17 Useful Kitchen Tools You'll Always Find At Second-Hand Stores

A debate has been raging for decades (or most likely, for centuries, even if the internet has no record of it) about whether to keep lots of kitchen gadgets on hand or to go the minimalist route. There are arguments for both, of course. Minimalism leads to a streamlined and tidy space while having a large collection of useful kitchen tools means you can make a wider variety of dishes.

Unfortunately, kitchen tools do tend as a category to lend themselves to fads. There are a number of kitchen tools that were popular years ago but no one uses them anymore, after all. Then there's the fact that they incontestably take up space, and in small kitchens, that's just not worth it. However, any home chef worth their salt does need a few important things, and there's no reason to buy them for full price when you could get them second-hand.

It's not a crime to purchase new kitchen tools, of course, but it's worth checking your local thrift store to see if you can get something more affordable first. That way, you can avoid buying cheap air fryers, for instance, and can get nicely seasoned cast iron pans for a fraction of the price. As for waffle makers? No one ever needs to buy those new; most thrift store merchandise is 50 percent waffle irons, seriously. So, which other kitchen tools should you buy second-hand? Take a look.

Worth their weight in gold, good knives are the lynchpin of any kitchen. Without them, you can't hope to create beautiful dishes or stay safe; with them, your cooking will hum along. Naturally, this is the part where we all acknowledge how expensive knives can be, which is why they're first on the list of kitchen tools you should consider buying second-hand.

You have to frequent second-hand stores regularly, but if you do, there's a good chance you'll find a nice set of knives in need of a bit of love and TLC to return them to chef-level glory. Consummate bargain hunters warn that flea markets are sometimes a better bet than thrift shops and that you shouldn't expect to get all your knives at once; shoot for a brand you like and take it slow.

For a countertop appliance, the stand mixer has a surprisingly rugged constitution. Its tireless motor wouldn't be out of place in heavy industry (and indeed, there are industrially sized stand mixers that are a joy to behold). For that reason, you can count on a second-hand version being pretty good. Most people who own a stand mixer, including yours truly, will tell you that they truck along year after year without needing maintenance, fiddling, or replacement parts.

With such benefits to their name, it's a wonder you ever find a stand mixer second-hand, but they're actually pretty common at thrift stores. They'll last forever, even if they're not new. The only precaution you could take before buying one is to check for rust. It could slow down the machine or get into your food, neither of which is good.

Many people don't know that their KitchenAid could do tons of other things as well. A standard KitchenAid won't come with all the attachments, but you can buy parts to help you spiralize vegetables, roll out lasagna noodles, or even mill grain. Not only should you look out for the KitchenAid or another type of stand mixer itself at a thrift shop, but keep an eye out for the attachments as well.

As far as kitchen tools go, cocktail shakers are definitely among the less necessary. However, they're adorable on a bar cart, and you can't beat a shaker for a nice mixed drink, which is why connoisseurs make sure to keep them around. Because they're such an aesthetic item in the first place, buying a second-hand version with a nice patina only increases their charm.

There's another reason to buy second-hand, too: A good cocktail shaker can cost a grip, especially if it's made of copper or another classy material. Buying it at a thrift store such as Goodwill can save you lots of money. On the other hand, if you really go the collectible route (shakers made between the World Wars are said to be the best), then prepare to spend out.

If you bake, like, ever, then you need measuring cups. Unless you were trained as a pastry chef and can do that thing where you eyeball flour and sugar and somehow make a perfect pound cake (in which case, respect), they're a necessity. Measuring cups are among the safest kitchen tools to buy second-hand because they don't have any inner working parts or potentially dangerous aspects: they're simply metal or glass.

Glass measuring cups aren't that cheap these days, so checking the aisles at your nearest thrift store is a good idea. Metal measuring cups, especially the kind with a ring so they can't easily get lost, are good too. If you're not sure what to look for, just do a quick online search of the best types of measuring cups, such as All-Clad or OXO, before you start the search.

Because it conducts heat so effectively, copper responds very quickly to the needs of the cook. When you turn your stove up or down, the pot adjusts right away. These characteristics make it a great material for pots and thus a popular cookware option. (Think every shot you've ever seen of a Parisian cooking store.) While you shouldn't cook directly in copper, because it can be dangerous, pots with copper on the outside and steel on the inside are a good compromise.

