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Many of us simply don’t need the latest smartphones, and that’s true whether we’re talking about the newest iPhone, Google Pixel or even more affordable handsets. There’s a way to upgrade that’s better for your wallet and keeps existing devices in use, and that’s by picking up some refurbished tech.
The best refurbished smartphones offer a cost-effective way to enjoy recent features and innovations without needing to spend loads. That’s especially true in 2024, as upgrades in recent years have been relatively minor and we hold onto our phones for longer. You may find you're able to get a flagship device with top-notch specs.
Best refurbished smartphone deals
If you’re not after the top models, you should still be able to find a reliable phone for everyday use. This will all come at a much more affordable price in the refurbished market when compared to the hard-to-believe price tags on the newest versions.
Read more: What is a refurbished phone? | Refurbished MacBook deals | Refurbished smartphone deals | Refurbished iPad deals | Refurbished Apple Watch deals
The iPhone XR is still supported by the latest iPhone software, and it does all the basics well, with a great rear camera, Face ID, a big and bright display and portrait mode with depth control. You can find it for under £150 refurbished.
Sadly, Apple (or any phone manufacturer, for that matter) doesn’t make small handsets anymore. If you want a compact and pocketable phone, your best bet is the highly portable iPhone 13 mini. It has flagship-rivalling specifications and is now available for around £300 from refurbished stores.
The Google Pixel 6 (launched in 2021) is a highly affordable way to way to get Google’s fantastic camera tech from only a few years ago – it’s a super simple phone if you’re moving from an iPhone to an Android, as it has the cleanest and most straightforward version of Google’s operating system. Nowadays, it sells for under £200 refurbished, whereas it used to cost £599 when new.
Are you not fussed about all the best iPhone features and just want the familiar home button system for navigation? We understand. Depending on the condition, a refurbished iPhone SE from 2020 will set you back less than £150.
This is the first refurbished deal we’ve spotted on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip5 from last year – it’s an excellent foldable phone that’s easy to bring anywhere with you. It comes in loads of colours, has high-end specs and improves on the previous version with a bigger cover display, better camera performance and an upgraded processor.
Want Pro features for a lower cost? We’d say that many of the recent optimisations to iPhones have been iterative so you can get many of the advancements you’re after in the iPhone 13 Pro at a far lower price than the current iPhone 15 Pro.
The Google Pixel 7 is a fantastic Android phone released in 2022 that’s stuffed full of Google’s clever AI features, excellent photography capabilities and an intuitive interface. One worthwhile benefit? It’s guaranteed to get security updates until 2027.
Where to buy a refurbished smartphone
- Apple Certified Refurbished Store
- Samsung Certified Refurbished Store
- Back Market
- Amazon Renewed
- eBay
- Music Magpie
- Giffgaff
- Argos
- Raylo
What to look out for when buying a refurbished smartphone
Not all refurbished phones from all marketplaces are the same. In general, there are a few key things we’d pay attention to to make sure you have the best possible experience. Here’s what we recommend to keep in mind:
Warranty
Make sure the refurbished smartphone comes with a warranty, preferably from the retailer or manufacturer, to cover any defects or issues that you may experience after purchase.
A one-year warranty is typical, but you’ll find that you’re likely to get the best warranties from the manufacturer itself. Despite potentially higher prices, you’ll be best protected when getting a refurbished handset from Apple or Samsung, for example.
It’s also worth double-checking what the warranty covers. You should be protected against defects or issues with functionality, but you probably won’t have damage protection without extra insurance.
Return policies
If things do actually go wrong with your purchase, which can happen, it’s essential that you’re able to return the device and get a refund.
So, make sure to check the return policy of the refurbished retailer and the return process. It’s worth knowing exactly how this works, whether you have to pay for postage or whether it’s covered, and how many days you have before you’re unable to return a device that doesn't meet your expectations or has problems.
Condition
When you’re picking a refurbished phone, you’ll notice that each retailer uses a grading system. This will have tiers like “Like New”, “Very Good” or “Good” or perhaps “Certified”, “Excellent”, and “Fair” designations.
Either way, we’d recommend finding the page on any refurbished retailer’s website where it explains exactly what kind of physical and functional condition you can expect with each level.
Battery health
A device’s battery life will always diminish over time, so the life that you can get from a refurbished phone might vary depending on where you buy it from.
For full battery health, buy a refurbished model directly from the manufacturer – both Apple and Samsung put brand-new batteries into the phones they sell as refurbished models.
If shopping from somewhere else, try to find out the battery health percentage or at least check if the battery health is linked to the condition tier of the phone. Sometimes, a handset in a lower tier may also be one with reduced battery health.
Original accessories
If possible, it’s worth finding out if the phone comes with its original charger.
Because many are compatible with easy-to-find USB-C cables, this check isn’t quite as essential when hunting for a refurbished phone as it is when trying to make sure a smartwatch comes with the correct charger or that a MacBook comes with the right MagSafe cable.
However, if you’re buying a refurbished iPhone, you’re at least going to want to be certain that it comes with a compatible Lightning cable so that you can charge it!
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
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