Top 7 Dumpster Rental Alternatives for 2024
When you’re dealing with constant piles of junk, one thing’s certain – you need an effective solution to keep it all under control! Time was, you had two options: hook yourself up with a dumpster rental service or haul that trash down to the landfill. Make no mistake, both options still absolutely have their place. In fact, renting a dumpster is perfect if you need to put a long-term solution in place. But taking your junk to the landfill isn’t as easy as it once was.
Nope, nowadays, you need to jump through a few hoops, like local and federal regulations that limit the trash you can offload in landfills. These laws might complicate matters, but they’re there for good reason. We’re increasingly seeing the real-world effects of climate change. What’s more, dwindling landfill space is more precious than ever. That’s why it’s so important that we adjust our relationship with our unwanted items.
Dealing with junk might be more complicated than it used to be, but there’s some great alternatives out there. Chief amongst them is professional junk removal services. After all, why deal with all the stress and exertion of clearing out a junk pile when someone else can do it for you? Even better, the pros know all about the new regulations, so they can handle your trash in a super green way!
And that brings us nicely to this article. We’re going to pull out all the stops to help you find the perfect dumpster rental alternative. We’ll guide you through the country’s finest junk removal services and check out their strengths and weaknesses. So, whether your main concern is cost, availability, or sustainability, by the end of this guide, we’ll share some of our best junk removal tips to help you find your dumpster alternative!
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TL;DR
- Jiffy Junk offers professional, eco-friendly junk removal services with super special features like our white-glove treatment and instant online video quotes.
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK? deals in full-service junk removal with on-demand scheduling.
- Bagster provides a flexible, on-demand dumpster bag service that’s a good choice for smaller junk loads.
- College Hunks Hauling Junk focuses on eco-friendly junk removal and additional services like home moving.
- LoadUp features transparent pricing and flexible pickup options.
- Junk King is a great option for eco-friendly disposal and recycling practices.
- JDog Junk Removal & Hauling is a veteran-owned company with a military-inspired work ethic. They offer franchise opportunities to veterans and their families.
Comparison Table
If we’re going to compare the best dumpster alternatives, there’s plenty of things we need to think about. So, to help break everything down and see how the alternatives stack up against each other, we’ve given all the options a score for five different factors:
- Cost: How much the service will cost you.
- Convenience: How easy the service makes your junk removal experience. This includes things like next- or same-day service and nice touches like video call estimates.
- Capacity: The amount and types of materials that each junk removal service can haul away.
- Labor: How much work the junk removal firm in question puts into your job – a lower score means more for you to do!
- Environmental Responsibility: A higher score here indicates that a particular company is taking its green responsibilities seriously, looking out for eco-friendly ways to deal with your trash.
So, before we take a deep dive into each company, how do they stack up against each other? Let’s check out the scores!
| Service | Best Known For | Cost | Convenience | Capacity | Labor | Environmental Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jiffy Junk | Professional, eco-friendly service | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | Full-service removal | 3.5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Bagster | Flexible dumpster bags | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3.5/5 |
| College Hunks Hauling Junk | Eco-friendly service | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| LoadUp | Transparent pricing | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 3/5 |
| Junk King | Eco-friendly disposal | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| JDog Junk Removal & Hauling | Veteran-owned operations | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 |
Jiffy Junk
Now that we’ve taken a run-through of the dumpster rental alternatives, let’s spend some time getting to know each option a little better, starting with yours truly – Jiffy Junk!
Since launching in Long Island, New York, in 2014, we’ve been on a mission to bring competitively priced, eco-friendly junk removal services to the nation. And with locations in 31 states and counting, we’re certainly getting there! In fact, this year, we ranked no. 366 on the Inc. 5,000 list of fastest-growing companies.
Of course, doing right by the environment is up there with our top priorities. But so is doing right by you! That’s why we’re always on the lookout for innovative new features that can help make your booking and removal experience as seamless as possible. We were the first to introduce video estimates. That allows us to get in touch with you by video call to take a look at your junk situation for ourselves, meaning we can give you an ultra-accurate estimate. But now we’re looking at other ways to make the job even easier, like our new AI phone agent that’s helping to streamline the booking process for our customers across the country.
