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How to Dispose of a Broken or Dead Kindle, And Earn a Few Dollars

6736812507_65ef69410f_bI’ve already written a post about what you can do with an android tablet with a broken screen, but it occurred to me today that I’ve never published a similar post on what to do with a Kindle in a similar state.

Amazon has done everything they can to make each Kindle model more sturdy than the one before, but screens still break, and sometimes Kindles die for no reason at all. So what do you do with a Kindle that is totally nonfunctional and broken?

You cannot, for example, turn it into a weather station or a fridge magnet or a bike computer; the busted screen makes that impossible.

But you might still be able to sell that busted Kindle and make a few dollars. Another option would be to send it to a recycling center.

Or, if your Kindle still works and you simply don’t want to use it anymore, once you upgraded to a newer model, you might donate it to a literacy program like Project Hart (although you might want to refurb it first). Or you could use Amazon’s trade-in program to exchange the Kindle for an Amazon Gift Card.

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And don’t forget, all Kindles – including refurbished units – come with a one-year warranty. So if your Kindle dies when it is less than a year old, be sure to contact Kindle support to see if you qualify for a free or discounted replacement unit.

How to Recycle a Broken Kindle

Short of dumping it in the trash, your easiest option is to send the broken Kindle to Amazon’s Take Back Program so it can be recycled.

3466808767_543c46d365_oIf you are in the US, that program is handled by a contractor, and not Amazon itself. Fill out the form, and they’ll email you  a prepaid UPS shipping label that you can slap on the box before dropping the Kindle off at a UPS Store or at another UPS facility.

You can find more information here.

Amazon has a separate page for their Kindle recycling efforts in Europe.

How to Sell a Broken Kindle on Ebay

Dumping or recycling a broken Kindle is your easiest option but it’s not the most profitable.

It might surprise you to learn that you can sell a broken Kindle on Ebay or other auction sites. Yes, a Kindle with a broken screen or dead battery, or which is otherwise non-responsive, can get you any where from $10 to $29, depending on the condition and luck.

 

images by nickbretttwirlopkodomut

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Comments


JANICE CATES December 10, 2018 um 8:31 am

where can I go to get help with my Fire tablet, it won’t open this morning? It was working earlier


Janet Feller September 18, 2019 um 3:45 pm

I have 2 kindle 10 fires that won’t charge any more. After a year and a half. I’m tired of having to replace them. I’m switching to an ipaf


william marsano June 28, 2020 um 10:22 am

"You can find more information here" (re sending broken K. to Amazon) does not, in fact, yield any information.

Nate Hoffelder June 28, 2020 um 3:49 pm

Did the link go away?

Sorry about that!


Carol October 23, 2020 um 12:52 pm

Amazon sent me back an old Kindle they wouldn’t take as a trade, useless.


Helen Ann Mahadocon December 11, 2020 um 11:11 pm

My Kindle died. How do I get rid of it.
No way to remove mother board. I get a message saying Amazon will not send to my address when I tried to order the 10”.
Loved my Kindle but it just died.?

joanne December 16, 2020 um 11:21 am

how to get rid of kindle that died


Arlene January 17, 2021 um 6:35 pm

If you dispose of a kindle that won’t work, is your personal information on the kindle?


Terri Bastedo September 16, 2021 um 8:13 am

My Kindle was a gift. A wonderful gift, which I used every day. Then, poof — it got stuck on a screensaver and has been that way ever since. I’ve tried *everything* to breathe life back into it and can’t. Is there *anything* you guys can tell me or advise me to do to restore it? I had so many books that I’ll never remember titles of, much less be able to read. PLEASE help if you can! I feel lost without it 🙁

Loti January 9, 2022 um 4:02 am

Google can help. ( Hold down power button and volume down button at the same te. For app 50.seconds to reset
There’s also a reset button on it you can hold down.. Google has more things about a tablet that won’t start
Ok


Cindy Pie August 22, 2022 um 7:16 pm

What is the link to recycle an obsolete kindle? Don’t want anything for it just want to get rid of it


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