I bought refurbished AirPods Pro. Should you do the same?

I work from home. Outside my window on any given day, there are lawnmowers, construction tools, barking dogs and the like, all making it very hard to concentrate on work. I’d heard Apple’s AirPods Pro (buy replacement AirPods Pro ear tips for just $8 (and still be way ahead, price-wise).

Here’s what happened, and this comes with a big old “your mileage may vary” caveat: The AirPods arrived utterly indistinguishable from new. Everything appeared in mint condition: box, power cord, instructions, charging case and, most important of all, the AirPods themselves. The ear tips looked pristine, like they’d never been touched (let alone inserted). 

I did have a tense moment when I thought the case wasn’t charging properly, but that’s because the charging LED turns off after a few seconds — which makes zero sense, Apple, and isn’t noted in the manual.

As for the AirPods, I must admit the noise-canceling is pretty amazing. That lawnmower droning away outside my window? I could barely hear it once I put the earbuds in. And with some music playing quietly, I felt like I was inside a soundproof bubble.

All told, I came away with good-as-new AirPods Pro for $166. The warranty is only 90 days, but I choose to be optimistic.

Read more: 6 great AirPods Pro alternatives that cost less

What to look for when buying refurbished AirPods

If you’re open to the idea of buying refurbished AirPods yourself, here’s what I recommend:

Start with eBay. Although Vipoutlet’s deal is no longer available, there are Grade-B/B+ refurb priced at $179.99.

Check the seller ratings. The latter deal comes from Mac.forever, which has 99.8% positive feedback from over 2,700 customers — more than ample proof this is a reputable merchant. If you’re seeing an unusually good deal on AirPods and the seller has only a handful of ratings, that’s a big red flag. Look elsewhere.

Note the warranty and return policy. I felt very comfortable ordering from Vipoutlet because of its 30-day money-back guarantee, zero restocking fee and free returns via prepaid label. I already mentioned the 90-day warranty, which is to be expected for a third-party refurb. But if you’re looking at a warranty that’s only, say, 30 days, I’d steer clear.

Be prepared to buy new ear tips. As noted above, Apple proper sells a set for $8. There are third-party options as well, like these