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Best refurbished Apple Watch deals to buy right now
You can make big savings on wearable tech
Many of our favourite Apple Watch features are ones we’ve used since our first watch from the brand, the Series 4. This includes things such as actionable health monitoring features, automatic workout detection and sophisticated sensors. Older models also still have bright displays, solid battery life, customisable watch faces and alerts from your phone.
While we may now be on the newest Apple Watch Series 10, it's worth considering an older, refurbished version that may be just as good if you’re not going to use advanced settings and features.
Best refurbished Apple Watch deals
That’s particularly true because some recent Apple Watch models have particularly “iterative” and minor changes.
So, whether you’re looking to track your fitness or just want a smart watch for alerts directly on your wrist, integrated apps, payments and personalised watch faces, a refurbished Apple Watch may be the way to go.
There isn't a lot in it when comparing the Apple Watch Series 9 to the Series 10. The Series 9 is still fast, reliable and very capable. Especially when bought refurbished, it balances features and price nicely, with the latest "double-tap" gesture and far more responsive Siri performance. We think it’s a smart pick if you want something powerful without buying the latest option.
Read our Apple Watch Series 9 review
Apple’s most advanced watch yet adds a bigger screen, slimmer profile and new health features. It’s ideal if you want the latest tech, and if you're happy to get it as a refurbished watch, you can find it for a lot less than buying it brand-new.
Read our Apple Watch Series 10 review
Don't mind missing out on an always-on display and some health tracking features like the ECG and blood oxygen monitoring? The Apple Watch SE from 2022 is a solid and affordable smart watch that covers the basics. It would be great as a first Apple Watch for someone who doesn't need all the extras.
Most people seeking an affordable Apple Watch should go directly to Apple for several benefits, including the original accessories, a fresh battery, a decent warranty, the ability to add AppleCare insurance and more. This small version of the current Apple Watch SE is the best low-cost route.
The Apple Watch Series 6 from 2020 still supports loads of the latest Apple Watch features including an always-on screen, sleep tracking, electrocardiogram (ECG) readings and water resistance. If you get one refurbished, it’s still a high-end flagship-rivalling smart watch but costs under £300 — far less than a new watch.
Not concerned about missing out on the always-on display and some of the newer health-tracking advancements in Apple Watch models? The 2020 version of the Apple Watch SE is an excellent low-cost option with many similarities to the newer SE from 2022.
A refurbished Apple Watch Series 7 still has many of the top features that Apple uses to advertise its latest watches, including its heart-rate monitor, sleep tracking, fall alerts, loud noise monitoring, blood oxygen detection and ECG readings.
The Series 7 also has a larger always-on display when compared to the SE, making it a tremendous overall pick at a low price.
There are only a handful of differences between the Series 8 from 2022 and the Series 9 from 2023, and those are the new chip, improved screen brightness, better Siri and the “double-tap” gesture.
Otherwise, they’re virtually identical and the Series 8 is still a worthwhile buy – it comes with additional motion sensors compared to the Series 7, powering its car crash detection feature that we hope you’ll never need. It also has a skin temperature reader for cycle and sleep tracking.
Apple Watch Ultra 2022 GPS + Cellular 49mm Titanium Grey (Refurbished)
Apple’s most premium watch model is the Ultra, and while there is a newer Ultra from 2023, the original launch is still a great pick for its larger screen size, extended battery life and durable titanium casing. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is relatively a minor upgrade over the first-generation model, so getting an Ultra for a much lower price is well worth it.
Raylo offers the chance to pay for your device on a monthly plan – while it does have refurbished devices to buy outright, it can be a great way to get a brand-new watch like the Apple Watch Series 10 here more flexibly, splitting the cost over 12 months.
Where to buy a refurbished Apple Watch
What to look out for when buying a refurbished Apple Watch
Buying a refurbished Apple Watch is a slightly different process to searching online for a new one or popping into an Apple Store. You’ll need to go online through either Apple’s refurbished store or a refurbished marketplace.
You must verify the standards of the marketplace to make sure you get a reliable device, and when you’re shopping around these are the key factors we’d consider.
Warranty and protection
It’s expected that your refurbished Apple Watch will come with a warranty. A one-year warranty is quite typical from refurbished product websites.
However, this will only cover functionality faults or defects, not all the other issues that could arise after purchase. The best possible warranty comes if you buy a refurbished watch directly from Apple, and there you get the option to add AppleCare insurance too.
Return policy
If things go wrong, you’ll appreciate being able to return the watch and get a refund. Check the refurbisher’s policies on this, as you want to have some flexibility in case the product doesn’t meet your expectations or if you change your mind.
Return policies vary, so check how long you’ve got for this and whether you’ll be expected to pay postage or if it’s something that the marketplace or seller manages for you.
Condition tiers
Every platform selling refurbished devices will have a grading system with different tiers designed to give buyers a good idea of the product quality they’re buying. The system will usually have about three or four levels – like “Like New”, “Very Good” or “Good” – and these are the retailer’s way of indicating the physical condition of the watch.
For instance, an Apple Watch that is “like new” should be almost exactly like one bought from Apple with minimal signs of use or scratches. However, one at a “good” or “fair” tier will probably have tiny micro scratches on the screen and many more signs of use and wear.
Battery health
Similarly, the condition tiers might give you an idea of how used the smart watch is and how much battery health it has. All batteries degrade over time and, unless you’re buying a watch from Apple, you may not get a product fitted with a fresh battery.
If possible, it’s ideal to get to know the battery health percentage of the product, or a general idea of the health as it relates to the condition.
While it might seem like you can pay for a battery replacement at an Apple Store, it’ll probably cost you a lot and likely won’t be an actual battery replacement. It’ll just be a different refurbished product. It’s an expense and fuss that you’re better off planning to avoid.
Original accessories
Unfortunately, refurbished stores often lower the cost of the product by selling the Apple Watch with lower-quality third-party chargers and Apple Watch straps.
The guaranteed way to get the official accessories is by going through Apple’s refurbished store, but you may be able to find out the information about original accessories through the seller or the marketplace. It’s worth checking this to save yourself the additional costs.
Read more: What is a refurbished phone? | Refurbished MacBook deals | Refurbished smartphone deals | Refurbished iPad deals | Refurbished Apple Watch deals
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
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