How to buy the best refurbished phones

While it's tempting to pick up a brand new smartphone at launch, savvy shoppers know there are bargains to be had in the second-hand market, particularly when you consider hefty price tags and underwhelming upgrades between models.

Buying a second-hand mobile phone can save you money and shop more sustainably. But it's important to understand exactly what you're getting into – and to consider important issues such as security updates. Our expert guide explains how to find the perfect refurbished phone for you.

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Best refurbished and second-hand phones

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Popular refurbished and second-hand phones to avoid

One of the most important things to consider when buying a second-hand or refurbished phone is how long the device will be supported with security updates. Apple iPhones tend to receive security updates from the manufacturer for at least six years from the phone's launch. For Android phones, this can vary from two to seven years.

Once a phone stops receiving crucial security updates, it'll be more vulnerable to attacks from data-grabbing hackers. We clearly flag in our expert mobile phone reviews if a phone is no longer supported – look out for a Security Notice in our reviews.

If you're buying a phone second-hand, you'll want to make sure it will still be updated for a good amount of time. Since smartphone update periods begin at launch rather than when you buy it, it can be very confusing to know what to avoid. The phones below are still popular in the second-hand market, but it's likely their update periods will end soon.

Apple iPhone 11

There are lots of Apple iPhone 11 phones on the refurbished and second-hand market. However, based on Apple's typical policies, security support could end in September 2025, meaning if you buy one, you can only keep it securely for under two years. 

Apple iPhone XR

Even older than the Apple iPhone 11 is the iPhone XR, and with this comes an estimated security support expiry date that's even sooner. We suspect Apple may stop supporting it towards the end of 2024, so we can't recommend you buy it.

Samsung Galaxy S20 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S20 5G is a flagship phone that's readily available on the second-hand market, but it was released in March 2020 with four years of support. This means it is likely to lose support as soon as March 2024, so we recommend you steer clear.

Refurbished or second-hand phones: what's the difference?

It can be easy to confuse a second-hand phone with a refurbished one, and some websites use the term interchangeably. However, there are key distinctions to be made.

Refurbished phones

These are sold directly from a manufacturer, retailer or reseller. Refurbished phones will look 'as new' or be graded by quality (details below), so you know what condition the phone will be in before you buy.

The price of a refurbished phone is often higher than a second-hand one, because the phone will (in theory) have been checked over by professionals to ensure it's in top working order and good physical condition. You should also get a guarantee or warranty of some sort, as refurbished phones are usually sold by a professional retailer.

Second-hand phones

These are often purchased directly from the previous owner, which makes the transaction that much riskier. Remember that the warranty is likely to have expired, as there's no renewal when a phone changes hands privately between owners.

You can get a great price on a second-hand phone, as the seller may not know how much their used handset is truly worth. Online auctions often result in low successful bids, too. But be warned – the handset may look visibly worn, and it may not come in its original box, or even with the correct accessories such as a charger or headphones.

Find out more about your rights when buying second-hand goods.

Second-hand mobile phone grades explained

Some sellers of second-hand smartphones have a grading system to help potential buyers know what level of quality to expect from the phone. While they vary between merchants, here's a general overview of what you can expect:

Even with these grades in mind, it's important to understand exactly what you're buying with a second-hand or refurbished phone. Read on to see what happened when we sent some second-hand phones to the lab to see how they performed.

What's the best grade of refurbished phone to buy?

Every second-hand phone has had a different first life, which means you're not guaranteed a specific level of performance. We bought six second-hand Apple and Samsung phones graded A-C from the retailer CeX, and put them through their paces in labs. 

You can see the results below – if you're looking to balance the performance of the phone and getting the best value for money, we recommend you buy a grade B (or equivalent 'good') second-hand phone.

Grade A iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21

CeX describes a grade A phone as one that's in mint condition, with its original box and all the original accessories, and this is exactly what we found. The phones and their screens were blemish-free, the cameras worked as they should and the battery matched a new device, according to our experts. The device's openings – like the speakers – were free from dirt or dust, so there were no problems to be found here. It also passed our durability tests, which means you can get caught in the rain without the risk of water damage. 

