Should I Buy a Refurbished iPad?

Thinking about getting an iPad but you are on a budget? In that case, you might wonder should I buy a refurbished iPad or a brand new one. No worries, we are here to help. Read on to know if it is worth buying a refurbished iPad and where to find them.

What Does Refurbished Product Actually Mean?

Well, whether it’s refurbished or reconditioned, this type of device is pre-owner. But, unlike buying a second-hand, which has no after purchase protection, choosing a refurbished device is a safer option.

If your iPad is factory refurbished or certified refurbished, then you can be confident about its quality and reliability. In fact, some of the pre-owned iPads may have only been used once. Perhaps, it was loaned for commercial purposes or returned by a customer who simply wanted a different model.

The Differences Between a Refurbished iPad and a New One?

Whether it is Apple or other retailers, you’ll probably get at least a 1-year warranty for your refurbished iPad (just like purchasing a brand-new model). Plus, all of the original accessories like lighting cable and adapter are also included here.

Unfortunately, the new box is not the same as the one that comes with a new iPad. And, this is because Apple wants to prevent people from buying refurbished iPads and attempting to resell them as new.

Besides, all refurbished iPads from trusted sources are in fully working condition and have been fully tested. Also, there is no need to worry if the iPad was returned because of hardware problems before. All broken parts are guaranteed to be fixed and replaced with new components.

Additionally, in case you prefer a longer warranty, you can still buy AppleCare+ for your refurbished iPad. It not only extends your warranty to two years but also allows additional technical support and hardware coverage for up to 2 accidental damage incidents.

Should I Buy a Refurbished iPad and Is it Worth it?

It is absolutely worth considering getting a refurbished iPad instead of buying a brand-new one. Even if you don’t buy it directly from Apple, there are plenty of retailers that offer refurbished iPads with decent quality.

On the one hand, refurbished prices tend to be at least 15% cheaper when compared to the prices of new products. And, if you’re happy with an older-gen iPad, we can’t think of a reason not to buy a refurbished one.

Here are a couple of tips for choosing a refurbished iPad:

Always remember to check the refurbished grade on the device. Normally, as each retailer will have its own standards, you’ll see your iPad is marked as Grade A or Good for example. Third-party retailers do this in order to help their customers know about the device’s condition. Grade A iPad should look just like new or have very faint signs of use. Meanwhile, lower-grade devices might have some minor scratches or wear.

Make sure the refurbished iPad comes with a warranty. Well, this shouldn’t be too difficult because most resellers will offer you at least one year of warranty. This allows you to get repairs if there are some issues with your refurbished iPad. On top of that, some companies also have good customer support and refund policies in case you are not happy with your device.

Pros and Cons of Buying Refurbished iPad

Pros	Cons
Much cheaper than buying new device. Warranty services included Money-back returns within 14 to 30 days	Refurbish quality can vary from retailers to retailers Difficult to get additional tech support Lower price if you want to sell them after purchase

Best Places to Buy a Refurbished iPad

Apple Certified Refurbished

This is the only and the best place for you to find a refurbished unit that comes directly from Apple. Buying from Apple Certified Refurbished not only guarantees your iPad quality but it also gives you the same one-year warranty. However, you will be able to find refurbished iPads at much lower prices from other retailers.

Gazelle

Gazelle was created to help you trade in or buy a used device with ease. This retailer not only has refurbished iPads but it also sells other refurbished Apple products like iPhones, MacBooks, and iMacs. Also, Gazelle has a certification and testing program called “Gazelle Certified” to ensure its device quality. From 20% up to 70% off, you can easily find really good discounts at Gazelle.

Mac of All Trades

For more than 20 years, Mac of All Trades has been offering good quality refurbished iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads. The retailer is a Google Trusted Store and it also has an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau.

The testing process is what creates the company’s reputation nowadays. This includes four parts, from unpacking the pre-owned device to a visual inspection, hardware tests, and cleaning the iPad.

At Mac of All Trades, refurbished iPads will be put through a 40-point visual inspection and then other components including screen, battery, GPU, and CPU will be tested. After that, the company will repair everything if needed, before labeling and ready to ship for you.

Amazon Renewed

Amazon Renewed is a quick and easy way of buying a refurbished iPad. Plus, with Prime subscriptions, you can take advantage of free delivery and save more money for your iPad. Furthermore, Amazon Renewed offers a wide range of refurbished devices. So, you can find tons of saving options easily here. The products here have been inspected and tested by either Amazon itself or the third-party seller.

However, because Amazon hosts thousands of vendors, so it’s worth doing some research before purchasing your new iPad. Therefore, we recommend taking a look at the number of ratings a seller has and their customer feedback first.

Which Refurbished iPads to Buy?

While it is crucial to find the best place to buy a refurbished iPad, choosing the right iPad for you isn’t less important. Overall, we suggest choosing the newest models or at least 1 or 2 gen behind the latest iPad. These iPads not only offer more features but also have Apple support longer than the older versions. And, as you might guess, it is also a bit more expensive. But, we think it’s totally worth considering here!

The latest iPad lineup includes the following: