Best Items to Recycle in Rust [Rust Recycler Guide]

Craft items in Rust are very important and some of them are a very precious resource. Some items are very hard to find but are worth recycling because they can be used in a limited number of crafts, while the resource they provide is very high.

Now let's take a look at what items are used for, which ones to recycle, and how to recycle them.

Which Items Should You Recycle in Rust

In total, 16 components are ingredients for other items when crafting and an additional component called the electric fuse is used to complete the monument's puzzles. Typically, the CCTV and laptop are identified as resources and not components, however, they are both used to craft items and are recycled like the other components.

Scrap might also be mistaken as a component, but it’s a resource as well. Scrap is a product of recycling components and is essentially the currency of Rust.

Always collect scrap and never throw it away. Your aim should be to collect components so they can be recycled down into scrap. Let us get a better understanding of these components by listing them with a tiered review.

S
A
B
C
D

At the top within the S and A tiers, we have the useful and hard-to-come-by components that should always be collected and returned to your home. These are either used in advanced crafting, and puzzles or can be recycled for many resources.

The B and C tier are components that are mostly used within early to mid-game items and are typically common to uncommon items to find.

Finally, D-tier items are very common to find and are rarely used to craft items that provide any useful return.

However, each tier doesn’t accurately represent which items to recycle, so let’s have a look at a second list identifying which items to never, maybe, and almost always recycle.

NEVER
MAYBE
ALMOST ALWAYS

As you can see it’s recommended you almost always recycle certain S-tier items. This is because they are used in a limited number of crafts and yield a high return on resources. The targeting computer and CCTV cameras are primarily used in the auto turret and electricity for surveillance. So, if you are not up to the later stage of the game where you are crafting auto-turrets and have an electrical system set up in your base, I would almost always recommend you recycle them.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have the items to never or rarely recycle. On rare occasions or in situations where you have a wealth of these items, I would suggest recycling them. However, in almost all cases you should collect these items since they will be largely used within higher-tier items or building parts and are rarer to find. Especially the gears which might be one of the most sought-after components in the game due to how much they are used to craft building items. I would suggest recycling the excess smg bodies and rifle bodies which needed for crafting AK weapon, after you have 10 saved up to craft some weapons.

Finally, we have the items to maybe recycle which depends on your current situation and gameplay style. Typically, you should have a collection of these items already and I would suggest having at least 10 of each item, before recycling. This is to ensure when it comes time to craft certain items you already have the components necessary. They are typically common so it shouldn’t be too much of a worry if you recycle these items.

How to Recycle Items in Rust

Recyclers can be found at most major monuments, safe zones, and smaller monuments and can not be crafted. Be careful around them when not in a safe zone since players are likely to pass through the area looking to recycle components from themselves, or even steal the resources from others.

Simply walk up to a recycler and open it to place your components or items within. If you have multiple items to recycle at once it will start recycling from left to right, with the first items placed in being destroyed before the right items. Once the items are recycled, their components will be placed and stacked in the lower slots. The resources you receive from recycling components or items are directly half of what it takes to craft it. So, if you have an MP5A4 that costs 8 high-quality metals, 1 smg body, and 1 metal spring to craft, you will receive 4 high-quality metals and a 50 percent chance to receive the smg body and spring back.

Additionally, other players are unable to open the recycler when you are inside of it which stops other players from stealing your items when inside a safe zone.

Components can be found around the map within crates, barrels, smaller boxes, and within monuments. The best way to collect scrap in Rust and components is by running along the roads since they will constantly spawn junk piles that contain barrels and toolboxes. Certain components can also be crafted at a level 2 or level 3 workbench once researched or purchased at a safe zone for some resources.

You can easily find which components can be crafted by opening your crafting menu and searching the desired components' names. If it doesn’t appear, it's not craftable.

For the largest amount of components, I would recommend running to monuments such as the underwater labs, trainyard, and oil rig. These places will yield many crates filled with high-tier components which you can recycle for large profits. However, some of these locations are risky considering they may contain scientists or players.

