Is It Safe to Buy a Refurbished iPad?

Apple just released new iPad and iPad Pro models to follow up the latest iPad Air from earlier in 2022 and 2021’s iPad Mini. While it’s tempting to snag the newest model in pristine condition, you can potentially save a lot of money by going with a refurbished iPad instead. You’d be keeping more electronic waste from reaching a landfill, too. 

Generally speaking, something that’s refurbished — a refurb for short — is a used product that’s been tested or otherwise reconditioned by either the manufacturer or a third party for resale.

It could be something that was returned under warranty for a defect, or maybe its box was damaged in shipping or it was a retail floor model used for demonstrations. Going the refurb route not only saves money compared with new models, but you can also get cheap older iPads that might no longer be available but meet your needs. Plus, again, it keeps perfectly good tech out of landfills.

Still, buying something stamped “refurbished” can be a dicey proposition, because the word can mean different things to different retailers. What good is saving money if you’re just buying someone else’s problems? The key to getting a great refurbished iPad is to buy from a reputable retailer that clearly details not only what condition the refurb is in, but its own return and warranty policies.

In this case, the best place to start is with the manufacturer.

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Check Apple first

There’s a whole section of the Apple Store dedicated to its certified refurbished products. It’s a bit hidden. Just scroll down to the site navigation at the bottom of any page and look for Refurbished and Clearance under the Apple Store heading, or click that last link.

Getting a refurbished iPad direct from Apple is the safest and best option. The prices are good (around 20% off list price) and Apple puts in a new battery, gives each iPad a new outer shell and fully tests them. They’re put in fresh boxes with Apple’s own accessories and a one-year warranty is included, as are free shipping and returns.

You’re essentially getting a new iPad at a discount, and that is awesome. What’s not awesome is that you’re at the mercy of what Apple has in stock. Because supplies are limited and it doesn’t offer many older models, the exact iPad you want might not be available immediately — or ever.

More current models are your best bet, but even those can be hard to come by. 

The basic eigth-gen iPad is currently the least expensive option from Apple, though you may not see this specific model.

Apple/Screenshot by Josh Goldman/CNET

Then check everyone else

Here’s where things can get confusing. If you search for “refurbished iPads” you’ll turn up a lot of options — from big retailers Best Buy, Amazon and Walmart, to smaller sites that specialize in selling used products like Gazelle and BackMarket — and then there’s the shopping minefield that is eBay. They all have different standards for refurbished gear and have a range of return guarantees and warranties available for the refurbs they sell.

Also, while you might be buying it on Walmart or Amazon, that’s not necessarily who’s selling you the iPad.

Best Buy is the second-best buy

If you can’t find the iPad you want from Apple (and you’re in the US), check Best Buy. Look for models listed as “Open-box Excellent Certified.” It’s basically Best Buy’s version of what Apple offers, minus the new battery and shell. It includes a one-year warranty and is eligible for Apple’s extended AppleCare coverage.

The discounts aren’t huge, but it’s something. For deeper discounts, Best Buy also offers older refurbished iPads that are “repaired and restored to a like-new state.” A 90-day warranty is included and the refurb is also covered by the store’s return and exchange promise. The benefit here is that should something go wrong, you can actually go into a store instead of trying to handle things online or on the phone. 

Best Buy has four different classifications for the discounted iPads it sells in its outlet store. 

Best Buy/Screenshot by Josh Goldman/CNET

Best Buy also sells secondhand iPads, which are typically the result of the store’s trade-in program (so these iPads have been opened and used).

They’ve been inspected and verified to ensure they function properly, and they’ll be cleaned and restored to original factory specifications. But don’t expect original packaging or accessories. Confused? The details are all on Best Buy’s site. 

Go with Gazelle or Back Market for better selection 

Gazelle buys and sells all manner of used mobile devices including iPads.

Its products are “certified pre-owned,” which means they receive light refurbishment, including a 30-point functional and cosmetic inspection and a factory reset. The return period is a scant 30 days. Device protection for one year can be purchased when you buy, however.

The nice part of shopping on Gazelle is that it grades its devices — excellent, good and fair — so if you don’t mind a cosmetically imperfect device, you can save some extra cash. While Gazelle handles refurbishing devices for its site, Back Market works with third-party refurbishers it vets as well as directly with manufacturers for the devices it sells. All of the devices include a one-year warranty from the refurbisher and the site also has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Like Gazelle, Back Market has a rating system so you can pay more or less depending on the device’s condition.

Be careful with marketplace sellers

Amazon, Walmart and Newegg sell refurbished iPads. They also have third-party sellers using their sites to do the same. The problem here is that warranties and return policies can differ for refurbs sold directly from the store and those from third-party sellers.

For Amazon, stick with iPads sold under its Amazon Renewed label. To get this designation, they have to be “inspected and tested to work and look like new by an Amazon-qualified and performance-managed supplier who is either the seller of record, when that is not couponmatrix.uk, or a third-party vendor, when couponmatrix.uk sells products that it sources from third-party vendors.” Amazon Renewed products include at least a 90-day warranty and are backed by Amazon’s return policy. Finding this information for Walmart’s marketplace sellers requires a bit more effort: You’ll have to click on the seller’s name.

But frankly, you’re better off sticking with products sold and shipped by Walmart, simply because you can walk right into a store if you want to return it within your paltry 15-day window.

First published in 2017.