A washer and dryer are typically worth between $ ππ and $ ππ total in unprocessed scrap metal, depending on local rates and weight. Scrapped as-is, the appliances are bought as "shred" or "light iron." If you spend time dismantling them, you can increase your payout by separating the higher-value internal metals.
Washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, air conditioners, and water heaters top the list of appliances worth scrapping. These items contain substantial amounts of metal by weight and house valuable metals like copper and aluminum, which command higher prices at scrap yards.
Washing Machines & Dishwashers
Estimated value: Β£5βΒ£15 per unit, depending on weight and parts. Top tip: Remove the motor and wiring to boost value, or weigh in whole for ease. Big, bulky, and metal-heavy β these appliances are ideal for scrapping, especially if they're too costly to repair.
What appliance has the most scrap value? Window AC units and refrigerators with copper tubing offer the highest scrap value relative to effort. Washers are also valuable due to their weight (150-200 lbs of steel) and copper motor windings.
While the scrap value of a single washer isn't huge, they're heavy β mostly made of steel with small amounts of copper and other valuable metals. The price will depend on the current scrap metal market and the condition of the machine, but every bit counts.
To make $100 from scrap aluminum, you need anywhere from 55 to 200 pounds, depending on your local scrap yardβs payout rate.
Precious metals (like gold, silver, and platinum) are the highest-paying scrap materials. Among widely handled industrial base metals, copper is the most lucrative.
Platinum and palladium are both widely considered to be approximately 30 times rarer than gold in the Earth's crust. Because of their scarcity, they are highly sought after for both investment purposes and demanding industrial applications like catalytic converters and hydrogen fuel cells.
Top Electronics with the Most Gold Content
Desktop and Laptop Computers: Motherboards, CPUs, and RAM modules in older computers (especially pre-2000s) contain significant amounts of gold. A typical desktop computer can have up to 0.2 grams of gold, primarily in connectors and circuit boards.
We collect all kinds of scrap metal including, but not limited to: washing machines, cookers, dishwashers, car batteries, boilers, radiators, bikes, copper cylinders, cars, TV's, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, gates, bed frames, gym equipment lawn mowers, cast iron baths, alloy wheels and pretty much any electronic ...
The motor's windings and wiring are usually made from copper, and while it might not seem like much, the high market value of copper makes it a prized find for recyclers. A typical washing machine contains around 1 to 2 pounds of copper, which adds up quickly when you're recycling multiple machines.
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.
15p / kg is a good starting place for white goods, so for a washing machine Β£10 is probably about where you would be. Unless the scrap yard is next door just take it to the tip.
Air conditioners and heat pumps contain the most copper of any household appliances. A standard residential unit contains between 4 kg and 23 kg (999 to 50 lbs) of copper, primarily located in the condenser, evaporator coils, and compressor motors.
For centuries, silver has been seen as the poor man's gold, the metal for those who could not afford gold's glitter.
An old TV typically contains about 0.001 to 0.3 grams of gold, yielding a scrap value of less than $π to about $ππ. It is only financially viable to recover gold from TVs on an industrial scale rather than dismantling a single unit at home.
No, 24k gold is not magnetic. Because it is pure gold, it contains no iron, nickel, or cobaltβthe primary metals that react to magnetic fields.
Metals that never rust are those that do not contain iron, such as gold, platinum, and titanium, as rusting is technically the oxidation of iron. Aluminum and stainless steel are also widely used corrosion-resistant materials that do not rust, but instead form a protective oxide layer that shields the metal from further damage.
For most individual investors, routine purchases and sales of coins or small bullion bars do not meet these thresholds. In simple terms, investors should remember: Owning gold or silver is not reported to the IRS. Cash payments over $10,000 may require dealers to file Form 8300.
Today, the spot price of platinum is hovering between $π,πππ and $π,πππ per troy ounce.
Glass: up to 4,000 years
A frightening 4,000 years is how long it takes a glass bottle to decompose in the environment. Every time we leave a recipient of this kind in the countryside, we are putting the environment and its ecosystem at risk.
The most common types of car parts that contain precious metals are:
Some examples you may have around the house include: