarely replaced every component before going on sale. 

How much this matters depends heavily on the type of TV. Research conducted by RTings has confirmed that OLED and Quantum Dot TVs can degrade or burn-in over time, and while modern TVs do better than older ones, it's still something to keep in mind when buying refurbished. There are ways to detect how long a panel has been used, but this information may not be entirely accurate on a refurbished unit. So, we largely recommend waiting for a big sale to get a good TV on the cheap, and avoid refurbished OLED TVs entirely.

Nearing the top of the list of tech that ages poorly is the humble router, along with other networking equipment. Budget models can lose software support after just two years. Since refurbished goods tend to be a little older by default, that means less software support out of the gate, which impacts longevity unless you're familiar with third-party router software like OpenWRT.

The other problem with routers and modems is cooling. Virtually all consumer-level routers are passively cooled, which means they get warm and stay warm 24/7. This can cause faster component degradation, which can result in a shorter lifespan. That isn't to say that you can't find a good, refurbished model. However, if you do go with this route, I'd recommend getting one with a USB port, and then buying a USB-powered laptop cooler. This adds active cooling, which will help keep the router cooler and improve its longevity. Also, don't forget to dust it every now and then to keep things running smoothly.

A common piece of advice you'll often run into when researching refurbished stuff is to buy factory refurbished items as often as possible, and seller-refurbished items as little as possible. The general wisdom here is that the manufacturer can do more to renew a product to like-new condition than an independent shop can, and that independent shops have variable levels of quality. In other words, some shops do much better at refurbishing tech while others may turn it on, make sure it works, slap a refurbished sticker on it, and send it on its way with no fixes at all.

In addition, factory-refurbished tech often has a longer warranty. For example, Samsung sells refurbished Samsung Galaxy smartphones, and each one comes with a one-year limited warranty. By contrast, the same refurbished Samsung Galaxy from a third-party seller like Best Buy usually only has a 90-day warranty. That's an extra three quarters of a year of warranty you get by buying directly from the manufacturer. So, if at all possible, get a factory-refurbished model for that extra warranty.

Smartphones and tablets are an excellent place to start from if you want refurbished products at a lower price. For starters, several brands sell their own refurbished products, including Samsung, Apple, and Google. They may be a generation or two older, but you can get heavy savings from something that is like new, and the warranties are much better than buying it refurbished from third-party sellers. We checked, and all three of the aforementioned companies offer one-year warranties, which is the same as that of most new phones.

Prices for these smartphones can drop dramatically when refurbished. For example, an iPhone 14 Pro Max originally retailed for $1099.99 when it launched in 2022. A refurbished model with the same 128GB of storage can be had today for $679. That's a savings of nearly 40% on a phone that Apple has repaired and repacked with its original accessories. Similarly, a Galaxy S24 debuted at $800, and can be bought refurbished today for $600, a savings of 25%. If you buy phones in cash, definitely look refurbished before buying new.

It is the general consensus to not get refurbished items that touch human skin all the time, but the smartwatch is an exception to that rule. For starters, the wrist is not nearly as dirty as an ear or other places, and it's much easier to sanitize a smartwatch without ruining it. That makes it a prime target for a refurbished purchase. Refurbished smartwatches are also pretty easy to find on the open market, and many are just renewed open box returns anyway.

Unlike smartphones and other pieces of tech, original manufacturers don't refurbish these items quite as often. Apple is the big winner here, as you can get Apple Watches refurbished that have been entirely repaired with genuine Apple parts and completely cleaned and sanitized with a one-year warranty. So, if you are shopping for one, the Apple Watch is the one we recommend.

Laptops are among the best items to get refurbished. The reason is that they have one of the largest selections of factory-refurbished products of any tech product. You can find refurbished models on sale from Asus, Dell, HP, Apple, and Lenovo, which means nearly all of the big players are present in the refurbished space. You just have to know where to look. This gives you the chance to get a good laptop at huge discounts, and most of the warranties are pretty good as well.

In addition to original manufacturers, there are a variety of third-party sellers that do refurbished laptops, like Newegg, that have very generous return policies in case you're not happy. For example, Newegg's Refreshed Guarantee gives you 90 days to test out and return the laptop if you don't like it or if something breaks down. Such deals are a little riskier since you don't get a full warranty, but as long as you're diligent, it's worth the risk.

Graphics cards are usually the most expensive component in a gaming PC. Thus, any chance to save a buck or two when getting one is generally much appreciated. When it comes to refurbished products, graphics cards are similar to most other PC components. You'll find these seller-refurbished from places like Newegg, Best Buy, and eBay a lot more often than you will directly from manufacturers, so you'll want to be careful and make sure you read warranty and return information to make sure you can properly test the card to make sure it works.

Believe it or not, eBay is the big winner here for refurbished graphics cards. Products sold through the eBay Refurbished program have at least a one-year warranty, and sometimes up to two years. This is far more than most, which usually offer somewhere around 90 days. Some folks are a little squeamish about graphics card use, but with a one-year warranty, you'll have time to investigate and return if you have to.

