Apple
iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch - trade-in for credit OR free recycling.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + AU + CA + JP |
|---|---|
| Payout | £5-£999 (working) or £0 (free recycle). |
| Certification | R2v3 via Brightstar / Likewize logistics |
Manufacturer take-back program finder (18 brands, 2026)
Most major electronics manufacturers will recycle your old device for free - many will pay you for it. This finder shows every verified take-back, trade-in, and free recycling programme run directly by 18 leading brands across the UK, US, EU, Canada, Australia and Japan. All URLs verified May 2026 and link to the official manufacturer page.
Programmes shown are official manufacturer offerings - they typically pay MORE than independent buy-back services for newer devices in good condition, AND offer free recycling when the device has no resale value. For independent buy-back comparison see our trade-in value checker.
Find your brand
Samsung
Galaxy phones, tablets, watches, TVs (UK only for TVs).
| Countries | UK + US + EU + AU + IN |
|---|---|
| Payout | £10-£800 trade-in credit toward new Samsung purchase. |
| Certification | R2v3 + ISO 14001 |
Dell
Free mail-back recycling for ANY brand laptop / desktop / monitor (Dell-paid shipping).
| Countries | UK + US + EU + Most countries |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 (free) or trade-in credit for newer items. |
| Certification | R2v3 + e-Stewards |
HP
Printers + ink cartridges (free), laptops/desktops via trade-in.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + AU |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free or trade-in. |
| Certification | R2v3 |
Lenovo
ThinkPad + ideapad laptops, ThinkCentre desktops, ThinkVision monitors.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + global enterprise |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free recycling; trade-in credit for newer enterprise hardware. |
| Certification | R2v3 + ISO 14001 + ISO 27001 |
Microsoft
Surface devices, Xbox consoles, accessories.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + CA |
|---|---|
| Payout | £25-£600 trade-in credit. |
| Certification | R2v3 via Brightstar partnership |
Pixel phones, Pixel Buds, Nest devices, Chromebooks via partner.
| Countries | UK + US + DE + CA + AU + JP |
|---|---|
| Payout | £50-£599 instant credit. |
| Certification | R2v3 via Likewize / Hyla |
Sony
PlayStation, BRAVIA TVs, audio equipment, cameras.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + AU + JP |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free mail-back; partner trade-in via GameStop in US. |
| Certification | R2v3 |
LG
TVs, washing machines, fridges, microwaves, vacuum cleaners.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + AU + KR |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free; large appliances £30-£60 collection. |
| Certification | WEEE compliance scheme member |
Acer
Laptops, desktops, monitors, projectors.
| Countries | UK + EU + US + TW |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free recycling. |
| Certification | WEEE |
Asus
Laptops, motherboards, GPUs, ROG accessories.
| Countries | UK + EU + US + TW |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free recycling. |
| Certification | WEEE + RoHS |
Canon
Cameras, printers, lenses, ink cartridges (separate programme).
| Countries | UK + EU + US + JP |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free; Canon UK ink cartridge programme returns 100% to recycling. |
| Certification | WEEE |
Epson
Printers + ink/toner cartridges.
| Countries | UK + EU + US + JP |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free; pre-paid return labels for cartridges. |
| Certification | WEEE |
Bose
Headphones, speakers, soundbars. Trade-up programme for newer models.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + AU + JP |
|---|---|
| Payout | 10-15% off new Bose for trade-in. |
| Certification | R2v3 |
JBL / Harman
JBL speakers, headphones, soundbars; AKG headphones.
| Countries | UK + EU + US + global |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free recycling. |
| Certification | WEEE |
Bosch
Washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, fridges, power tools.
| Countries | UK + EU + US + global |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free collection on like-for-like purchase. |
| Certification | WEEE |
Whirlpool
Whirlpool, Hotpoint, Indesit, KitchenAid appliances.
| Countries | UK + US + EU + AU |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free collection with replacement purchase; £15-£35 standalone collection. |
| Certification | WEEE |
Panasonic
TVs, cameras, audio, kitchen appliances, batteries.
| Countries | UK + EU + US + AU + JP |
|---|---|
| Payout | £0 free. |
| Certification | WEEE + Battery Compliance Scheme |
How manufacturer take-back differs from council recycling
Council Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) accept all e-waste for free - that's the baseline. Manufacturer take-back adds three things:
- Free postage - Dell, Apple, HP, Samsung all pay shipping. No trip to the recycling centre needed for small items.
- Trade-in credit - newer devices in working condition get instant credit toward a new purchase, often more than independent buy-back services pay.
- Certified data destruction - manufacturers guarantee NIST 800-88-grade wipe before refurbishment or recycling, with audit trail. Useful for ex-business devices with sensitive data.
