Where to Sell Used Appliances Locally and Online
If you want to know where to sell used appliances, here is the number that should shape every decision you make: a working used refrigerator, washer, or dryer typically resells for 150 to 500 dollars, and the cost of moving one across town can eat 75 to 150 of that. Appliances are heavy, awkward, and worth just enough money that buyers expect them to work, which makes them one of the trickiest things to sell secondhand.
I help people buy and sell large household items for a living, and appliances come up constantly. I have watched hundreds of these handoffs, and the pattern is always the same: the appliance itself sells fine, but the logistics are what kill the deal. So this guide is less about which website has the prettiest interface and more about which selling channel actually gets a 250-pound machine out of your kitchen and money into your account. I will cover every realistic option, what each one pays, and how to avoid the two mistakes that cost sellers the most.
Where to sell used appliances: the short answer
The best place to sell used appliances depends on one thing: whether you can move the appliance yourself. If you can, Facebook Marketplace pays the most for the least effort. If you cannot, you need a channel that handles pickup, or you will burn your profit on a truck rental and a strained back.
Most sellers have five realistic options. Local marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist. Pickup-and-delivery marketplaces. Used appliance dealers and scratch-and-dent shops. Retailer haul-away at delivery. And scrap or recycling when the unit is dead. Each one trades money for convenience at a different rate, and the right pick changes based on the appliance, its condition, and how fast you need it gone.
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist: highest price, most hassle
Local classifieds pay the most because there is no middleman taking a cut. You list a clean photo, set a price, and a local buyer comes to haul it away. For a working appliance in a major metro, this is usually where you clear the most cash.
But there is a catch, and it is a big one. The buyer has to physically remove the appliance, which means they show up with a truck, a dolly, and often a friend. Plenty of buyers say they will come and then ghost you because they realize they cannot actually move a full-size fridge. You also field a steady stream of lowball offers and “is this still available” messages that go nowhere. If you go this route, screen hard for the scam patterns common to these platforms before you hand over an address. I wrote a full breakdown of those red flags in our guide to Facebook Marketplace scams, and appliance listings attract a specific flavor of them: the “my mover will pick it up, I will send a check” routine.
Craigslist works the same way with an older, more local crowd. Fewer scammers in some markets, fewer buyers in others. Both are free to list and both put the entire moving problem on you and the buyer to sort out.
Where to sell used appliances when you cannot move them yourself
If you cannot move the appliance, a pickup-and-delivery marketplace is the channel that actually solves your problem. The whole point is that someone else handles the heavy part.
This is the gap Commonplace fills. You list the appliance, and when it sells, a driver comes to your home, loads it, and delivers it to the buyer. The buyer gets to inspect and test it before paying, and you get paid once the handoff is confirmed. You never rent a truck, never meet a stranger in your driveway, and never wrestle a washer down a flight of stairs. For anyone selling a large appliance without a pickup truck and a strong friend, this removes the single biggest reason these sales fall apart. You can see exactly how the pickup, inspection, and payment flow works on our how it works page, and you can start a listing on the sell your appliance page.
The tradeoff is that a managed marketplace is not free the way a raw classified listing is. But for a heavy item, the math usually favors it: you reach buyers who could never have hauled the thing themselves, which means more demand and a faster sale.
Used appliance dealers and scratch-and-dent shops
A used appliance dealer will buy your machine outright, today, for cash. That is the appeal: speed and certainty. The downside is the price.
Dealers resell what they buy, so they pay wholesale. Expect roughly 30 to 50 percent of what the same unit would fetch from a private buyer. A fridge you might sell for 350 dollars to a neighbor could bring 100 to 150 from a shop. Some shops will even pick up for free if the unit is desirable, which quietly makes the lower price more reasonable once you account for the moving cost you skipped. Search “used appliance store” plus your city, call two or three, and describe the model, age, and condition. They will quote you over the phone in minutes.
This is the right channel when you need the appliance gone immediately and do not want to manage a listing at all. It is the wrong channel if you have time and the unit is in good shape, because you are leaving real money on the table.
Retailer haul-away and trade-in
When you buy a new appliance, most major retailers will haul away the old one. Sometimes it is free, sometimes it is a 25 to 50 dollar fee, and occasionally there is a small trade-in credit. This is convenient but it is not really selling. You are paying for disposal, or at best breaking even.
Use haul-away only when the old unit is not worth selling: it is broken, ancient, or so worn that no buyer would want it. If the appliance still runs well, do not let the delivery crew take it. A working appliance handed to a retailer is money you gave away to save one phone call.
Scrap, recycling, and when an appliance is not worth selling
A dead appliance still has value as scrap metal, just not much. Refrigerators, washers, and dryers contain steel, copper, and aluminum that scrap yards pay for by weight, usually 10 to 30 dollars for a large unit. Some scrappers will pick up for free because the metal covers their time.
Be careful with refrigerators and freezers specifically. They contain refrigerant that has to be recovered by a certified technician before the unit is scrapped, and many cities require proof. Your local waste authority or utility often runs a recycling program, and some pay a rebate of 30 to 75 dollars to retire an old working fridge for energy savings. That rebate sometimes beats what a scrap yard pays, so check it first.
