In doing some research for an upcoming story I discovered the world of refurb’d goodiess includes the hottest product on earth: the Apple iPhone. Yep. AT&T, the current carrier for iPhones, has refurbished or lightly-used 3G 8 gig iPhones in stock on its web site for $20 less than the regular retail price ($79 instead of $99). You need to sign up for a 2-year contract.

Best Buy also sells refurbished iPhones for $50 to $100 less depending on the model.

Apple, itself, used to sell refurbished iPhones, but according to my online chat with an Apple specialist, the company used to but currently does not have refurbished phones in stock. But it’s worth checking back from time to time.

Never buy a refurbished anything without a warranty. AT&T and Best Buy both offer warranties on refurbished iPhones.