Absolutely. I've got tons of it and resell things on Ebay as well (for some good coin I might add LOL ) Like ArkansasGirl says above.. nobody has any qualms about used kitchen utensils and cutlery at a restaurant.
I'm also stocking up on the good old CorningWare while it's still plenty

Ebay is a good source for the 'blue flower' corning ware!

It really does. Even with small batches of dough, it's nerve wracking.

DH took Mom to a second-hand store today and scored a FoodSaver V1085 for $4.90. We have a little one, but this one is a big step up.

On previous "hunts', found name brand sneakers... Avia & New Balance. One pair looked like they had NEVER been worn... or at least not outside. Other pair was in the same condition. Threw them in washer and they look BRAND NEW... and $3-5 a pair.

Glass brownie pan and square glass pan with lid are my latest kitchen finds.

But clothes, wozer, I found 100% cashmere and 100% merino wool tops not long ago for $3.50 each.

Nice and warm, on cold days at work. :)

Moni

Ok, I gotta ask. What's the attraction with the blue flower Corningware? Do you like the way they cook, or just like the way they look?

Some (not all) of the vintage Corning ware can be used on stovetop, in the oven, and in the microwave. It will be labeled as okay for rangetop use if it is that type. (It's made of pyroceram, originally developed for rocket nose cones for NASA.) The rangetop stuff is more opaque (think library paste) than regular corningware (think milk glass). I have a few pieces and they are handy. The Corningware percolator, for instance, is made in the rangetop stuff. According to Wikipedia, if it's okay for rangetop, there is a stylized burner in between the words 'corning' and 'ware'--sort of like this: CORNING*WARE.

Plus, Corning is no longer making ANY Corningware, so even the non-stovetop stuff is only found in secondhand stores. They've now licensed the brand to another company.

Talking about clothes at thrift shops: my wife is active in community theater and we went off to thrift shops one day looking for vintage clothes for costumes in a play. I found a Harris Tweed jacket for $5, looked brand new and fit great. A couple of years later, we get bargain tickets to London. Had tea at the Savoy while wearing my $5 jacket, and I fit right in. I'd venture to say nobody else in the room had on a $5 jacket.

Here is a link that might be useful: Corning Ware

I have one of those Corningware percolators, I use it when the power goes out, I can light my gas stove top with a match and make coffee. I also have four little individual square casserole dishes that I use all the time, they are a very handy little size, smaller than a bowl but bigger than a ramekin. White with blue cornflowers.

I have a full set of pink gooseberry Pyrex mixing bowls in the basement too. I don't really use them much and found an identical set on ebay which had already been bid up to $90. For 4 mixing bowls, go figure, people just get crazy bidding on stuff sometimes.

I also just bought a couple of one quart corningware casseroles for $1 each at goodwill, they fit perfectly inside my 6 quart Nesco roaster on the rack.

LOL, Arley, I can just see you sitting with the doyennes and high-muckity-mucks, drinking tea in your $5 jacket. (grin)

Annie

From my years of using the original Corningware, I have found it to be very durable, easy-peasy to clean and able to go from freezer/fridge to oven if needed. I can warm up food in the microwave with it, cut on it, "pop" out frozen blocks of recipes to wrap separately and freeze --- and the blue flower design goes well in my kitchen. I can't remember ever breaking a piece of Corningware. That's why I have been buying some pieces I didn't have.

Teresa

Love to shop for used "stuff". Like Annie said, everything but underwear/socks.

Some of my best finds:

Victorio strainer (for making sauce, de-seeding berries, etc), $5. New $50 and up!
American Harvest Dehydrator, $10. Just a set of 2 additional trays are around $11. I got the entire machine (back up to mine) with 4 trays.

Many clothing items with new tags or very lightly used.

Missed:
LeCreuset 6 qt. dutch oven for $20. Convinced myself I didn't really need it. Came home, checked out some prices on used ones and realized what a great deal it was. Of course, it was gone when I went back to the thrift store.

I love a good treasure hunt!!!

Deanna

annie, I sure wish people would go crazy bidding on our stuff! ACK!

I have so many pieces of Corningware. Somehow, I can still find it cheap at the thrift shop. I love those tiny ones, I just wish they had glass lids like the larger ones.

I haven't found thrift stores in L.A. to be good for very much of anything - they get pick over by wary buyers too quickly. L.A. is a better place to sell than to buy, and we did quite well at our yard sale in Venice. Of course we happened to have it on the same day as the Venice Art Walk, and so there was even more pedestrian traffic than usual, and we lived on a trendy street.

I do better on eBay, where I bought a tin plated food mill from the 1940s. I had bought a new smaller one just a few months earlier that was much more expensive and broke after being used about three times. The old one still works. I'm very happy to find anything tin plated, as that is fairly rare these days, since tin is so expensive compared to aluminum. I've never in my life seen tin foil (although people talk about it a lot) - only aluminum foil.