This all sounds great, but grade A phones often aren't much cheaper than buying new.

Grade B iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21

A grade B phone might not be pristine, but it should be in good condition with all the essential accessories. The grade B iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 had very minor scratches on their screens, device frames and camera lenses. The special screen coating on the Samsung phone had also degraded slightly, so you can see your fingerprints on the screen more often than you would on a new model. This wasn't extensive enough to affect day-to-day use, though, and the scratches on camera lenses on both phones didn't affect camera quality. 

The iPhone reached 84% battery capacity of the grade A, mint-condition model, which isn't bad, and the Samsung achieved an impressive 93%. We found no problems with the durability of the phones. On the whole, grade B phones can be a lot cheaper than grade A, and shouldn't come with too many downsides.

Grade C iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21

Grade C phones might be at the bottom of the pile, but they should still be in good working condition. When we sent the grade C phones to the lab, results were variable.

We found the most problems on the iPhone 12: the screen hadn't been replaced from the original, but it was badly scratched and especially hard to read when in dark mode. There was dirt in the openings and in the speaker, so the sound quality and loudness levels were affected. The TrueDepth camera was faulty so both face ID and portrait mode with the front lens didn't work. When we contacted CeX about this, it told us we could return the phone and get a replacement or a full refund.

The grade C Samsung Galaxy S21 was in better condition. The cameras worked fine, even with minor scratches on the lenses, and the speaker opening was clean, allowing for good sound quality. The screen was only slightly scratched, but the special coating on the display surface had degraded, so you could see your fingerprints more often than you would on a new device. Luckily, the durability of both phones hadn't been compromised by any damage, so they were still water-resistant.

Both grade C phones we tested were delivered with a charger, but the wattage they offered was less than the phones can handle, so they took at least two hours to fully charge. 

What to check when you receive your refurbished or second-hand phone

Carry out these checks in the shop, or as soon as you get your hands on your second-hand phone, to make sure it's working as it should. Second-hand phones usually come with a warranty of 12-24 months, which should cover technical faults. If anything on your phone isn't working as it should, contact the retailer for a replacement, repair or refund.

• Do all the cameras work? Check that the front-facing and rear cameras are working, as well software features such as zooming in and out and camera modes.
• Do the security and unlock features work? If your phone offers a fingerprint sensor or face recognition to unlock your phone, make sure you can set them up and use them reliably. If they don't work, there could be a problem with a sensor or camera lens.
• Has the phone come with all the accessories it should have, and are they working properly? Some phones should come with a charger or earphones. Check with the seller that the phone comes with these, and that they work once you've got them.
• Are the ports working? There aren't many points of wear on a smartphone, but the charging port is often the first to go. Don't be surprised if the connection is iffy, and be sure to give it a good clean to remove any lint or dirt that may have built up. Also, check the condition of the headphone port if your phone has one.
• Are the buttons faulty? The only physical moving parts on a smartphone naturally lose that crisp, clicky feeling over time, which is a shame. However, it can become a real problem if your volume and power buttons stop working altogether, so be sure to check these still feel solid and responsive as soon you can after you've bought it.
• Check your battery. If you can, check the battery health in settings and see how long it takes to run out of juice in the first few days to make sure it doesn't need replacing. It's unlikely you'll be getting peak lifespan, but it should still be working well. Batteries usually aren't expensive to replace, so check if your phone needs a new one as this is unlikely to be covered by your second-hand warranty. Find out more in our mobile phone repair guide.
• See if you're insured. If you've taken out dedicated insurance cover for gadgets, check the T&Cs carefully, some gadget policies won't cover refurbished phones.

Refurbished or second-hand phone warranty

One of the big perks of buying a brand new handset, either outright or on contract, is that you receive both a retailer and manufacturer warranty as standard. When you buy second-hand or refurbished, things can work a little differently.

