10 Kitchen Tools You Should Avoid Buying At Thrift Stores

Thrift stores tend to hold a world of surprises, from long-lost trends to kitchen equipment you'd be hard-pressed to identify. It's the place to go if you like scoping out the selection and coming home with a new bowl, pan, or mug to go with your snazzy new scarf. We're all for reusing items that still have some life left in them, but there are some reasons why you should avoid purchasing certain kitchen tools from thrift shops. Whether you're stocking your whole kitchen with affordable finds or grabbing something second-hand to use for a specific recipe, there are a few things to consider.

Standards have changed over time, and until not that long ago, heavy metals like lead were present in ordinary kitchen pieces. Other materials are naturally porous and take on odors and bacteria with use, making proper upkeep and regular rotation necessary. Meanwhile, some items might look perfectly fine, but it's another story under the surface. While there are some kitchen tools you never need to buy new, there are others you should be wary of if you're planning to use them for food (art projects are fine!). Here are the kitchen tools you should avoid buying from a thrift shop.

Depending on the type of thrift shop you frequent, you may be faced with a carefully curated assortment or a disorganized array of mismatched ends. While the former circumstance is less likely to include less-than-perfect kitchen tools, the latter very well could. It might be obvious, but kitchen tools with visible chips, hairline cracks, and rust should be avoided.

Chips anywhere close to where you would place your mouth are an immediate risk, as you could easily cut your lip. It might be tempting to scoop up a heavily discounted ceramic item with a hairline crack, but you'll likely end up disappointed. These light cracks make the dish more fragile and prone to breaking — which might happen as you carry out an elaborate meal or dessert you've just prepared. 

Delicate interwoven cracks can also appear on the surface of old china dishware. Though not as problematic for the structural integrity, these tiny cracks can trap bits of food, which can cause bacteria to grow in the crevices. If you come across a Dutch oven with chipped enamel, leave it on the shelf if the chip is on the inside. As for rusty items, use your judgment. Rust is not food-safe, but if you see the perfect cast iron skillet with a light amount that can easily be brushed off, it may be passable. However, if there's any doubt, you're best off avoiding it altogether.

You might think you can never have too many wooden utensils, but sourcing them from a thrift shop isn't ideal. Whether it's a long spoon, spatula, or salad fork, chances are the previous owner used it often. Unless it appears to be in pristine, never-used condition, it likely has some wear. And while it might still look pretty decent, wood's porous qualities mean that it easily absorbs odors, moisture, and cleaning products.

For this reason, proper care and maintenance are important to keep wooden cooking utensils in good shape and free of extraneous materials. If you're buying it at a thrift shop, there's no telling how the previous owner sanitized it, which could mean some less-than-desirable components hanging out inside the wood. Plus, if the utensils were cleaned in the dishwasher or left to soak in water, the wood will likely crack over time. Instead, pick up a fresh set and make sure to clean and oil the utensils regularly.

Similarly, skip over plastic utensils at a thrift shop. Black plastic utensils seem to be increasingly concerning because they can contain flame retardants. Unlike wood, which has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, plastic doesn't have any redeeming qualities. Sure, you can toss it in the dishwasher, but utensils can quickly become worn, leaving plastic deposits behind in your food — especially when it's hot. If you want a material with similar sensory characteristics, swap to food-grade silicone, which is considered stable and safe up to 428 degrees Fahrenheit.

Much like wooden and plastic utensils, cutting boards made with the same materials are not an ideal thrift shop find. Similar issues show up, and they're further amplified, given that the surface is repeatedly used to cut food. Even though wood can offer some antibacterial properties, it's hard to know how the previous owner cleaned it. Were they using the porous board to prep raw meat and just giving it a quick wipe down, or did they properly sanitize it for long-term care? Plus, if that process involved the dishwasher or a long soak, the board may have slightly warped over time or be more likely to crack.

Plastic cutting boards can be cleaned in the dishwasher, but it's impossible to know whether the past owner was doing so regularly or simply washing it with warm water and an old sponge. Whereas polyethylene plastic is nonporous and considered fine to cut on, a thrift shop find might be made up of any type of cheap plastic that isn't as safe. Additionally, as knives score the material over time, it becomes more susceptible to housing bacteria deep in the cracks. Meanwhile, if the board is slightly warped, it won't sit flat on your counter, making it less stable for prep work.

The word lead immediately points to the issue here, but it's a little nuanced. Most old glass contains lead oxide, once a common addition to improve the sparkle of the glass and make it easier to work with. Although safer alternatives are now employed, lead crystal still exists — especially in thrift shops. Some people suggest that the amount of lead that's likely to be ingested when using crystal glasses could be minimal, but really, it's toxic and should be avoided entirely. Consuming traces of lead is especially risky for babies, children, or during pregnancy, and can lead to negative health outcomes.

Using lead crystal for the occasional cocktail might be a risk you're willing to take, but if you're planning to use the glasses daily or find a beautiful crystal carafe to store spirits, you're better off leaving it on the thrift shop shelf. Instead of worrying that your wine has been sitting in the glass for too long, just skip the old crystal. There are a few tricks to tell if a glass contains lead, such as having a reverberating ding when you clink it or a rainbow prism as light shines through it. When in doubt, avoid it or use it to showcase decorative items like stones or dried flowers.

