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· collected 2026-08-18 · by TOI Tech Desk
In 1989, Apple buried approximately 2,700 unsold Lisa computers in a landfill in Logan, Utah. The Lisa, launched in 1983 as Apple's first graphical interface computer, failed to gain traction due to its high price tag of around $10,000 and hardware problems. Despite efforts by computer salesman Bob Cook to upgrade the machines, the remaining Lisas were ultimately buried after Apple dropped the product line in 1985. According to The Verge, over 2,700 unsold Lisa computers were destroyed in a landfill in September 1989.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
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Story summary
In 1989, Apple buried approximately 2,700 unsold Lisa computers at a landfill in Logan, Utah, bringing an end to the story of one of the company's most ambitious but unsuccessful computers. The Lisa was launched in 1983 as Apple's first attempt at a modern computer with a graphical interface, featuring a mouse, windows, icons, and menus - features later adopted by the Macintosh. However, the Lisa struggled in the market due to its high price of around $10,000, hardware problems, and overshadowing by the cheaper Macintosh. Despite being discounted, upgraded, and renamed the Macintosh XL, the Lisa was discontinued in 1985 after only two years, leaving thousands of machines still unsold.
Written for “Apple Abandoned Lisa Computers” on 2026-08-31,
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Before the Macintosh became one of Apple's defining products, the company had another computer that failed in the market.
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that → become → market
In September 1989, Apple took an unusual step with thousands of unsold Lisa computers.
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Apple → take → computers
About 2,700 machines were buried at a landfill in Logan, Utah, bringing an end to the story of one of the company's most ambitious but unsuccessful computers.
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machines → bury → computers
The Lisa had been launched in 1983 as Apple's first attempt at a modern computer built around a graphical interface.
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Lisa → launch → interface
According to The Verge, it had a mouse, windows, icons and menus, features that later became standard on desktop computers.
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that → accord → computers
The Lisa had them a year before the Macintosh was released.
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Macintosh → have → them
But the computer struggled in the market.
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computer → struggle → market
It carried a price tag of about $10,000 and had hardware problems.
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It → carry → problems
It was also overshadowed by the cheaper Macintosh that Apple was preparing to introduce.
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Apple → overshadow → that
Even after being discounted, upgraded and renamed the Macintosh XL, the Lisa lasted only about two years before Apple dropped it in 1985.
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Apple → discount → 1985
After being discontinued, thousands of Lisa machines were still left over.
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thousands → discontinue → machines
A computer salesman named Bob Cook saw an opportunity in the unwanted stock.
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salesman → name → stock
He had been selling older computers at discounted prices and had previously taken about 3,500 Apple III computers from Apple in 1985.
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He → sell → 1985
A year later, he took on the last 7,000 Lisas.
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he → take → Lisas
A Lisa, dumped and destroyed (Picture: Hackaday)
Attempt to save Lisa failed
Cook was an Apple reseller who believed older computers could still find buyers.
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computers → dump → buyers
“Computers were supposed to be leading edge, so nobody was thinking about selling the trailing edge of high technology,” Cook told The Verge.
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Cook → suppose → Verge
Rather than simply selling Lisa, Cook worked on improving the machines so they could compete with newer Mac models.
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they → sell → models
He estimated that he spent $200,000 on research and development, upgrading the hardware and operating system.
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he → estimate → hardware
Cook gave the upgraded computer a new name.
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Cook → give → name
So we called it the ‘Lisa Professional,’” he said.
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he → call → it
But the effort eventually came to an end, and the remaining Lisas faced a very different fate.
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Lisas → come → fate
Soonafter, Apple buried about 2,700 unsold Lisa computers at the Logan landfill in September 1989.
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Apple → bury → September
Landfill workers drove bulldozers over the computers before they were buried.
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they → drive → computers
Brochure showing Lisa 1 screen and Twiggy floppy drives (Picture source: Medium.com)
Lisa failed, but changed computing
The Lisa's failure was closely linked to its price and its timing.
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failure → show → price
Its hardware problems also worked against it, while the Macintosh offered a cheaper alternative.
Yet the Lisa had introduced ideas that would become central to personal computing.
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that → work → computing
Veteran technology journalist Steven Levy described its ease of use in an interview with The Verge.
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Levy → describe → Verge
“The Lisa was the first computer out there that you didn’t have to struggle with a big computer manual or even hire a consultant to use,” Levy said.
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Levy → have → consultant
“You could understand it out of the box and start using it.”
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You → understand → it
The Lisa therefore occupied an unusual place in Apple's history.
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Lisa → occupy → history
It failed to become a successful mass-market product, but its graphical approach helped shape the kind of computers consumers would later expect.
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consumers → fail → computers
The Computer History Museum says Lisa had 1MB RAM, a 12-inch black-and-white display, two 5.25-inch floppy drives and a 5MB hard drive.
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Lisa → say → RAM
An archived 1983 technical article says the project representedmore than 200 person-years of work and $50 million in development.
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project → say → development
Lisa project started in 1978, several years before its launch.
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project → start → launch
Steve Jobs initially led the project but was removed from it in 1982.
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Jobs → lead → 1982
After that, he moved his attention to the Macintosh project.
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he → move → project
