Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld explores the best places to purchase refurbished MacBooks and Macs, highlighting Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store as the top choice for quality and reliability.
- Refurbished Macs offer 15-30% savings compared to new models, with potential savings up to $750 on MacBook Pro configurations while including genuine Apple parts and warranties.
- Third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Back Market provide alternatives, but buyers should prioritize Apple Silicon models over Intel versions and verify warranties carefully.
Apple makes great computers, but apart from the $599 MacBook Neo and $799 Mac mini, they aren’t cheap. Even if you’re happy to pay the starting price for a new iMac or MacBook Pro, upgrading the specifications—adding more RAM or storage, for example—can quickly add hundreds of dollars or pounds to the cost. The good news is that you don’t always have to pay full price.
You can find a previous generation Mac—and sometimes even the current generation model—on sale for less at Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store. U.K. shoppers will find their local Apple Certified Refurbished store here.
Apple isn’t the only place to buy a refurbished Mac. Many retailers sell refurbished and used Macs, but the quality, warranty, and refurbishment process can vary considerably. In this guide, we’ll explain what to look for, what to avoid, and which retailers you can trust, so you can buy with confidence.
We’ll also explain how Apple’s Certified Refurbished program works, how much you can expect to save, where else to find reliable refurbished Macs, and highlight some of the best refurbished Mac deals available right now.
If you’re still unsure whether refurbished is the right choice, see our guide: Should you buy a refurbished Mac? Pros, cons, savings, and what to avoid, which compares refurbished Macs with buying new or secondhand.
Best place to buy a refurbished Mac: Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store
Apple
The best place to buy a refurbished Mac is the Apple Certified Refurbished Store, a dedicated section of Apple’s website where the company sells pre-owned Macs, iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches, and accessories that have been returned by customers or used as demonstration models, then thoroughly tested and restored to like-new condition. It offers the safest and most reliable way to buy a refurbished Mac.
Apple’s refurbishment process is uniquely rigorous. Apple puts every device through a stringent process that includes full functional testing, thorough cleaning, and inspection to meet the same standards as new products. This means a refurbished Mac from Apple is virtually indistinguishable from a brand-new one.
The key benefits include:
- Full Warranty & Support: Every Mac comes with a standard one-year limited warranty, 90 days of complimentary technical support, and the option to purchase AppleCare+ for extended coverage.
- Like-New Condition: Devices are cleaned, inspected, and repackaged in a new box with all original accessories and cables.
- Genuine Parts: Any necessary replacements use genuine Apple parts.
- Avoid price-hikes: As of July 2026, the Apple Refurbished Store has become an even more compelling option due to recent price hikes on new models. Original pricing has been preserved on refurbished models, allowing you to effectively sidestep the recent $300 to $500 increases on new MacBook Pro models.
Apple Certified Refurbished Macs are usually around 15% to 30% cheaper than buying brand new. You can save between 15–20% on recent models, and sometimes find deeper discounts available on older, discontinued configurations.
Best Mac deals on the Apple Refurbished Store
Apple
These deals change frequently so may not be still on offer when you are reading this, but the links will send you to the right place to look for what you need.
U.S. Apple refurbished Mac deals
U.K. Apple refurbished Mac deals
Savings checked: July 21, 2026.
Where to buy refurbished Macs
Apple isn’t the only company to resell second-hand, refurbished Macs. You could also pick up a refurbished and reconditioned Mac from resellers listed below.
We’d advise that you are a little more cautious if it isn’t Apple selling the refurbished Mac, and we recommend that you don’t buy a very old Mac, even if it has been refurbished.
These Apple Resellers and Refurbishment specialists who will also sell you a secondhand Mac that has been thoroughly checked over:
In the U.S.:
- Apple: Pre-owned Apple devices that have been fully tested, cleaned, repaired if necessary, and backed by the same one-year warranty and AppleCare eligibility as new products
- Amazon: Professionally inspected, tested, and guaranteed pre-owned Macs from approved sellers that are backed by Amazon’s Renewed Guarantee.
- Back Market: Online marketplace that connects buyers with vetted third-party refurbishers selling professionally tested used Macs at discounted prices, backed by a 12-month warranty.
- Best Buy: Best Buy offers refurbished Macs that have been inspected, tested and restored to full working order. Limited warranty and return policy.
- Gainsaver: Professionally refurbished Macs that are thoroughly tested, cleaned, repaired. Can be customized with upgraded RAM, storage, and macOS versions. Backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee and warranties.
- OWC: Offers refurbished macs that are professionally tested, restored and backed by a warranty.
- Mac Of All Trades: Professionally refurbished Apple Macs, iPads and accessories, including a warranty.
- Refurb.me: A price-comparison website that helps you find and compare refurbished Apple products from Apple and other refurbishers, with alerts when your chosen configuration becomes available.
