All items · Electrical
Microwave ovens
Also covers: microwave, microwave cooker, countertop microwave
Can you donate microwave ovens to a UK charity shop? Usually not.
Why shops may refuse it
Microwaves need electrical and leakage-safety checks that many charity shops are not equipped to carry out.
What to do instead
A working appliance may be accepted by a specialist electrical reuse project; otherwise use a retailer or council WEEE service.
Charity by charity
50 mentions-
Can't accept
Ardgowan Hospice category-wide rule
Whole "electrical items" category listed as currently not accepted.
Their wording
“Currently we CANNOT accept: -Toys, large furniture or electrical items.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Small electricals (food processors, coffee grinders) — Some small electricals such as microwaves, food processors and coffee grinders”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Cookers; microwaves”
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Can't accept
Microwaves are costly to test — standard appliance testers may not be qualified for the radiation tests.
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Claire House Children's Hospice category-wide rule
Blanket exclusion of electrical items, though brand-new factory-sealed hard drives, SD cards or USB sticks are excepted.
Their wording
“Electrical items”
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Can't accept
Cransley Hospice Trust category-wide rule
Listed under 'Unfortunately, we are unable to accept some items' ('Electrical items, Kitchen equipment and utensils, Used baby equipment including car seats and prams/pushchairs, Bikes') with no exceptions stated.
Their wording
“Electrical items”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Cookers (Gas or Electric) and microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves, electric blankets and heaters”
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Can't accept
Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland category-wide rule
Applies to all electrical items
Their wording
“Electrical and medical items”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Mains or bottled gas appliances, microwaves, electric fires, batteries or computer hard drives”
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Can't accept
Katharine House Hospice, Banbury category-wide rule
Listed under 'Unfortunately, we're unable to accept' on the shop donations page.
Their wording
“Electrical items or any furniture.”
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Can't accept
Microwaves also not accepted.
Their wording
“We cannot accept certain items, such as food, white goods (e.g., washing machines, dishwashers, cookers) and microwaves.”
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Can't accept
Furniture page separately lists "Fridges, washing machines and microwaves" as not accepted.
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Cookers/microwaves/heated blankets”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves & printers”
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Can't accept
Phyllis Tuckwell category-wide rule
No electrical items are currently accepted, with one exception: old mobile phones and tablets are welcomed.
Their wording
“Unfortunately we are currently unable to accept any electrical items or suitcases.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves (safety reasons). Costly to test: standard appliance testers may not be qualified to conduct the necessary radiation tests.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwave ovens”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Microwaves listed among electrical items the Furniture Centre cannot accept.
Their wording
“Electrical – CD & DVD players, printers, radios, record players, scanners, shredders, stereo systems, TVs, coffee machines, cookers, freezers, fridges, irons, kettles, microwaves, toasters, tumble dryers”
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Can't accept
Includes fridges, tumble dryers, washing machines, ovens and microwaves
Their wording
“Fridges, tumble dryers, washing machines, washer dryers”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
Microwaves listed under items the charity cannot take.
Their wording
“Heating, lighting and cooking equipment that use gas or oil, knives and scissors, ovens, electrical items e.g. foot baths, sun lamps & shavers, electric blankets, power tools or food mixers without instructions, microwaves”
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Can't accept
St John's Hospice (London) category-wide rule
Applies to all electrical items
Their wording
“Electrical items”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“White goods (e.g., fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, ovens, microwaves, and dishwashers)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Microwaves”
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Can't accept
St Raphael's Hospice category-wide rule
Stated on the Our Shops page for shop/Donation Centre drop-off. The separate Furniture Collections page still refers to collecting 'large items of furniture or electrical items' via its home-collection service, so this blanket refusal may be specific to walk-in shop donations rather than the large-item collection route.
Their wording
“We are no longer accepting any electrical items or pet toys, sorry for any inconvenience caused.”
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Can't accept
White goods plus microwaves.
Their wording
“donated white goods - e.g. fridges, freezers or washing machines”
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Can't accept
Microwaves; white goods; fridges/freezers (Fleetwood shop may make exceptions - call ahead)
Their wording
“White goods: washers/dryers/dishwashers/cookers/”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Donated white goods and microwaves”
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Check first
Accepted only if brand new and boxed.
Their wording
“Microwaves / printers: unless brand new & boxed”
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Check first
Only tested for resale at the Bexley and Dartford Priory shops.
Their wording
“Microwaves Can be tested for resale only in Bexley and Dartford Priory”
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Check first
Save the Children category-wide rule
Exception: accepted at selected stores — donors are told to check first.
Their wording
“We're unable to accept electrical goods (except in selected stores - please check first)”
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Check first
Accepted only if undamaged, complete and CE-marked; as of the current guidance, only the Witney store can accept and PAT-test microwaves.
