Everything worth knowing before you buy, sell or fix a phone
No fluff, no affiliate padding — just the honest guidance we'd give a friend.
Phone stolen? What to do in the first 10 minutes and the first 24 hours (UK)
A step-by-step UK checklist for a stolen phone: lock or erase it, call your bank, secure your email account first, then report it to the police, your network and your insurer.
Read guideIs it safe to keep your crypto seed phrase on your phone?
Why screenshots, notes apps and cloud backups are the wrong place for a recovery phrase, what to do instead, and how to lower the risk if your wallets live on your phone.
6 min readSecurityThe best privacy phone in the UK (2026): an honest comparison
iPhone, standard Pixel, GrapheneOS, /e/OS and the Privacy Phone compared on theft protection, data collection, app support and price, with who each one actually suits.
7 min readSecurityCan I install GrapheneOS myself, or should I buy a phone with it?
How to install GrapheneOS on a Pixel using the official web installer, what you need beforehand, the mistakes to avoid, and what a DIY install does not give you.
6 min readSecurityDo UK banking apps work on GrapheneOS? A bank-by-bank guide (2026)
Which UK banking apps work on GrapheneOS, which need a setting changed, why Google Wallet does not, and how to pay by contactless instead.
5 min readSecurityHow to stop someone getting into your phone if it is stolen
Thieves watch you type your passcode, then snatch the phone. The iPhone and Android settings that stop them getting in, and the protections ordinary phones still lack.
7 min readSecurityLost a work phone? When it counts as a data breach under UK GDPR
For small businesses and professionals: when a lost or stolen phone becomes a reportable personal-data breach, what to do in the first 72 hours, and how to reduce the risk next time.
7 min readSellingThe best place to sell your phone in the UK (2026): every option, honestly compared
CeX, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, musicMagpie, network trade-in or a specialist buyer — what each really pays, how long it takes, and where the risk sits. Written by people who buy phones for a living.
9 min readBuying GuideRefurbished Samsung Galaxy: which model to buy in 2026 (and which to skip)
Galaxy S23, S24, S24 Ultra or S25 Ultra? Seven-year update windows, real depreciation curves, Exynos vs Snapdragon, and what to check before buying a refurbished Samsung in the UK.
8 min readBuying GuideIs the iPhone 13 still worth buying in 2026?
Four years on, the iPhone 13 is one of the cheapest ways into a modern iPhone. How long it will keep getting iOS updates, what it gives up against the 14 and 15, and who should buy something else.
7 min readBuying GuideHow to check a used phone isn't stolen, blocked or on finance (UK)
The IMEI checks that take two minutes and save you hundreds: blacklist status, activation lock, finance, and network lock. What each one means and what to do if a phone fails.
6 min readBuying GuideChina-exclusive phones in the UK: what you can buy, what to check, and what to avoid (2026)
Xiaomi 18 Fold, Oppo Find X9 Ultra, Vivo X300 Ultra — the flagships that never reach UK shops. How importing works, Global vs China software, network and warranty realities, and which ones are worth it.
8 min readBuying GuideiPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: which should you buy refurbished in 2026?
The iPhone 16 costs about £110 more than the 15 tested & certified. Here's exactly what that buys — and the one reason most people should save the money.
6 min readBuying GuideIs a refurbished iPhone 14 still worth buying in 2026?
Four years after launch, a tested & certified iPhone 14 costs about £305. Here's what still holds up, what's dated, and how long it'll keep getting updates.
5 min readSellingWhat is my iPhone worth? 2026 trade-in values by model
Trade-in values for the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 16 Pro Max as of September 2026 — what changes the price, and how to get the top figure.
5 min readBuying GuideWhere to buy a refurbished iPhone in the UK: Apple, Back Market, CeX or an independent?
An honest comparison of the main places to buy a refurbished iPhone in the UK in 2026 — warranty, returns, grading and price — including where we sit.
7 min readBuying GuideRefurbished vs new iPhone: which should you buy in 2026?
The real differences between a tested & certified iPhone and a brand-new one — price, battery, warranty and environmental impact — so you can decide with confidence.
6 min readBatteryiPhone battery health: what % is good, and when to replace it (2026)
What iPhone battery health means, what percentage is good when buying a used iPhone (by age), how to check it in 30 seconds, and when a £60 replacement beats a new phone.
8 min readSellingHow to sell your phone in the UK: the complete 2026 guide
Get the most money for your old phone, safely — what to back up, how to wipe it properly, why the IMEI matters, and how instant trade-in quotes work.
6 min readRepairsPhone screen repair costs in the UK (2026 price guide)
What a cracked screen really costs to fix in 2026 — iPhone, Samsung and Pixel — why prices vary so much, and how to avoid the two classic repair rip-offs.
5 min readBuying GuideThe best refurbished iPhones to buy in 2026, ranked
The sweet-spot iPhones for value in 2026 — which models to target, what to pay, and the one spec decision that matters more than the model year.
6 min readBuying GuideThe 8-point checklist before buying any refurbished phone
A professional buyer's checklist for tested & certified phones — battery, IMEI, activation lock, parts quality, warranty and the seller signals that separate certified from chancy.
5 min readBuying GuideRefurbished phone grades explained: what Like New and Good actually mean
Every seller grades differently, and that's the problem. Here's exactly what our Like New and Good grades guarantee — and why we refuse to sell the two grades below them.
