How does lost loot work?

How does the Lost Loot Vending Machine in Borderlands 3 work?

• Where can I find it?
• How do I use it?
• What goes into it?
• What happens when it fills up?
• How do I upgrade it?

Solution 1:

What is it?

The Lost Loot Vending Machine allows you to reclaim rare loot that you missed out on (i.e., loot that spawned in-game but which you did not pick up.)

Where can I find it?

Near the fast travel station on Sanctuary.

How do I use it?

Approach it and press the "use" button. It will spit out its contents, and you can pick them up. Using the machine does not incur a cost.

What goes into it?

Any time an item of blue rarity or better would get de-spawned (e.g. because you traveled to another area, because it fell outside of the map, or simply because enough time passed), it will instead get deposited into the Lost Loot Vending Machine.

Note that if a weapon is (for example) in a chest, you must open the chest (causing the weapon to spawn) before it is eligible to be deposited in the Lost Loot Vending Machine.

If you drop an item from your inventory, that item will not go to the Lost Loot Vending Machine. Only items that spawned in the world and were not picked up.

What happens when it fills up?

The Lost Loot Vending Machine will prioritize better items, deleting the less-good items if needed to make room. The specifics of the prioritization mechanism are not fully known; it appears to be tied to either rarity or item score.

How do I upgrade it?

Purchase Lost Loot SDUs from Marcus in Sanctuary. This will allow the machine to hold more loot before filling up.

When does it work?

The Lost Loot box only works if you Group Mode is set to Cooperation. If you are playing Coopetition it will appear to be turned off.