Wondering How to Dispose of a Coffee Maker? This is the Best Way

You’re in the middle of upgrading every appliance in your kitchen, and next on your list is the coffee maker. If you’re ready to say sayonara to that old machine, you’ll need to do it the right way. So, you may be wondering how to dispose of a coffee maker.

There are a few instances where you can just toss it in the garbage and call it a day. Many people choose this option. However, considering the glass and wiring involved, it’s not the safest option. It may also be harmful to the environment.

This is what to do with old coffee maker and espresso systems that you just don’t want to hold onto anymore, or really don’t need.

How to Dispose of a Coffee Maker

These 4 options are all great options for what to do with an old coffee maker.

Recycle Your Coffee Maker

If you didn’t know, the main option for how to dispose of old coffee makers is simply putting them in the recycling bin. You need to check with your waste management provider to make sure this is acceptable.

Ironically, plastic coffee makers actually have a lower recyclability acceptance rate than metal coffee makers. Because coffee is oily and stains plastic, it affects a huge portion of the coffee maker plastic and makes most of it unusable.

When you factor in that you have to remove the wiring, heating plate, and inner tubing (which is also stained and unusable), it becomes more trouble than it’s worth for recycling companies to process it.

In the Trash (Only When Necessary)

Did your coffee maker break entirely? For example, does it have a cracked heating plate or did it fall off the counter? Or, does it no longer work at all? If it’s a plastic coffee maker, you might not be able to recycle it depending on the damage (however, they’re just going to throw it out anyway).

Visit your waste management provider’s website and look at their explicit instructions for small appliances. While they might not single out coffee makers, it counts as a small kitchen appliance.

If your waste management resources don’t tell you what to do with a broken coffee maker or espresso machine, you are in your right to assume it can be thrown in the trash. It’s important to note that recycling companies don’t typically take shards of plastic. So split or cracked coffee makers may be of no use to them.

Scrap Metal Pickup/Dropoff

If your coffee maker is mostly made of metal, you can’t throw it in the recycling bin at home. This ends up going to the wrong place where it will likely be tossed in a landfill, or depending on your waste management company, you might receive a fine for improperly using your recycling bin.

Many of these services offer a way to recycle coffee maker units through pickup at recurring intervals at your residence for scrap metals. Alternatively, you can visit one of their nearby dropoff locations to dispose of your old coffee maker.

Depending on what else you’re getting rid of, you might be able to visit a for-profit scrap yard. These locations may pay you for metal by the pound.

Donate Your CoffeeMaker

Some older coffee makers have coffee stains in the basket and might need a replacement tube or other parts. This isn’t exactly the most desirable second hand small appliance.

Donating this to someone you personally know is your best option. So long as the coffee maker still works, there’s no need to throw it out.

Finally, you could donate it to somewhere like Goodwill. This is a great option if you want to keep all that plastic out of the landfill.

Final Thoughts On Disposing of a Coffee Maker

There are simple ways to dispose of an old coffee maker. These options should help you determine the right way to dispose of your old, broken coffee maker.

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