Buying Refurbished AirPods

Apple Airpods Wireless Bluetooth Headset for iPhones with iOS 10 or Later White Renewed

• Double-tap either AirPods to activate Siri, without taking your iPhone out of your pocket
• Need a quick charge? Just 15 minutes in the case gives you 3 hours of listening time
• Air Pods provide rich, high-quality AAC Audio. And when you want to be heard, dual beamforming microphones filter out background noise when you make calls or Talk to Siri
• Just take them out and they're ready to use with all your devices, put them in your ears and they connect instantly

Refurbished AirPods are a great way to save money while getting the same performance capabilities as new ones. They’re also better for the environment than buying a pair that will end up in landfills.

In exchange for a pair of dead first- or second-generation AirPods, The Swap Club opens them up, swaps in a fresh battery, reseals and sterilizes them, and sends them to another customer.

Certified Refurbished

In this case, the earbuds came with the original accessories you get from Apple (like the Lightning cable and charging case) along with two sets of silicone ear tips. The earbuds themselves were in the “Premium” condition, which is closest to mint or near mint on Reboxed’s quality scale.

The earbuds were also certified refurbished, which means they come with a one-year warranty. This is important because if you find any issues with the earbuds within 12 months of delivery, you can return them for repair or replacement.

Refurbished tech is often a more sustainable option than buying new technology, especially when it comes to things like earbuds and tablets. However, not all retailers have the same standards for refurbished electronics. While a used product may be cheaper than a refurbished version, it’s important to consider the differences in terms of quality and functionality. Refurbished items are typically expertly repaired and tested for functionality, while used products are sold as-is.

Warranty

When buying a refurbished item, it’s important to choose a reliable seller. You can find great deals on refurbished AirPods from Back Market and Amazon, but there are also a number of questionable sellers. Make sure to read reviews and buyer feedback before purchasing a refurbished product.

When you purchase a refurbished pair of AirPods, you will receive the same warranty as a new pair. This includes hardware repair coverage, 24/7 priority access to Apple-certified experts for software support via chat or phone, and battery service, which replaces original batteries that retain less than 80% of their default capacity.

Another option for purchasing refurbished AirPods is The Swap Club, which offers a one-for-one exchange of first- and second-generation AirPods in return for a $60 fee (plus $5 shipping). In other words, the company will take your dead earbuds, open them up, swap in a fresh pair, and reseal and sterilize them before sending them back to you.

Cleanliness

As any kindergartner knows, when you make a mess, you have to clean it up. For big tech companies that produce millions of wireless earbuds each year, the result is a burgeoning waste catastrophe (see iFixit’s report on it). That’s why a new startup called The Swap Club is enticing AirPod owners with its offer to put fresh batteries in their useless, headed-to-the-landfill earbuds.

It says it has figured out an efficient way to crack open the case without trashing the earbuds. It also checks them for authentication, sound, and mic functionality. It then delivers the fresh buds in a box with a pre-paid return label.

Performance

Apple’s most recent pair of wireless earbuds, the AirPods 3 and Pro, are a great choice for anyone looking for high-quality audio and a sleek design. They offer active noise cancellation, a transparency mode for hearing what’s around you, and an Apple-designed H1 chip that pairs seamlessly with your other devices. They also come with a convenient charging case that provides over 24 hours of listening time. Normally, a pair of first-gen AirPods with a charging case cost at least $200, but through eBay seller secondpity and marketplace Back Market, you can snag a refurbished pair for just $110.

The best part is that they’ll still work perfectly well after being repaired by experts. Both Amazon and Back Market have a rigorous vetting process for third-party refurbishers and monitor their work in real time through customer feedback. They both also offer similar warranties on refurbished headphones. And, as an added bonus, you can always return them for a full refund if you don’t like them.