6 Insider Tips to Get High-End Cookware for CHEAP

What if I told you that you can get high-end cookware brands like All-Clad, Calphalon, Viking, Made In, and many others for a fraction of their typical cost?

Well, you can. In fact, there are ways to save up to 70% on some of these brands. You just need to know where and when to shop.

In this quick guide, I provide my six best tips for saving, including one that you can only learn by reading to the end.

Tip 1: Shop at TJX Stores

Tip number 1 is to shop at stores that sell All-Clad, Lodge, Cuisinart, Viking, and many other brands at huge discounts. These stores operate under four brand names but are all owned by the same three-letter retail company. 

This retailer doesn’t do promotions, sales, or coupons. Instead, they offer unbeatable prices all year long. They can offer such low prices because they primarily buy excess inventory from manufacturers and other retailers. They also don’t spend much on advertising, and their simple store layout keeps costs low.

The company I’m talking about is TJX, and the stores they own are TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and Homesense.

I went to several local stores to show you how much you can save.

At TJ Maxx, I found the All-Clad Essentials 2-piece frying pan set for $40 and the All-Clad HA1 12-inch frying pan for $32. Both of those items are usually $100.

At Homesense, there were a ton of deals on brands like Lodge, Made In, Caraway, Viking, Mauviel, and All-Clad.

For example, the Lodge 4.5-quart Dutch Oven, the one made in the USA, was only $160 when it’s typically $260.

And the All-Clad HA1 10-Piece Set, which is listed on All-Clad.com for $600, was only $200.

At HomeGoods, I found similar deals on many of the same brands. The Viking 5-quart Dutch oven, which normally costs $240, was only $80.

And the All-Clad D5 4-quart saucepan, typically $200, was only $120.

Here’s a quick rundown of the best deals I found at my local TJX Stores:

TJX Store	Product	Price on Brands’ Websites	TJX Store Price	Savings
TJ Maxx	All-Clad Essentials Fry Pan Set	$100	$40	$60
TJ Maxx	All-Clad HA1 12-Inch Fry Pan	$100	$32	$68
Homesense	Lodge USA Enamel 4.5-Quart Dutch Oven	$260	$160	$100
Homesense	Lodge USA Enamel 7-Quart Dutch Oven	$350	$230	$120
Homesense	Made In Oval Baking Dish	$69	$32	$37
Homesense	All-Clad HA1 10-Piece Set	$600	$200	$400
Homesense	Caraway Stainless Steel 4.5-Quart Saute Pan	$235	$150	$85
Homesense	Viking 3-Ply 5.25-Quart Deep Saute Pan	$92	$45	$47
Homesense	Viking 3-Ply 10-Inch Fry Pan	$48	$25	$23
Homesense	Viking 7-Quart Dutch Oven	$300	$100	$200
Homesense	Mauviel M’URBAN 5.9-Quart Saucepan	$300	$80	$220
Homesense	Mauviel M’URBAN 12.8-Inch Fry Pan	$205	$50	$155
HomeGoods	Lodge USA Enamel 7-Quart Dutch Oven	$350	$230	$120
HomeGoods	Tramontina 7-Quart Squared Dutch Oven	$100	$50	$50
HomeGoods	Lodge Classic 12-Inch Skillet	$30	$20	$10
HomeGoods	Viking 5-Quart Dutch Oven	$240	$80	$160
HomeGoods	Viking 3-Ply 3.4-Quart Saucepan	$140	$50	$90
HomeGoods	All-Clad D5 4-Quart Saucepan	$300	$120	$180

The main issue with TJX stores is that you never really know what you will find. Sometimes the selection is good, sometimes it’s not, and sometimes the items are not in perfect condition. 

Some items may have minor defects or damage. The enamel on this Cuisinart Dutch oven at HomeGoods is completely chipped. It’s crucial to inspect the products carefully before buying.

However, if you enjoy a little treasure hunting, you can find fantastic deals at TJX stores.

Tip 2: Shop at Costco

The next best place to buy cookware at steep discounts is a store with massive buying power, which they use to negotiate incredible deals with manufacturers and pass the savings on to you.

This store sells everything from food and clothes to tires and appliances. Their cookware selection is limited, and they often rotate brands in and out. But the items they do carry are almost always priced significantly lower than other retailers’. 

The store I’m talking about is Costco, but you can get similar deals at other wholesale clubs like BJ’s and Sam’s Club. Costco requires a paid annual membership ($60 per year), but the savings you get there make up for that fee.

To show you what’s possible at Costco, I went to the store near me, and it had the Calphalon Premier Stainless Steel 12-piece Set for just $200. 

Calphalon makes this set exclusively for Costco, but they offer an 11-piece set with similar-sized pans for $480 and a 13-piece set for $540 on their website. By purchasing at Costco, you save more than 50%.

They also had the Tramontina Tri-Ply two-piece fry pan set for only $30. While this specific set isn’t sold on the brand’s website, buying the two pans individually would cost you $100.

Tip 3: Look for Hidden Gems at Thrift Shops

Every week, I receive emails and comments on my YouTube videos from people sharing their secret spot for buying vintage cast iron skillets, copper pots and pans, and expensive brands like All-Clad at 80-90% off.

