It depends on whether or not the manufacturer, as opposed to some fly by night reseller, does the refurbishing. Manufacturer, yes. Fly by night reseller, no.
My MacBook Pro was an Apple Certified Refurb, and other than being a slightly older model (about a year) and coming in a less pretty box, you never would have known it wasn’t brand new. It was a very high end machine, would have been about $3200 new and I paid about $2500. I’m quite happy with that trade off.
Bought my mom a refurb Vizio TV off of w–t maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Again, other than the box you wouldn’t have known the difference… the thing even had the peel-off plastic on the screen and the remote. Worked perfectly.
Bought a lot of other refurb stuff over the year and the only time I was even moderately disappointed was with a Makita cordless drill, can’t even remember the seller, but it came and it was obviously used and a little beat up. But it lasted a long time.
@tsfisch
I bought a refurbished Dell workstation a while back for $700. If new, it would have been over $3500. Although it is a little outdated, it runs like a $1500 gaming PC.
So far I’m generally OK with refurbs. Hell, even my cars are ‘refurbs’ … I can’t remember the last time I bought something that was a refurb that was a problem. Even the foodsaver I got here that crapped out before a year was covered under the warranty so it wasn’t any big deal.
(I would probably draw the line at refurb dentures… if I ever need them.)
After buying three things refurbished and only one of them worked properly, I am really leery of refurbished. I will only buy factory refurbished, if I ever do it, again.
My first purchase (Dec 1, 2006) on Woot was a refurbished laptop for my husband. That computer worked for years with no problem. It’s still around somewhere so he can play his Trains game.
@lseeber get them factory. you get the factory warranty. The good part about factory refurbs (depending on the discount) is that every one of them is serviced and inspected. Buying brand new you don’t get that service. Again, depending on discount
Refurbs are fine as long as you get a manufacturer refurb, or manufacturer approved offering the factory warranty. I’ve bought a Microsoft Surface 3, Linksys AC1750, Xbox One all refurbs from manufacturer and have had them for years with no issue. I purchased a Hoover 3rd party refurb at a local bargain store…3 months
I think we all base it on experience. My luck with refurbs is terrible. And not just me, the people around me too. My friend and I bought the same DLP (remember those?) TV around the same time. He bought refurb, mine was new at Costco. His ran through lamps like crazy, and eventually died several years ago. Mine is still going strong, and I rarely had to replace a lamp. Here’s my feeling: There is a reason something was returned to the manufacturer, and if it wasn’t obvious to them during the refurb, then they will just send it right back out “refurbished”.
I can count the number of refurb purchases I’ve made on one hand. The biggest was probably my Breville counter convection oven, and it has some little button eccentricities that kind of make me wish I would have just sprung for the new.
I’m at the place where the discount amount that makes me care is pretty much only available on durable goods, and I’m basically not buying refurb durable goods. It would have to be a big discount on a factory refurb of an item that wouldn’t be a major issue if it failed.
I stay away from most 3rd party refurbs. I bought a supposedly refurb bluray player from w@@t quite a while ago and when I opened the box there was no packing except a dozen Texas sized cockroaches (dead, thankfully). When I took out the player I noticed that someone had crudely scratched, in 2 inch high letters, “do not pawn” on the bottom of the unit. Now that’s a good refurb process! Oh, and it was DOA, just like the cockroaches.
I’ve had bad luck with refurbished items crapping out just shortly after getting them. I avoid them now.
@Pony Me too. Never again.
Don’t get the refurbished batteries.
@shahnm even if they were kept in the fridge??
@chienfou If they were kept in the refrigerator, they wouldn’t have needed to be refurbished…
I prefer new stuff at refurbished prices
How about actual used goods? Them’s my favorites.
depends on: who did the refurbishing > discount >> product
It depends on whether or not the manufacturer, as opposed to some fly by night reseller, does the refurbishing. Manufacturer, yes. Fly by night reseller, no.