5 min readBuying GuideHow long do iPhones last? The honest lifespan guide for 2026
iPhones last 6–7 years of iOS updates and 2–3 batteries. Which models still have the most life left in 2026, when to buy used, and the three things that actually retire a phone.
8 min readBuying GuideRefurbished iPhone or Samsung Galaxy? The 2026 buyer's answer
Depreciation, update windows, cameras and repair costs — how the two ecosystems compare when you're buying refurbished rather than new, and which is the better deal in 2026.
6 min readRepairsDropped your phone in water? Do this in the first 10 minutes
The steps that save water-damaged phones — and the popular 'fixes' that kill them. What IP ratings really promise, why rice is a myth, and when professional cleaning is worth it.
5 min readRepairsPhone won't charge? Six fixes to try before you book a repair
From pocket lint to dead cables to battery health — the checks that solve most charging problems at home in five minutes, and the symptoms that mean the port or battery genuinely needs a repair.
5 min readBuying Guide64GB, 128GB or 256GB: how much phone storage do you actually need?
What photos, apps and video really consume in 2026, why 64GB is now a trap for most people, and when paying for 256GB is worth it — with real numbers, not guesswork.
5 min readAccessoriesWhich phone charger and cable do you actually need? A plain-English guide
USB-C or Lightning? 20W or 30W? What is GaN? A jargon-free guide to picking the right charger and cable for your iPhone, Samsung or Pixel — without overpaying Apple prices.
6 min readAccessoriesDo you really need a case and screen protector? An honest answer
Cases and screen protectors are cheap insurance for an expensive screen — but not every phone needs both. A straight-talking guide to protecting a tested & certified phone without over-buying.
5 min readAccessoriesMagSafe explained: what it is and which accessories are actually worth it
MagSafe turns the back of your iPhone into a magnetic dock for chargers, wallets, stands and grips. Here's how it works and which MagSafe accessories are worth buying — and which aren't.
5 min readBuying GuideThe best refurbished phones under £200 in 2026
The refurbished phones that are genuinely worth buying under £200 in 2026 — iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE — with real prices, what you give up, and what to check before you pay.
7 min readBuying GuideUnlocked vs locked phones: what it means and why you should care
A locked phone only works on one network; an unlocked phone works on any. Here's what that means for a tested & certified phone, how to check, and why unlocked is almost always the better buy.
4 min readBuying GuideeSIM vs physical SIM: what refurbished phone buyers need to know
eSIM is the SIM card built into your phone — no plastic tray required. Here's how it compares with a physical SIM, which phones support it, and what it means when buying refurbished.
4 min readSellingHow to get the most money when you trade in your phone
Small things make a big difference to your trade-in value. Here's how to prep your old phone, time the sale and avoid the mistakes that quietly knock pounds off your quote.
5 min readRepairsiPhone screen replacement cost UK (2026): every model, real prices
What an iPhone screen replacement actually costs in the UK in 2026 — real fixed prices by model, why quotes vary so wildly between shops, and how to avoid the cheap-panel trap.
6 min readBattery7 signs your phone battery needs replacing (and what it costs)
Dying by 3pm, sudden shutdowns, shutting off in the cold — the seven real signs a phone battery is done, how to check battery health, and why replacement beats upgrading.
5 min readRepairsPhone not charging? Try this before paying for a port repair
Half of 'broken' charging ports are compacted pocket lint. How to tell a dirty port from a dead one, what's safe to try at home, and when it genuinely needs replacing.
5 min readRepairsSamsung screen replacement: what it costs, and why it's dearer than iPhone
Galaxy screens cost more to replace than iPhone screens — here's the honest reason why, how S-series and A-series compare, and when a budget Galaxy isn't worth re-screening.
5 min readRepairsRepair or replace? The honest maths for an ageing phone
A simple three-number test that settles repair-versus-replace for any phone: what it's worth fixed, what the fix costs, and what it's worth broken. With real UK examples.
6 min readRepairsDoes a screen replacement break Face ID? No — here's why (2026)
Face ID does not live in the screen. Why the myth exists, what Apple changed, which models show an 'Unknown Part' warning, the one way a bad repair does kill Face ID, and how to protect yourself.
7 min readRepairsDoes a third-party repair void your warranty? UK rights, explained
What UK law actually says about independent phone repairs and your warranty — the EU-derived rules, what Apple and Samsung can and can't refuse, and the exceptions worth knowing.
6 min readRepairsZ Flip & Z Fold screen repair: what it costs and why it's different
Foldable Samsung screens are the repair most shops refuse. What drives Z Flip and Z Fold inner and outer screen costs, why the parts work differently, and how to protect a folding display.
5 min readBuying GuideThe best refurbished iPhone under £500 (October 2026)
£500 buys a lot of iPhone if you go refurbished. Here's which model we'd pick at each budget, what actually matters when choosing, and what we'd skip.
5 min readBuying GuideiPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: is the newer model worth the extra?
The iPhone 17 Pro is Apple's 2025 flagship; a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro costs far less. Here's what the newer phone really adds, what stays the same, and which we'd buy.
4 min readBuying GuideRefurbished iPad Air 13-inch (M2): who it's for and what to check
The cheapest way to a big-screen iPad that feels fast. What the 13-inch iPad Air M2 is good at, how it compares, and what to check before buying refurbished.
4 min read