Where to buy a refurbished MacBook or Mac

Buying a refurbished Mac or MacBook is a great way to save money. Find out the best places to get a reconditioned Mac and what to avoid.

Apple makes great computers, but they're not cheap. Even if you are happy to pay the entry-price for a new iMac or MacBook Pro, you may be painfully aware that for just a few hundred pounds or dollars more you could get a much more powerful model. But can you justify the extra spend?

Luckily you don't have to, because often you can find a previous generation Mac and sometimes even the current generation model, on sale for less at Apple's Refurbished and Clearance store.

It's not only Apple that offers refurbished Macs though. There are other places you can buy used Macs that have been refurbished, but not all refurbished Macs are as good as the ones Apple sells, so you should beware of the pitfalls. Luckily we will be running through the things to avoid in this article, so you can be confident you will get the best refurbished Mac or MacBook for your needs.

We'll also explain what the Apple Refurbished Store is, what price you can expect to pay for a refurbished Mac or MacBook, and other ways to buy a cheap Mac. We're also highlighting some of the best refurbished Mac deals available right now.

Should you buy a refurbished Mac?

We have an article dedicated to this question here: Why you should buy a refurbished Mac. But to summarise, there are lots of reasons why buying a Mac from the Apple Refurbished Store is a good idea. 

The Refurbished Store is a section on Apple's website where you can buy refurbished Macs and MacBooks, as well as other Apple products including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod and Apple TV.

These refurbished Macs could be models from a previous year, or they could be current models. A reconditioned Mac could be an ex-demonstration model used during Apple teaching programs, or it could be a unit sold to a customer who decided to return it under the standard sale-and-returns procedure. (Apple allows any customer to return a Mac bought from the Apple Store within 14 days for a refund - see Standard Returns Policy).

It's also possible the customer returned the Mac due to a fault, but that fault would have been rectified by Apple before the Mac could be resold. In fact, Apple states that: "Every Apple Certified Refurbished product completes a rigorous refurbishment process that includes full testing that meets the same functional standards as new Apple products. Your refurbished device is truly 'like new'".

In addition, each Mac:

• Will be thoroughly cleaned and inspected
• Includes Apple's standard one-year limited warranty
• And up to 90 days of complimentary technical support
• Comes with all accessories, cables, and operating systems
• Is packaged in a brand-new white box
• Is dispatched with free shipping and returns
• Can be purchased via financing options
• And can be delivered next day

The important thing to note is that Macs bought from the Apple Refurbished Store are not discernibly different from new ones bought directly from the Apple Store. All Macs bought from the Apple Refurbished Store are cleaned, checked, tested, and visually indistinguishable from brand-new models.

Reasons not to buy refurbished Macs

As you can see there are plenty of good reasons to buy a refurbished Mac from Apple. Are there any disadvantages?

One disadvantage that applies right now is that buying an older Mac will likely mean that you aren't buying one of Apple's new M1 equipped (or even M1 Pro/M1 Max equipped) Macs. This could prove to be a disadvantage in the long term because the Intel-powered Mac will not be as future-proofed as an M1-powered Mac. Read: Should I buy an Intel Mac.

The other downside to buying from Apple's Refurbished Store is it may not always have the model you're after. Since the stock depends the number of returns made or traded in, Apple may have more of one item than another, which is when you may need to turn to other retailers.

Another disadvantage is that the discounts you get from buying on the Apple Refurbished Store aren't always as good as you would get if you bought the same model from somewhere else. But buying from someone other than Apple can be risky.

For example, you can get refurbished Macs on Amazon, but these tend to be really old Macs and not ones we would recommend buying. There are various other places that sell refurbished Macs and MacBooks that we will run through below, before buying from any of them we recommend that you perform the same checks as Apple does, otherwise you aren't doing much better than buying second hand, which we don't recommend. Read: Should I buy a second hand Mac?

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:

In the UK:

• Amazon's Certified Refurbished Store - Beware that many of the Macs being sold in the Amazon Refurbished, Pre-Owned and OpenBox Store are VERY old.
• Hoxton Macs
• Laptops Direct
• MacFinder
• Mac 4 Sale
• Music Magpie

In the US:

Buying refurbished, even if it's not from Apple, should mean that the Mac has been inspected by an authorised Apple technician and, if necessary, faulty parts replaced (but we advise that you check this). Buying the same Mac second hand for less might look attractive, but it's not guaranteed to work. It's worth paying a little extra for a refurbished model for peace of mind. It's like buying a car from a garage rather than someone on Gumtree.

Just be aware that you don't have to buy a refurbished Mac to get a good discount are not equal. Amazon, for example, often discounts previous generation Mac models, so you could buy a fairly new model at a discount. The difference is that while Apple could be selling a model that had been returned due to a fault (which has been repaired), the other reseller could be selling an identical Mac that's never been used.