Their wording
“Please do not donate microwaves that are: ❌ Damaged or broken ❌ Missing parts or plugs ❌ Without a current CE marking Thank you for your generosity and understanding PLEASE NOTE, CURRENTLY ONLY OUR WITNEY STORE ARE ABLE TO ACCEPT & PAT TEST MICROWAVES”
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Check first
St Mary's Hospice category-wide rule
Listed as a standalone bullet within the 'Electrical Items' section of the main donation guidance page — electrical items without a CE mark are implied to be refused.
Their wording
“Must have CE mark”
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Check first
Only accepted if in good working condition and with a plug attached.
Their wording
“We accept electrical items* that are in good working condition as well as a range of kitchenware (crockery, glasses, pots and pans). Examples of electrical items you can donate are listed below: • Kettles • Toasters • TVs • Gym equipment • Washing machines • Microwaves • Fridge and freezers • Hairdryers and styling irons *Please note: All electrical items must have a plug attached.”
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Check first
Must be in full working order and PAT tested before sale.
Their wording
“Lamps, stereo equipment, some small TV’s, digital TV’s, vacuum cleaners, fridges, fridge/freezers, freezers, washing machines, tumble driers, microwave ovens, clocks etc. In order to be sold the above must be in full working order and fridges and freezers must be defrosted and emptied before collection. All items are PAT tested before going on sale.”
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Check first
Strathcarron Hospice category-wide rule
Donors are asked to check with their local shop before donating electrical items.
Their wording
“Electricals (but please do check with your local shop before you donate these).”
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Accepted
Their wording
“Small kitchen equipment – microwaves, toasters”
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Accepted
Their wording
“Kettles and microwaves”
Not mentioned in 103 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Accord Hospice
- Acorns Children's Hospice
- Age UK
- Ayrshire Hospice
- Barnsley Hospice
- Bolton Hospice
- British Heart Foundation
- Butterfly Hospice Trust
- Butterwick Hospice
- Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
- Cornwall Hospice Care
- Crisis
- DEBRA
- Derian House Children's Hospice
- Dogs Trust
- Dorothy House
- Douglas Macmillan Hospice
- East Lancashire Hospice
- Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria's Children's Hospice
- FARA Charity Shops
- Farleigh Hospice
- Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity
- Garden House Hospice Care
- Great Oaks Hospice
- Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
- Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
- Helen & Douglas House
- Hope House & Ty Gobaith Children's Hospices
- Hospice in the Weald
- Hospice Isle of Man
- Hospice of the Valleys
- Katharine House Hospice (Stafford)
- Lindsey Lodge Hospice
- Longfield Community Hospice
- LOROS Hospice
- Marie Curie
- Martin House Children's Hospice
- Moya Cole Hospice
- Naomi House & Jack's Place
- North Devon Hospice
- North London Hospice
- Nottinghamshire Hospice
- Octavia Foundation
- Overgate Hospice
- Oxfam
- PDSA
- Pendleside Hospice
- Pilgrims Hospices
- Primrose Hospice
- Princess Alice Hospice
- Prospect Hospice
- Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
- Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
- Rotherham Hospice
- Rowans Hospice
- Royal Trinity Hospice (London)
- Saint Francis Hospice
- Salvation Army (SATCoL)
- Samaritans
- Scope
- Sense Scotland
- Severn Hospice
- Shaw Trust
- Shelter
- Shooting Star Children's Hospices
- Springhill Hospice
- St Barnabas Hospice (Lincolnshire)
- St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire)
- St Christopher's Hospice
- St Cuthbert's Hospice
- St David's Hospice Care
- St Luke's Cheshire Hospice
- St Luke's Hospice (Harrow & Brent)
- St Luke's Hospice Basildon & Thurrock
- St Luke's Hospice Plymouth
- St Margaret's Hospice Care (Somerset)
- St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire)
- St Peter's Hospice
- St Richard's Hospice
- St Vincent's Hospice
- St Wilfrid's Hospice
- Thames Hospice
- The Children's Trust
- The Kirkwood
- The Myton Hospices
- The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice
- The Prince of Wales Hospice
- The Shakespeare Hospice
- Traid
- Treetops Hospice Trust
- Tynedale Hospice at Home
- Wakefield Hospice
- Weldmar Hospicecare
- Wigan and Leigh Hospice
- Willen Hospice
- Willow Burn Hospice
- Willow Wood Hospice
- Willowbrook Hospice
- Wirral Hospice St John's
- Wisdom Hospice
- Woking & Sam Beare Hospices
- Woodgreen Pets Charity
- YMCA (England & Wales)