What Happens to Old Hot Tubs? (And How to Sell Yours Instead)
Working hot tubs often end up in a landfill because they are hard to move. Ari Kimmelfeld explained why on Simple + Intentional, and what to do instead.
Listen to the episode: 187// How to Declutter the Big Stuff (plus buying and selling secondhand with ease), Simple + Intentional with Sarah Horgan, aired October 6, 2026. Listen on Apple Podcasts.
Short answer: Many end up in a landfill, even when they still work. Ari Kimmelfeld said hot tubs are notorious for it: a new homeowner wants the yard back and pays a mover to haul a three to five year old tub away. A working tub can be sold and moved to someone who wants it instead.
Host Sarah Horgan asked about the environmental side of big items on Simple + Intentional episode 187: "For these big items, what happens if they're not circulated? What's the life cycle for them, or where are they ending up?"
What Ari said
Hot tubs are notorious for ending up in the landfill. In fact, people will pay a mover like four or five hundred dollars... to just get rid of their hot tub. And usually these are working hot tubs that may be three, four, five years old... They sell it with the house. The new owner of the house doesn't want the hot tub in the backyard. They want to put a swing set and it's taking up space.
Ari Kimmelfeld on Simple + Intentional #187, at 42:41
Appliances follow the same path.
When they deliver an appliance and they'll pick up your old appliance, that goes to the landfill... Typically most appliance dealers don't resell used appliances.
Ari Kimmelfeld on Simple + Intentional #187, at 42:41
What these items have in common, Ari said, is that "they're large, they're hard to move, and they're expensive."
There's so much friction with the first part of it that people kind of overlook the fact that there's so much value there. And because of that key friction, it all goes to the landfill.
Ari Kimmelfeld on Simple + Intentional #187, at 45:00
The photo shows our crew taking apart a Peloton Tread on a pickup. Hot tub pickups follow the same idea: the crew does the heavy work.
What to do with a hot tub you no longer want
- If it works, list it on Commonplace for free from the hot tub sell page. Include the brand, model, and age.
- When a buyer reserves it, a crew comes to you for the pickup.
- You are paid at pickup. You never trade payment details with a stranger.
Want the step-by-step removal guide? Read how to get rid of a hot tub. For the full conversation, read How Do I Declutter?: Ari Kimmelfeld on Simple + Intentional.
Related questions
What happens to old hot tubs?
Many end up in a landfill, even when they still work. Ari Kimmelfeld said hot tubs are notorious for it: a new homeowner wants the yard back and pays a mover to haul a three to five year old tub away. A working tub can be sold and moved to someone who wants it instead.
What happens to my old appliance when the dealer hauls it away?
Ari said that when an appliance dealer picks up your old appliance, it usually goes to the landfill. Most dealers do not resell used appliances unless one is clean enough to sell as a floor model.
Can I sell a used hot tub instead of paying to remove it?
Yes, if it works. List it on Commonplace for free. When it sells, a crew handles the pickup and pays you at pickup. Start on the hot tub sell page.
Thank you to Sarah Horgan for having Ari on Simple + Intentional. Quotes are from the episode, lightly edited for reading. Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts.
More from Ari's podcast interviews: questions Ari answered on podcasts and every show he has been on.