I did buy some gorgeous dessert forks and spoons at an antique shop on La Brea (another trendy L.A. street) about 12 years ago. They had just come in front an estate and were black with tarnish, but I could still read on the back that they were sterling, copyright 1939. The manager of the store had too much attitude and was too vain to put on reading glasses to examine the back and sold them to me for the price of silver plate. I weighed them when I got them home and found that the silver alone was worth three times what I paid for them, and they polished up beautifully. I'm more likely to use silver for desserts than for a whole meal, and so it was a perfect buy for me - six forks, four dessert spoons, and two serving spoons. Plus I like the pattern better than my other silver, which was given to me by my mother and really not my taste. I wish I could trade it in for a pattern that I do like.

Lars

A big YES to used almost anything! I don't buy used underwear (ick!), although I'm told it's a huge seller around here. I do buy use clothes, but, strangely, I can't talk myself into used bedding, towels, or pajamas. Right now I'm wearing a pair of new Keen running sandals that I picked up at the thrift store this morning for $3.

As for kitchen ware, last Christmas DD #2 got a full set of Wusthof Twins knives with block that I got new at a YS for all of $20. I can't imagine what the seller was thinking! Today, I bought DD#1 three Wolfgang Puck knives for $1 each. These aren't the best knives in the world, but they are lots better than what she has. I can't even begin to list all the dishes, pans and gadgets I get--lots of cast iron and my collections of cookie cutters, molds, and the like all come from YS and thrift stores.

My absolute favorite find, though, is a Simac Il Gelataio "The Ice Cream Man" machine from the thrift store for $10. It's amazing--no ice, no salt, the best ice cream imaginable in 15 minutes. I'm in love!

I love to shop yard sales and thrift stores for 'treasures'!

Honestly though, I am to the point where I should
Be getting rid of,
Rather than adding to.

I'll buy clothing,
(except for undies & socks, as others mentioned)
It's washable,
(or dry cleanable)
So why not?

Several years ago,
I lucked out with a brand new,
Still in the box,
Toaster oven for $15.00.

Real bargains are getting harder & harder
To find around here.
Guess people are getting wise.
Or maybe the poor economy is affecting
How they price things.

Haven't had much chance to do any bargain hunting lately,
But reading this thread has given me the bug again.

Rusty

My old tupperware stuff was getting really old, so I decided to toss & use corningware & pyrex. I had some larger pieces already, but have been picking up smaller ones at consignment stores here. I've gotten some neat pyrex from the 50's, & some cornflower blue corningware. I was excited to get a corningware electric percolator a few days ago for $6.50. I just have a small coffeepot, so thought it would be good for company.
It was dark inside from coffee stains, but actually looks pretty good. Then I looked on line & found out mine has a metal lip on it. Corningware made & recalled the metal lipped ones in the 70s because the handles were glued & tended to break off. Drat. Mine is a 10 cup version though, & I don't think it was recalled, so I'm hoping it wasn't recalled. Maybe since it was larger it was reinforced better. It seems very sturdy. I'm thinking now, maybe I should start looking for a smaller pot, maybe a stove top one, I see them occasionally. Does anyone use the corningware pots, or has everyone gone over to the drip. I just liked the "vintage" idea.

If I see large pieces of Tupperware... with lids, clean... like the cake holder thing or cannisters... I'll buy them.

I use the larger cannisters to store sugar & flour in my "pantry"... shelving in my garage. Dual purpose for container... freshness & barrier to anything unwanted that may be in garage!?! The cake containers... often use them upside-down if taking food for a crowd... like pasta salad for a get-together. Then tell host... either keep or toss, if I leave it behind. If I only paid $.50... no big deal.

I've got a corningware set that was my mother's that I've been able to add a few matching pieces to. It's from the early 70s...the one with veggies on it. I look for tupperware too.
One thing that I really like finding is a "kitchamajig". It's the best kitty litter scoop I've ever used. The secret must be out though, because they've been getting harder to find. I know they're still made, but I won't pay full price...not for the litter box.
I have one for the kitchen too, that I use to lift tomatoes out of boiling water when dipping them to peel. And no, I don't get them mixed up...ever, lol!

ngraham, I had one of the Corning ware coffee pots,
electric, that you describe.
I loved it so, I didn't turn it in
When they issued the recall.
I never had a problem with it.
It lasted for a number of years after that.
Of course, when the element finally wore out,
There was no way to get any replacement parts.
So I went to a drip pot,
Don't remember what brand.
But I have never found another pot
That makes coffee as good as that Corning one did!

