Refurbished Phone Grades Explained: Premium, A, B & C - What They Really Mean
by Vanessa Ricca, on May 6, 2026If you've ever searched for a second-hand phone online, you've probably come across terms like "Grade A refurbished", "Grade C", or "pre-owned" - and wondered what any of it actually means. You are not alone. These terms are used inconsistently across the industry, which makes buying a refurbished phone feel more complicated than it needs to be. At refurbed, we believe transparency is everything. That's why we've created a clear, standardised grading system - and why our Product Quality expert Daniel has explained each grade in plain language for you on our YouTube channel. This article brings all of that together in one place, so you can shop with confidence and know exactly what you're getting before you buy your next refurbished smartphone on our marketplace.
But First Thing First: What Does "Refurbished" Actually Mean?
Before diving into grades, it's worth clearing up a question that comes up constantly: Is refurbished the same as second-hand or pre-owned?
The short answer: no - and the difference matters.
A pre-owned or second-hand phone is simply a used device that has been resold, often with no testing, no cleaning, and no guarantee of quality. What you see is what you get, and what you get might come with someone else's data still on it, a degraded battery, or faults you won't discover until it's too late.
A refurbished phone, on the other hand, has gone through a structured, professional process and also comes with a trial period, which makes the experience risk-free. At refurbed, every device is:
- Fully tested across all functions - camera, speakers, connectivity, battery, buttons, screen, and more
- Professionally cleaned, both inside and out
- Data-wiped to factory settings, so no trace of the previous owner remains
- Graded according to its cosmetic condition and battery health
- Covered by a warranty - at refurbed, that's a minimum of 12 months on every single device
So is refurbished basically like brand new? In some cases - particularly our Premium grade - yes, we’re pretty close to new. In others, it's a phone that works perfectly but carries a few cosmetic signs of a previous life. Either way, it is a far cry from simply buying someone's old smartphone off a classifieds site.
Buying refurbished is also a more sustainable choice. Every refurbished phone sold is one fewer device ending up in a landfill, and one fewer new device manufactured - saving significant amounts of CO₂, water, and critical raw materials.
What Is a Refurbished Grade?
A refurbished grade is a standardised rating that tells you what condition a device is in - both cosmetically (how it looks) and technically (how it performs and what battery health it has).
At refurbed, we use four grades for smartphones:
| Grade | Name | Battery Health | Cosmetic Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | Premium | ≥ 90% | Identical to new |
| Grade A | Excellent | ≥ 85% | No visible marks from 30cm |
| Grade B | Very Good | ≥ 85% | Minor scratches or small dents |
| Grade C | Good | ≥ 85% | Visible signs of use |
Every grade - from Premium to Grade C - receives the same professional refurbishment process, the same thorough testing, and the same 12-month warranty. The grade only reflects how the device looks, not how it works. Performance across all grades is perfectly functional.
Let's break each one down.
Premium Grade: Identical to New
As Daniel, refurbed's Product Quality Expert, explains it:
"A Premium phone is identical to new. The screen and body look brand new, performance is flawless, and the battery has at least 90% or more capacity. It's professionally checked, cleaned, data-wiped — refurbished."
Premium is the highest grade in the refurbed system, and it means exactly what it says. If you place a Premium refurbed phone next to a brand-new one fresh out of the box, you won't be able to tell the difference. There are no scratches, no dents, no marks - the screen and body are in pristine condition.
The battery is at 90% capacity or above, which means it holds a charge almost as well as it did on day one. Combined with flawless performance across all tested functions, a Premium phone delivers a genuinely new experience - at a meaningfully lower price, and with a much lower environmental footprint.
Who is Premium for? Anyone who wants the very best cosmetic condition and isn't willing to compromise on appearance - but still wants to save money compared to buying brand new and make a more sustainable choice.
👉 Watch the full video: Premium Grade
Grade A – Excellent: Works Like New, Looks Almost New
"Grade A phones work like new and look almost new. There are no visible scratches or dents from 30 centimetres away, and the battery health is at least 85% or better. Every device is professionally refurbished and fully data-cleansed."
Grade A – Excellent is the most popular grade on refurbed, and it's easy to see why. These phones perform like new devices and, under normal everyday use - holding the phone in your hand, looking at it from a standard viewing distance - they look virtually new too.
The "30 centimetre rule" is key here: inspected at arm's length (the distance at which you actually use your phone), a Grade A device shows no visible scratches or dents. You'd need to look very closely, under strong light, to notice any imperfections at all - and many Grade A phones show none whatsoever.
Battery health sits at 85% or above, which for most users means a full day's use without any issue.
Is refurbished Grade A good? Absolutely. For the vast majority of buyers, Grade A offers the ideal balance of quality, condition, and price. You save a significant amount compared to new, you get a phone that looks and performs like new in day-to-day use, and you're making a choice that reduces e-waste, CO₂ emissions, and water consumption.
👉 Watch the full video: refurbed Grade A - Excellent
Grade B – Very Good: Great Performance, Minor Signs of Use
"These phones function like new but show minor signs of use, such as small dents or micro-scratches. The screen looks clear when it's on, and battery capacity is at least 85% or higher."
Grade B – Very Good phones work exactly like new devices - every function tested, every feature working. The difference from Grade A is purely cosmetic: these phones have lived a small portion of their previous life visibly. You might notice micro-scratches on the back or sides, or a small dent on the frame. The screen, critically, looks clear and clean when switched on.
