Every route, honestly
| Route | Cost | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| City bulk pickup | — | Refuses refrigerant appliances entirely — the exclusion list |
| Retailer haul-away | Free–modest at delivery | Only when a delivery crew is coming; nothing for the unreplaced garage fridge |
| Sell / Buy Nothing | Makes money, maybe | Working-and-clean units only; buyers need a truck; chronic no-shows |
| Flat pickup | $164 ($183 large, $115 mini) | None — disconnect, carry, and EPA refrigerant recovery included |
Fridge & freezer pricing, complete
| Unit | Flat price |
|---|---|
| Standard refrigerator | $164 |
| Large / side-by-side / French door | $183 |
| Mini fridge | $115 |
| Upright freezer / chest freezer | $149 / $146 |
$100 minimum. Basic disconnect (ice-maker water line capped), the dolly carry from any room or garage, and correct routing — coolant recovered to EPA standards, then steel and copper to scrap recovery. Empty it and defrost overnight before pickup; a towel under the door handles the melt.
The Austin-specific notes
- The garage beer fridge is the main character. Texas garages breed second fridges, and the dead one costs real electricity while it waits for a plan. It's the most common fridge on our trucks — $164 or $115 for the mini, corner reclaimed.
- Check for utility rebates before junking a working spare. Energy programs periodically offer old-fridge recycling incentives — worth thirty seconds on your utility's site before booking anyone (programs come and go; verify what's current).
- August timing matters. A dead kitchen fridge in Texas summer is a same-day problem, not a weekend project — book by 4 PM and it's usually gone before the groceries turn.
Frequently asked questions
Will Austin's bulk pickup take a refrigerator?
No — Austin Resource Recovery's on-demand bulk collection excludes refrigerant appliances (fridges, freezers, air conditioners), because the coolant must be recovered under federal rules before the metal can be recycled, and the curbside program has no refrigerant-recovery step. The fridge is the classic item the free program refuses even for eligible curbside households.
How much does refrigerator removal cost in Austin?
Flat: standard fridge $164, large side-by-side or French-door $183, mini fridge $115, upright freezer $149, chest freezer $146. That includes the basic disconnect (water line for ice makers), the dolly carry from kitchen or garage, and the EPA-standard refrigerant recovery downstream before the steel and copper recycle. $100 minimum; same-day often available booked by 4 PM.
Does the store take the old fridge when the new one arrives?
Usually — retailer haul-away at delivery is the best-timed free-to-modest option going, and if a replacement is coming, ask for it at purchase. Where it fails: the old unit must go before the new arrives, you bought without delivery, or nothing is replacing it — the garage beer fridge nobody's replacing is the most common fridge we haul.
Can I sell or give away a working fridge in Austin?
A working, clean, reasonably modern fridge has real resale and Buy-Nothing value — try it for a week. The honest limits: buyers need a truck and two people, no-shows are chronic with heavy items, and a dead or grimy unit has zero takers. If it didn't move in a week, it isn't moving; book the pickup and reclaim the garage corner.