I have since found a similar one,
(but smaller)
at an estate sale.
Think I paid a couple of dollars for it.
But for some reason,
The coffee it makes just isn't as good.

Rusty

I love shopping charity shops, yard sales and flea markets for kitchenware and tableware. I have a large collection of tableware - just purchased 8 of the cutest ceramic bluebird napkin rings from a seller on Etsy. Sometimes I think I need a 12-step program...

For 25 cents each I got a multicolored high heat silicone whisk and a large sturdy high heat silicone turner at a church shop last week. They both appeared unused - went through the dishwasher and now employed in my kitchen with my non-stick cookware. I bought a beautiful silverplated water pitcher there before the holidays for $5.00, as well as a large etched round Rogers silverplate tray for about the same.

Love the old Corningware casseroles with the clear glass lids. I've had a set of the Abundance pattern since I was first married and use them almost everyday. I did break one, ended up buying another from an eBay seller I missed it so much! I'm looking for a different lid, though - the one that came from the eBay seller isn't as sturdy as the others I have.

There's a VNA Thriftique store that I frequent. I bought my friend a large oval Johnson Brother's serving platter in the Strawberry Fair pattern for only 4 bucks. Those list for up to $75 on some websites.

I do love to hunt!!

seagrass

Goodwill had a cobalt blue KitchenAid Mixer for $15, with a bowl but no beaters. Snapped that up and on-line ordered beaters and whisk attachment. Works perfectly, hate the color but who cares?

Asked for angel food cake pans on Freecycle and got three large copper gelatin molds with tin linings from one lady, two metal quiche or flan pans like new, a Pampered Chef bundt pan never used, a springform cake pan, and a 6 hole fancy mini-bundt pan. All free, but I had to go buy an angel food cake pan - $2 at at the very next garage sale I went to. Had all the luck that week!

I do need to go through my own excess kitchen stuff and put it all on Freecycle or Craigslist.

Nancy

My DH and I have furnished our old house with used/collectible/antique furniture. We joke all the time about the thrill of the hunt. One of my favorite finds came early this fall. My DH found 2 old star colanders in heavy aluminum. I love them they remind me of my mom.

Ngraham, baking soda takes stains off coffee cups like magic. It might be worth a try.

I was debating using baking soda or vinegar to clean my coffee pot. When I first plugged it up & started it with just water, it smelled kind of sour. I haven't actually made coffee in it yet, want to make sure I get that sour smell out & thought the baking soda might work. unless it gums up something. I may try vinegar & then the soda.
Love those colanders.

ngraham: I have both the large stovetop and electric Corning Ware percolators. I LOVE them! Since they are immersible, they're really easy to clean, plus they make the BEST coffee. I've never had a problem with either of them and I use them both equally as often. I use the electric one when I won't be in the kitchen to keep an eye on perking time. I wash them thoroughly after every use, and I use "Bar Keeps Friend" to keep the insides sparkling white and a thin brush to clean out the tube.

arkansas_girl: You can get glass lids for Corning Ware petite pans. I'd check thrift stores. Ebay usually has some but the sellers are starting to realize that Corning Ware is becoming more in demand, and unfortunately, the prices are sky-rocketing. You can also use an inverted petit pan as a lid if you have 2 of them. If yours are the same as mine, there are grooves in the handles to hold it in place. Make sure you're putting the rim of the inverted pan in the grooves and not the handles.

I am so glad to know how much you like your percolators, pumpkinsam! I'm definitely going to look for a smaller pot, either an electric or stovetop one. I am glad to know that the corning ware petite pans have glass lids too. I have a total of 8, the taller & smaller sizes mixed of the cornflower blue & spice of life. I only have 2 of the plastic lids. Going to start looking for glass lids, maybe I'll get lucky. In the meantime, at least I know I can invert them. Never would have occurred to me, this is the greatest forum.

Ngraham, clean you coffee pot with citric acid, aka vitamin C! I can get the vitamin C crystals at GNC. Or crush a chewable vitamin C tablet and run thru the pot with the usual full pot of water. It might take a couple times thru to completely clean it, but works great. DH just cleaned his pot last weekend. The week before he tried vinegar. It didn't do near the job the vitamin C crystals did. I gave him about a 1/2 tsp. of it for each pot.

Mom has that star collonder!

Tami

I was at a yard sale this weekend that was trying to raise money for a friend who is struggling with medical bills, and found a nearly new ninja blender for $7, and a set of four really nice steak knives that almost perfectly match the handles of our regular tableware.

I haven't had to buy much at the thrift stores lately. When we lost my MIL last summer, my husband had to close out his mom's house (with his sister's help). He brought me some things that I'd asked him to keep an eye out for: one of those 13"x9" metal cake pans WITH A COVER, the metal cake container with a handle, and several other things. My mother has been paring down her kitchen as well, so I may come home from a visit in March with an angel-food cake pan and several other things that she no longer uses.

