How to Recycle Your Kitchen Appliances

Whether you’re downsizing into a smaller space or accepting defeat with a cooking hobby that never stuck, not everything that makes it into your kitchen — however rosy-eyed you were when you bought it — will stand the test of time (sorry to my Instant Pot). But appliances, large and small, aren’t your average trash. Disposing of them depends on multiple factors, including where you are and whether or not they still work. Here’s what you need to know about safely and sustainably getting rid of your old appliances.

Can I get my old appliances fixed?

It depends! Consider looking on a website like Angi, formerly known as Angie’s List, to find repair options in your area. Best Buy also has diagnostic and repair services for both small and large appliances. For larger items like refrigerators and ranges, Consumer Reports offers an interactive tool to help you decide whether it makes the most financial sense to repair or replace your appliance.

While you’re likely to find repair options for larger appliances, the options can be more limited for smaller appliances, explains Francois Servranckx, founder of Green Gooding, a Brooklyn-based appliance rental company. For some items, spare parts might not be easily available; for others, technicians are hard to find. As Consumer Reports recommends, see if there are any nearby repair cafes — free spaces where people discuss repairs and share skills with the goal of cutting down on trash — or check out the resources at the repair website iFixit.

Still, even if assistance and parts are available, people are often discouraged from seeking out repairs since the cost can quickly add up to the price of a new device. If that’s the case and you prefer to get rid of your old appliance altogether, read on.

What’s the best way to dispose of kitchen appliances?

If an appliance no longer functions, you might consider recycling it. How to do that depends on what you’re getting rid of and where you’re located. For example, in New York City, small appliances that are mostly made of metal or plastic are allowed to be included with your regular household recycling. Earth911’s recycling database lets you search by the type of appliance and your ZIP code to see recycling options near you. Home Depot also has a list of electronics recycling programs by state, or you can call your city’s 311 or municipal waste management to inquire about the specifics for your area.

Refrigerators and freezers that contain Freon might require special removal. Check your waste management department’s policies to see if they require special pickup, or look for partners of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Responsible Applicance Disposal Program.

Some large chain stores offer free electronics recycling programs, but they often don’t accept all kitchen appliances. As of this writing, Best Buy doesn’t recycle many popular small appliances including rice cookers and wine coolers, and Staples will recycle only small coffee brewers and SodaStream cylinders along with tech and batteries, but just in-store (not via its mail-in tech recycling program). Check their websites for the most recent policies before you try to drop off any items.

If you have a lot of old, broken appliances to get rid of — say, you’re clearing out an entire cluttered house — you might consider hiring junk removal services like 1-800-GOT-JUNK? that can take your old items for a fee.

According to the EPA, small appliances generated an estimated 2.2 million tons of waste in 2018, and the majority of small appliances (nearly 76 percent) are ultimately landfilled. So, if the appliance still functions, it might be better to directly pass your appliance on to someone who has use for it. “Basically, the best way to limit your impact on the environment is not to recycle, but to really produce less waste to start with,” Servranckx says. “When you share resources, you produce less waste.” His company operates around the idea of the circular economy, which has been described as focusing on “sharing, leasing, reuse, repair, refurbishment, and recycling, in an (almost) closed loop, where products and the materials they contain are highly valued.”

What’s the best way to give away kitchen appliances?

Your local Buy Nothing group is a good first step. These neighborhood groups, which usually rely on Facebook, operate with a mission of strengthening communities by sharing free resources. It’s a good place to find people to take unwanted appliances and furniture, while also feeling like your items will have more purpose than going off to a dump.

But if you don’t use Facebook or want to deal with coordinating pickup (as you often have to do with Buy Nothing), you could try donating your appliances to local thrift stores, churches, or organizations like Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Again, you’ll want to check local policies beforehand. Goodwill, for example, generally doesn’t take large appliances, but your nearest Habitat ReStore likely does, and might even offer pickup. Regardless, cleaning your appliances and making sure the cords or other accessories are neatly organized before donating them is considered common courtesy.

If you think your appliances might have some resale value though, you might prefer a platform like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.

How can I avoid kitchen appliance waste in the future?

The accrual of waste from old, broken appliances can be an argument for buying higher quality, more durable appliances from the jump, as long as that fits into your budget. “Sometimes, it can be expensive to buy cheap,” Servranckx says, especially when you factor in replacements. While a Vitamix is on the high end of blenders, for example, it’s covered by a 10-year warranty, servicing is available, and spare parts including motors are easily accessible, making it a more reliable long-term purchase.

Some small kitchen appliances are low-cost enough that you might be inclined to buy them on a whim. Yet being more mindful about your consumption not only helps you cut down on waste and clutter but also helps you better understand what you really need. If you’re looking to use an ice cream maker for a one-off project or aren’t quite sure if an air fryer is something you’ll use often, first check if you can borrow one from a friend, a neighbor, or even a lending library.

Extending the concept of lending libraries for tools, some public libraries — like ones in Berkeley and Milpitas, California, or Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — offer kitchen tools and small appliances you can check out for short stints. Some kitchen tool libraries or rental services, such as Kitchen Share in Portland, Oregon and Servranckx’s Green Gooding, exist separately from local public library systems. That way, if you decide you’d rather buy your ice cream than make it, you’ll be happy you didn’t commit — and you won’t be contributing to unnecessary waste.

Additional photo illustration credits: Woman and hand blender by Shutterstock; remaining appliances by iStock

Andrea D’Aquino is an illustrator and author based in New York City.