There was a time when Teflon and nonstick pans seemed to be lifesavers, but convenience isn't the only thing you should seek in your cookware. Nonstick pans made prior to 2013 contained perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), aka forever chemicals, as it hadn't yet been banned in the U.S. The chemical is connected to a range of negative health outcomes and illnesses, and increasingly recognized as being dangerous to consume.

Unfortunately, if you're picking up an old pan in a thrift shop that doesn't get a lot of traffic, it might very well be old enough to contain PFOA. Not to mention, products made in countries that don't have the same regulations might be on the shelves, too, making it impossible to control the quality of what you buy. Meanwhile, pans made since 2013 use a different forever chemical polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which can release fumes at high heat.

When it comes to thrift shop finds, there's no telling how the previous owner used their pan and whether it is still chemically stable. Don't even think about picking it up if it's scratched, as the compounds will undoubtedly make their way into your food. If you're buying a nonstick pan, stick to a new one made without forever chemicals.

Vintage ceramics add a certain aesthetic flair to your dining set, but you're best off using them to display anything but food (or at the most, as a fruit bowl). While the designs might stand the test of time, the materials don't always. As it turns out, pottery glazes once regularly contained lead, which is problematic when the piece isn't properly fired. This is especially true of brightly colored items in red, orange, and yellow hues.

Products made by amateur ceramicists or in countries with no regulations about using lead in the glaze are risky to use for food. Even in the U.S., restrictions were only put into place in the early '70s, so thrift stores with a wide selection of vintage pottery likely include some with lead. Glazes for decorative ceramic can still contain lead, but there must be an indication of its content on the item if it's produced in the U.S. If you fall in love with an antique piece of pottery, just make sure to stick to using it for ornamental purposes.

Grabbing a cheap toaster or kettle at your local thrift shop might seem like an easy way to save a buck, but you might be better off avoiding that shortcut. First of all, depending on the store in question, the staff may or may not be testing appliances as they come in. Even if they were tested upon arrival, who knows if they've been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years? Worse, they may have been in a storage room with irregular temperatures or humidity, potentially affecting their state.

Some people avoid buying old appliances with too many nooks and crannies to clean because the time it takes to do it well might make them reconsider buying new. Plus, any electric appliances that show wear and tear around the cord or plug should be avoided entirely. An electric fire will surely negate those minimal savings. That said, if you find appliances in good condition that you can test, it's worth noting that old models are often made with durable materials and easy-to-repair mechanisms compared to modern ones.

The perfect aluminum or copper pan can elevate your cookware set, but the thrift shop might not be the place to buy it. First of all, it's important to distinguish between lined and unlined copper pots; the former has a layer of non-reactive metal on the inside, whereas the latter does not. The lining helps prevent issues such as acidic ingredients reacting with the copper, which is a no-no for food safety. However, no lining can offer some benefits too, such as great heat conductivity. Still, it's best to keep the time your food is in contact with copper to a minimum.

Unfortunately, if the lining is scratched or not fully intact, it can leach metal into your food. Although copper pots can be refurbished, it may not be worth the cost at a certain point. Also, if the lining is made of tin, it won't be resistant to very high heat, making it potentially unsafe, depending on how you plan to use it. Second-hand aluminum pots and pans have similar issues, namely because the surface sees a lot of wear and damage over time. This can cause dents and scratch the metal, making it more prone to leaching into your food. Unless it's in tip-top shape, avoid buying aluminum cookware at the thrift shop.

Whether you're constantly restocking your plastic container collection because of misplaced lids, or have an endless supply of meal prep in the freezer that keeps you buying more, there's no doubt that sealable vessels are useful. However, if you're looking for something that will keep your food fresh and free of potential chemicals, a thrift store find isn't optimal. Unfortunately, plastic containers aren't always made with the best materials and often contain BPAs, which are associated with numerous adverse health effects.

Though products made in recent years typically broadcast their lack of BPAs, there's no telling what's in your thrift store find. Worse, the BPAs can leach out more readily over time and with use, especially if the previous owner cleaned them in the dishwasher. Scratches and grooves make this even more likely, not to mention they can trap food and bacteria over time. Stick to buying new BPA-free plastic containers, or better yet, go for glass.

If you're trying your hand at being the best cook you can be (or, at the very least, trying to cook efficiently), then the number one tool you want is a quality kitchen knife. You don't need a wide assortment of knives or the fanciest blade on the block, but you need something that will allow you to cook with ease. While there's a chance you'll stumble upon a top-quality knife in good shape at a thrift shop, you're more likely to find the discards: knives with loose handles, damaged from poor upkeep, or simply flimsy.

Instead of sharpening a mediocre knife (maybe even paying for it professionally) and trying to make do with it, invest in a well-made knife within your budget. It will pay for itself over time, if you hone and sharpen it regularly to keep it in good shape. With a proper knife, the rest of the food prep process will be smooth.