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These Grade A refurbished Apple phones and watches can be a strong value when the unit is clean and fully functional, with some iPhone 13 mini and watch purchases arriving in great shape and even showing 100 percent battery health. The main appeal is lower pricing on newer Apple gear, but battery condition is a recurring concern, especially on Apple Watch Ultra and older iPhones. Several units arrived with heavy scratches, dents, dead batteries, or activation problems from blacklisted IMEIs. A one year warranty and easy returns help, but the refurb grading looks inconsistent.
Watch tinkerers comfortable replacing batteries, because Apple Watch battery swaps can be straightforward and the parts can be inexpensive.
Buyers who need long battery life from a refurbished watch, because these units can arrive near 85% health or even lower and may need an expensive replacement.
Battery health can be as low as 75% on arrival, and some units have later developed swollen or dead batteries. Woot's refurb battery guarantee is reported as at least 85% health, but that still leaves a lot of wear for older devices like the Ultra 1.
Not always. Several Grade A units arrived with heavy scratches, dents, or other visible wear, while some arrived nearly pristine, so cosmetic condition can vary by unit. Woot's return process is reported as straightforward if the refurb isn't acceptable.
Yes, especially for older units. Apple battery replacement is cited at $89 for iPhone 13 and older, $99 for iPhone 14 and newer, and watch battery replacement can be costly enough to approach the price of another watch.
No. Apple has confirmed the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra will not receive watchOS 27, so it will miss that future software update and related support.
Yes. An iPhone 14 from this deal reportedly would not activate on T-Mobile because the IMEI was blacklisted, so checking the IMEI on carrier compatibility tools before keeping it is important.
Explain briefly please. Did you need any special tools? Lose waterproofing? Where did you get guidance, MacFixit? Apple? YouTube?
It's one screw once you lift off the screen , the tools come with the battery , you unscrew the bracket lift the tab and peel the battery out I didn't even put the screw back in , hardest part is lifting the screen , just reseal it with b-7000 adhesive and put a clamp or weight on it for 24 hours , only downside is it's not water resistant anymore unless you use a replacement gasket
How are the deals on the watches? Wife lost hers recently and want to get her a another one. Are these good deals or pretty normal? I believe she had something that looked like the SE2
It's one screw once you lift off the screen , the tools come with the battery , you unscrew the bracket lift the tab and peel the battery out I didn't even put the screw back in , hardest part is lifting the screen , just reseal it with b-7000 adhesive and put a clamp or weight on it for 24 hours , only downside is it's not water resistant anymore unless you use a replacement gasket
FYI b7000 is not recommended for Apple Watches. The screen will eventually lift. Real good repair shops especially refurbishers use cold pressed glue. And always put all the screws back on. Don't expect any water resistance whatsoever. Apple Watch batteries can be hit or miss and I say this as someone in the cell repair shop game since 2012
Comes with 1 yr warranty but they are hit and miss, some watches I got for kids some were good and some were bad I had to return them. Phones are okay, hit or miss
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FYI b7000 is not recommended for Apple Watches. The screen will eventually lift. Real good repair shops especially refurbishers use cold pressed glue. And always put all the screws back on. Don't expect any water resistance whatsoever. Apple Watch batteries can be hit or miss and I say this as someone in the cell repair shop game since 2012
Works fine ,the screen lifted anyway before I changed the battery , use any adhesive you want doesn't have to be b7000, I did t want to deal with a replacement gasket then you would have to remove the screen cables and now you start making the repair more difficult , mine is an SE if it lasts another year it's better then nothing and I already said don't expect it to be water resistant
Last edited by Joseph06 September 20, 2026 at 02:54 PM.
Picked up a 16e for mom. She's currently on a 12 mini and very frustrated with battery life.
Check the good ole Wally.. online, for certain carriers (AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile).. they have some 16E and 17E.. anywhere from $349 to $589 depending on storage sizes (128 and 256 GB varieties I think)
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Community Reviews
These Grade A refurbished Apple phones and watches can be a strong value when the unit is clean and fully functional, with some iPhone 13 mini and watch purchases arriving in great shape and even showing 100 percent battery health. The main appeal is lower pricing on newer Apple gear, but battery condition is a recurring concern, especially on Apple Watch Ultra and older iPhones. Several units arrived with heavy scratches, dents, dead batteries, or activation problems from blacklisted IMEIs. A one year warranty and easy returns help, but the refurb grading looks inconsistent.
Apple Watch battery replacement can be done with basic tools and careful resealing, which may reduce repair friction for DIY-minded buyers.
Apple Watch battery replacement can be performed without expecting Apple service if the buyer is comfortable with screen lifting and resealing steps.
Apple Watch Ultra 1 buyers can potentially avoid immediate battery concerns if the refurbished unit arrives with strong battery health readings.
Some iPhone Grade A refurbs arrive with minimal cosmetic wear and high battery health readings, which supports a smoother day-one experience.
Some Grade A iPhones and watches arrive with significant defects such as dead units, charging failures, or heavy scratches and dents.
Refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 1 battery health is uncertain and may be limited to around 85% health, which can feel unsettling.
First-generation Apple Watch Ultra may not receive watchOS 27 updates, which can limit future software support.
Some iPhone refurbs may fail carrier activation due to an IMEI blacklist, which can force returns through customer support.
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Apple has long said this would be a performance boosting release.
Very glad I opted for S9 over Ultra couple years ago, I said the new CPU could make the difference. It sure did.
EDIT: nevermind, issue with Amazon Pay.
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