How much do used appliances actually sell for?
Used appliance prices cluster in tight, predictable bands once you know the type and age. Here is what I see large, working units move for in most markets:
- Refrigerators (full size, under 8 years): 200 to 500 dollars. French-door and counter-depth models hold value best.
- Washers and dryers (sold as a pair): 250 to 600 dollars. A matched set sells faster and for more than two singles.
- Standalone washer or dryer: 100 to 250 dollars each.
- Dishwashers: 75 to 200 dollars. Lower demand because installation scares off casual buyers.
- Ranges and ovens (electric or gas): 150 to 400 dollars. Gas units need a buyer with a gas hookup, which thins the pool.
- Over-the-range microwaves and small units: 30 to 100 dollars. Often easier to bundle with a larger sale.
Age and brand matter more than anything. A five-year-old name-brand unit in clean condition can fetch double what a ten-year-old generic one does. Stainless steel outsells white and black. And a unit you can demonstrate working, plugged in and running, always beats one a buyer has to take on faith.
How to get the most for a used appliance
The sale price is set before a buyer ever messages you, by how you present the unit. A few specific moves consistently raise what a used appliance sells for:
- Clean it like you are staging a home. Wipe the interior, pull the lint trap, degrease the stovetop. A spotless appliance signals it was cared for and justifies a higher price.
- Photograph it well, plugged in and lit. Buyers scroll past dim, cluttered photos. Shoot it in good light against a clean background. Our guide to taking better photos of items you are selling covers the exact setup.
- List the model number, age, and dimensions. Serious buyers search by model and need to know it fits their space. Vague listings get vague offers.
- Show it running. A short video of the cycle starting or the fridge holding temperature removes the biggest buyer fear and ends the haggling.
- Price against sold listings, not wishful ones. Check what comparable units actually sold for in your area, then price slightly under the highest to move it faster.
- Decide your logistics before you list. If you cannot move it, say so up front and use a channel that handles pickup, so the deal does not collapse at the finish line.
Comparing the main places to sell used appliances
Here is how the major channels stack up on the three things that actually matter: price, speed, and who handles the heavy lifting.
| Channel | Typical payout | Speed | Who moves it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Marketplace / Craigslist | Highest (full private price) | Days to weeks | You and the buyer | Working units, sellers who can move them |
| Pickup-and-delivery marketplace | High, minus service | Fast once listed | The marketplace driver | Heavy units, no truck, want it handled |
| Used appliance dealer | Low (30 to 50 percent) | Same day | Often the dealer | Fast cash, no listing hassle |
| Retailer haul-away | Zero to small credit | At delivery | The retailer | Old or broken units |
| Scrap / recycling | Very low or a rebate | Fast | The scrapper | Dead units, fridges with refrigerant |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place to sell used appliances for the most money?
A private local sale on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist pays the most, because no middleman takes a cut. The catch is that you and the buyer have to handle moving the appliance, which is exactly where these deals tend to fall apart. If you cannot move it yourself, a pickup-and-delivery marketplace usually nets you more in practice because it reaches buyers who could never have hauled it.
Can I sell a broken appliance?
Sometimes, yes. Handy buyers and repair flippers will pay 20 to 75 dollars for a broken unit if the problem is common and the parts are cheap. Be honest about what is wrong in the listing. If no one bites, a scrap yard will take it for the metal, and for a fridge or freezer you may qualify for a utility recycling rebate that beats scrap value.
How do I sell an appliance if I do not have a truck?
Use a channel that handles pickup. A pickup-and-delivery marketplace like Commonplace sends a driver to load the appliance and deliver it to the buyer, so you never rent a truck or move it yourself. Otherwise, some used appliance dealers and scrap services will pick up for free if the unit is worth their time.
Do I need to do anything special to sell a refrigerator?
A refrigerator needs to be cleaned, defrosted, and dried before it moves, and it should be transported upright when possible. If you are scrapping or recycling it, the refrigerant must be recovered by a certified technician first, and many cities require proof. For selling, our full guide to selling a used refrigerator walks through pricing, prep, and avoiding no-shows.
Is it worth selling old appliances or should I just toss them?
If it works, it is almost always worth selling. Even a basic working washer or dryer clears 100 dollars or more, and a working fridge clears 200-plus. Tossing a functional appliance means paying for disposal on something a buyer would have paid you for. Only skip the sale when the unit is genuinely dead.
The bottom line on selling used appliances
Where you sell a used appliance should come down to one honest question: can you move it? If yes, list it locally and clear the most cash. If no, stop trying to force a private sale that collapses at pickup and use a channel built to handle the heavy part. The appliance is rarely the problem. The logistics are.
If you have an appliance taking up space and you would rather not deal with truck rentals or no-show buyers, you can list your appliance on Commonplace and let a driver handle pickup, inspection, and delivery, with payment confirmed before the handoff is done. And if you are on the buying side, browsing inspected used appliances that arrive delivered and tested beats meeting a stranger to load a fridge into your own car. Either way, the goal is the same: get the machine where it is going without the move becoming the hard part.