If that’s the case, run lower-tier monuments like the satellite, dome, harbor, and sewer branch.

Uses of Components in Rust

Let’s now have a look at each component separately to find what it’s used for and see if your current situation requires it or if you would be better off recycling them.

	Sheet metal is a common component, with the greatest chance to be found in normal crates. Sheet metal can not be crafted but instead is purchased from the outpost for 30 scraps.
	The empty propane tank is a common component, with the greatest chance to be found within sunken chests. The tank can only be crafted at a level 2 workbench after directly researching it.
	The metal blade is a common component, with the greatest chance to be found within sunken chests. The blade can be purchased from the outpost for 15 scraps and crafted at a level 2 workbench.
	The rope is a common component, with the greatest chance to be found within sunken chests. Rope can only be purchased at the outpost for 30 cloth.
	The Tarp is a common component, with the greatest chance to be found within sunken chests. The tarp cannot be purchased or crafted. It gives a decent amount of cloth in Rust.
	The metal pipe is a common item, primarily gathered from road signs and with the greatest chance to be found in locked crates. Metal pipes can both be purchased at the outpost for 30 scraps and crafted at a level 3 workbench.
	Road signs are a common component, primarily gathered from signs along the main roads and within monuments, with the greatest chance to be found in normal crates. Road signs can only be crafted at a level 3 workbench after being directly researched.
	The semi-automatic body is a common component, with the greatest chance to be found within the cargo ship and military tunnel scientists. This component is one of the best items to recycle if you have the option to do so. The semi-auto body can not be purchased or crafted.
	The SMG body is a rare component, with the greatest chance to be found within a locked crate. The SMG body can not be purchased or crafted.
	The sewing kit is an uncommon component, with the greatest chance to be found within a sunken chest. The sewing kit can only be crafted at a level 3 workbench after being directly researched.
	The spring is an uncommon component, with the greatest chance to be found within a normal crate. Springs can both be purchased at the outpost for 60 scraps and crafted at a level 3 workbench.
	The electric fuse is a common component, with the greatest chance to be found within normal crates. Fuses are used within the monument puzzles so you can use your key cards on the doors to open them. They can be recycled down into 20 scraps but only do so if you have spare lying around or do not plan on doing the monument puzzles.
	The Gear, which is an uncommon component has the greatest chance to be found within a normal crate. Gears can be both purchased from the outpost for 125 scraps and crafted at a level 3 workbench after directly researching it.
	Tech trash is a rare component, with the greatest chance to be found within a locked crate or recycled from other components. Tech trash can not be purchased or crafted.
	The rifle body is a rare component, with the greatest chance to be found within a locked crate. The rifle body can not be purchased or crafted.
	The CCTV camera is a rare component, with the greatest chance to be found within the APC crate. It is used for base surveillance or within the auto turret. The CCTV cannot be purchased or crafted.
	The targeting computer, which is a rare component, with the greatest chance to be found within the APC crate. The computer cannot be purchased or crafted.

When playing, don’t constantly think about needing to recycle your components. Have a box you continue to put them in after every loot run and after a while, you will begin to build a collection. Once you have a wealth of components and are struggling to fit more into a single large chest I would recommend going on recycling runs. If you are a solo I would recommend doing this in stages to avoid dying with all your components at once.

If you are in a team, you may be able to take the risk and take all the components that you need to recycle. Once you have arrived at the recycler, place the most valuable components first and sit tight and guard the loot in Rust.

Continue to check up on the recycler's progress and take out everything that has already been processed. Keep doing this just in case you need to quickly get out of there and don’t have time to get the rest out of the recycler.

Additionally, I would recommend if you have a lot to recycle, have one friend periodically take the scrap and recycled loot base to avoid having it all on you for the whole time recycling.

Components are an essential part of Rust and directly relate to crafting and obtaining scrap for trading. Always pick up components whether you need them or not for crafting as they can always be used to acquire scrap to later buy vehicles, guns, or other items. That’s all for this article.