What Kitchenware Can I Donate? What We Take and Can’t
The simple test for any piece of kitchenware is this: if it’s clean, it works and someone could cook with it tomorrow, we’ll take it. Most of what people clear out of their kitchen cupboards passes easily. Here is what our free doorstep kitchenware collection takes, the few things we can’t, and why.
Pots and pans
Saucepans, frying pans and casserole dishes.
Bakeware
Baking trays, tins and oven dishes.
Small appliances
In full working order.
Crockery and cutlery
Plates, bowls, mugs and utensils.
Welcome in your boxes
Kitchenware we collect
We take everyday kitchen items of every kind, as long as they are in working order, including:
- Saucepans and pots, with their lids
- Frying pans and woks
- Casserole dishes
- Baking trays, cake tins and bakeware
- Colanders and sieves
- Kitchen tools and utensils
- Cookware sets
- Crockery and cutlery
You can put these in with your kitchenware too:
Small kitchen appliances
Kettles, toasters, blenders, Nutribullets, air fryers, coffee machines, food processors and Ninja appliances, as long as they work. More on donating kitchen appliances.
Crockery and glassware
Plates, bowls, mugs and glasses, as long as they aren’t chipped or cracked. More on donating crockery and glassware.
Other things from around the home
Clothes, books, toys and more can go out on the same day, in the same collection. See what we collect.
Please leave out
Kitchen items we can’t take, and why
There are only a few, and each has a reason. We only collect things another person can use, and things a driver can carry safely from your doorstep. Anything that can’t be used again costs money to get rid of, and that money should be going to charity.
Microwaves
They are heavier and bulkier than the small appliances we take, and they are one of the items we can’t collect.
Instead: take it to the electricals area at your local household recycling centre. Many shops that sell electricals will also take an old one back when you buy a new one.
White goods and large appliances
Fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers and cookers are far too big and heavy for a doorstep collection. Our drivers pick up bags and boxes they can lift.
Instead: book your council’s bulky-waste service, or ask the shop delivering your new appliance to take the old one away.
Food
We can’t check food is safe to eat, and it can spoil in a box or leak onto everything packed with it.
Instead: sealed, in-date tins and packets are often welcome at a local food bank.
Plastic boxes and containers
Plastic storage tubs and food boxes are on the list of things we can’t collect, as they are hard to pass on to be used again.
Instead: keep them for storage at home, offer them on a local swap group, or check what your council’s recycling takes.
Kitchen fixtures
Sinks, taps, cupboards, worktops and other fitted parts of a kitchen count as building materials, not things we can collect from a doorstep.
Instead: your local household recycling centre, or your council’s bulky-waste service for larger pieces.
Broken or dangerous items
Cracked dishes, pans with loose handles and appliances that don’t work or have damaged cables can’t be used again, and they can hurt someone.
Instead: old metal pans can usually go in the scrap-metal section at your household recycling centre, and broken small appliances in its electricals area.
The full list of everything we can and can’t collect is on what we collect.
Before you pack up
Is it good enough to donate?
Is it clean?
Wash and dry it, with no food or grease left on it.
Does it work?
Appliances must be in full working order, with the plug and cable in good condition.
Is it safe?
No cracks, chips, loose handles or broken parts.
Would you give it to a friend?
If yes, it’s ready to go.
A good rule of thumb: pack each item as if you were moving it to your own new kitchen. Keep lids with their pans, and put the parts of an appliance together so it arrives complete.
Unsure about one item? Leave it out. A broken dish can damage the good things packed around it.
Worn out?
What about kitchenware that is past its best?
Please don’t put it in your donation boxes, but please don’t put it in the bin either. Your local household recycling centre will usually take old metal pans and trays for scrap, and broken small appliances for electrical recycling. For larger things, your council’s bulky-waste service can collect them. Why that matters is on why old pans shouldn’t go in the bin.
Ready to pack up? Our step-by-step guide, how to donate your kitchenware, covers booking, packing and the day itself. What happens next is on what happens to my kitchenware: we sort it by hand at our warehouse and pass on what can be used again.
Ready to donate your kitchenware?
It’s free, you don’t need to be at home, and you choose the charity your donation supports.