For most people, these marks are completely irrelevant - especially if you use a case (which, let's be honest, most of us do). But they are there, and refurbed is upfront about that.
The battery is at 85% health or higher, and the 12-month warranty applies in full.
Who is Grade B for? Budget-conscious buyers who want a fully functioning, professionally refurbished phone and don't mind a few cosmetic signs of previous use. It's also a great choice for anyone who immediately puts their phone in a case - the minor marks on the body become a complete non-issue.
👉 Watch the full video:
refurbed Grade B - Very Good
Grade C – Good: Full Performance, Best Price
"Grade C phones work perfectly but have visible signs of use, like scratches or small dents. The display has no visible scratches when turned on, and battery health is at least 85% or more."
Grade C – Good is refurbed's most affordable option - and it still delivers complete, fully tested performance. Every Grade C phone works perfectly. It's passed all the same technical checks as a Premium device. The difference is that it wears its history more openly: scratches and small dents are visible, and you'll notice them.
What you won't notice, when the display is switched on, is any scratching on the screen. The screen remains clear and fully functional. And with a battery health of 85% or above and a full 12-month warranty included, this is still a device you can rely on.
Is a Grade C phone good? Yes - if you prioritise performance and price over pristine looks. Grade C is ideal for buyers who want the best possible deal, for use cases where cosmetics don't matter (a spare phone, a phone for a child, an affordable phone for a student, a work device that lives in a case), or simply for anyone who'd rather spend their money on what counts: a phone that works.
To be clear: Grade C at refurbed is not a "bad" phone. It's a professionally refurbished, fully tested, warranty-backed device. It just shows its age a little more visibly than the grades above it.
👉 Watch the full video: refurbed Grade C - Good
Do These Grades Apply to All refurbed Products?
Good question - and the answer is: mostly yes, with a couple of important differences.
The grading system you've read about above was explained in the context of smartphones, but refurbed sells much more than phones. Laptops, tablets, home appliances, headphones, smartwatches - all of them go through the same professional refurbishment process and are graded using the same four-tier system. The cosmetic logic is the same. The minimum warranty is the same. The commitment to quality is the same.
There are two areas where the grading criteria are adapted to reflect the nature of the product: battery health thresholds and where cosmetic marks are assessed.
Battery Health: One Rule for All Grades, With One Exception
For Premium devices across all categories, the minimum battery health is 90% or above - full stop, no matter the product type.
For Grade A, B, and C across all other product categories (laptops, tablets, and so on), the minimum battery health is 80% or above. This reflects the way larger devices are typically used: often plugged in, with charging habits that differ from how most people use a smartphone throughout the day.
For smartphones specifically, Grade A, B, and C all require a minimum of 85% battery health, as covered in the sections above.
Cosmetic Condition: Handheld vs. Large Products
The other key difference is where cosmetic marks are assessed - because a scratch on the back of a phone is very different from a scratch on the underside of a laptop that never sees the light of day.
refurbed draws a clear line between handheld devices (smartphones and tablets) and large products (laptops, kitchen appliances, monitors, and similar).
Here's how each grade plays out across both categories:
Premium - Identical to New, No Matter the Product
Whether it's a phone, a laptop, or a coffee maker, a refurbed Premium product is visually identical to a brand-new one. No marks, no signs of use, anywhere. This is the highest standard of refurbished tech available - new performance, refurbished price, and a fraction of the environmental impact.
Grade A – Excellent
- Handheld devices (smartphones, tablets): No dents, scratches, or signs of use visible from 30cm. Looks essentially new.
- Large products (laptops, kitchen appliances): May show minimal signs of use, but only on areas that are out of sight during normal use - like the underside of a laptop or the back of a coffee maker. The parts you actually see and interact with look great.
Grade B – Very Good
- Handheld devices (smartphones, tablets): May show some signs of use visible from 30cm. The display may have micro-scratches, but these are invisible once the screen is switched on.
- Large products: May have light signs of use on areas out of sight during regular use — think moderate dents or scratches on the bottom of a laptop. The surfaces you interact with daily look clean.
Grade C – Good
- Handheld devices (smartphones, tablets): May have visible scratches or slight dents on the body. The display may have fine micro-scratches, but again, these disappear once the screen is on.
- Large products: May show clear signs of use - scratches and/or dents - but again, limited to areas that are rarely visible, like the underside of a laptop.
The pattern here is consistent: the grade reflects real cosmetic wear, but refurbed's approach ensures that the parts of a device you actually see and use every day are always in the best possible condition for that grade. What you interact with is always held to a higher standard than what sits face-down on a desk. 🙌
So, Which Grade Is Right for You?
There's no wrong answer here - and that's kind of the point.
Every refurbed device, regardless of grade, goes through the same rigorous refurbishment process, passes the same technical checks, and comes with the same 12-month warranty. The grade tells you what a device looks like, not how it performs. Performance is always like new.
So it really comes down to what matters most to you:
- If you want something that looks and feels indistinguishable from a brand-new device, go Premium.
- If you want the best balance of condition and savings - and something that looks virtually new in everyday use - go Grade A.
- If you're happy with minor cosmetic signs of use and want to save a bit more, Grade B is a smart pick.
- If you want maximum value and you're not bothered about how the device looks - just how it works - Grade C delivers exactly that.
Whatever you choose, you're making a decision that's better for your wallet and better for the planet. Buying refurbished used to feel like a compromise. With a transparent grading system, professional refurbishment, and a warranty on every device, it doesn't have to be anymore.
