Is refurbished worth it?

Updated October 6, 2026

A refurbished phone, laptop or console can be a smart buy — or a used item with a nicer label and a price that's barely lower than new. The word alone doesn't tell you which. There's no single standard: each store and seller decides what “refurbished,” “renewed” or “restored” means, what's replaced, and how long you're covered.

So the question isn't really “is refurbished worth it?” It's “is this refurbished item, at this price, worth it?” Here's how to answer that in a few minutes.

What the big programs actually promise

These are each company's own descriptions. Read the listing too — terms can change, and marketplace sellers may add their own.

Apple Certified Refurbished

• Refurbished iPhones and other iOS devices come with a new battery and outer shell. (Apple)
• Every device includes all accessories, cables and operating system, and goes through full functional testing. (Apple)
• A one-year limited warranty, with AppleCare available to buy, plus free delivery and returns. (Apple)
• Apple lists the savings as up to 15%. (Apple)

Amazon Renewed

• Products are “professionally-inspected and tested by a third-party company,” in Amazon's words — not by Amazon or by the brand. (Amazon)
• When Amazon announced the Amazon Renewed Guarantee, it described it as a 90-day window to return an item for a replacement or refund. (Amazon) Check the current guarantee and the seller's name on the listing before you buy.

Walmart Restored

• Walmart says Restored items are “professionally inspected, cleaned, and repaired to work like new” through a multi-point inspection, with 90-day returns and a warranty. (Walmart)
• Restored items range “from premium to fair condition.” Restored Premium goes through a more detailed inspection and restoration, often including cosmetic improvements. (Walmart) The page doesn't spell out the warranty length, so check the listing.

Best Buy open-box

• Open-box isn't the same as refurbished — open-box items are sold graded by condition. Best Buy's grades: Excellent “works and looks like new” with all original parts and packaging (or a suitable replacement); Good may have minor scratches or dents and be missing non-essential parts or packaging; Fair may have larger dents or scratches and be missing parts and accessories. All are restored to factory settings. (Best Buy)
• Best Buy says open-box items carry the same manufacturer warranty as new, and the same return policy as new items. (Best Buy)

Refurbished, used or open-box: the quick difference

• Refurbished (also “renewed,” “restored”): inspected, repaired if needed, and resold, usually with some warranty. Who did the work matters — the manufacturer, the store, or a third-party company.
• Open-box: an item that's been taken out of its box, sold at a discount and graded by condition (at Best Buy: Excellent, Good or Fair).
• Used / pre-owned: sold as it is. Unless a seller offers a warranty, you may be buying “as is.” The FTC says sellers can disclaim the usual implied warranties by marking an item “as is,” where state law allows it. (FTC)

Is the discount big enough?

This is where most refurbished “deals” fall apart. A refurbished price is only good compared with two other numbers you can check today:

1. What the same model costs new right now at major retailers — not its original list price. The FTC's pricing guides note that list prices are often not what items actually sell for. (FTC, 16 CFR 233.3) A refurbished laptop at 15% under launch price isn't a deal if the new one is on sale for less.
2. What it sells for used. If a used one in good shape sells for far less, you're paying the difference for the warranty and the inspection. That can be worth it — just know what you're paying for. Our guide to checking what something is worth used walks through it.

A simple rule: the closer a refurbished price gets to the new price, the stronger the warranty and return window should be. A small discount with a one-year manufacturer warranty can make sense; a small discount from an unknown seller with 30 days of cover usually doesn't.

Six things to check on the listing

1. Who refurbished it — the manufacturer, the store, or a third party you've never heard of.
2. The warranty: how long, and who honors it. The FTC says that whenever there's a warranty, the law requires it to be available for you to read before you buy. (FTC)
3. The return window, and who pays return shipping.
4. The battery, for phones, laptops and earbuds. Apple replaces it on refurbished iOS devices; elsewhere, look for a stated battery condition. (Apple)
5. The exact model: storage size, generation, and for phones whether it's unlocked or tied to a carrier. A great price on last year's model or the smaller storage tier isn't a great price on the one you wanted.
6. What's in the box: charger, cables, accessories. Missing parts are a hidden cost.

When refurbished is usually worth it

Refurbished tends to make the most sense for electronics that hold their value and where a warranty matters — phones, tablets, laptops, game consoles, smart speakers — bought from a program with a real warranty and an easy return. It makes less sense when the discount is small, the warranty is short or unclear, or the item is something that wears out with use and can't be inspected well.

Common questions

Is Apple Certified Refurbished as good as new?

Apple says its refurbished iPhones and other iOS devices come with a new battery and outer shell, all accessories and cables, full functional testing and a one-year limited warranty. Apple lists the savings as up to 15% off, so compare that with what the same model costs new elsewhere today.

Is Amazon Renewed the same as refurbished?

Amazon Renewed is Amazon's store for refurbished products. Amazon says the items are inspected and tested by a third-party company, not by Amazon or the brand, and backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee, which it described as a 90-day window to return the item for a replacement or refund. Check the listing for the seller and current terms.

Is open-box the same as refurbished?

No. Open-box items are graded by their condition rather than refurbished. Best Buy grades open-box items Excellent, Good or Fair, and says they carry the same manufacturer warranty as new. Refurbished means the item was inspected and repaired before resale.

Related: what's it worth used? and how to tell if a sale is actually a good deal.

Sources

• Apple — About Apple Certified Refurbished products
• Apple — Apple Certified Refurbished
• Amazon — Amazon Renewed: like-new products with a guarantee (October 2020)
• Walmart — Walmart Restored
• Best Buy — Open-box items at Best Buy
• Federal Trade Commission — Warranties
• Federal Trade Commission — Guides Against Deceptive Pricing, 16 CFR Part 233

Price AI isn't affiliated with Apple, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy or any other retailer. Program names are trademarks of their owners.

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