Refurbished tablets: get a cheap iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Fire and more

Here’s how to get a top of the range tablet for less.

There’s still an air of the luxury item about the tablet - while most can’t live without a smartphone, and a laptop is seen as essential for work, the tablet sits somewhere between the two and so shelling out the best part of £500 for one can seem extravagant.

In which case, buying a refurbished one for around half the price could be the way to go. Here’s what you need to know.

Spread the cost of a tablet with a 0% purchase credit card

What to look for

A refurbished tablet should come with a new case and battery, and any faults should have been put right before it goes back on sale.

You should make sure you know exactly what you’ll be using your tablet for. The key is to buy a model with sufficient storage space, especially if you’re looking at an iPad that can’t have its storage capacity expanded – once it gets towards its limit, performance will start to suffer.

There’s a good chance the tablet won’t come with the original packaging, or even all of the original accessories, but all should come with a warranty, so be sure to always check the terms, conditions and length of any manufacturer or retailer guarantee.

How much can you save?

 The amount you save will depend upon the make and model of tablet, so always check how much a brand new one costs before you go for a refurb – if you’re only going to be saving £20 to £30, it’s probably worth buying brand new.

The best thing about buying a refurbished tablet is you can get one with a much better spec for a lot less. I recently picked up a refurbished iPad 4 from Apple and paid £290 - a saving of around £300 on a brand new one and roughly the same price as an iPad 2.

Where to buy a refurbished tablet

You should first check direct with a manufacturer like Apple for a refurbished tablet as the quality of the renovation will be better and will come with a comprehensive warranty.

If you can’t find what you are looking for direct aim for a reputable retailer like Currys or Argos, or if you’re buying from an auction site, always check the feedback score, conditions of sale and whether any warranty is included.

Spread the cost of a tablet with a 0% purchase credit card

Don’t miss these:

How to get free and cheap cinema tickets

How to cut the cost of your Sky TV, broadband and phone bills

Become an Uber driver UK: all you need to know about pay, tax and your driving licence