A user on Reddit’s r/ThriftStoreHauls recently shared their story of finding a De’Longhi Eletta Explore automatic espresso machine in great condition at a local thrift store, but what really surprised them was the price: just $26.99.
In this post, they describe the moment when a luxury coffee maker first caught their eye.
Photo credit: Reddit
“You know that feeling when you look at something on a shelf and it feels like time stands still? And you’re not really sure if you’re looking at what’s right in front of you?”
If you’ve ever found an incredible deal at a thrift store, you’ll know the feeling this Reddit user is describing.
While this Reddit user is certainly lucky, it’s not all that uncommon to find high-end cookware at thrift stores, estate sales, and even garage sales.
Just recently, The Cool Down highlighted several stories of Reddit users finding amazing second-hand items, including a new $300 Zojirushi bread maker for $24.99, a $599.99 Wolf Elite countertop oven for $29.99 at Goodwill, and a cute pistachio-colored KitchenAid stand mixer that retails for over $300 for just $30.
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But it’s not just specialized kitchen items that shoppers can save on: thrift stores also offer amazing savings on everyday items like shoes, furniture, cookware, and more that can save your wallet and the planet in the long run.
When it comes to choosing between buying new and used, you’ll save a lot more money by opting for used: A study by CouponFollow found that buying used can save you an average of about $150 per month, or $1,760 per year.
They also don’t lack or have diminished quality (if that fact hasn’t yet sold you to you after reading this article on how to buy high-end coffee makers at thrift stores.) Many of the items at thrift stores are in new or gently used condition, and by purchasing them, you’re preventing perfectly functional items from adding to the 2.12 billion tons of waste that end up in landfills each year, according to The World Counts.
It also reduces the demand for overproduction of goods that end up in landfills after just a few years, helping to reduce the pollution and toxic by-products that come with mass production.
In a post on Reddit, users were just as amazed as the thrifty person by the surprising discovery.
One user commented that imagining themselves being frugal at that moment “made me cry with joy.”
“I’m so happy but seething with jealousy,” another wrote.
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