I can't speak to the other experience in 2009, but in 2013 Free Geek Chicago offers a 90 day warranty on all computers & laptops and a 30 day warranty on monitors. I bought a laptop from them and it developed video problems. I brought it in shortly before the 90 day time period was going to expire, and it was diagnosed as unfixable. They gave me store credit towards another system.

Computers are refurbished from donated systems so you're not going to find the latest and greatest technology there, but what they have is thoroughly tested to make sure it works before they sell it. People who work there are mostly volunteers learning about the process of fixing computers but everything is doublechecked.