Buying refurbished and second hand tech

An incredible 57.4 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2021, according to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Forum (WEEE).

The global IT industry produces 272 million laptops every year, with each laptop’s production responsible for an average of 331 kg of CO2.

With pressure to upgrade your devices frequently, many of these devices are thrown away, but they could be reused, bought second hand, or be recycled, but instead many end up in landfill, with human and environmental consequences.

Buying second hand tech can therefore reduce the amount of tech waste going to landfill, and sends a signal to the tech companies that people want devices that last for longer.

What's the difference between second hand and refurbished?

While the terms second hand and refurbished can be used interchangeably, there can be a difference.

According to Which?, a refurbished, or reconditioned, item will usually have been professionally restored by a manufacturer or retailer to the closest it can get to ‘as new’ condition. Refurbished tech often come with warranties.

In contrast, tech items sold as second hand are generally sold ‘as-is’ by their previous owners, and their condition will be far more variable. They may not come with warranties.

We use both terms on this page, but if you want to be more certain of what you're buying, look for refurbished items.

Buying second hand or refurbished mobile phones

Second hand phones are widely available – giffgaff estimates that there are currently around 55 million unused phones in the UK. Look for a model that came out within the last three years, certainly if it lacks a replaceable battery, which is often one of the first things to degrade. Unfortunately, the majority of smartphones use a sealed design whereby the battery cannot be replaced without a complicated disassembly.

Beyond three years, battery life degrades quickly and you may be unable to receive software updates or install new apps. You have a little more leeway if buying a more basic model as there is simply less to go wrong.

Durability

A quick web search can reveal which models tend to last longer. There are also ‘rugged’ models, although they can be expensive. It is worth noting that while plastic casing may look cheaper, it is actually more durable than aluminium, which has a tendency to overheat and warp.

If you don’t need all the capabilities of a smartphone, a basic model (known as ‘dumbphones’ or ‘feature phones’) can save you money and last longer.

Buying second hand laptops

Laptops have a longer lifespan than mobile phones, so you can often opt for an older second hand model. However, the lifespan does vary depending on original cost. On average, the following lifespans apply:

It is worth ensuring that a PC is still compatible with modern software. Whilst hardware degrades quite slowly, the sheer speed of innovation can still render it practically obsolete within a few years. For example, support for Windows 10 will end in 2025, leaving PCs that cannot run its successor, Windows 11, vulnerable to security breaches and attacks.

Also ensure that there is a clean install of the operating system so you don’t have to worry about any files or settings left over from the previous user.

Which? have an informative article on what to look out for when buying a second hand or refurbished laptop, including how to spot good and bad deals.

What to do if your device breaks?

It is a legal obligation for companies to provide a warranty period. The cover usually lasts for 12-24 months but there are exceptions such as Fairphone and Teracube who have longer warranties for their products - our guide to mobile phones has more information.

Amongst laptops, ASUS stands out with a three-year warranty on some of its range.

Several companies provide care packages that include extended warranties at a cost. These can range from £5 a month to several hundred pounds a year.

Most companies will offer repair services beyond the warranty period, but these may not be cheap.

Repairability of tech devices

Unfortunately, many tech devices are not designed to be easily repaired.

iFixit is a company that rates devices based on their repairability. Fairphone is a clear winner as the most repairable phone, while Framework is leading the laptops list.

iFixit also offers free manuals and repair guides to help people repair their devices. And if you’d like company, the Restart Project encourages handy people to organise ‘Restart Parties’ to share their skills – see the Restart Project website for details.

Finally, if a laptop is definitely beyond repair you can still use its still-working parts. For example, an LCD display can be used as a stand-alone monitor. As Jessika Luth Richter from Lund University in Sweden says, “keeping devices we have in use for longer does two things: it slows the demand for these materials, but it also gives us more time to develop recycling technologies”.

How to pass on, or dispose of, phones and laptops safely

There will eventually come a time when your device is unable to keep up with your demands and it reaches the end of usability for you.

If it's still working but doesn't meet your requirements, look for a local or national scheme for donating usable devices. For example, the Restart Project is a great option for donating old laptops and phones, with donation sites across the UK listed on its website.

You can also try selling the device e.g. comparison website Freedom Mobiles lets you search for the model of phone and shows the price offered by re-sales sites. Freedom Mobiles state they don't earn commission from their recommendations.

If the device is well and truly dead, it should be disposed of properly.

Because of the hazardous substances they contain, electronic goods should never just be thrown in the bin. Since 2007, all electrical retailers are legally obliged to either offer their own free disposal service, which must accept goods that were not bought in the shop (Curry’s is one shop that does this), or, alternatively, they must contribute financially to the scheme of national ‘designated collection facilities’. An online search for “WEEE recycling near me” should reveal accredited local recycling companies which will safely dispose of it.