No matter what, though, copper pots tend to be expensive if they are new. That's why these are among the best kitchen tools to try and find second-hand. Because they're known to be useful and reliable, copper pots are often in demand, so you'll have to frequent thrift stores often if you want to spot them.

From grill pans to skillets, frying pans to Dutch ovens, good cast iron is worth its weight in gold once it's seasoned to perfection. The trick is getting it to that point, which can take a few years even for pieces that are used daily — take it from someone who started from scratch with three separate pans and knows what they're talking about. Seasoning isn't difficult, but it does require patience. Over time, oils on the surface of the cast iron polymerize, becoming a baked-on layer of carbon, which is what gives you that slick, shiny surface. If you want to skip the wait, you can go in search of second-hand options instead.

Many people don't know what they have when they cast off an old piece from a deceased relative, so you can find some good stuff. Remember that cast iron comes in many forms, so don't just keep your eyes peeled for saucepans; look for skillets, muffin tins, bakeware, and grill pans too. Just make sure to watch out for warping, cracking, and pitting.

Another good material for cooking, stainless steel is ideal for making soups, sauces, and veggies. It's not nonstick, but its smooth surface means that many foods slide right off (if there's a lot of liquid, like sauce) or form a nice crust (if you have good contact in a hot pan, like salmon). Plus, it's so easy to clean, and it keeps its shiny-bright colors forever if properly cleaned.

What should you look for when buying stainless steel cooking tools second-hand? A few things. First, heavy pieces help to distribute heat well, so look for pots with a bit of heft. Second, avoid nonstick cookware — which is almost never in good shape and is useless (and potentially dangerous) with a scratched surface — even if it does have stainless steel parts. That's not the same thing.

Why pay retail price when you could instead buy the second-hand version for pennies on the dollar? Although Pyrex hardly breaks the bank if you buy a baking dish or two, you can get so much more bang for your buck when you thrift, and Pyrex lasts long without losing quality. Plus, there are so many cute patterns beyond your basic glass baking dish.

Although you can find Pyrex aplenty on Etsy or at vintage shops, it pays to head to a simple second-hand store or flea market first, because you're likely to get it for so much less. If you want to make sure it's Pyrex, check for a logo, but if you don't care about brands, then don't bother. Other good options to consider are CorningWare, Corelle, and Tupperware, which are good for baking, storage or both, depending on the dish and the materials it contains.

A shocking number of the pieces you'll find at a second-hand store are in really good condition. This writer, a dedicated thrifter, has found cutting boards that look brand new — a real steal if you love to entertain and want your charcuterie boards to look nice. Because they're made of wood, which is naturally antibacterial, you're just as safe buying someone else's second-hand cutting boards as you are using your own.

If you want to kick it up a notch, you can give old boards the star treatment and return them to like-new condition. Simply sand the board down, soak it in food-grade mineral oil, and polish it up. Et voilà: an old cutting board that looks like you bought it from some chichi kitchen store downtown.

When it comes to second-hand kitchen tools, stoneware bowls and trays are a great investment. There's not much this writer envies more than her mother-in-law's stoneware muffin tray. Stoneware makes for even heating, easy release of baked goods, and beautiful displays in your kitchen. Some of them even contain molded designs in the pan that you can't find anymore.

You don't have to use it for heated applications, of course. You can also use stoneware bowls for mixing up batters or serving salads. Whatever you want to use them for, they're an excellent category to thrift because used or vintage stoneware is so beautiful and has such a story to tell. No matter how much you spend at Crate & Barrel, you can't replicate a good one-of-a-kind find.

What's more versatile than a ceramic bowl? Mixing, prepping, serving salad, making Jell-O ... the list goes on. The thing that's not so great about ceramic bowls is their expense. Factors such as how many bowls are in a set, whether the colors are currently trendy, and who makes the bowls can all influence the price, but one thing's for sure: If you're buying new, you're paying way more than you have to.

To find good ceramic bowls at thrift shops, check that they're fairly heavy for their size. Light ones are more inclined to crack. Look for chips and dings, even on the inside and bottom of the bowl. Bowls at thrift shops often come in matching sets, which is even more useful, but if they're nested, then make sure to check them all. If you do love a bowl that has a crack in it, you can consider using the Japanese art of kintsugi to repair it (but with glue instead of gold). If so, hats off to your motivation! Just make sure you choose a food-safe ceramic glue.

