Refurbished Devices

Question

What does HN think of refurbished devices?I recently bought my first refurbished iPhone and I could barely tell any difference from when I bought my iPhone from Apple directly except the minor decrease in battery health (90%) but it was barely noticeable.I see this as a win because of how much money I saved, yet, people I've spoken to regarding this tell me that they would never buy any second-hand devices because it feels cheap and sort of unsanitary?Is this is a common feeling?

jaclaz · Accepted Answer

Refurbished devices are just fine, when/if they are refurbished and/or properly checked/tested, it all boils down to the (good name of the) refurbisher and their guarantee/insurance (if any).
Buying second hand/used items (not refurbished) may be more risky, it is essentially an act of faith on the seller, but I would say that most people use their devices correctly so that they are in good condition anyway.
The "unsanitary" thought is something that never crossed my mind, but how difficult is to clean/sanitize a phone?

devonnull · Answer

My last couple or three devices -- phone, tablet, laptop -- have been refurbished and there's nothing cheap about them. As you pointed out, aside from a small drop in the capacity of the battery for each one, and maybe some barely noticeable wear, they've been fine.As for them being unsanitary, it doesn't take long to clean and sanitize a device. It's not expensive, either. To be honest, I thoroughly cleaned the three devices I mentioned after they arrived.