Thrilled shopper stumbles upon highly sought-after kitchen appliance at thrift store: ‘I’m so envious’

If you cook a lot of rice at home or have done your research on quality rice cookers, you’ve probably heard of the kitchen appliance brand Zojirushi. 

And if you know the brand Zojirushi, you probably also know that they can be quite pricey. Investing in one of their highly sought-after appliances could cost you a pretty penny. 

That is unless you’re lucky enough to find one at a local thrift store, like this Reddit user who shared a picture of their incredible score in r/ThriftStoreHauls.

According to the user, they stumbled across the Zojirushi rice cooker at a Goodwill. It was on sale for $12.99 — a savings of about 95% from the original price of the rice cooker, which sells for $242.99 on the company website.

“Score!!” Replied one user to the post. “And looks like it’s barely if even been used. I’m so envious.”

Finds like this Zojirushi rice cooker highlight one of the many benefits of thrift shopping. Not only can you save money on everyday necessities and incredible finds like iconic kitchenware, designer bags, luxury brands, and electronics, but your secondhand shopping also helps to keep these items out of landfills.

Thrifting is a great alternative to fast-fashion shopping, too. In the fast-fashion production model, thousands of low-quality, low-cost styles are released by fast-fashion brands. As a result, consumers consume to excess, and many articles of clothing are frequently discarded after just a few wears. It is estimated that 8 to 60 billion articles of clothing are sent to landfills each year — a number that can be greatly reduced by shopping at local thrift stores instead of fast-fashion retailers.

The popularity of thrift shopping has grown in recent years as more people have started to embrace sustainable living practices. It is estimated the secondhand market will double by 2027, reaching $350 billion, according to thredUp. Studies have also found that 75% of consumers have shopped or are open to shopping for secondhand clothing, and one in three pieces of clothing purchased in 2023 was secondhand.

One thing is for sure: Reddit posts like this one are sure to continue inspiring shoppers hoping to score one-of-a-kind finds of their own.

“Man!! I want one of these now.” Wrote one user in response.

“I would have knocked you over for it! Great find.” Said another user.

“Lucky you!” Commented one Redditor. “We eat rice every day and I’ve been praying to find one.”

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.