Keep Your Old Tech Out of the Trash: How to Recycle Outdated Gadgets for Free
Upgraded to a new device? Don't throw the old one away! Here's what to do instead.
New phones, tablets, laptops come out every year. You upgrade your tech, and your old device is retired to your in-home gadget graveyard. You probably have a drawer full of old batteries and cables, and some old phones, laptops and desktops lying around, depending on how frequently you upgrade your gear.
We all hang onto outdated tech for our own reasons -- I still have my first Nokia block phone tucked away for nostalgia's sake. There are also multiple ways to repurpose old devices for your smart home, using them as security cameras and more.
Whatever the tech, when it's finally time to say goodbye, there's a right way to dispose of your old gadgets -- and there are a lot of wrong ways. We'll show you which is which.
What to do before you get rid of a device
When you're finished with a gadget, make sure it's also finished with you. Make sure to back up anything you want off the device -- photos, videos, songs -- and then perform a factory reset. Here are a few CNET articles to help clarify the finer points of wiping a device:
How to Wipe Your Phone or Tablet Before You Sell It
The Best Way to Completely Wipe Your Android Device
What to Do With Your iPhone or Android Phone Before Donating It
How to Reset and Clean My Laptop to Give to Someone Else?
Here are the best places here in the US to recycle, repurpose or give new life to your old technology.
Smartphone Recycling
Smartphone Recycling lets you print a free FedEx shipping label or request a recycling kit. Ship your old smartphone and you might even get paid, depending on the device's condition and age. Smartphone Recycling accepts devices in bulk, so you have to ship a minimum of 10. Depending on how long you've been hoarding phones, you might meet this quota on your own. If not, check with friends and family and make it a group effort.
What you can recycle: Smartphone Recycling accepts smartphones, cell phones, MacBooks, tablets, iPhones, iPads, iPods and Apple Watches, as well as batteries attached or installed in devices.
Best Buy
Best Buy accepts a wide range of tech products and generally takes three items per house per day. Specifics may vary depending on where you live, but you can check with the state-specific recycling information dropdown menu on the site.
Best Buy also offers a haul-away option for larger appliances like TVs, dishwashers, freezers, microwaves, treadmills and exercise bikes. If you've ordered a new product, Best Buy will take away your old one for recycling. There's also a stand-alone haul-away option that costs $200. You can have two large items hauled away as well as an unlimited number of smaller items, with some exceptions.
What you can recycle: Best Buy can take TVs, cables and chargers, media players, projectors, laptops, hard drives, webcams, cellphones, calculators, radios, landlines, headsets, vacuums, fans, ink and toner cartridges, alarm clocks, speaker systems, e-readers, video game consoles, memory cards, camcorders, digital cameras, GPS devices and more.
Staples
Office supply store Staples also offers free recycling options for old technology. Staples accepts up to seven items per customer per day. The company also has various haul-away options, driver pickup and pallet pickup, as well as prepaid address labels available.
What you can recycle: Staples can recycle accessories, adapters, cables, computers, cordless and mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops, routers, tablets, webcams, ink and toner and other office tech items.
Home Depot
Home Depot has an explainer on its website about how to safely dispose of dead batteries, old paint, electronics and other items, as well as tips for upcycling and repurposing. According to RecycleStuff.org, the services are drop-off only for residential customers.
2022-11-16 20:31:14