Features
If we don’t mind saying so ourselves, we’re absolute junk removal experts! So, as you’d expect from the best, we offer a comprehensive range of residential and commercial junk removal services. Need to sort out some debris removal from a building project? No sweat! Looking for all-encompassing estate cleanout services? We’ve got your back. We’re even happy to get involved in specialist jobs like sanitizing services and bed bug furniture removal. But just as important as what we do is how we do it. If you’re looking for the ultimate in environmentally responsible junk removal, look no further. We won’t settle for just taking your junk on a one-way trip to the nearest landfill. If we can recycle it, you better believe that’s what we’re going to do. And if we can donate it to be loved and used again? Even better! Then there’s our neat White Glove Treatment. With this offering, we’ll make sure to tidy and broom clean every area we clear junk from, leaving it fresh and ready to go right away.
Pros & Cons
All junk removal firms will have their strong points - and a few weaknesses to boot. But the real goal is to pick a company whose pros match your biggest needs and whose cons aren’t a dealbreaker! So, how about Jiffy Junk? Well, here’s what we think are our biggest pros and cons:
Pros
- White Glove Treatment for thorough cleanup.
- Strong focus on eco-friendly disposal.
- Huge range of residential and commercial services.
- Unmatched customer service features make getting a quote and booking your job a piece of cake.
Cons
- We don’t offer many additional services – we focus our efforts on being the best junk removal company we can be.
- We don’t have locations in every state just yet – but we’re working on it!
Community Reviews and Expert Recommendations
When you’re trying to figure out which company to hire, what’s the best way to separate the wheat from the chaff? Well, there’s worse places to start than with customer reviews! Nowadays, thanks to online services like Google Reviews, you can quickly discover real testimonies from real customers. That should tell you everything you need to know about things like professionalism, reliability, and any repeat problems that might crop up. So, how does Jiffy Junk come out in the eyes of our customers? Pretty well! We’re super proud of our 4.8/5 score on Google Reviews – let’s take a quick look at some of the recent comments we’ve received:
1-800-GOT-JUNK?
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is one of the OGs of junk removal. They’ve been in operation since the 80s, so you won’t find many firms with more experience. They’ve used that time to grow across the country, too, with locations in most states.
Like Jiffy Junk, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? offer a pretty complete set of dumpster rental alternative services. Similarly, they run a tight ship on sustainable practices too. But there are some limitations on what they offer. Their bulky junk policy pretty much ends at whatever two workers can lift between them. But with Jiffy Junk? We’re happy to go the extra mile and bring in the big tools to help get the job done, no matter how big that job is!
Pros & Cons
When it comes to 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s pros and cons, experience is definitely on their side. That said, there are a few things to consider that might be important considerations for you.
Pros
- Plenty of experience in the junk removal game.
- Wide range of services and accepted items.
- Same-day service available.
Cons
- Can be more expensive than some alternative services.
- Maybe limits on things like particularly bulky items.
Community Reviews and Expert Recommendations
By and large, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has plenty of positive reviews, like this one:
- “The service was very accessible, the crew was friendly and helpful, and the prices are quite reasonable.”
That said, in some locations, there’s a few reviews that mention a common theme – jobs costing a lot more than the initial estimate that customers receive. Here’s an example from a franchise in Long Island:
“DON’T USE!!!!!!!. Came and gave an estimate, then came back and, halfway through the work, told me they had to double it. Had me stuck behind a rock and hard place I needed it gone. Completely ripped me off. I called customer service for weeks trying to get a reasonable answer why and kept getting the runaround.”
Bagster (by Waste Management)
Here's another option! Bagster is somewhat unique in the junk removal industry. A solution from Waste Management, they don’t operate on the more typical ‘some and load your stuff into a truck and haul it away’ model. Instead, with Bagster, you go and buy a giant, almost dumpster-sized, durable rubble bag from a participating home improvement store. Then you fill it with all your junk. And when you’re done? Give Bagster a call, and they’ll come and haul your filled bag away.
