For someone who’s in need of an affordable scanner, refurbished scanners are perfect. They may not seem like much, but they’re actually no different than an expensive, brand-new scanner. They function just as well, are still covered under warranty, and cost up to 80% less than your average scanner.

The price of refurbished scanners can’t be beat. You may think that it’s better to just buy the brand new scanner and save yourself from having to buy a new one just a few months later. But, despite having such a low cost, they’re actually just as good as a brand new scanner. They aren’t damaged or messed up—they’re pretty much the same thing as your brand new one.

What’s the Difference between Refurbished Scanners and Brand New Ones?

There are a few differences between refurbished scanners and new ones, however. Even though they both work just fine, a “refurb” scanner gets its name for a reason, and not always the one you’d think.

These scanners are considered refurbs either because they were returned (Not always due to being broken or because it isn’t scanning correctly—maybe the former owner just decided they wanted a pink-colored scanner instead of the purple one. You never know.) and were repackaged for resale, because they were used as floor models and exposed to hundreds of customers, or because they were damaged and were sent back so that they could be fixed sent out into the market. Refurbished scanners are fixed using quality parts, so that whatever was wrong with it won’t happen again (abuse and normal wearing out aside.).

What’s the same?

Refurbs and new scanners do have their similarities. There’s the similar function previously mentioned, and there’s also the fact that they are covered under warranty.