With mounting research about the harmful effects of traditional stoves and other gas-powered appliances, more people are switching to alternative ways to cook their food. Countertop ovens are versatile, save space, and typically use less energy than traditional ones.
However, their cost can be prohibitive, between $125 and $600 on average.
That's why one lucky thrift store shopper was thrilled to find a countertop oven for a family of four that previously had no oven and was between housing. The thrifter posted a photo of their purchase to the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, a forum dedicated to sharing incredible finds discovered at thrift shops, garage sales, flea markets, and pawn shops.
The thrifter shared in the caption, "I got a like-new countertop oven for $0.50 at Salvation Army today!"
The thrifter originally went into the thrift store looking for shoes but couldn't pass up this incredible deal. After washing the racks, the family immediately put their new old oven to use and made a pizza.
Thrift stores are gold mines for kitchen appliances and cookware. Savvy shoppers have been finding everything from an untouched Zojirushi breadmaker to unopened Le Creuset cookware at thrift shops and saving hundreds of dollars while putting perfect-condition kitchen items to good use.
Beyond the savings, thrifting has environmental benefits, too, such as keeping recyclable materials out of landfills and supporting the circular economy by reducing the need for unnecessary manufacturing.
If you're new to thrift store shopping and need help figuring out where to begin, our guide to thrifting is a helpful resource.
"That is a ridiculously good price — congrats!" a Redditor wrote in the comments.
"I have an older one of those countertop ovens," a Reddit user shared. "I love mine. I use mine constantly. It's about 15 years old."
Another commenter wrote, "These things are super useful — let's be real, the average meal just doesn't need all the space a big oven has."
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