A scrap refrigerator is worth $15 to $50 whole, based on its 150-250 lb weight at shred steel rates of $0.05-$0.10 per pound. The real money hides in the components: the compressor alone brings $10-$25, copper tubing pays $0.75-$1.00 per pound, and the door shelving adds aluminum value. One critical rule applies everywhere: the refrigerant must be professionally evacuated before any yard will touch the unit.
| Grade / Item | Low | High | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (whole) | $15 | $50 | USD/unit |
| Washing machine (whole) | $8 | $25 | USD/unit |
| Dryer (whole) | $5 | $20 | USD/unit |
| Water heater (tank) | $5 | $15 | USD/unit |
| AC compressor (sealed) | $5 | $25 | USD/unit |
| Sealed units per pound | $0.20 | $0.32 | USD/lb |
| AC coil, clean Cu/Al | $1.55 | $3.02 | USD/lb |
| Country | Typical Range | Per Tonne | Cur. |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $5 – $50 /whole unit | — | USD |
| Canada | C$7 – C$70 /unit | — | CAD |
| United Kingdom | £4 – £40 /unit | — | GBP |
| Germany / EU | €5 – €45 /unit | — | EUR |
| Australia | A$8 – A$75 /unit | — | AUD |
| India | ₹400 – ₹4,000 /unit | — | INR |
Rates for every other appliance are collected in the complete scrap metal price index.
Why Old Refrigerators Still Have Scrap Value
A refrigerator is essentially 200 pounds of steel wrapped around a copper-rich cooling system. When the appliance dies, that metal doesn’t. Yards buy dead fridges every day, pricing them as light iron by weight.
The whole-unit price is modest because steel is cheap. But refrigerators hide concentrated value in specific components: the sealed compressor with its copper motor windings, the copper tubing running through the cooling circuit, and aluminum in the evaporator coils and trim.
Scrappers who break fridges down instead of selling them whole routinely double or triple the payout. Whether that’s worth an hour of your time is the math this guide will help you run.
Current Scrap Refrigerator Price Breakdown
- Whole standard fridge (150-200 lbs): $15 – $35
- Large French door models (250+ lbs): $20 – $50
- Old heavy-duty units (pre-1990): $25 – $60 (they’re simply heavier)
- Compressor pulled separately: $10 – $25
- Copper tubing: $0.75 – $1.00/lb
- Shred steel base rate: $0.05 – $0.10/lb
Weight rules everything at the whole-unit level. Yards weigh the fridge, apply the light iron rate, and hand you the result. That’s why an ancient 300 lb beast outpays a modern lightweight unit despite being worthless as an appliance.
The Refrigerant Rule: Non-Negotiable
Every refrigerator contains refrigerant (Freon in older units, HFC blends in newer ones), and venting it to the atmosphere is a federal EPA violation carrying serious fines. No legitimate yard accepts a charged fridge.
You have two paths. Have an EPA-certified technician evacuate the refrigerant and tag the unit, typically $25-$50 through appliance repair shops. Or sell to a yard that does in-house recovery, which usually means a $10-$25 deduction from your payout. Many utility companies also run appliance recycling programs that pay $35-$75 for working fridges specifically to retire them, sometimes beating scrap value entirely. Check your utility’s website before hauling anything.
Whole vs. Parted Out: The Math
Selling whole: One trip, zero labor, $15-$50 in your pocket.
Parting out: Pull the compressor ($10-$25), strip the copper tubing (2-4 lbs at $0.75-$1.00/lb), harvest aluminum coils and shelves, then sell the carcass as shred steel. A full teardown typically yields $30-$70 total from the same fridge.
The teardown takes 30-60 minutes with basic tools. For one fridge, it’s a judgment call. For a scrapper doing appliance pickups weekly, the component math is the entire business model, the same way electric motor harvesting turns free appliances into steady money.
Component-by-Component Value Map
- Compressor: The black steel dome at the back-bottom. Contains 1-2 lbs of copper winding. Cut the lines, unbolt, done. Full details in our AC compressor scrap price guide.
- Copper tubing: The condenser coil grid on the back and the lines feeding the compressor. Snip and coil it up.
- Aluminum: Evaporator coils inside the freezer section, plus some shelving and trim.
- Stainless steel: Stainless-front models carry door panels worth $0.20-$0.40/lb, several times the shred rate.
- Steel body: Everything left. Low rate, but it’s most of the weight.
- Power cord: Insulated copper wire, worth clipping into your wire bucket.
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Payout
- Cutting refrigerant lines on a charged unit: An EPA violation and instantly detectable by the oily residue. Get it evacuated properly first.
- Skipping the utility rebate check: A working fridge might earn $50-$75 through a utility recycling program versus $20 at the yard.
- Leaving the compressor in: You’re selling a $20 component at the $0.07/lb steel rate.
- Ignoring stainless doors: Sorted stainless pays 3-5x shred. Unbolt the panels.
- Hauling one fridge at a time: Gas eats small payouts. Accumulate a load of appliances before the trip.
Getting the Best Price
Check your utility’s recycling rebate first if the fridge still runs. If it’s dead, decide on whole versus teardown based on your time and volume, get the refrigerant handled legally, and call 2-3 yards for their appliance rate and refrigerant policy before loading anything.
A refrigerator is never going to be a windfall, but it’s real money that most people pay someone else to haul away. Between the fridge, the dead car battery in the garage, and the old water heater in the basement, a single cleanout trip to the yard routinely covers a tank of gas and lunch.
Related scrap price guides
- Water Heater Scrap Value: Tank vs Tankless Prices Explained
- Washing Machine Scrap Value: What Yards Pay & Breakdown Math
- AC Compressor Scrap Price: Sealed Unit Values & Copper Math
- Scrap Car Battery Price Today: What Yards Are Actually Paying
- Scrap metal price index — all 25 materials and part types