Hubby and I both have refurbished MacBook Pro's. We always consult our computer friend when buying and he said if we can afford a MB Pro do it. We have had PC laptops and desktops and they lasted 2 or less years. When we moved we purchased an iMac and LOVE it, so when he suggested a MB pro we went for it and do not regret it at all! Sure we could buy 2 PC laptops for the price of 1 MB pro but we hope it to last at least twice as long, so the price over time will even out or more.
He suggested the refurbished because he said the outside it kept but the guts get replaced. You have to watch what they put up because it changes sometimes day to day. For a while they had some that were more than we needed so we just kept watching, we ended up scoring 2 pros with more than enough memory and a disk drive for cheaper than a new Air. We have 13 inch screens because 15 wasn't in the budget, but it has been fine.
Hubby is military and takes online classes, I take online and face to face classes, and we have 5 kids. We really needed a desktop and laptops. The kids use the desktop and hubby takes his laptop with him and I can use and take mine. No fighting over the computer! Just decide if a desktop or a laptop will suit your needs better.
This is where to find the refurbished ones, just keep in mind they have a 1 year warranty....but you buy from Apple not an offsite place.
Refurbished Mac Computers - Refurbished Notebooks & Desktop Computers - Apple Store (U.S.)