If it’s a gift (to me), I always prefer new.
Thrift store, which could be used or new.
My MacBook Pro was an Apple Certified Refurb, and other than being a slightly older model (about a year) and coming in a less pretty box, you never would have known it wasn’t brand new. It was a very high end machine, would have been about $3200 new and I paid about $2500. I’m quite happy with that trade off.
Bought my mom a refurb Vizio TV off of w–t maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Again, other than the box you wouldn’t have known the difference… the thing even had the peel-off plastic on the screen and the remote. Worked perfectly.
Bought a lot of other refurb stuff over the year and the only time I was even moderately disappointed was with a Makita cordless drill, can’t even remember the seller, but it came and it was obviously used and a little beat up. But it lasted a long time.
@tsfisch
I bought a refurbished Dell workstation a while back for $700. If new, it would have been over $3500. Although it is a little outdated, it runs like a $1500 gaming PC.
@DVDBZN
So far I’m generally OK with refurbs. Hell, even my cars are ‘refurbs’ … I can’t remember the last time I bought something that was a refurb that was a problem. Even the foodsaver I got here that crapped out before a year was covered under the warranty so it wasn’t any big deal.
(I would probably draw the line at refurb dentures… if I ever need them.)
Only new candy corn.
Didn’t we have this conversation on Sunday?
@rtjhnstn https://meh.com/forum/topics/march-4th-goat-topic-refurbished
@rtjhnstn
/image glitch in the matrix
After buying three things refurbished and only one of them worked properly, I am really leery of refurbished. I will only buy factory refurbished, if I ever do it, again.
I like my goods like I like my fellow “rag-tag group of misfits” … (I’m not very funny, help me here)
My first purchase (Dec 1, 2006) on Woot was a refurbished laptop for my husband. That computer worked for years with no problem. It’s still around somewhere so he can play his Trains game.
It depends on the product AND discount.
New. The only way I would purchase most anything refurbished is if it has a heck of a warranty.
@lseeber get them factory. you get the factory warranty. The good part about factory refurbs (depending on the discount) is that every one of them is serviced and inspected. Buying brand new you don’t get that service. Again, depending on discount
Refurbs are fine as long as you get a manufacturer refurb, or manufacturer approved offering the factory warranty. I’ve bought a Microsoft Surface 3, Linksys AC1750, Xbox One all refurbs from manufacturer and have had them for years with no issue. I purchased a Hoover 3rd party refurb at a local bargain store…3 months
I think we all base it on experience. My luck with refurbs is terrible. And not just me, the people around me too. My friend and I bought the same DLP (remember those?) TV around the same time. He bought refurb, mine was new at Costco. His ran through lamps like crazy, and eventually died several years ago. Mine is still going strong, and I rarely had to replace a lamp. Here’s my feeling: There is a reason something was returned to the manufacturer, and if it wasn’t obvious to them during the refurb, then they will just send it right back out “refurbished”.
I can count the number of refurb purchases I’ve made on one hand. The biggest was probably my Breville counter convection oven, and it has some little button eccentricities that kind of make me wish I would have just sprung for the new.
I’m at the place where the discount amount that makes me care is pretty much only available on durable goods, and I’m basically not buying refurb durable goods. It would have to be a big discount on a factory refurb of an item that wouldn’t be a major issue if it failed.
Actual apple refurbs are better than new in my experience, the non-apple refurbs are worse than used in my experience.
I stay away from most 3rd party refurbs. I bought a supposedly refurb bluray player from w@@t quite a while ago and when I opened the box there was no packing except a dozen Texas sized cockroaches (dead, thankfully). When I took out the player I noticed that someone had crudely scratched, in 2 inch high letters, “do not pawn” on the bottom of the unit. Now that’s a good refurb process! Oh, and it was DOA, just like the cockroaches.
@beagleboy99 My first ever meh purchase was a refurb bluray player. It was 15 bucks and it still works.