The Valuable Kitchenware Brand Hiding At Thrift Stores (It's Not Pyrex)

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Picture this — it's the 1990s and you're all set to go to a party. Except, this isn't your typical party. It's a Pampered Chef party, and for the next few hours, you and a group of friends and acquaintances are going to watch as someone demos a range of kitchenware products.

Founded in 1980, the Pampered Chef is a multi-level marketing company (MLM) that sells kitchenware. In its heyday in the 1990s, much of the brand's products were sold during parties, which typically featured a sales consultant demoing various kitchen gadgets and tools while a group of guests snacked, chatted, and bought. Products ranged from the basics, like baking sheets and saucepans, to those designed to help busy moms put food on the table quickly, such as an apple corer and wedger, a food chopper, and an egg cooker.

While the brand (and its parties) still exist, a lot of its products have also found their way into thrift stores. That's good news for you, as many of Pampered Chef's iconic gadgets and cookware are high quality and designed to make cooking a bit easier and even fun. These pieces can also be valuable, with Pampered Chef pots and pans setting you back over $200 new. Some vintage pieces, like discontinued muffin pans and stoneware bakers from the '90s, can go for $100 or more. So, the next time you're browsing the kitchen section of a thrift store, keep an eye out for some of the brand's most well-known products.

The shelves in the kitchenware section of your typical thrift store are often overstuffed, which can make finding what you want a little tricky. But with a good eye and some time, you can snag a gadget or two from the Pampered Chef. Look for products inscribed with the brand name; you can often find this at the base, though some items, like muffin pans, may have inscriptions on the front. Focus on three categories when looking for the brand's products: cookware, stoneware, and kitchen helpers.

Keep an eye out for Pampered Chef stainless steel cookware and stoneware baking tools, like a pizza stone. While the brand's pots and pans may not be as high-quality as All-Clad, another kitchen brand to look for at the thrift store, they are built to last and are typically easy to find at secondhand shops. The same is true for the brand's stoneware, which is designed to evenly heat foods. Similar to cast iron, the stoneware develops a seasoning over time; to maintain the seasoning, you need to follow special cleaning instructions for stoneware.

New stoneware includes a small pan scraper, which streamlines clean up. If your thrifted pizza stone or stoneware dish doesn't have a scraper with it, keep an eye out for one as you browse the shelves. The scrapers are useful beyond cleaning stoneware — use one to peel off stickers or remove food stuck on plates, baking sheets, or metal pans. Other handy kitchen helpers to look out for include the brand's Toaster Tongs, slicers and choppers, garlic prep tool, oil spritzer, and microwave rice cooker.