Check The Value of Your Old Tech

One of my readers sent me the following question: "What do we do with our old, outdated hardware? I mainly mean modems & routers. Is there a way to recycle them? Should we just trash them? Is there a way to check if they have a resale value or not?"

Unless you are one who is constantly upgrading these devices, your old modems and routers probably have little value.  Most of us will keep our modem and router until it dies or our internet speed starts slowing down.  Even if it still works great, it is probably years behind the current standards, and it may have some security holes that the manufacturer isn't fixing.  However, it never hurts to see if your device might have some value left in it.

A good place to start is at Amazon's trade-in site:  www.amazon.com/tradein.  Some routers qualify for a credit of up to $70 (possibly more, since I didn't check each page on my search).  However, others only qualify for 25 cents.  If it isn't worth your time to trade it at Amazon, then we can check one more place.

Some people like to purchase old routers and put other software on them to expand their functionality.  If your device is still in working condition, you might find someone on eBay willing to buy it.  However, if you don't want to go through the process of setting up a listing without knowing how much it might sell for, you can check for completed listings.  Simply search for your item's model, and then scroll to the bottom of the options on the left side.  Underneath "Show Only", check the box for "Completed Listings".  This will show you only the final sale price for your item.  If you see a big price, make sure that the model number in the listing is the same before you get your hopes up!

If you know someone who likes to scrap metal, they might be interested in taking your old devices.  If you are out of options, you are not supposed to put these devices in the trash due to some of their materials.  However, many electronics stores will offer free recycling, or you can try to find a place that accepts hazardous materials for disposal.  A local environmental group or government agency should be able to help you find a place that will accept your old electronics for recycling.  (Near where I live, there is a monthly "open dumping" day where all types of materials are accepted and there is also an annual household waste clean-up day.)