Refurbished or second-hand phones from a retailer

If you buy a handset either second-hand or refurbished from a retailer (such as Apple or CeX), your consumer rights are usually the same as if the handset was brand new.

You receive the retailer's standard warranty, plus basic protection under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. You still have a right to return your purchase within 30 days if the phone isn't as described, fit for purpose or of satisfactory quality. If you discover a fault within the first six months, it is up to the retailer to prove it wasn't there at the point of sale.

Even if you are not the original owner, you may also be covered by the manufacturer warranty, as this does not renew when the item changes hands.

Refurbished or second-hand phones from a marketplace

Marketplaces such as Back Market will connect smaller sellers with customers who want to buy a second-hand or refurbished phone. Depending on the marketplace, it might come with a warranty to cover software or hardware malfunctions. However, this is the responsibility of the individual seller to fulfil, not the marketplace website itself.

You will still get basic protection under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and you still have a right to return your purchase if the phone isn't as described, fit for purpose or of satisfactory quality. 

Second-hand phones from private sellers

Buying from a private seller (as you would do on eBay, for example) leaves you less protected. The manufacturer warranty may still apply, as above, but your consumer rights are slightly different.

The item you receive must still be as described to you by the seller – so a handset listed as 'new' must indeed be new. The seller doesn't have to disclose any faults, but they aren't allowed to misrepresent it, either. This creates a fine line: a handset that doesn't switch on cannot be listed as 'working', but it doesn't have to be listed as 'not working', either. Always be sure to ask the seller questions if you have any doubts.

You will not receive protection from the Consumer Rights Act 2015, so the six-month return window does not apply.

Where to buy a refurbished or second-hand phone

There are plenty of ways to get a bargain with your next handset without having to take risks or compromise on quality.

When you're shopping online for a replacement phone, make sure you’re handing over your money to a reputable seller. If possible, check the retailer's returns policy and also have a look at some customer reviews.

Popular retailers that stock second-hand phones include:

• CeX, Envirofone, Music Magpie, The Big Phone Store, Fonehouse, The iOutlet and Mobiles.co.uk are some of the largest second-hand phone retailers that stock various Android phones and iPhones. These retailers buy the phones, refurbish them if needed, then sell them on with a warranty. Each phone is assigned a grade, so you know the condition of the device you're purchasing.
• Amazonstocks a wide range of second-hand and refurbished phones, with many of the latter available through its Amazon Renewed store. This offers a guarantee from Amazon for one year from receipt. There's also a burgeoning second-hand market from third-party sellers (though some may be dispatched from Amazon itself, with free returns), so check the condition, seller rating and returns policy carefully if it isn't clear.
• eBay is home to plenty of used mobiles, and it also has an eBay certified refurbished store that comes with a one-year seller guarantee. If you're buying from an individual, check the condition and return policy carefully, and also look to see if it comes with an eBay Money Back Guarantee, which should make resolving issues easier. 
• Back Market is an online marketplace that's grown in popularity recently and it works in a similar way to Amazon. Smaller resellers use the online platform to connect with customers to sell their devices. Phones might be refurbished or just second-hand, but they should come with a year's warranty. Back Market says that it holds its sellers to a high standard, which have to go through mandatory verifications and some device checks. You're buying from individual sellers rather than Back Market itself, so it's important to note that any claims you need to make on the warranty are fulfilled by the seller rather than Back Market.
• Samsung Outlet gives you the chance to buy a pre-owned, Samsung-certified handset. Apple Certified Refurbished is the equivalent service for iPhones.
• Some mobile phone providers sell refurbished phones, like O2, GiffGaff, VOXI and Vodafone. These phones have undergone quality checks and come with clear warranties. You'll be tied into a contract with the network you choose, but this means you can pay monthly for your phone.

Find out the retailers that are rated highly by Which? members with our expert guide on the best and worst tech shops.