Shopper shocked after spotting price tag on like-new kitchen appliance found at thrift store: 'It felt like I was stealing it'

A Redditor was thrilled to find a $600 Vitamix Blender for $10 at a thrift store. In a subreddit boasting 3.7 million members, an image of the user's "latest score" was the envy of the group.

"It felt like I was stealing it," the poster wrote in a comment in r/ThriftStoreHauls. "Pretty sure whoever priced it didn't realize how expensive Vitamix are."

Another user, who works in a Vitamix factory, mentioned that the find was not the first, as thrift stores are usually full of these gems. They said the blenders are dropped at many thrift stores as the blades go dull, with some believing this means they should get rid of them. However, the user also said that the company is "super good" at making it easy to order replacement parts. This means that if a thrifter discovers one of these with dull blades, replacing the blades is a smooth, cheap process.

Depending on how you go about it, replacing half your new purchases with secondhand gems (for a third of the price) could save about $100 a year. For the OP, they saved over $500 on this purchase alone.

Thrifting goes beyond just monetary savings. While finding incredible items for cheap, you can also significantly impact the environment. Thrifting has been proven to help reduce waste, resource consumption, and chemical pollution. Research shows that Americans throw away over 13 million tons of clothing each year, while the average consumer buys about 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago. 

Appliances are especially harmful to landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that of the 2.2 million tons of small appliance waste generated, only about 5.6% is recycled. 

By thrifting, you are also reducing the demand for new items, cutting down on carbon pollution and thereby lowering your carbon footprint, according to ShopGoodwill.com. The Journal of Consumer Research estimates that in 2022 the small appliances industry shipped about 900 million units across the globe. 

With the prevalence of hauls, TikTok restocking videos, and general consumption patterns of the population, these numbers are expected to grow, according to Oxford Economics.  

Thankfully, the value of thrifting is also growing as consumer sustainability becomes a driving force in conquering rising global temperatures.

🗣️ What's your primary motivation in shopping at thrift stores?

🔘 Cheaper clothes 🤑

🔘 Trendier items 😎

🔘 Reduced environmental impact 🌎

🔘 I don't thrift 🚫

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

The OP's find was so exceptional that other users expressed their envy. 

"No way! That was a steal!" one commented. 

"As a professional cook, I could not be more incandescently jealous," another added.

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