Whether you have a pile of Raspberry Pi boards collecting dust in an attic or drawer, or you have been unable to find a suitable project for the one you just bought, here are some ways in which you can put your Raspberry Pis to good use.
1. Host a Raspberry Pi Server
Hosting a server on your Raspberry Pi is one of the easiest ways to use the single-board computer (SBC). The Raspberry Pi is affordable and power-efficient enough to serve your basic hosting needs.
You will need a lightweight operating system and other essential components, namely Apache, MariaDB, PHP, and Docker. The Raspberry Pi 4B is preferable, as it’s the most powerful board, but you can use an earlier model if you have one on hand.
To learn more, be sure to check out our guide on how to set up your Raspberry Pi as a server. Do note that you might need something more powerful than a Raspberry Pi if you intend to run graphically intensive tasks on your server.
If you are so inclined, you could also make some sort of commercial venture out of this by offering to host other people’s websites for a fee. Discover how to host a secure website on a Raspberry Pi.
2. Install Pi-hole
Pi-hole is a network-wide ad blocker that’s remarkably easy to install. It is billed as a “DNS sinkhole” that keeps all unwanted content, including website ads and trackers, off every device connected to your home network. It was specifically designed to work on Raspberry Pi and other similar low-power devices and is available for free.
Once Pi-hole is installed, it will automatically block all ads from being displayed on any device that connects to your network. This includes smartphones and tablets as well as computers connected either through Wi-Fi or Ethernet. You can even block entire website domains using Pi-hole.
Have a Raspberry Pi you haven’t used in a while? Follow the instructions on the Pi-hole GitHub page and install this ad-blocking system in less than ten minutes.
3. Take On a Smart TV Project
If you own a “dumb” TV, you can use a Raspberry Pi to turn it into a smart TV. There are numerous options for making a DIY smart TV with a Raspberry Pi. You may decide to use Kodi (LibreELEC or OSMC), Plex, Chromecast, or Plasma Bigscreen to build your smart TV.
Regardless of the route you take, adding smart and internet functionality to an old television with a Raspberry Pi tends to be an easy and cost-saving project, sometimes even cheaper than buying a streaming stick.
There is freedom of choice in the Raspberry Pi model too. You can use anything from a Raspberry Pi Zero to a Raspberry Pi 4 to turn your dumb TV into a smart TV.
4. Recycle Your Old Boards With OKdo
OKdo, a UK store, has recently partnered with Sony and the Raspberry Pi Foundation to launch the first-ever Raspberry Pi recycling scheme. If you live in the UK, you can send your old Raspberry Pi boards off to OKdo. In return, you will get a €10 voucher you can use on your next OKdo purchase. You can pick up a new Raspberry Pi model or buy a useful accessory for your Pi.
Unfortunately, this scheme doesn’t cover every Raspberry Pi SBC, only a select few. You can recycle the Raspberry Pi 3B, Pi 3B+, and Pi 4 with OKdo. The boards have to be in working order, though.
The renewed boards will be sold off to buyers at a cheaper price, with a 12-month warranty. You should check out this option if you live in the UK and have a lot of old Raspberry Pi boards you no longer use.
5. Get Into Retro Gaming
Retro gaming is a popular use for the Raspberry Pi. RetroPie, a popular retro gaming distro, was designed with the Raspberry Pi in mind. With the addition of a screen and a keyboard/controller, you can turn your Raspberry Pi into a retro gaming console.
RetroPie can be installed as an application on your existing operating system or as a dedicated OS on your Raspberry Pi—you can select the latter in the official Raspberry Pi Imager SD card-writing tool. To build a RetroPie games station, all you will need is a keyboard, mouse, microSD card, HDMI cable, and an internet connection.
If you want to level up your gaming experience, you can buy a Raspberry Pi Game Boy Kit or even create your own case with attached controls. Whatever your preference, building a retro gaming station is a terrific way to put your Raspberry Pi to use.
Furthermore, the project’s complexity and overall duration is completely up to you. You can decide to opt for something as simple as a RetroPie installation on your Raspberry Pi. Alternatively, if you are looking for more of a challenge, you could build a Raspberry Pi Zero-based MintyPi games system small enough to fit into a mints tin!
6. Sell Your Raspberry Pi
This might appear to be the least attractive option, but if you’re so swamped with work that you can’t take on any of the aforementioned projects, it may be time to sell your Raspberry Pi. It will assuage the guilt of making a bad investment and net you some cash on top.
There are different platforms where you can sell your Raspberry Pis, such as Facebook Marketplace, Reddit, or eBay. All you need to do is create an account on one of these platforms, if you don’t have one already, and list your Raspberry Pi(s) for sale.
Be sure to consider the age of the model when listing it. You should not expect to make as much from selling a well-loved, five-year-old Raspberry Pi 2B+ compared to a Raspberry Pi 4B still in mint condition. If you are selling on eBay, be sure to look over our list of mistakes to avoid when selling on eBay.
Dust Off Your Raspberry Pis and Start Tinkering
Raspberry Pis are wonderful, single-board computers that are great for IoT, robotics, and electronics projects. They are also remarkably easy to forget in a closet or desk drawer, due to their diminutive size.
There are numerous Raspberry Pi projects you can get started on in minutes and complete in less than an hour. However, if you can’t find the time or the motivation, it may be better to sell your Raspberry Pi. You can then buy a new model when your schedule is free or your interest is renewed.