When to use manufacturer take-back vs other options
| Scenario | Best route |
|---|---|
| Working iPhone, MacBook, iPad (≤4 years old) | Apple Trade In - usually pays most |
| Working Samsung Galaxy / Galaxy Tab | Samsung trade-in OR independent (e.g. musicMagpie) - compare both |
| Working Dell / HP / Lenovo laptop | Manufacturer take-back free OR trade-in. Independents (Decluttr) often beat brand price. |
| Broken iPhone | Apple Trade In still pays £5-£40; better than landfill |
| Old PC tower, monitor, printer | Brand take-back (free post) or council HWRC |
| Microwave, kettle, toaster | Council HWRC or retailer take-back (Currys, John Lewis, Best Buy) |
| Washing machine, fridge, oven | LG/Whirlpool/Bosch collection on replacement OR specialist appliance recycler |
| Loose batteries | Free drop-off at any supermarket battery bin (UK) |
| 500+ enterprise devices | Use ITAD calculator + get 3 quotes |
Things to check before posting your device
- Sign out + factory reset - Apple iCloud, Google account, Find My, etc. Some manufacturer programmes won't accept locked devices.
- Remove SD cards + SIM cards - most programmes do not preserve removable media.
- Encrypt + wipe - manufacturer guarantees vary on data destruction; for sensitive data, wipe yourself first using BitLocker / FileVault / device-built-in encryption.
- Check the postal terms - some programmes only provide free postage above a value threshold (e.g. Apple requires a quoted offer over £30 before pre-paid label).
- Photo the device + serial number before posting in case of dispute over condition.
For UK consumers: your legal rights
Under the UK WEEE Regulations 2013, retailers selling new electronics must accept your old equivalent free of charge - either in-store on a 1-for-1 basis when you buy new, or via separate distributor take-back schemes. Retailers under 400m² floorspace can opt out of in-store take-back if they join a distributor compliance scheme. Most major retailers (Currys, John Lewis, Argos, Boots for small items) accept old electronics regardless of where you bought them.
For US consumers: state-by-state retailer obligations
22 US states + Washington DC have e-waste laws requiring manufacturer take-back. Best Buy accepts most electronics in all 50 states at no charge (up to 3 items/household/day). Staples accepts ink cartridges, batteries, and small electronics free at any store. Office Depot/OfficeMax accept printers and small office equipment.
Sources
- All manufacturer URLs verified May 2026
- UK WEEE Regulations 2013 distributor obligations
- EU WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU Annex VII
- US state e-waste laws (Electronics Industry Alliance database)
- R2v3, e-Stewards, ISO 14001 vendor certification registries
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free? What is the catch?
No catch - these are real obligations. Manufacturers in the UK and EU pay into national WEEE compliance schemes (Producer Compliance Scheme membership costs them per-tonne) and the schemes fund the recycling infrastructure. In the US, state laws (CA, NY etc.) force manufacturers to offer take-back at no charge to consumers. The cost is built into new product prices, not charged separately.
Will I get more money trading in with the manufacturer or with a third party like Decluttr / musicMagpie?
Depends on the device and condition. As a rule of thumb: Apple Trade In typically pays the most for iPhones and Macs (especially newer models). Samsung trade-in is best when you are buying a new Samsung device (their offers spike during promotional windows). For Android phones over 2 years old, independent buy-backs (Decluttr, Back Market, musicMagpie) typically pay more than the brand. Always compare both - our value checker does this automatically.
What about devices that have no trade-in value at all?
Free recycling is always available. Most manufacturers offer free postage labels for "no value" recycling. Failing that, your local council HWRC accepts e-waste free of charge in the UK. Best Buy in the US accepts most electronics at any store free, up to 3 items per household per day. For broken phones specifically, even £5-£10 trade-in offers exist (Decluttr, ItsWorthMore).
Do I need to wipe my data first?
Yes - always. Most manufacturer programmes guarantee certified wipe under NIST 800-88 standard before refurbishment or recycling, but the wipe happens at the facility. For peace of mind: factory reset + sign out of all accounts (iCloud, Google, Find My, Apple ID, Microsoft account) before shipping. For business-sensitive data: BitLocker encrypt + then wipe locally before sending.
My device is over 10 years old. Is take-back still free?
Generally yes for free recycling. Manufacturers do not pay anything for ancient devices, but they will still accept them for proper recycling. The exception is some manufacturer trade-in programmes have a model-age cut-off (e.g. iPhones older than 6S typically have £0 trade-in but Apple still recycles them free of charge).
Do these programmes work for businesses, not just consumers?
For 1-10 devices, yes - same consumer programmes work for SMBs. For 10+ devices, you typically need a business-specific ITAD service (different from consumer programmes) with Certificate of Destruction, asset register reconciliation, and chain of custody documentation. Dell's Asset Recovery Services, HP's Asset Recovery, Lenovo Asset Recovery Services are the brand-specific B2B equivalents. For multi-brand mixed fleets see our ITAD quote calculator.