As one thrift shopper has found, you don't always have to shell out hundreds of dollars for top-tier kitchen appliances.
The shopper took to Reddit to share their good fortune after they came across a high-end rice cooker, which typically sells for around $200, for a fraction of the price.
Posting to the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit thread, the lucky thrifter revealed they stumbled on a Zojirushi Rice Cooker and Warmer still in its original box. In the post, they showed the high-quality appliance for only $30.
While some might wonder if the low price meant the gadget was defective, the shopper revealed it was working perfectly.
"It was for sure a 'too good to be true' moment! The kind lady at the store let me open it up to inspect it to make sure all the pieces were there (minus the spatula) and even let me test everything short of actually cooking in it," the shopper wrote. "All the pieces were flawless- looked like it had never been used."
Thrift stores like Goodwill, Savers, or other local alternatives provide an eco-friendly option for purchasing high-end kitchen and home appliances at a budget-friendly price. Not only can shoppers find things to cook with, but these stores often feature quality clothing, furniture, electronics, and more.
Second-hand shopping is a great way to keep gently used items out of landfills and lower pollution from packaging and shipping newly purchased products.
This sustainable way of shopping has surged in recent years. Online consignment company ThredUp estimated in a 2023 report that in 2024, the secondhand clothing market is anticipated to be worth $248 billion — approximately 10% of the global apparel market. And the market is only expected to grow even more, potentially worth over $350 billion worldwide by 2027.
Several other Reddit users gushed over the recent, sweet thrift deal, with one writing, "I am about as jealous as I can be!"
"Great find! Our Zojirushi rice cooker basically lives on the counter bc of how often we use it," another commented.
As many others wrote praises of the appliance's durability and quality, the thrift shopper said they "couldn't feel more grateful" over the find.
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