If you want to find a deal, check out our articles about the best iMac deals, best Mac mini deals, the best MacBook Pro deals and the best MacBook Air deals to look for the best discounts on new Macs and MacBooks. Make sure that the model that you find on Apple's Refurbished Store isn't being sold as new by someone else. Below are some Mac deals we recommend:

Best new iMac & Mac mini deals

Best new MacBook Air/Pro deals

Best deals on the Apple Refurbished Store

Now that the M1 Macs have been out for a while they are regularly appearing at the Apple Refurbished Store  – along with with massive discounts up to £230/US$230 off. Check out our full coverage: Apple's selling M1 MacBook Pros with £230 off!

Again, it's worth comparing whether other retailers are offering better prices for the same models when buying new. Amazon often has discounts on the M1 Macs; in fact, we've seen £150 off the M1 MacBook Air.

We're separately looking at where to buy all the M1 Macs (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini) along with where to buy the 24in M1 iMac, and where to buy the 14in and 16in MacBook Pro, especially as availability of many of these new Macs is constrained.

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. With Macs commanding a high retail price, this can be quite a significant difference.

If you really want to take advantage of these discounts, then aim high: you could get an amazing £680 off a Refurbished 27in 3.2Ghz 8-core iMac Pro with a 5K display. The pro iMac would used to cost £4,499 when Apple sold it, but you could get it from the Apple Refurbished Store for £3,819.

Again, keep in mind that stock is limited on refurbished models from Apple, and you're unlikely to find every style of Mac at all times. Other reconditioned Mac resellers might offer even lower prices than the Apple Refurbished Store, so it's worth shopping around – particularly during sales events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday or Boxing Day.

What's the oldest MacBook/Mac I should buy?

With the arrival of the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with M1, there are even more options on the market for refurbished Macs. If you're buying an old Mac, we'd recommend sticking to models released after 2015. Apple generally supports its devices for about ten years, so you don't want to swing too far back, lest you're prepared to upgrade again in a couple of years. See: How long does Apple support Macs and MacBooks?

Plus, if you want to buy a refurbished Mac and upgrade to Monterey, which is the latest macOS, you can only really go as far back as early 2015. 

Here's an overview of the Macs that will run Monterey:

• MacBook models from 2016 or later
• MacBook Air models from 2015 or later
• MacBook Pro models from 2015 or later
• Mac mini models from autumn 2014 or later
• iMac models from autumn 2015 or later
• iMac Pro (all models)
• Mac Pro models from 2013 or later

What if I have a problem with a refurbished Mac?

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 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.

Best refurbished Mac deals right now

Buying a new Mac at a discount

As we said above, you may be able to get a good discount on a new Mac that's not been returned due to a fault, and we'd always recommend that as the best option.

We advise that you seek out a certified Apple Premium Reseller. These are dealers and service providers certified by Apple for their expertise and quality. These can be found all over the world. If you're looking by address, UK readers can find their nearest Apple Premium Reseller via Apple directly, while readers from the Republic of Ireland can see the listings here.

These resellers will try to meet or exceed the service you'd get at an Apple Store - and prices may be cheaper then buying from Apple.

Some resellers may offer discounts on older Mac models shortly after a new one launches, so look out for bargains!

In the UK KRCS, for example, always has offers on Macs that you can order online, even configure-to-order models. Other online resellers include Laptops Direct, which offers iMacs as well as MacBooks, despite the name, and even high street retailers like Currys PC World occasionally stocks refurbished Macs.

Music Magpie is another refurbished tech seller in the UK that we would recommend. It often has excellent discounts on even the newest Macs and Apple devices. Right now you can save £274 on the 256GB M1 MacBook Pro (now £1024.99).

If you prefer shopping with a retailer that you're familiar with, then John Lewis offers a two-year warranty on all Apple products as standard, which is twice as long as the standard one year offered by Apple, and occasionally stocks refurbished models too.

Visit our one-stop guide to the best place to buy any Mac, either refurbished or new. You'll also like our round-ups of MacBook deals and Mac deals.

Buying a second-hand Mac

If you are buying second hand there are a few sites you can use, although we'd recommend you opt for new or refurbished as you will have better protection as a consumer. The other risk with buying second hand is if the original user doesn't dissociate the device from their Apple ID, you may be permanently locked out, rendering the device useless.

The following places buy and sell second-hand Macs include:

Buying a second-hand Mac on a site like eBay is a riskier business. It can be fraught with problems, but this is particularly true with high-value products such as computers. The old adage runs 'buyer beware', but sellers need to take precautions as well.