It’s November, or as some people might refer to it, deals season.
Black Friday, the biggest sales event of the year, is taking place on 28 November. However, as usual, companies are launching their own discount events weeks ahead of time.
If you see a deal you like at the moment, you might want to hold off, as it could get even better as Black Friday approaches.
However, you don’t need to wait until later in the month for a guaranteed great discount on your smartphone.
All year round, you’ll find brilliant refurbished phones with huge discounts, making it ripe for a brilliant deal.
And while all of these devices have been previously used, buying refurbished doesn’t have to be scary. Major retailers such as Amazon have sold refurbished phones for years, while dedicated refurbished sites such as Back Market, Music Magpie and Envirofone all have thorough safety checks and clear labelling.
Another big plus is the included warranty, which guarantees that refurbished phones will remain fully functional for a year or even longer in some cases. That’s something you don’t usually get when buying a used phone from the likes of Facebook Marketplace and eBay.
Every refurbished phone is assigned a condition based on how much wear and tear it’s been through. You’ll pay the least if you’re happy to accept the odd scratch or scuff, but because stock comes from people trading in their old phones, the availability of specific colours and storage capacities changes all the time.
Learn more in our dedicated guide: What is a refurbished phone?
If you want to sell your current phone quickly and easily, it’s worth using Compare & Recycle to see which company will give you the most money for your old one.
Best refurbished phone deals in the UK
These are the refurbished phone deals that we’d recommend this month:
Luke Baker
Where to find refurbished phone deals in the UK (SIM-free)
Here are the best places to browse for a refurbished phone, along with any promotions you might be able to use:
Where to buy refurbished phones on contract
You can also get refurbished handsets on a monthly contract (and sometimes buy them outright) from network operators, including:
What do refurbished grades mean?
Each retailer has its own grading system, which means a ‘Good’ condition phone from one might be in a very different condition from a ‘Good’ phone bought from another.
That’s why it’s crucial to read the description of what each grade means on the retailer’s website.
Some start their grading at ‘Good’ (which means the worst condition they sell) and go up to Excellent or Like New.
Back Market
Others are more honest, calling phones with obvious signs of wear and tear ‘Fair’ condition. Just make sure you read descriptions of exactly what each grade means before buying, so you know what to expect from a phone in ‘Fair’ condition.
Refurbished vs second-hand or used – what’s the difference?
There’s a difference between buying refurbished and simply buying second-hand. While refurbished devices are technically pre-owned, they are repaired and reconditioned to work like new. Buying a second-hand phone, however, means you get the device as is, which means the lifespan may not last as long.
Refurbished phones often come with a one-year warranty, no matter where you buy from – in fact, we’d urge you to take a look at the warranty policy before you buy. Ensure there is one!
Read our guide to Refurbished vs Used, where we look at which is better and why.
If you’d still prefer to buy new but are on a budget, read our round-up of the best budget phones.