These bags hold more than you might think – as much as 3,300 lbs! And because of their different operating models, you might find that prices are cheaper. However, there are some important caveats here.
Firstly, the obvious – you need to do all the hard work. Hire a company like Jiffy Junk, and we’ll take care of clearing your junk out of your home or office and into our truck. But with Bagster, there’s a bit more work involved on your side. You’ll need to go and buy your bag. But more importantly, you’ll also need to complete it!
Then there’s the sustainability side of things. When inexperienced lay people throw all their unwanted stuff into one bag, with no separation for recyclables or hazardous items, then it does beg the question – how much of these materials are being dealt with sustainably?
Pros & Cons
With their more unique junk management methods, Bagster’s pros and cons might be a little used to the other providers on our list:
Pros
- No time limit on bag rental.
- Cheaper option for small jobs compared to traditional dumpsters.
- Available in many retail locations.
Cons
- Limited capacity compared to traditional dumpsters and dumpster rental alternatives.
- You are responsible for loading your own bag.
- Questions over sustainability efforts.
Community Reviews and Expert Recommendations
For a pretty widespread junk management option, it’s actually surprisingly difficult to find genuine reviews of Bagster. And unfortunately, the only ones we could find (on Yelp) are all negative. Here’s a couple of recent ones:
- Indra: “I rate them zero stars because this is false advertising. When I buy a bag for $29 in Home Depot, then when I want to pick it up, it’s $250… This is outrageous and a total scam .....I would do differently next time.”
- Dan: “Ouch. Dealing with this company was truly awful. Do a quick search online, and you'll find MUCH better options. Bags were placed on our alley-accessible driveway. I was charged a trip fee of $50 because the driver said he couldn't drive down the alley... even though MW Waste Management and Eureka Recycling drive down it every week. With the cost of the bags, I'm out over $100. Don't get taken by this company!”
College Hunks Hauling Junk
College Hunks started up in 2003 and didn’t waste any time spreading their services. Today, they have locations in 40 states, along with Edmonton, Canada. Interestingly, College Hunks approach junk removal from a pretty different angle than Jiffy Junk. We’re the absolute experts in all things junk removal. It’s just what we do. But the College Hunks? They’ve diversified their services away from junk. Alongside junk removal, they also offer home removal services, furniture moving, general labor, and even some light demolition work.
So, if you’re looking for the kings of junk removal, Jiffy Junk is the clear choice. But if you need to throw in some extra services, like staging your home or tearing down a wall, maybe try College Hunks. And like Jiffy Junk, College Hunks are pretty keen on doing things green. They go the extra step to recycle and donate where they can.
Pros & Cons
With their wide range of additional services, College Hunks have some interesting strengths – but there might be a couple of deal breakers too:
Pros
- Wide range of additional services.
- Good nationwide availability.
- Strong brand recognition.
Cons
- Quality may vary across franchises.
- Not as convenient as the booking process (compared to Jiffy Junk).
- Diversification of services could mean less expertise in one area.
Community Reviews and Expert Recommendations
How do College Hunks customers feel about their experience? Let’s take a look at some recent reviews:
- Kay was pretty happy with her service: “Arrived on time, super friendly, and the job was done so fast with no mess left behind. Super nice guys. Would recommend.”
- However, Laura had some less than great things to say about her experience: “ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DO NOT USE THIS MOVING COMPANY!!!! I hired two movers for my 896-square-foot house”… “The one mover was “doing paperwork” or on the phone or in the truck doing nothing for half the time while the other mover did basically everything. It took the lazy guy an obscene amount of time to wrap the furniture with blankets that my wife finally asked if she could do it instead. He packed the truck in the worst way possible and said it would take them two trips because they ran out of room. On their way to the new house, they hit the cable wires of my neighbor’s house with the truck, and after they left, they took out power cords down the road, and the cops had to come. Furniture was broken and scratched. When we went to pay, a fee was added that wasn’t mentioned on the phone, but at this point, we were in such a rush to get back to the house we were selling that we just paid it to be done. When we called and spoke to someone from customer service, they said we would hear from them in 5-7 business days and we never heard back from them. Called again and the same thing happened.”
