Thrift stores aren't usually recognized as the place to buy designer items, but secondhand shoppers often take to the forum r/ThriftStoreHauls to show their luxury finds — many of which only cost a few dollars.
One Redditor was able to snag every coffee lover's dream: a $1,200 La Pavoni Europiccola espresso maker. And they got it for just $6.50.
"When the [cashier] asked me what this was, I muttered that it's for making coffee and ran away," the Redditor said, explaining how they hoped that no one would notice the espresso maker's value.
The espresso maker's crazy high selling price is because La Pavoni Europiccola is a well-known brand in the high-end coffee world. The company has been around for over 100 years perfecting their machines. To find one in such good condition for under $7 is beyond what many would consider a deal — with that price ratio, it's basically free.
Believe it or not, other Reddit users have found similar steals on kitchen appliances during their thrift store runs.
Some have found notoriously expensive KitchenAid mixers, $300 blenders, and high-end Dutch ovens, each for under $15.
Thrifting for clothes, furniture, kitchen items, and accessories is the perfect way to find high-quality and unique items on a budget, and it's becoming more popular. ThredUp estimates that secondhand shopping will increase by 127% in the next three years.
Not only that, but thrifting and getting rid of your clothes by using secondhand stores ensures that these belongings won't end up in the garbage while they're still usable.
American households produce an average of approximately 300 million tons of trash per day — averaging about five pounds of trash per person, per day. When this garbage ends up in landfills, it pollutes the air and water and produces planet-warming gases as it breaks down over many years.
So in terms of keeping the dent in your wallet to a minimum when you buy luxury items or revamp your closet, thrifting is the way to go — and it'll help out the planet too.
On the post, one person commented, "This is why I go out of my way to check the goodwill stores near the wealthy parts of town. The stuff rich people drop off is unreal."
Other Reddit users were just as excited as the original poster to see the find. "I audibly gasped," commented one, and another wrote, "Nothing more exhilarating than running away from the thrift store with your treasures."
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