How to Dispose of a Microwave

A microwave is one of the few appliances that's genuinely awkward to get rid of: too big for the bin, too electronic for regular trash in half the country, and worth almost nothing secondhand. Here's what actually works, cheapest first.

Short answer: if it works, someone will take it. If it doesn't, a scrap metal yard will usually take it free — because it's mostly steel and copper — and your transfer station will take it for a few dollars. Do not put it in your household bin.

Can you just throw a microwave in the trash?

In roughly half of US states, no. Microwaves count as electronic waste, and about 25 states ban e-waste from landfill. Even where it's technically legal, most curbside services won't take an appliance that size in a household bin — it exceeds weight and size limits, and crews will leave it.

There's also a real reason behind the rule. A microwave contains a capacitor that can hold a dangerous charge long after it's unplugged, plus a small amount of circuit-board material. Neither belongs in a compactor truck.

Never open the case to "make it fit." The high-voltage capacitor inside can hold a lethal charge even years after the unit was last plugged in. This is the one item on this site where we'd genuinely tell you not to take it apart.

Your options, cheapest first

1. Scrap metal yard — usually free, sometimes pays

This is the most under-used option. A microwave is largely steel casing with a copper transformer inside, which is exactly what scrap yards want. Most will take it at no charge, and some will pay a small amount — realistically $1–5, so go for the free disposal, not the money.

Search for a scrap yard or metal recycler near you and confirm they take small appliances. Most do, no appointment needed.

2. Municipal transfer station or landfill — $0–25

Most transfer stations take a microwave either free as scrap metal or under a small-appliance fee. Where a fee applies it's typically $5–25. Some facilities charge only their standard minimum load fee — often around $15–35 — which makes it worth combining with other junk in the same trip rather than driving over for one item.

3. Retailer takeback — free with a replacement

If you're buying a new microwave, ask about haul-away at the point of sale. Best Buy will recycle an old one, and Home Depot and Lowe's will take the old unit when they deliver a replacement. This is free but only works if the timing lines up with a purchase.

Best Buy also runs standalone in-store drop-off, though fees vary by state — see our full retailer takeback breakdown for exactly what's free where.

4. Donate it — free, if it works

A working microwave is genuinely useful to someone. Habitat for Humanity ReStore takes working small appliances at most locations. Local shelters, student housing groups and Buy Nothing groups move them quickly. Goodwill and Salvation Army accept working microwaves at many but not all locations — call ahead, because a rejected appliance means a wasted trip.

Nobody takes a broken one. Don't donate a dead microwave and make it someone else's disposal problem.

5. Curbside bulk pickup — free, needs booking

Many cities include small appliances in their scheduled bulk collection. It's free but you usually need to book a date rather than just leaving it out. Check whether your city classifies microwaves as e-waste, since that sometimes routes them differently.

6. Paid junk removal — $75–150

Honestly, not for one microwave. Single-item minimums in this category start around $75 and often run higher. It only makes sense if you're clearing several things at once, or the unit is a heavy over-range model you can't lift out alone.

Over-the-range microwaves are a different job

A built-in or over-the-range unit is heavier than it looks — typically 50–90 lbs — and is mounted to both a wall bracket and the cabinet above. It's a two-person removal, and there's a vent connection and a power cable to deal with. If you're replacing it, having the installer take the old one is worth far more than the small fee they'll charge.

What it should cost

Common questions

Is it illegal to throw away a microwave?

It depends where you live. Around half of US states ban electronics from landfill, and a microwave usually falls under that definition. Fines for household quantities are rare, but your waste hauler will simply refuse to take it, which amounts to the same thing.

Does a microwave have anything valuable in it?

Only in scrap terms. The transformer contains copper, and the casing is steel. A whole unit is worth a couple of dollars at a scrap yard — enough that they'll take it free, not enough to be worth your time stripping it. And stripping it means opening a case with a charged capacitor inside, which isn't worth $3.

Will Goodwill take a microwave?

Many locations will if it works and is clean. Policies vary by region, so call the specific store. They will not take a broken one.

What about the glass turntable plate?

Regular glass recycling usually won't take it — it's tempered or borosilicate and contaminates the batch. Bin it, or keep it as a spare, since replacement plates are surprisingly expensive.

Related

• Who takes your old stuff for free — the full matrix
• How to dispose of a refrigerator — different rules, Freon applies
• How to dispose of electronics

Fees and acceptance rules vary by facility and change often. Confirm with your local scrap yard or transfer station before driving over. Last verified August 2026.