In the U.K.:
- Apple: Pre-owned Apple devices that have been fully tested, cleaned, repaired if necessary, and backed by the same one-year warranty and AppleCare eligibility as new products
- Amazon: Professionally inspected, tested, and guaranteed pre-owned Macs from approved sellers that are backed by Amazon’s Renewed Guarantee.
- BackMarket: Online marketplace that connects buyers with vetted third-party refurbishers selling professionally tested used Macs at discounted prices, backed by a 12-month warranty.
- Hoxton Macs: A refurbished Apple specialist that sells professionally tested, graded, and warrantied used Macs, MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones.
- Laptops Direct: Sells professionally refurbished MacBooks and other Apple devices in graded cosmetic conditions.
- MacFinder: Specialist retailer that buys, refurbishes, and sells Apple devices, offering certified used Macs, MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads with a one-year warranty. Offers trade-in services.
- Music Magpie: Sells certified refurbished MacBooks, iMacs and Mac minis that have been professionally tested, repaired where necessary, graded by cosmetic condition, and backed by a 12-month warranty. In the U.S. they were known as Decluttr, but that business closed.
- The iOutlet: Refurbished electronics retailer offering a wide selection of professionally tested and graded MacBooks, iMacs, Mac minis and Mac Pros with a 12-month warranty.
- Mac4Sale: Sells professionally refurbished Macs and MacBooks, with devices tested through a multi-step refurbishment process and backed by a one-year warranty.
Buying a refurbished Mac: Check List
Foundry
Buying a refurbished Mac can be a fantastic way to save money, but there are several key factors to keep in mind to ensure you get a reliable machine. Here’s a checklist of the most important considerations:
Buy from Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store: If possible, buy directly from Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store. Every Mac is thoroughly tested, repaired if necessary using genuine Apple parts, cleaned, and restored to like-new condition. You also get a one-year warranty, 90 days of technical support, and the option to add AppleCare+.
Be careful with third-party sellers: Many retailers sell refurbished Macs, but refurbishment standards vary. Check that the Mac has been fully tested, any faulty parts have been replaced, and that it includes a meaningful warranty. Also confirm whether genuine Apple parts were used, as some sellers use third-party components.
Avoid Intel Macs: Choose an Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5). Intel Macs are reaching the end of their supported life and will receive fewer macOS and security updates. As a general rule, avoid buying refurbished Macs that are more than five years old.
Compare refurbished prices with new deals: A refurbished Mac isn’t always the cheapest option. Amazon and other Apple resellers frequently discount brand-new or previous-generation Macs, sometimes making them better value than Apple’s refurbished prices. Before buying, compare prices with our latest guides:
It’s not unusual to find a brand-new Mac selling for the same price—or even less—than an equivalent refurbished model.
Avoid buying from a private seller: A used Mac sold privately may be cheaper, but it’s usually sold as-is, with no warranty and no guarantee that it’s fully functional or free of Activation Lock. Paying a little more for a properly refurbished Mac gives you warranty protection, quality checks, and much greater peace of mind.
How much cheaper are refurbished Macs and MacBooks?
The price for reconditioned Macs on Apple’s Refurbished Store changes frequently, but is typically 15 percent less than the original price. As you can see from the prices quoted above, in some cases savings run to $750, but that’s on the more expensive configurations.
With Macs commanding a high retail price, the savings can make quite a significant difference, though.
Even when buying from Apple, there are trade-offs to consider:
Limited and Inconsistent Stock: You may not find the exact configuration, color, or storage you want. Stock changes daily, so you might need to check back regularly.
Older Models: Current-generation Macs usually don’t appear in the refurbished store until several months after launch.
Discounts Aren’t Always the Best: Sometimes, clearance sales on brand-new, previous-generation models from third-party retailers can be cheaper than a refurbished model, especially during sales events like Black Friday.
What if I have a problem with a refurbished Mac?
Ida Blix
If you buy from Apple you are in good hands. Apple states: “All Refurbished Mac models include full functional testing, genuine Apple part replacements (if necessary), a thorough cleaning, the original Operating System or a more recent version, a brand new box with all accessories and cables.”
More importantly, a reconditioned Mac or MacBook from Apple comes with a one-year warranty (extendable to three years with AppleCare protection). You also get the same sales and return procedure with Apple as you would with any new model, so you can return a Mac bought from the Refurbished Store within 14 days if you’re not happy with it. (But note you’ll have to post it back, as Apple will not accept returns to a physical Apple Store on refurbished products).
Not that we think you will need to return your Mac. We have plenty of experience buying from Apple’s Refurbished Store and have yet to pick up a Mac from the Refurbished Store and find it wanting.
Want to sell an old Mac? Here are our recommendations: How to sell a Mac or MacBook. You can also trade in your Mac to save money on a new one, including trading in your old Mac at Apple.
