Refurbished phones with giffgaff

I’ve had a lot of phones over the years, from my very first phone when I was 12 to the modern day smart phones that are now an essential part of our lives. I used to spend hours trying to beat my highest score on Snake for entertainment, those phones are a far cry away from their modern counterparts that let us plan every part of our lives.

I used to shell out on a new phone every year, going from contract to contract. As I’m getting older I’m more aware of how wasteful (and expensive) it has become. We try to be as sustainable as possible in all areas of our lives but it never occurred to me that there was a solution when it came to phones.

In a bid to reduce our waste we’re taking a look at refurbished phones. It’s essentially a way of recycling a previously used device and giving it a new lease of life. The phones work just like new and are significantly cheaper than buying a new phone.

I’ve recently teamed up with giffgaff to learn more about their refurbished phones. I’ve been using giffgaff for years as their no contract goodybags are the perfect option for my tweenage daughter who spends her spare time chatting to her friends and following the latest TikTok trends.

Firstly, giffgaff are a contract free contract-free mobile network ‘run by you’, the members. Founded in 2009, giffgaff has gone from strength to strength winning multiple awards over the years.

What are refurbished phones?

A refurbished phone isn’t like getting a second hand phone off of eBay. Refurbished phones are phones that have been reconditioned to be as close to being like new as possible. giffgaff certified refurbished phones are guaranteed to be fault free and  run perfectly.

What is the quality like?

There can be different grades of refurbishment, giffgaff use the following categories to grade their refurbished phones.

• Good: Loved by their previous owners, so you might see more wear and tear. But trust us, these cheeky devices are beautiful on the inside and eagerly await a new home.
• Very Good: Phones that have enjoyed a few rides in pockets and bags, so might have a few marks. But they will be data-wiped and better value for your cash.
• Excellent: May have light marks on the body, but we make sure the screens look pristine and that they run like new.
• Like New: So good, you’ll think it’s brand new. In fact, most of these are new; they’ve been bought new and returned unused. We still check for faults and data-wipe them, so you’re good to go.

Having been an iPhone user for years, the cost seems to increase with every new iPhone release. One of the main benefits of a refurbished phone is the price, you can get a like new phone for a fraction of the cost than if you were to buy it new from the manufacturer. I was sent a Like New graded iPhone XS 64 Gb in Space Grey from giffgaff and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between that and a brand new phone.

The Cost

The iPhone XS 64Gb currently retails for around £900 from new but the same ‘Like New’ phone from giffgaff is a more reasonable £599. That’s a saving of £300! I’m honestly so impressed because the phone is in perfect condition, not a single smudge, mark or imperfection on the device. It’s such great value for the money.

If you are on a tight budget and know the phone that you are looking for, it might be worth looking at the other category grades to reduce the cost.

The refurbished phones can make great first phones for your children. They can still have the top of the range must-have phone but without that huge price tag.

What about a warranty?

All giffgaff refurbished phones come with a 12 month warranty as standard. It doesn’t matter what grade phone you purchase from them, the warranty is still provided. Having the warranty provides peace of mind no matter what phone you are buying. It fills me with confidence that I can still get help if there was ever an issue with the device.

The Service

Refurbished phones from giffgaff come with free next business day delivery if you order before midnight.

They are shipped in recycled packaging and the boxes are slim enough to fit through most letter boxes.

All refurbished phones come contract free and are unattached to any SIM plan. giffgaff members can make the most of their goodybag plans which range between £6 – £25. All of the goodybags include unlimited minutes and texts with varying data options to suit your needs.

giffgaff also offers a best plan advice’ service based on your monthly usage to make sure you get the best value goodybag next time.

Would I recommend a refurbished phone?

Honestly, I don’t think I could go back to buying a brand new phone again, now that I know refurbished phones are an option. Here’s my top reasons why:

Cost – As already covered above, the phones are so much cheaper and you can save yourself £100s!

Sustainability – Knowing that I’m doing my part to recycle and being more sustainable is one of the key reasons why I would definitely opt to purchase a refurbished phone again. There’s even an option to sell your old phone to giffgaff using giffgaff recycle.

If you are looking to purchase yourself a new phone soon and want to take a look at refurbished options giffgaff will some great Black Friday deals on their refurbished phones. You can find out more information on the giffgaff Black Friday phone page.