Even though we pride ourselves on offering the biggest deals on the newest tech, a responsible consumer knows that it's often better to buy something that's been around the block a bit. Refurbished cell phones — where the manufacturer takes a used device, replaces parts, and brings it so close to factory standard that you can't tell the difference — are a great way to reduce e-waste and get hundreds of dollars off the base price.
Here are some of the best deals you can grab right now.
Refurbished iPhone 12 Mini 128GB for $489 (list price $679)
Refurbished iPhone 12 64GB for $529 (list price $629)
Refurbished iPhone 12 128GB for $569 (list price $679)
Refurbished iPhone 12 256GB for $659 (list price $779)
Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro 128GB for $669 (list price $899)
Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro 256GB for $759 (list price $999)
Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro Max 128GB for $759 (list price $999)
Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro Max 256GB for $759 (list price $999)
Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro Max 512GB for $1,099 (list price $1,299)
Refurbished iPhone 13 Pro Max 256GB for $929 (list price $1,099)
Refurbished iPhone 13 Pro Max 512GB for $1,099 (list price $1,299)
Apple has a wide range of certified refurbished devices on sale, from the beefy iPhone 13 Pro Max to the sleek iPhone 12 mini in a variety of finishes. Every one of these phones comes with a new battery, a fresh outer shell and one year of AppleCare warranty service. If you don't want to compare specs, below are three of the best deals across the lineup.
(Credit: Molly Flores)Refurbished iPhone 13 Pro Max 512GB
When we reviewed the iPhone 13 Pro Max, we called it "the ultimate mobile content creation machine, with the best camera and longest battery life of any iPhone" and gave it an Outstanding rating. This is a phone that pushes the limits of what a device can do, with the Apple A15 CPU delivering lightning-fast performance for a solid two days on a single charge. A 6.7-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate is crisp and smooth, and this model boasts 512GB of storage for all your true crime podcasts. Save $200 by buying refurbished.
Refurbished iPhone 13 Pro Max 512GB for $1,099 (list price $1,299)
Refurbished iPhone 12 Mini 128GB
For something a little more portable, getting the iPhone 12 mini for under five hundred bucks is a hell of a deal. We gave it an Editors' Choice award in our review, praising its "perfect hand-friendly form factor" and astounding performance for such a little guy. The mini weighs in at just 4.76 ounces, making it comfortable to carry in a pants pocket all day. It doesn't skimp on features, either, with 5G compatibility and a gorgeous OLED display.
Refurbished iPhone 12 Mini 128GB for $489 (list price $679)
Refurbished iPhone 12 256GB
If you're in a Goldilocks situation where the 13 Pro Max is too big and the 12 mini is too small, you'll probably find the baseline iPhone 12 perfect porridge, especially at $120 off the retail price. We gave it an "Excellent" rating at launch in our review, and had good things to say about the improved camera with low-light performance, better network connectivity, sturdy build, and solid battery life. It's one of the most popular phones in the world for a reason. Throw in Corning Ceramic Shield screen protection and this refurb will last you a long time.
Refurbished iPhone 12 256GB for $659 (list price $779)
Check out all of the certified refurbished iPhone deals here.
