refurbished

How to protect yourself when buying Cheapskate deals

Sometimes it's hard being the Cheapskate. I don't mean the rigors of finding awesome deals on a daily basis, though that certainly can be a challenge. (What? Another tablet?!)

No, the tough part is when a frustrated reader e-mails me because the product he ordered hasn't arrived after three weeks. Or, even worse, it arrived in poor condition. And the company that sold it to him won't help or even respond. Although I have no control over these kinds of situations, and can't offer much in the way of assistance, I feel terrible for indirectly … Read more

Apple cuts prices on reburbished iPad Mini and iPad 4

Those of you eyeing an iPad Mini or fourth-generation iPad can now save a bit more money on refurbished models courtesy of Apple.

As of Friday, Apple is offering 15 percent to 17 percent discounts on all flavors of refurbished units of the iPad Mini and the iPad 4.

The 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad Mini is selling for $279, 15 percent off the usual price. The 32GB Wi-Fi Mini is available for $359, 16 percent off the full price. And the 64GB Wi-Fi Mini can be had for $439, 17 percent off the regular price.

The 16GB Wi-Fi version of the … Read more

Apple now selling refurbished 27-inch iMacs

Anyone eyeing a 27-inch iMac can now save a healthy chunk of change by opting for a refurbished unit.

As of yesterday, Apple began selling four refurbished variations of the big-screen iMac through its online store. Buyers can save anywhere from $270 to $400 depending on the model.

A 2.9GHz version with 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, and a 512MB Nvidia GeForce graphics card goes for $1,529, 15 percent off the price of a new unit.

A 3.1GHz edition with 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, an 8x SuperDrive, and a 1GB AMD Radeon … Read more

The best money-saving tips of 2012

2012 was hellish in a lot of ways, but it was a good year for saving money.

Indeed, as any regular reader of The Cheapskate or CNET's Marketplace knows, you could count on finding a good deal -- often a great deal -- pretty much every single day.

Of course, some of the best money-saving advice applies all year round, not just on a particular day. With that in mind, I've rounded up some of my favorite thrifty tips from 2012. (It probably goes without saying that most of them will work just as well in 2013.)

1. Always buy refurbished Apple gear.… Read more

Apple selling refurbished iPads, MacBooks, and iPods on eBay?

Maybe it's that Black Friday shopping time of year or maybe Apple is trying an experiment, but it appears that the company now may be selling its refurbished products on eBay.

According to 9to5Mac, which noticed the site a few weeks ago, the eBay store has been up for about a month, and many aspects of it exactly mimic Apple's Web store. For example, the refurbished products are the exact same price and come with the same perks as the Apple Store, like a one-year warranty, original OS, and "final quality inspection by Apple."

Operating under … Read more

What's better: A $329 iPad Mini or $319 iPad 2?

As Ned Flanders would say: here's a dilly of a pickle!

You've probably heard that the iPad Mini went on sale today, with a price tag of $329 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model.

What you may not know is that the online Apple Store now sells the refurbished iPad 2 with Wi-Fi (16GB) for $319 shipped. (It's also available in white for that price.)

That begs a very interesting question: with a price difference of just $10, which is the smarter buy? (I know, I know: "The Kindle Fire!" Ba-dump-bump. We're here to compare … Read more

Three tech items you should never buy refurbished

Here's a deal of the day that normally would make me sit up and take notice:

RedTag has the Proscan PLEDV2488A 24-inch LED HDTV with built-in DVD player for $169, plus $1.95 for shipping.

Just one problem: it's refurbished.

Surprised? Normally I'm a champion of refurbished gear. You'll often hear me touting deals on refurbished laptops, tablets, Blu-ray players, and the like. In fact, I think if you're shopping for any Apple product, you should go the refurb route every time.

But there are exceptions, starting with the aforementioned deal. Here's a rundown … Read more

Apple trims prices on refurbished MacBook Airs

Consumers in the market for a MacBook Air can now save a fair amount of cash on a refurbished unit.

Apple has cut its prices on several factory-refurbished MacBook Air editions. A tour of the company's Refurbished product page reveals an 11.6-inch, 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 model selling for $749, 16 percent off the normal price. This flavor offers 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage.

A similar version but with 4GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage is selling for $829, a 17 percent cut off the usual price. And a 13.3-inch … Read more

Get a refurbished 4th-gen iPod Touch for $169

With all due respect to my colleague Donald Bell, I don't believe Apple should dump the iPod Touch.

Rather, I still think it's a killer product, perfect for kids and other users who want the iPhone experience without the iPhone price. In fact, thanks to apps like Skype and Truphone, all you need is proximity to Wi-Fi and you can make phone calls from a Touch.

Apple hasn't released a new model since 2010, nor has it budged on prices -- but you can still score a deal. While supplies last, Apple has the refurbished 8GB iPod Touch fourth-gen for $169 shipped. … Read more

How to track Apple store refurbs

As I noted back in January, the only smart way to buy Apple gear is to buy it refurbished.

You're guaranteed to save money while getting gear that's literally as good as new.

Just one problem: how can you keep tabs on Apple's latest refurb deals? Suppose, for example, you're in the market for a refurbished fourth-gen iPod Touch, the one with the built-in cameras and Retina display. (As it happens, that's exactly what my kids are after.)

For a long while, there weren't any for sale. I know because I checked the store … Read more