Is it ok to buy a refurbished Nikon lens?

Someone is selling a factory refurbished Nikon lens and they are selling it for $220 cheaper than the normal on. Is it ok to buy it because it is refurbished or will it not work as well?

About half of my Nikon gear has been refurbished by Nikon.

They are sometimes better than new since they basically "blueprint" the equipment they refurbish

It is perfectly okay to buy refurbished if the seller is an authorized Nikon distributor or reseller. If not, you will never be sure where the lens came from.

If possible, take it for a test. Shoot at the apertures and see if they have any trouble moving, as oil on the blades can occasionally wear out. Check the autofocus and hold the lens up to the light with the aperture wide open (by pushing the lever) to check for dust. Check for finger prints etc, and if it works well, go for it. Literally all of my lenses are secondhand.

Sure, absolutely. Just be sure to buy it from a reputable retailer that offers a warranty or is willing to give you a refund (usually within 30 days) if things don't work out. I've purchased all of my current lenses used (not refurbished) from keh.com which offers both a 6-month warranty and a good refund policy too.

It should work fine. If you buy refurbished equipment from the manufacturer or a store they usually have a warranty on it anyway. Can also check the return policy just in case you get it and it doesn't work.