Mandolines are good for a lot of things: slicing potatoes super-thin for crispy chips, making it easy to layer veggies in a lasagna, or even making that viral cucumber salad we've all seen on TikTok. Pretty much no one has time or skill to slice or julienne to the thinness specified in many recipes, which is where a mandoline comes in. Many a well-intentioned chef has brought home a shiny new mandoline, however, only to discover it wasn't their thing, so there's usually one to be had at a bigger thrift shop.

One thing mandolines are not good for, though, is safety, with one popular culinary magazine describing them as "out for blood." You must therefore take proper precautions. For one thing, never look away when using the mandolin. For another, you should use the little guard that comes with it to protect your fingers. What does this mean while shopping for second-hand kitchen tools? That you should check the blades for sharpness, which reduces the chances of a nasty cut if you do get hurt, and you should only buy second-hand mandolins that come with the guard.

If you take a quick gander online, you'll see a whole passel of air fryers in the $100 to $200 range. It's not that it's bad to buy a new countertop appliance, but if you can find one that works just as well for $15 (like this lucky writer did), why wouldn't you?

Because air fryers had a super-hot moment in the sun, followed by a bunch of people who decided they weren't that into it, you can usually find one or two at the thrift shop. A consummate second-hand shopper will usually come across a different one every visit, which means they're both coming in and going out. Just make sure you look for appliances that have all their pieces as well as their manuals, and check the measurements of your cupboard or countertop before going to the store.

From lemon peel to ginger, cheese to fat for baking, many ingredients need to be grated before they can be used in your recipes. Having a sharp grater on hand is important, and since they wear out over time, you should always keep your eye out. You can check by examining the little blades. They should be pushed outward to catch the food; if some of them are flush with the surface or closer to it than they should be, it's old and you should recycle it.

When buying graters or microplanes (small handheld mini graters for zest and spices), check for the same thing: blades that stick out and are completely even, not wonky or pressed inward. Once you get one home, you can make your box grater easier to clean by applying a little cooking spray before use.

Salad spinners are shockingly expensive. For something that essentially consists of a steel bowl, a plastic colander, and a lid with a rotating mechanism, it's criminal that they often cost $50 to $100 online. The good news is that this is one kitchen tool you can definitely find second-hand.

Look for the kind that has the top you push down on, not the kind with a spinning handle. That kind leads to injury if you catch your fingers underneath it. Other qualities to look out for include good materials, metal, or durable plastic that won't scratch or discolor. Check that the mechanism rotates while you're still in the store, and if it's not smooth as butter, don't buy it ... there are other fish in the sea.

Even in this modern day and age, people still like the thought of having a beautiful set of china on hand. While it's not exactly a tool, china is often used as serving ware, so it's worth wrapping into your thrift store hunt.

China is expensive, though, so buying second-hand is always a good idea. Depending on where you go, however, a set of vintage china may cost as much as (or way more than) brand new, depending on its value. Any thrift shop that says it's a thrift shop but sells regular Fiestaware plates for $30? Don't get your china there unless you're a true antique buff; look at Goodwill and other lower-tier second-hand shops for good deals.

If you are going to buy vintage or antique china and are willing to spend a bit, then make sure you have a couple of essential skills. First, know how to spot a fake. Second, check whether the set you're looking at is safe to eat from. And third, use appraisal services as necessary.

Nobody, repeat nobody, needs a new waffle maker. They are essentially indestructible, serve only one function, and — if they have cast iron plates — are actually better second-hand because they are more seasoned. As with a traditional cast iron pan, seasoning is when oil bakes into the layers of metal, creating a smooth and shiny surface. Although waffle plates have lots of channels and bumps to create the little nooks and crannies in which syrup will later pool, the basic metallurgical idea is the same: the more you use those plates, the more nonstick they will become.

As a regular connoisseur of thrift stores, this writer has seen waffle irons for anything from $3 to $20, but they're typically of the well-made variety because they still worked when their owners donated them. If that's not enough of an argument, then it's time to call exhibit A to the stand: the Death Star waffle maker that still lives in this house. (See photo above.) What a score, right?