LG Smartphones used and refurbished

LG made phones that were often ahead of the curve – an ultra-wide camera, a military-grade durability standard in the mid-range, the odd swivelling Wing. In April 2021, however, the company announced it was pulling out of the smartphone market, and in July that year it stopped making them. You can't buy a new LG any more. Used and refurbished handsets are still around, though, and for some people they're simply a cheap, proven Android phone.

In this category you'll find used and refurbished LG phones – currently mainly the LG K61 from the budget K series, and, as more stock appears, other models from the brand too, for example from the G, V or Velvet series. Before going back on sale, every phone is checked by SWOPiFY partners and repaired if needed.

Which LG phones will you find in this category?

The LG K61 is a 2020 model designed as a sensible everyday phone. It has 4 GB of RAM, 64 or 128 GB of storage with a dedicated microSD card slot, a 4000 mAh battery and four rear cameras, including a 48 MP main camera and an ultra-wide. The fingerprint reader sits on the back. The manufacturer also claimed compliance with the MIL-STD-810G standard, though that doesn't make it a rugged phone.

The K series was for LG what the cheapest line is for many brands: a phone for calls, messages, maps and photos without big ambitions. The flagship G and V series and the Velvet aimed higher, at the camera, screen and sound. They turn up less often on the second-hand market, and every one of them is now several years old.

Why consider a refurbished LG?

A refurbished LG phone costs noticeably less than a new phone with similar capabilities, because there simply is no new LG. If you need a spare camera, a phone for your child or a work device that doesn't have to be the latest, the K61 can do the job for not much money.

There's a second reason too. LG no longer makes phones, so every handset that goes back into use is a device that would otherwise end up in a drawer or as e-waste. One refurbished phone won't change the planet's balance sheet, and we don't pretend it will. But it does let you get the full life out of a device that already exists.

What should you check before buying an LG?

The most important thing: updates. LG promised two major Android updates for selected K-series models and three for its flagships, and on 30 June 2025 it switched off its last update servers. Since then, no LG phone will get a new system version or security patches. Over time, some apps, including banking apps, may stop supporting older Android versions. Authorised LG repair is also harder to find today, which is why the condition of the handset at the time of purchase matters.

In this category you can filter LG phones by:

• storage – the K61 comes in 64 GB and 128 GB versions;
• RAM – 4 GB in the K61;
• colour;
• price range;
• condition.

An LG works best as a second phone or a device for simple tasks where the lack of updates doesn't hurt. If you use your phone for banking and keep a lot of personal data on it, also consider a newer model from another brand that still gets patches.

What does the technical check involve?

Before an LG phone goes on sale, it goes through a 44-point checklist. SWOPiFY partners check, among other things:

• the screen – touch, brightness and any damage;
• the battery – health and physical condition;
• all cameras, front and rear;
• the fingerprint reader;
• connectivity – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC, if the model has them;
• SIM card and memory card detection;
• microphone, speakers and headphone jack;
• the charging port and buttons.

SWOPiFY partners are specialist electronics refurbishment companies, chosen through a multi-stage selection process. They're the ones who decide whether a handset needs repairing before it's sold. With a brand that no longer has ongoing manufacturer support, that matters all the more.

Can you trust refurbished LG phones?

The refurbished LG phones in this category are used phones, not new ones – and we never suggest otherwise. The condition of each handset is set by one of four grades: Premium, Very good, Good or Fair. Each has its own criteria for the look of the body and screen and for battery health.

Every purchase comes with a warranty. If something doesn't work as it should, you have someone to turn to – unlike when you buy from a random classified ad.

Got an old phone you no longer use?

Trade it in through our buyback programme and bring down the cost of your next purchase. No need to post an ad or arrange meetings with buyers, and instead of lying in a drawer, the phone goes back into circulation.

Browse the available LG models and see whether one fits what you really need a phone for.