LoadUp
If you’re in a remote location and looking for the most widespread dumpster rental alternative out there, LoadUp could be a good bet. With locations in all 50 states, they have unmatched availability and pretty transparent pricing to match.
Interestingly, LoadUp offers two different junk removal options with two different price points. If you don’t mind paying more, they run a standard full-service solution. On the other hand, if you want to save a few bucks here and there, you can instead go for their curbside pickup option. Here, you’ll need to prepare your junk and haul it outside yourself, but LoadUp will take it from there.
If sustainability and environmental protection are important to you, it’s worth noting that their website doesn’t seem to mention their green credentials at all. Without knowing whether they take extra measures to keep your junk out of landfills, it might be best to err on the side of caution.
Pros & Cons
With their unique two-tier service options, how does LoadUp stack up in terms of strengths and weaknesses? Let’s check it out:
Pros
- Clear, upfront pricing.
- Flexible pickup options (full-service or curbside).
- Eco-friendly disposal practices.
Cons
- Little information about sustainability efforts.
- Limited capacity for very large jobs.
Community Reviews and Expert Recommendations
When it comes to customer reviews, LoadUp has a pretty mixed bag of results:
- Betsy had some good things to say: “Kevin and Lisa were the best. They kept me aware of arrival time, arrived on time, and were both very kind and thoughtful. They had the bed and boxsprings out in no time, and were both very professional. I applaud this company and recommend them highly!”
- Roberta was less impressed however: “We were part of Hurricane Milton. I sent in a picture of the debris and received a quote of $1,124. When the driver showed up, he sent in new pictures, and they increased the cost by another $900, almost doubling the quote. AND others had salvaged the two appliances and the mattress. When I canceled, they demanded a 50% chargeback for cancellation. I immediately protested with AMEX. I do not recommend this vendor for their inability to honor their quote.”
Junk King
If you're looking for eco-friendly junk disposal, Junk King could be a pretty good shout. They stick to green operating principles as much as possible, and right now, they’re hitting a 60% overall recycling rate. Now, that might not be the highest recycling rate out there, but it's definitely a good effort that’s helping to make a real difference.
With a selection of residential and commercial junk removal features, Junk King has a pretty good range of services. What’s more, they make full use of a modern fleet of removal trucks, which are custom-designed for optimal loading and sorting. The only downside? As of now, they operate in 100 locations – so there’s plenty of places where they just aren’t available.
Pros & Cons
As one of the better junk removal firms for eco-friendly services, Junk King has some strong plus points. Still, you'll need to decide for yourself if these pros and cons work for you:
Pros
- High commitment to recycling and donation.
- Handles all types of junk.
- Offers both residential and commercial services.
Cons
- Pricing can be higher than some competitors.
- Limited nationwide availability
Community Reviews and Expert Recommendations
As part of our exploration of dumpster rental alternatives, customer reviews are a super important way of working out how good a company really is. And we’ve already seen some of the excellent reviews that we’ve received here at Jiffy Junk – thanks so much! But when it comes to Jiffy Junk vs. Junk King, how do the reviews stack up?
Well, unfortunately, it’s not great news for Junk King. There are some good reviews, but overall, it’s a bit of a mixed bag:
- Denise gave Junk King Savannah a big old 5/5: “Dave and Kyle just completed hauling my junk and they were fabulous! I truly appreciated the fast and efficient service they gave. The pricing was more than fair. I will definitely use them again and plan to spread the word! Thank you, Junk King Savannah!”
- But Ronnie was less than impressed in their review: “DO NOT USE!!!! TOTALLY UNRELIABLE. I WASTED TWO AFTERNOONS HANGING AROUND WAITING FOR THESE GUYS WHO NEVER CAME OR CALLED!
