"Refurbished" is not a standard. Every store defines it, grades it and warrants it differently. The savings are real (20% to 50% is common) but only if you know what you are getting.
Best Buy Open-Box
A product a customer returned, or a display unit. Best Buy grades them:
- Excellent-Certified: looks new, all accessories, tested; comes with a Geek Squad certification and the full manufacturer warranty.
- Excellent: looks new, may be missing minor accessories.
- Satisfactory: visible wear, may be missing accessories.
- Fair: significant wear.
The return policy on open-box is the same as new (15 days standard, longer for members). The manufacturer warranty applies as if new. Open-box TVs and laptops at Best Buy are one of the best values in electronics, because most "returns" are people who changed their minds.
Apple Certified Refurbished
The gold standard. Apple replaces worn parts (new battery and outer shell on iPhones), tests, repackages, and sells with a one-year warranty and AppleCare+ eligibility. Discount is 15% to 25%. Full details in our guide "Is Apple Refurbished worth it?"
Amazon Renewed
Amazon's marketplace program for refurbished products sold by third parties. Amazon sets minimum standards (must work like new, no visible scratches from 12 inches away, at least 80% battery health) and backs it with the Amazon Renewed Guarantee: 90 days to return for a full refund if you are not satisfied. The seller does the refurbishing, not Amazon, so quality varies. Premium tier ("Renewed Premium") adds a one-year guarantee.
eBay Refurbished
eBay's program has tiers set by who did the work:
- Certified Refurbished: done by the manufacturer or an authorized partner. Comes with a warranty listed on the item and a 30-day free return.
- Excellent / Very Good / Good Refurbished: done by an approved seller, graded by cosmetic condition, with a 30-day return.
eBay Refurbished prices are frequently the lowest on the internet, because manufacturers (Dyson, Samsung, Bose, Lenovo) sell direct in their own eBay stores. Check that the seller is the brand, or a store with tens of thousands of positive ratings.
Woot Refurbished
Amazon-owned. Refurbished stock carries a 90-day Woot warranty unless the listing says otherwise. Cheaper than Apple's refurb for Apple products, with a shorter warranty. See our Woot guide.
Manufacturer direct
Dell Outlet, Lenovo Outlet, HP Renew, Samsung Certified Re-Newed, Dyson Outlet. Usually the best combination: the company that built it fixed it, and the warranty is often the same as new. Stock is limited and moves fast.
The questions to ask before buying anything not new
- Who did the refurbishing? Manufacturer beats authorized partner beats unknown seller.
- What is the warranty, and who honors it? 90 days from a marketplace seller is very different from one year from the manufacturer.
- What is the return window? If it is under 30 days, be sure.
- Is the "was" price the new price or the refurb list price? A "$999 → $699" on a refurb where the new unit sells for $749 is a $50 saving, not $300.
How we label condition
When the source tells us the condition, it goes in the title ("Refurb", "Open-Box", "Renewed"). When the source does not, we do not guess. For Apple refurbished we compute the discount against Apple's own "Was" price for the new unit, so the percentage you see is against a new product, not against an inflated number.