Yes, buyers for old fridges exist, but who buys them and how much they are worth depends heavily on their age and condition:
Check with Your State Energy Office or Local Electric Utility. Local utilities and energy-efficiency organizations support a growing number of refrigerator and freezer recycling programs. Some programs offer cash to recycle your old fridge; others offer utility bill credits. Ask about Municipal Pick-Up of Appliances.
You can make money on an old fridge by selling it secondhand or for parts to a scrapyard. If your refrigerator still works, you can sell it online; if it doesn't work, you can sell the scraps. Your electric company may also take old appliances off your hands for cash or a credit to your account.
High-end brands like Sub-Zero, Viking, and Thermador can still fetch hundreds even if they're old. Reliable brands like Whirlpool, GE, and Frigidaire tend to last long and still have decent resale value. Lower-end brands might not be worth much if they're over 10 years old.
A typical refrigerator weighs 150-250 lbs and contains mostly steel. At current scrap prices, expect $8-20 for the steel alone. However, the compressor contains copper worth $3-8 extra, and if you separate the copper tubing, you can add another $2-5.
You can sell your old refrigerators directly to the scrap yard, and you can get about $15 to $50 per unit, depending on their weight, condition, and local market price.
To make $100 from scrap aluminum, you need anywhere from 55 to 200 pounds, depending on your local scrap yard’s payout rate.
You should consider replacing your refrigerator every 12 to 17 years, depending on: Usage volume (e.g., large households or commercial use may shorten lifespan) Maintenance history.
Scrap metal companies and individual recyclers will often buy old appliances and break them down, selling them for parts or to companies that turn the metal into other items. Got Scrap and other similar web sites help people find scrap yards that will pay you if you bring in your old refrigerator.
Fridges and freezers can be salvaged for their steel, aluminium, copper, and other materials which typically make up around half of the total weight of the fridge/freezer.
Let's say you have a 5-year-old GE refrigerator that originally cost $750. Depreciation per year: $750 / 15 years (expected lifespan) = $50 Life left: 15 - 5 = 10 years Value: 10 years x $50 = $500 If the refrigerator is in excellent condition and there's high demand in your area, you might price it around $500.
Sometimes, pawn shops will even buy appliances. If you have a refrigerator, microwave, air conditioner, or stove, you might make some good money if it is in decent condition. Fine jewelry is another popular item at pawn shops.
Refrigerant gases in fridges are largely responsible for the greenhouse gases your appliance releases into the environment.
Another option is to hire a licensed waste disposal firm to take your appliance away. This might be an economical option if you're having a general clear-out. If selling your old fridge or freezer via peer-to-peer marketplaces such as eBay and Gumtree, you can ask the buyer to collect.
If you're unemployed and could use an extra few bucks here and there it could be worth it. It's 5 cents per can, that's 20 cans to a dollar, 200 cans for 10 bucks. The amount of effort isn't really worth the pay, but it's up to you. When I was in college we did this because the parties ended up with tons of cans.
Call ARCA or visit the department's website at www.ladwp.com to schedule a refrigerator pick-up. Fees for service will vary.
While removing components like copper pipes, sealed units, and wiring can increase your earnings, scrapping the entire refrigerator as is will still bring in money based on the current refrigerator scrap price. Prices vary depending on your location and the scrap yard, so it's always a good idea to compare rates.
As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.
Many folks go by the 50-50 rule. If the appliance has reached 50 percent of its expected life and it costs more than 50 percent of the cost of new, buy a new one. Oven failures can start with underperformance. For example, a family favorite just doesn't come out like it used to.
1950s latched refrigerators trapped children inside abandoned units, leading to dozens of suffocations yearly until the 1956 Refrigerator Safety Act mandated inside-openable doors. Freon later replaced toxins but was phased out for ozone damage. Early fridges used ammonia which was smelly, toxic and flammable.
The Amish keep food cold using a variety of off-grid methods, tailored to the strictness of their local church district. Common practices include:
Ranges, stoves, and ovens are the appliances most likely to cause house fires. They account for the largest percentage of home appliance fires—primarily because they involve high, open heat sources and are frequently left unattended.
Copper is the leading choice in scrap metal values today. In early 2026, current prices for premium grades have surged well past $4 per pound, making it highly lucrative for waste management operations.
Several common household and commercial items are not recyclable through standard collection programs, despite appearing to be made of recyclable materials. The most frequent offenders include greasy pizza boxes, disposable coffee cups, plastic-coated paper, bubble wrap, and small electronics.
As a general rule, don't crush cans before tossing them in the bin because crushing can make it harder for recycling facilities to sort. If your local recycling facility uses a multi- or dual-stream collection (meaning you separate your recyclables by material), it's probably okay to crush your cans.