I wasted 2 days waiting for Junk King to come and pick up an old dishwasher. When they didn't come a half hour after their window of arrival, I called and was told they were running behind and they will call me when they are coming. So we waited another hour, still no one came. I called back and told them they never came or called and she said they called us but we didn't answer the phone. NOT TRUE! NO CALL. Made another appointment for the next day. Same thing happened even though I called Junk King 3 separate times saying that no one called and they are an hour past their window.”
JDog Junk Removal & Hauling
JDog Junk Removal & Hauling – or just JDog for short – has a very interesting and pretty unique selling point. They’re a veteran-owned company, and they instill military work ethics into their operating methods. But even more impressive is their commitment to helping out U.S. veterans and their families. They frequently give veterans the opportunity to run their own franchise for the company. Ultimately, they want to help reduce veteran unemployment to under 1%.
JDog currently has approximately 300 locations in 29 states. So, not quite nationwide, but definitely getting there. They also offer a good range of residential and commercial junk removal services. What’s more, they also tackle things like light demolition work.
And like Jiffy Junk, JDog is committed to an eco-friendly business model. That means exploring every possibility for recycling and donating the junk they haul away.
Pros & Cons
Many people will appreciate JDog’s commitment to fighting both environmentally damaging junk removal practices and veteran unemployment – and so do we! But let’s take a look at all the pros and cons for a complete picture:
Pros
- Supports veteran employment.
- Strong emphasis on recycling and donation.
- Military-inspired work ethic and professionalism.
Cons
- Service quality may vary between franchises.
- Prices can vary between locations.
- Less widespread coverage than some competitors.
Community Reviews and Expert Recommendations
Overall, JDog has some pretty happy customers, with good reviews to back things up. That said, there are a few negative reviews out there too, which might be explained by different franchises operating at different quality levels:
- Caroline was thrilled with her JDog experience: “We are extremely grateful to Joe and his team at JDog. Steve and Logan were very professional yet personable during their time at our home. They were able to navigate around a curious toddler and two even more curious cats. We would definitely use them again for removal and hauling. They worked very hard from the time they pulled until the time they departed. As the daughter of a veteran, I am so glad to support a business like this in my community.”
- However, Moses encountered some problems with his service: “I gave them instructions to pick up shingles at a job. I told them to leave behind other lighter trash that I can clean myself, but they left behind the stuff I wanted moved out. They never raked the area or cleaned the debris that blew into the bushes. I told him I wasn’t happy and he took money off the invoice, but that doesn’t get the trash off my job. He never offered to return or make amends. I will not recommend them. I had to pay for a dumpster and my time to get it cleaned out properly.”
Final Thoughts
Dumpsters can be a fantastic way to deal with all your trash troubles. But if you don’t handle large amounts of trash regularly, you don’t have the space for one, or you don’t want to deal with dumpster pad cleaning, then it might not be for you. Thankfully, as we’ve discovered today, there’s plenty of excellent dumpster rental alternatives you can consider instead!
Before you go all-in on one option, remember to do a little due diligence. Once you have a good understanding of exactly how junk removal companies work, look for providers that check off all the tasks you need to do, check out how they stand on important things like sustainability, and remember to read those online reviews to get the inside scoop!
About Jiffy Junk
We’ve looked at plenty of pro junk removal providers in this article, but when we compare Jiffy Junk with another eco-friendly removal firm, like Junkluggers, how do we stack up? Pretty well, we think! No matter what your junk goals are, we’ve got you covered with our comprehensive range of services. You want to help a hoarder clean their house? Our hoarding cleaning services are just what you need. Or how about dealing with tricky scrap metal removal, or even carpet removal? Yep, we do that too!
But beyond what our services are, we’re also super particular about how we do them. All of our franchises offer our special White Glove Treatment, leaving your newly cleared-out areas broom-clean and ready to be put to use right away. And our sustainable efforts aren’t just about banging a drum - we put our money where our mouth is. In fact, just this year, we planted over 15,000 trees during New York’s Climate Week!
So, if that all sounds like the junk removal service for you, what are you waiting for? Click here to contact Jiffy Junk today, and let’s get that junk pile sorted out in a jiffy!
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