Best refurbished laptops

Start with the Dell Latitude 5400. Business-class Latitudes are the sweet spot in refurbished laptops: sturdy build, easy-to-replace parts, and an i7 with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD that handles everyday work, browsing and video calls without strain. It's the most balanced pick here.

Who the others suit:

• MacBook Air M1 — the one to take if you want macOS, silent fanless running and the best battery life; 8GB RAM is fine for light use, tight for heavy multitasking.
• HP EliteBook 840 G7 — a near-twin of the Latitude for office work, with a touchscreen and 16GB RAM.
• Acer Chromebook 315 — for a second machine, a student, or someone who lives in a browser.
• Dell Latitude 5320 / 5420 — smaller 13" and touchscreen 14" options if portability or a touch display matters more than raw specs.

Two things to check on any refurb: the warranty length and whether the battery was replaced. Business models like the Latitudes and EliteBooks are the safest bets because parts and batteries are cheap and plentiful.