If You're Lucky Enough To Thrift This Vintage Kitchen Tool, You'll Find A Million Uses For It

If you're in the market for kitchen equipment, your first stop should always be the thrift store. If you're willing to dig a little, the shelves are often packed with gently used, good-quality cookware that was made in a time before planned obsolescence became a thing. Prices are also a fraction of what you'd pay for a brand new item, so with a little patience you can easily walk out with a piece that's cheaper than anything that came from a modern big box store. There's one white whale that you should always be on the lookout for, too: a vintage Le Creuset Dutch oven.

These heavy duty, cast iron enameled pots might not catch the eye of an untrained shopper, but seasoned cooks know that a Le Creuset Dutch oven is worth 10 trips to the thrift if you ever spot one. Not only are they built to last generations (and maybe more), we think you definitely need this Dutch oven because these pieces are so versatile that you can use them every day if you wanted to, for everything from soups and stews to braising meats, making effortless roast chicken, warming hot oil for frying, and even for baking sweet treats.

If you've got your heart set on a thrifted Le Creuset Dutch oven, it's important to be strategic in your hunt. Finding one is a little bit like striking lightning in a bottle, because resellers know exactly what they're worth on the secondary market (anywhere from $100 to $300), so they're snapped up quickly and priced accordingly at large chain thrift stores.

Independent or locally run thrift stores are definitely your best bet for finding a Le Creuset at a good rate because they're less likely to price pieces higher the way stores like Goodwill and Savers do. Non-profit thrift stores at churches and charities are also a great place to look because they tend to get donations from estate clean outs where expensive, long-owned cookware is more likely to lurk. If you're not having any luck at the local thrift stores, you might find the Le Creuset of your dreams at a yard sale or estate sale. Look for listings on social media for sales in affluent neighborhoods, which can be surprisingly fruitful. Yard sales will have better prices but may be a little more hit or miss (and you can always haggle), while estate sales will have higher prices but better quality pieces. The bonus of an estate sale with pieces like vintage Le Creuset is that there may also be other cool kitchen tools, like a secondhand stand mixer.

In a world of one-use kitchen gadgets, a Le Creuset Dutch oven is one of those rare pieces that can do almost anything, which is why it's such a thrift store score. Its classic, enameled cast-iron design is nearly indestructible, and excels at cooking anything that requires constant, controlled heat. Obviously it's ideal for making soups, stews, and sauces, but you can also use it for heating up oil for deep frying (hello, crispy homemade fried chicken), making a big batch of applesauce, or simply boiling a box of spaghetti.

This pot isn't content to stay on the stovetop, however. A Dutch oven can handle oven temperatures no problem, and the lid seals in moisture, which makes these pots go-to pieces for braising a leg of lamb or pork shoulder. Many bakers swear by their Le Creusets to bake perfectly crusty loaves of sourdough, but they're also excellent at roasting vegetables, whole fish, and even a duck or chicken. If you're into sweets, try using your Dutch oven to bake up a batch of brownies or fruit cobbler — you won't be disappointed. 

Once you find the Dutch oven of your dreams, always be sure to wash it gently with soap, water, and a non-abrasive sponge after every use. If you take good care of your investment, it should outlive you, too, and maybe even find its way into the kitchen of the next generation someday.