NextWorth values your cell phone

I spent time today playing with NextWorth, a Web site that will tell you the trade-in value of many electronic devices. The site covers everything from MP3 players to video games, but I went straight to cell phones, of course, to see how much I could round up for the handsets we have sitting around the CNET offices.

All you have to do is go to NextWorth’s site and plug in the name of your device. You’ll also have to answer a few questions such as if any parts of the handset are broken or water damaged, if it turns on, and if you happen to have the original box, battery, and user manual. You’ll then get an estimate of how much your phone is worth. To get your payment, you can mail in your handset using a prepaid shipping label or take it to a participating Target store.

I took 10 cell phones that we’ve reviewed over the past two years and plugged them in. A couple very recent handsets, like the Motorola Brute i686 weren’t listed, but I could find a match for most phones I tried. Not everything had a trade-in value, but I could get at least a couple of dollars for most devices. Here’s what I found.

• A 32GB iPhone 4 in good condition with no dead spots or cracks on the display: $379.71.
• A Samsung SGH-A177 with slight water damage, but still functional. It has the original charger and user manual: no estimate.
• A T-Mobile MyTouch 3G with normal wear and tear, but in its original packaging: no estimate.
• A barely used Nokia 2680 with the charger and user manual: no estimate.
• A Motorola Cliq with moderate wear and tear. The keypad is occasionally faulty, but we kept the box and accessories: $8.67.
• A RIM BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 with only slight use: $24
• An LG Optimus M in good condition: $60.
• A brand-new T-Mobile MyTouch 4G that hasn’t been taken out of its packaging: $269.
• A Motorola Droid Pro with some occasional use. It has the box, user manual, and all parts: $95.
• A barely used Kyocera Rio, but without the box and charger: $6.50

On the whole, I’d say that most offers were pretty fair, but I was expecting more for the Droid Pro and the BlackBerry. Also, I was surprised I couldn’t get at least $5 for the MyTouch 3G. Still, NextWorth offers a good way for some consumers to get cash for their old devices. And considering how quickly some people switch cell phones, it’s a great way to make sure your cell phone ends up being recycled rather than ending up in a landfill.