kitchen "finds"??

[kseiverd]

I'm an admitted yard sale, thrift store, and flea market junkie! BUT I have made some (IMO) GREAT kitchen finds.

Found a "vintage" KA stand mixer for $20 at Good Will... with whisk, dough hook and paddle. Also at GW, found a square, LeCreuset (enamel exterior, cast iron interior) grill pan for $5... enamel in perfect shape and only minor schmutz between ridges.

Found a Cuisinart food processor at another thrift store for $8. Although already HAD one, bought it thinking spare bowl. Ended up being next size up... larger capacity and power.

My only requirements for "used" kitchen things are... has to be clean and in good working order.

Last summer spent WAY more than I thought I'd ever spend on a yard sale find. For $50, came home with a HUGE messa Fiestaware dishes... 12+ place settings: dinner plate, salad/sandwich plate, mugs, soup/cereal bowls, and a few other odds and ends. NO chip, cracks or serious signs of use.

Have you made any great finds for your kitchen?

[katie in the UP]

OMG! I collect Fiestaware.....show me the way

[Connie Lea]

What a great deal on fiestaware and especially the KA mixer. I think some of the older ones are way better than the new ones. This isn't kitchen finds, but I just bought a Sears Kenmore sewing machine in a cabinet at an auction for $7.50. I had just taken my 50+ year old Singer sewing machine in for cleaning and minor repairs. The repairman said the older ones are so much better than the new throw away sewing machines. They are all metal parts as is the Kenmore I just bought. It's 40+ years old and runs perfectly. Back to the subject - I have an Oster stand mixer that is at least 40 years old and works fine. I've used the dough hooks to make hundreds of loaves of bread over the years. I love auctions and garage sale finds.

[kseiverd]

When I found the KA... already HAD a much newer (basic) model at home... one with tilt top. One I found had crank up/down handle and larger capacity bowl. It was pretty clean to begin with, but after a thorough scrubbing, I taped everything off and spray painted it flat-black with paint originally meant for outdoor gas grills!?! Looks pretty spiffy. And not to long ago found a spare BOWL for less than $5 at a thrift store.

People (IMO) spend way too much $$ on stuff they're not even sure they need or want?? Didn't buy a bread machine when they were the HOT item to have. When I found one for $4-5 at a yard sale (looked NEVER even used), gave it a shot. It worked fine but wasn't something I HAD to have... so re-donated it to a thrift store. Ya see a LOT of that "but WAIT!", as seen on tv, JUNK at yard sales. A few years back, it was that pasta pot with the holes in the lid... imo, if ya can't work a COLLANDER, ya have NO business in the kitchen to begin with Those pots were EVERYWHERE... yard sales & thrift stores.

[Catnip46]

"JUNK at yard sales". You bet, but remember, one persons junk is another persons treasure.
I own several of those pasta pots and I love them. It's not that I can't work a colander but why would I want to dirty 2 dishes when I only need to dirty one.
I use mine almost every day cooking pasta, vegetables or anything else that needs to be drained before eating. I only wish they were made of a heavier material. Been cooking for a long, long time and haven't heard any complaints yet.
My favorites are the old cast aluminum pots with the drain holes on the side of the kettle and lid. I love cooking in those cast aluminum pots and pans but they are getting harder to find. Not heavy like cast iron but sturdy, browns you meat beautifully and food taste wonderful cooked in them.
We're all different and we all have different likes and dislikes. That's what makes life so interesting, wouldn't want it any other way.

[JolyV]

Looks great,