Most appliance removal ends with the thing in a landfill. Nobody mentions that part. A fridge has refrigerant, metal, and plastic in it — all recyclable — but recycling takes an extra step, and most haulers skip it.
We do not skip it. Every appliance we pick up goes to a licensed recycler, not the dump. Here is how appliance removal and recycling works, what it costs, and when you can get it done for free.
What appliance recycling actually means
When we say recycling, we mean the appliance gets broken down into its component parts — metal, plastic, refrigerant, glass, and electronics — and each part goes to the right processor. A fridge is not one thing. It is steel, copper, aluminum, polyurethane foam, and a compressor full of refrigerant that cannot go into the ground.
A licensed recycler handles the refrigerant recovery first. That is the part Massachusetts cares about most — the EPA requires proper recovery of CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs from cooling appliances before anything else happens. After that, the metal gets shredded and sold, the plastic gets sorted, and the foam gets processed. About 95 percent of a typical fridge by weight gets recycled.
Washers, dryers, ranges, and dishwashers are simpler. They are mostly metal, and metal recycling is straightforward. No refrigerant to recover, no special disposal requirements. They go straight to the shredder.
The free option most people do not know about
If your old refrigerator or freezer still works, Mass Save will pick it up from your home for free and give you a $75 rebate. The program is run by the Massachusetts utilities — Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, and the municipal light plants — and it is designed to get energy-wasting appliances out of homes.
You schedule online or call the Mass Save appliance recycling line. They pick up the fridge or freezer at no cost. You get a $75 check. The appliance goes to a certified recycler. About two weeks from scheduling to pickup.
The catch: the appliance has to be working and between 10 and 30 cubic feet. A dead fridge does not qualify. A mini-fridge does not qualify. A working second fridge in the garage that you have been meaning to get rid of — that qualifies.
If your appliance does not qualify for Mass Save — it is broken, it is not a fridge or freezer, or you need it gone this week instead of in two weeks — that is where we come in.
What we pick up and where it goes
We haul every household appliance: refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ranges, ovens, microwaves, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and water heaters. If it plugs in or hooks up to a gas line and you want it gone, we take it.
Where it goes depends on the appliance. Refrigerators and freezers go to a licensed recycler for refrigerant recovery first, then metal shredding. Washers and dryers go to metal recycling — the steel drum alone is worth processing. Ranges and ovens go to metal recycling; gas ranges need the line disconnected before we arrive. Air conditioners and dehumidifiers have refrigerant and follow the same recovery path as fridges. Small appliances — microwaves, toasters, blenders — go to e-waste or metal recycling depending on the components.
Usable appliances that still work get donated when possible — Goodwill, Savers, Habitat ReStore all take working appliances. A working dryer that someone can still use does not need to be shredded.
What appliance removal and recycling costs
Our pricing is flat, volume-based, and all-in. Labor, loading, hauling, recycling, and disposal are in the number. No hourly meter, no surprise charges after the truck is loaded.
Weight matters. A fridge weighs 200 to 300 pounds. A washer is 150 to 200. A microwave is 30. We adjust for weight up front — the quote you get accounts for it before we arrive.
Quotes carry roughly plus or minus 15 percent until we see the job in person. We tell you the band instead of lowballing the photo and surprising you on the day.
If you have one old microwave and a truck, the transfer-station fee will beat our $90. We will tell you that. We would rather lose the job than charge you for something you could do yourself for less.
| Job | Flat price |
|---|---|
| Single appliance, ground floor | $90 |
| Two appliances, ground floor | $150–$180 |
| Heavy pair (fridge + washer), stairs | $200–$250 |
| Full load of appliances | $250–$425 |
Massachusetts recycling rules for appliances
Massachusetts banned the disposal of certain appliances in the trash starting in 2000. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers require proper refrigerant recovery before disposal — you cannot put them at the curb with regular trash. Washers, dryers, ranges, and other large appliances are banned from Massachusetts landfills. They need to go to a recycler or a transfer station that accepts them.
Many towns charge a fee for appliance drop-off at the transfer station — typically $10 to $30 per item. Billerica, Chelmsford, and Tewksbury all charge per appliance. Some utility rebate programs like Mass Save offer free pickup for qualifying appliances, which is cheaper than any other option.
If your town transfer station takes appliances and you have a way to get it there, that is the cheapest option. If you do not have a truck or the appliance is in a basement or on an upper floor, hiring a crew is the practical call.
When a transfer-station run beats hiring us
If you have one small appliance, a vehicle that can carry it, and a Saturday morning free, the transfer-station fee will beat our $90. We will tell you that before we book the job.
If your fridge or freezer still works, call Mass Save first. Free pickup plus a $75 rebate beats our $90 every time. We would rather you save the money.
If it is hazardous — anything with asbestos, chemicals, or medical waste — we cannot take it anyway. Those need a specialist, not us.
How the process works
You text photos of the appliance or appliances and your town. We send back one flat price within 24 hours. No appointment to get a quote, no salesman on your couch.
You pick a two-hour window that works for you, same day or next day in most cases. The crew arrives in the window, loads the appliance, hauls it to the recycler, and sweeps the space before they leave.
Payment comes after the job, only when you are happy. Cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, or card. No deposit up front for standard residential work.
A real example
A customer in Burlington had an old fridge in the garage and a washer in the basement. The fridge had been sitting there for two years since they got a new one. The basement access was tight — one flight, narrow stairwell, standard for the 1960s ranches in that part of town.
We quoted $180 flat — two appliances, one flight of stairs. Crew had both out and on the truck in 25 minutes. The fridge went to a licensed recycler for refrigerant recovery. The washer went to metal recycling. The customer paid with Venmo and we swept the garage floor on the way out.