Guide
Refurbished, without the guesswork.
Everything you should know before buying refurbished: what the label guarantees, where warranties differ, and when new or used is the better call.
Refurbished, explained
What “refurbished” actually means.
Refurbished is not the same as used. Before resale, every certified refurbished device goes through a professional process. That is what you pay the small premium over a private sale for.
- 1 · Inspection. Every device is checked for defects: battery health, screen, ports, logic board.
- 2 · Repair. Faulty components are replaced with working parts before the device is resold.
- 3 · Deep cleaning. Exterior and internals are cleaned; data from the previous owner is fully wiped.
- 4 · Functional testing. Full test run confirming that every feature works, not just that it turns on.
- 5 · Cosmetic grading. The device gets a visible-condition grade (A/B/C) so you know what to expect.
Warranty & returns
Every source promises something different.
Warranty length and return windows are where refurbished sources differ the most, and the numbers are easy to miss in the fine print. Fyndl surfaces them next to every offer.
| Source | Warranty | Returns |
|---|---|---|
| asgoodasnew | 30 months minimum | 30 days |
| ESM Computer | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| it-versand.com | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| Alternate Outlet | 2 years minimum | 14 days |
| Maconline | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| HardwareHexe | 2 years minimum | 14 days |
| Computer Outlet 24 | 2 years minimum | varies by seller |
| Apple Zertifiziert Refurbished | 1 year minimum | varies by seller |
| Microsoft Certified Refurbished | 1 year minimum | varies by seller |
| ASUS Refurbished | varies by seller | 30 days |
| ONE.de Refurbished IT | 1 year minimum | varies by seller |
| Janado | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| Handingo | 2 years minimum | 30 days |
| mobilshop3000 | 3 years minimum | 30 days |
| Notebookgalerie | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| horch und guck | varies by seller | varies by seller |
| eBay Refurbished-Programm | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| refurbed | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| Back Market | 1 year minimum | 30 days |
| rebuy | 3 years minimum | 21 days |
| Amazon Renewed | 1 year minimum | varies by seller |
| Independent refurbishers | 30 days to 1 year, varies | varies |
| Private used sale | none | none |
Refurbished warranties cover hardware defects: battery, screen, logic board, connectivity. Accidental damage and the cosmetic wear of the stated grade are not covered. Details always per the individual seller.
New vs. refurbished vs. used
Three ways to buy the same device.
- New. Full price, full manufacturer warranty and the footprint of new production: a new MacBook costs roughly 200-400 kg of CO2 to make.
- Refurbished. Typically 15-40% below new (up to 75% on older models), professionally tested and repaired, and covered by a warranty.
- Used. Often the cheapest, but sold as-is: no testing, no warranty, no return window.
Ready to compare real offers?
Fyndl puts price, condition grade, warranty, and source side by side, ranked and explained.