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We all have a ‘bits and bobs’ or ‘messy’ drawer. It’s probably home to some string, spare light bulbs, old batteries — and, collectively, an estimated 40million forgotten electronic devices, according to a report last week.
The Royal Society Of Chemistry warned this is an utter waste of rare earth elements needed to create new technology.
It also raised concerns about the number of people with no plans to recycle their devices, which could mean toxic substances end up in the landfill.
There’s an estimated 40million forgotten electronic devices, according to a report last week
But did you know trading in old gadgets can be as beneficial for your wallet as the planet? With new recycling firms popping up all the time, appearing on some comparison sites but not others, finding the best deals can be hard work.
So if you’re having a post-summer holiday clear-out, read our ultimate guide to cashing in on the old electronics in your cupboards — even if they’re broken.
Shop around for the best price
The fastest way to find out which recycling firm will give you the best price is to use comparison sites such as Sell My Mobile, Compare And Recycle, and Compare My Mobile.
None compares all recycling firms so it is best to try all three. For example, on Sell My Mobile and Compare My Mobile, the best deal for a working, unlocked iPhone 6 16GB is £60 with GoodBuyTech.
Cash4Tech and GiffGaff quoted £57 and £56 respectively. When using Compare And Recycle, the top offer was lower at £53 with Music Magpie.
Sell My Mobile is the only site that offers a price match guarantee if you find a better offer elsewhere.
As well as mobile phones, you can compare deals for iPods and MP3 players, smartwatches, tablets and digital cameras. You can also sell gadgets that are damaged or no longer work — but expect significantly less.
For example, while you could get £285 for a working Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus 128GB from webuyanyphone.com via Compare And Recycle, you’ll only get £60 if it is broken.
Most recycling firms cover postage costs by either sending you a padded pre-paid envelope or a label. However, if your goods go missing there will be no redress, so you may want to pay for Royal Mail’s special delivery option.
Sending a phone worth up to £250 costs £7.40, or £4.20 if the value is up to £100.
Some firms may require that your phone is unlocked. Your network provider may do this for free or for a small charge depending on the make, the contract and how long you have had it. For example, EE customers will be charged £8.99 if they want to unlock their phone while in contract.
You may be able to find an online code to unlock your phone for free using GiffGaff’s online service Unlockapedia (giffgaff.com/unlock). Failing that, you can try an unlocking shop which can be found on most High Streets. You should also wipe any personal data and reset the device to factory settings in case it falls into the wrong hands.
Be aware that if the recycling firm receives the item and it is more damaged than you let on, it may offer you a lower price than it first quoted.
You do not have to accept this, in which case most companies will send it back to you free of charge.
Trade in gizmos on the High Street
Computer exchange firm CeX specialises in buying and selling second-hand goods such as mobile phones, computers and other technology. So it is worth getting a quote as it can sometimes beat what you will get from a recycling website.
For example, you can get £97 for an unlocked iPhone 6 16GB in mint condition or a voucher worth £130 to spend in the store.
This is £37 more than the best deal on a recycling website. CeX will buy the same phone in good condition for £87 or £80 if faulty. The firm operates online and has more than 500 stores UK-wide.
Those people with old laptops and Playstations can swap them for cash or credit. For example, website Music Magpie will buy an Xbox One S 500gb for £111 if in good condition. This drops to £66.60 if in poor condition, or £11.10 if it is faulty.
Many mobile networks also offer to recycle old phones for cash
Some High Street stores will pay more for your devices if you accept store credit instead of cash.
Retailer Game will pay £86.40 for the same console in perfect condition, or £108 credit to customers who trade it in store.
If you still have the box, you could get £92 from CeX.
You might not be offered cash for some older models, but you can still recycle the item for free.
If you have Apple products you can swap them for an Apple Store gift card. The firm pays up to £900 for a computer, £380 for a tablet and £380 for a smartphone.
High Street retailer Currys also offers gift cards for old laptops and other electronics or a discount on some items. For example, you can get a £20 gift card if you recycle an old Google Chromebook. Buy another device and you could get between £50 and £200 off. It also recycles other electronics free.
Try your mobile phone provider…
Many mobile networks also offer to recycle old phones for cash. You do not need to be a customer but you may get less if your phone is locked to another network.
O2 offers £50 for a working, non-damaged iPhone 6 64GB if it is locked to O2, Three, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile or Sky. But if you are a EE customer, for example, it drops to £34.
Vodafone, EE and Three also have their own phone trade-in service paying £50 for the same model. All of the networks provide a postage pack so you can send in your device for free.
… Or help a good cause
Many councils will take unwanted electronics at recycling centres. For example, there are seven run by Oxfordshire council which accept everything from laptops to vacuum cleaners and electric shavers.
Other councils offer bulky waste collections — but you may have to pay a fee. Hackney Council in East London charges £15 to collect five items. Bristol residents have to pay £25 for up to three items or £50 for up to six.
You can also donate unwanted items to charity shops, but check first that they accept electronics. Some charities are part of recycling schemes which allow you to sell your old phone and donate all, or some, of the proceeds.
Fonebank, for example, works with Oxfam, Water Aid and the National Trust and offers £40 for a working iPhone 6 16GB, or £50 if it is unlocked.
You can then choose to donate between 25 per cent and 100 per cent of the sale price of old mobiles. If you have five or more old phones they will be collected by courier for free.
Fonebank will not accept phones that do not charge or if the screen does not work. Alternatively, you can always just give old devices to any friends or family members who need one.
a.murray@dailymail.co.uk
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