Used chest of drawerses in the UK typically sell for £30 to £180 (about $40 to $240). A chest of drawers is judged by how the drawers run — a buyer will open every one, so make sure they slide before you photograph anything.
What chest of drawerses are worth in the UK
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £180 | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £153 | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £117 | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £81 | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £45 | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.
What lifts the price
- Solid wood with dovetailed drawer joints
- Drawers that run smoothly and sit square when closed
What pulls it down
- Water damage to the base and back panel
- Replaced or mismatched handles
Selling a chest of drawers in the UK
Most private sales settle by bank transfer or cash on collection. Faster Payments clear in seconds, which makes a transfer as safe as cash for the seller — wait for it to land before the item leaves your hands.
Royal Mail, Evri and InPost cover the whole country, and InPost lockers mean neither side has to be in for a delivery. Tracked 48 is the usual default for small parcels.
Distance selling rules bind traders, not private sellers, but an item must still be as described and anything sold as working must actually work.
Second-hand demand peaks in January, in the weeks before Christmas, and at the start of the academic year in September.
Working out what yours is worth
- Open and close every drawer fully
- Pull one out and check the joints at the front corners
Getting it ready
- Empty every drawer and run each one in and out. Sticking runners can often be fixed with a candle rubbed along the wooden runner.
- Wipe the top. It is the surface buyers look at first and usually carries ring marks or heat damage.
Photograph
- The chest straight on with all drawers closed, in even light
- The inside of one drawer, showing the base and joints
- The top surface at an angle to reveal ring marks, plus any chip, veneer lift or missing handle
Put in the description
- Height, width and depth in centimetres
- Number of drawers, and whether any are lockable or have dividers
- Material and finish — solid wood, veneer, painted or laminate
Lead with material, drawer count and style: “Solid Pine Chest of Drawers, 5 Drawer, Waxed” or “1960s Teak Chest of Drawers, 6 Drawer”. Drawer count is a real search term because buyers are matching a space, and the era matters for anything mid-century.
Collection, and remove the drawers before lifting — an empty carcass is a fraction of the weight and far easier through a doorway. Tell the buyer that in advance so they bring the right vehicle, not the right optimism.
It costs nothing to list
There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the £180 a buyer pays is the £180 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.
Where in the UK
The United Kingdom is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of the United Kingdom with their own page for chest of drawerses.
- Selling a chest of drawers in London
- Selling a chest of drawers in Birmingham
- Selling a chest of drawers in Leeds
- Selling a chest of drawers in Glasgow
- Selling a chest of drawers in Sheffield
- Selling a chest of drawers in Manchester
- Selling a chest of drawers in Edinburgh
- Selling a chest of drawers in Liverpool
- Selling a chest of drawers in Bristol
Common questions
Where can I sell a chest of drawers in the UK?
List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Most private sales settle by bank transfer or cash on collection. Faster Payments clear in seconds, which makes a transfer as safe as cash for the seller — wait for it to land before the item leaves your hands.
Can it be painted?
Say what the finish is. A waxed or oiled surface needs different preparation from a laminate, and a large share of buyers for chests are planning to repaint.
What makes a chest of drawers valuable?
Solid wood with dovetailed drawer joints, and drawers that still run properly. Those two things do most of the pricing.
Do original handles matter?
On antique and design pieces, yes. Replaced handles are noticed and reduce the price on anything collectable.
More: how to sell a chest of drawers, what chest of drawerses are worth, or Furniture across the United Kingdom.