A user on Reddit's r/ThriftStoreHauls recently shared their discovery of a De'Longhi Eletta Explore Automatic Espresso Machine in excellent condition at a local thrift store. But it was the price tag that truly blew their mind: just $26.99.
The post describes the moment the luxury coffee maker first caught their eye.
"You know that feeling where you see something on the shelf and time seems to stand still? And you're not quite sure if you're actually seeing what's in front of you?"
If you've ever stumbled upon an unbelievably good deal at a thrift store, you know the feeling this Reddit user is describing.
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While this Reddit user is surely lucky, it isn't all that uncommon to find premium cooking equipment at thrift stores, estate sales, or even garage sales.
Just recently, The Cool Down has covered multiple instances of Reddit users making jaw-dropping secondhand finds, like this person who found a new $300 Zojirushi breadmaker for $24.99, another who found a $599.99 Wolf Elite Countertop Oven at Goodwill for $29.99, and this individual who paid $30 for an adorable, pistachio-colored KitchenAid Stand Mixer that retails for over $300.
But specialized kitchen gadgets aren't the only things shoppers can score a great deal on. Secondhand stores also offer incredible deals on everyday necessities like shoes, furniture, and utensils that can save your wallet and the planet in the long run.
When it comes to buying new versus secondhand goods, opting for used items can save you much more money. Research from CouponFollow has found that, on average, secondhand shoppers can save almost $150 each month, or $1,760 a year.
And not for a lack or decrease in quality either (if this article about thrifting a luxury coffee maker hasn't convinced you of that fact yet). Many goods at thrift stores are in brand new or lightly-used condition, and your purchase of them saves perfectly functional items from joining the 2.12 billion tons of waste that enter landfills every year, according to The World Counts.
Plus, it reduces the demand for excessive production of goods, many of which end up in landfills after only a few years, and it helps to cut down on pollution and toxic byproducts linked to mass manufacturing.
On the Reddit post, users were almost as shocked as the thrifter by their incredible find.
One user commented, "I would cry from happiness," as they envisioned themselves as the thrifter in that moment.
"I am very happy for you, but I'm also seething with jealousy," wrote another person.
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