To the comment about costuming for a community theater -- at the moment, I run a children's theater program at my school. Whenever we are costuming, the thrift store is the first place we look. Last semester, one mom took a $5 wool suit jacket and, with a few snips, created a formal jacket with a tail from it. (We found a book that gave us directions on how to do it, and she "ran" with the idea.)

Donna

I just came across these today. $5 for both. What do you think, should I snatch them up? I can go and get them tonite or tomorrow.

"should I snatch them up?"

I would ! !

Rusty

My guess jas is they won't be there. The other day I was at the thrift shop, picked up a metal pan, looked at a second then decided I didn't need it. As soon as I put it down a lady came up behind me and put it in her basket. I've found that if you snooze you lose at the thrift shop.

It's okay Arkansas.......they are on Kijiji, and she still has them.
I'm going to get them tonite.

I wanted your opinions on them. :)

Is there a bunch of shipping $$$? $5 for the both of them is dirt cheap. Usually at flea markets they will ask at least $5 for each. I use these things to death! I have them in all sizes.

No shipping AG. They were for sale in my city, and she lives just a few blocks away. They are spotless, no chips or anything. I can see a meatloaf in the deep rectangular one!

SCORE! Yay, jasdip!

Really great find Jas!

That IS a great find, and I think you'll use them a lot.

I'd have told you it was a "buy", if you hadn't already bought them!

Annie

Good find! I can still find them here occasionally for about $4 ea at a consignment store & snap them up fast. They are getting scarce though, I guess the word is getting out.
By the way, I used baking soda & got most of the coffee stains out of my corning percolator. I'm going to try the other suggestions soon. I make a pot of coffee, & it really does make great coffee, much better than my drip machine.

Another thing about those casserole dishes, the new ones are really expensive even at the outlet store. My main use for these are microwaving vegetables instead of steaming them on the stove. I can throw a bag of broccoli in and microwave for 6 minutes and they are done just right for our liking which is on the done side as my husband can't stand underdone broccoli. I also use them for the cauliflower medley mix too which takes a bit longer. I don't even add any water as there is plenty already in the frozen veggies. I've found a few frozen vegs. do better on the stove top like green beans(in a pot of course). My mom taught me the trick of precooking diced potatoes before pan frying them with onions...just put them in the casserole with the lid for about 5 minutes on high with a bit of water...drain, then you can pan fry them quickly.

Also remember these casserole dishes are not stove top safe, you probably already know that but just sayin'...

LOL you guys are funny!
Well, at least I know I did the right thing by getting them!
I too microwave my veggies......but.....is it just me, or do nuked veggies cool off way too fast?

I never thought about nuking frozen veggies w/o any water? Will have to give this a try!

So....now I think I need a Corning Ware/Corningware coffee pot.....

Teresa

lol Teresa. I don't add water either. Frozen peas, corn....lots of water in them already. They nuke great.

arkansasgirl - are you saying that the corning wear aren't stove top safe? I have mine from my 1964 wedding and it has been used on the stove top many times. It even came with a metal handle that was for using it on the stove top as a pot. Does anyone else remember these or have one?

jae_tn, I not only remember those handles,
I have one.

If I remember correctly,
Most of the Blue Cornflower Corning Ware
IS stove top safe.
Check the bottoms, to be sure.

And I, too, do frozen vegetables in the microwave.
In casseroles like the one shown,
No water,
just whatever seasoning I like.
My microwave has settings for frozen and fresh vegetables.
For frozen green beans,
I use the frozen vegetable setting,
Let them set a minute or two,
Then cook them another minute.
They come out tender,
But not over cooked.

Come to think of it,
I use my Corning Ware & microwave
For just about all vegetables.

Rusty

According to Wikipedia, the rangetop-safe corning ware has a stylized burner on it--see the article

Here is a link that might be useful: corning ware

Mine have that! It doesn't have anything written on it (oven, microwave, freezer etc), but it does say Made in Canada. Yippee!

I just remember corning ware had some glass type dishes that came out in the 80s or so that were range top safe, I didn't know those were too. Personally I wouldn't try it myself. But that's just me...

I have some blue and some of the autum veggies design CW. All of them say they are range and microwave safe. Some say oven safe too. I would have assumed that they were all oven safe. I guess I still do. I have the handles for the smaller size. I guess I need to look in the kitchen tool junk sections of the thrift stores for the larger size. For those who don't recognise them, they are black handles with a separate small back portion that twists ~80 degrees to allow the metal front clasp to lock onto the dish.

I'm not taking the chance of using them on the stove-top anyway. I bought them with the intent of oven and microwave.