Video game consoles are a no-brainer when it comes to refurbished electronics. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo all directly sell refurbished versions of their most recent video game consoles and controllers for those various systems. The savings are reasonable, with consoles going anywhere from $100 to $150 off of their MSRP value. Consoles purchased refurbished directly from their makers also enjoy a one-year warranty, which is the same as a brand-new console. 

The same thing is true for controllers, as Nintendo and Sony sell refurbished models of those as well. These are widely used as warranty claim replacements, and my PlayStation 5 controller is among those. It works swimmingly, so this is something I would recommend to others. Xbox controllers are less available, but Microsoft does sell repair kits for those.

When it comes to kitchen appliances, blenders are high up on the list of ones that are okay to purchase refurbished. Several brands, including heavy hitters like KitchenAid and Vitamix, refurbish blenders and resell them with some pretty good discounts, and you can find others on sites like eBay, where you can get warranties up to of five years, depending on the seller and the product. Vitamix offers three to five-year warranties directly, so they're arguably the best kitchen blender brand for refurbished blenders.

The price savings are pretty dramatic for a refurbished blender. For Vitamix, you can get a reconditioned A2500 blender for less than the price of a brand-new 5200, which is a lower tier in Vitamix's lineup. Savings often clear 25% and go even higher for some models, like the KitchenAid stick blender, which is about 33% off. Blenders can last quite a long time if you buy the right one, and when going refurbished, the multi-year warranties help make sure that happens.

Going with a refurbished model is a nice way to save a few bucks on power tools. We may not recommend this for professional work, as those tools can take a beating, and a refurbished model may not last as long as a new one. However, for beginners, DIY homeowners, and similar use cases, a refurbished power tool can add to your collection without breaking the bank. It's a nice idea if you intend to buy a tool you don't plan to use very often.

The big reason to investigate this is the cost savings. Refurbished power tools often go for vastly less than their brand-new counterparts, as much as 50% off. The downside is that they are all almost exclusively seller-refurbished, which means a shorter warranty. CPO Outlets seems to be the best of the bunch with a 120-day money-back guarantee, so we'd start there. Of course, there are some tools you shouldn't buy used, and others that are simply not worth it, no matter how cheap they are.

Smart home tech is a sneaky good pick for refurbished products, especially if you don't want to spend a lot or don't mind an older model. Like smartphones, several smart home brands recondition and resell their own products, including Ring, Eufy, and Ecobee. As per the norm, you can get significant cost savings by going with a refurbished model, although by how much depends on the brand. Ring doorbells, for example, are usually around 10% off, and a good sale drives new versions under that price. By contrast, Eufy has several products that are upwards of 50% off. So, shop around.

In most cases, smart home tech lives an easy life. They are on all the time, but don't do much heavy lifting like routers, laptops, or game consoles do. Since so many smart home products are factory refurbished, that makes them one of the best product categories to get refurbished. They also have longer warranties. For instance, Ecobee warranties its refurbished products for three years, the same as new products.

PC motherboards are another excellent product to buy refurbished. The usual rules apply here, where factory-refurbished is more desirable than seller-refurbished, and once again, eBay is the winner, as its refurbished system requires at least a one-year warranty, and many products have two years. There are other sellers online, such as Newegg, that some people have reported having a good experience with, even if those warranties are much shorter. As per the norm, you can get some pretty substantial savings on a motherboard by getting it refurbished, which is a boon for budget builders especially.

The other, and arguably better, reason to go refurbished for motherboards is for older systems. You can find stuff for long-gone platforms like AMD's AM3, giving you one final opportunity to get a like-new motherboard for an older system. It's a little harder to find older motherboards with a refurbished warranty, but they do exist in the wild, and if it keeps your PC out of the garbage for a little longer, it's worth the hunt.

A few years ago, I bought a brand-new Nikon Z 6II camera for nearly $2,000. If I had been smarter back then, I would've looked for a refurbished model from Nikon itself, which currently retails for $1,200, and saved myself $800 on what I believe to be an outstanding camera. In any case, this is a mistake you can avoid by shopping around for refurbished digital cameras. The big dogs like Fujifilm, Nikon, and Canon refurbish and resell their own cameras. 

In terms of warranty, things are a little different here. Nikon and Fujifilm both have 90-day warranties, like you'd see on a seller-refurbished website, while Canon is the clear winner, with a one-year warranty on refurbished cameras. Either way, digital cameras are super expensive, especially for newer and higher-end models, and a factory-refurbished one can shave hundreds of dollars off the cost. That makes it worth digging around to see if the one you want can be had refurbished before buying it new.

There are tons of stories and myths about the refurbished market, and because of that, there is a ton of advice out there. However, I think I can narrow it down to three things. Don't buy refurbished things that were inside someone's body unless you really trust the entity that refurbished the item, don't buy anything that has a finite shelf life, and try to avoid seller-refurbished items with a short warranty.

All of the items above follow those three basic rules. Additionally, we chose as many products as possible that had factory-refurbished options, since those tend to be more trustworthy. From there, we added items that are commonly sold refurbished with longer warranties, like PC components on eBay.