The place I’m talking about is…thrift shops.

As one Prudent Reviews reader shared, “I’ve found two All-Clad pans at a thrift shop for a grand total of $13.”

But there’s one catch — the items at these stores are used, and 90% of what you’ll find is complete junk. I recently visited a local thrift shop to see what I could find. They had a wide selection, but the quality was terrible.

Most items were non-stick pans well past their prime and unusable due to the Teflon coating flaking.

I found some stainless steel pans, but either the handle was about to fall off, the walls were paper thin, or both.

The messages I get prove that finding good-quality cookware at thrift shops is possible. But you might have to check out more than one store to find anything decent, and there’s no guarantee you’ll strike gold.

When searching for quality cookware at thrift shops, focus on stainless steel and cast iron — two materials that can last a lifetime and can be restored with minimal effort. For stainless steel, you can use Bar Keepers Friend to remove any stubborn stains or discoloration. If you find a rusty cast iron skillet, scrub off the rust with steel wool and re-season it.

Tip 4: Buy Used Cookware on eBay or Facebook Marketplace

If you don’t have a thrift shop near you or don’t feel like hunting for deals in person, there are places on the internet where you can buy new and used cookware at a significant discount. 

The two best places are eBay and Facebook Marketplace. 

I recently found a used All-Clad 10-inch frying pan on eBay for $39. Brand new, it costs $160.

I also found a brand new Made In 12-inch frying pan for $75, a markdown from $129. The pan itself is completely fine. It’s discounted only because the packaging is damaged. 

On Facebook, I found a new Demeyere Industry 11-inch frying pan for $90, less than half the price on Demeyere’s website.

The key to these platforms is to act fast because the best deals don’t last. You can set up alerts with a keyword, price range, and distance so you know immediately when a brand you’re looking for gets posted for sale.

When buying used cookware on Facebook Marketplace, the best strategy is to message the seller as soon as possible. Instead of asking if the item is still available, try saying something like, “I’m willing to buy it for (price below list price), and I can pick it up today.” 

Reliability is crucial for sellers on Facebook, as many buyers tend to ghost or not show up. You give the seller a compelling reason to accept your lower offer by emphasizing your ability to pick up the item promptly.

Tip 5: Shop Factory Seconds Sales

If you want to avoid going to stores and are afraid of scammers on eBay and Facebook, there’s a way to get brand-new cookware for cheap from the comfort of your own home. 

These opportunities only happen a few times a year, and when they do, inventory runs out quickly because the discounts are so good. 

What I’m talking about here is Factory Seconds Sales. These sales happen when cookware manufacturers have a surplus of products that work perfectly fine but might have a scratch or minor cosmetic damage. And because of that, they can’t sell them at full price through their normal retail partners. 

Lodge, Field Company, and Heritage Steel all have Factory Seconds Sales, but the biggest one by far is held by All-Clad. 

During All-Clad’s Factory Seconds Sale, you can find incredible discounts of up to 50%, 60%, and sometimes even 70% off on their highly popular D3, D5, and Copper Core collections.

In a recent All-Clad Factory Seconds Sale, some of the fantastic deals available included:

• Copper Core Collection 7-Piece Cookware Set: $699.99 (originally $1,399.96)
• Copper Core Collection 12-Inch Fry Pan: $169.95 (originally $365.00)
• D3 Collection 12-Inch Fry Pan With Lid: $99.95 (originally $240.00)
• D5 Collection 12-Inch Fry Pan With Lid: $89.99 (originally $260.00)

The best part is that some of these pans don’t have any damage at all—the only reason they are marked down is that the packaging is damaged. But who really cares if the box or packaging is damaged? You’re going to throw it out anyway.

It’s important to note that these sales often have limited inventory, and popular items can sell out quickly. Be prepared to act fast if you see something you like.

Additionally, while most factory seconds function just as well as regular products, it’s crucial to read the product descriptions carefully to understand the extent of any damage or defects.

Tip 6: Get Sales Alerts

I’ve tracked sales events for the top cookware brands since 2018, and although every brand takes a slightly different approach, there are clear patterns that show the best times of the year to buy.

• In January, companies often hold post-holiday sales to clear out excess inventory from the previous year. 
• Late February usually brings sales around President’s Day, followed by Mother’s Day sales on the second Sunday in May. 
• Memorial Day in late May and the 4th of July are also popular times for brands to offer discounts. 
• Labor Day sales are common as well, and finally, year-end holiday sales usually commence in early November and continue through the end of the year.

That’s a lot of sales to keep track of, but luckily, you don’t have to. I get email and text alerts from every brand, so whenever there’s a sale, I know about it right away. I compile the best deals and send them to you in one organized email with the key information and links. 

Here are some recent deals I sent to subscribers:

• Made In: Up to 25% off premium cookware, tableware, and cutlery (Made In the USA, France, and England). MadeInCookware.com.
• All-Clad: Memorial Day Clearance Event. Up to 70% off All-Clad Factory Seconds. This is one of their biggest sales of the year, with over 30,000 units in stock. HomeAndCookSales.com.
• Misen: 20% off premium cookware and kitchen knives. Misen.com.
• HexClad: Up to 40% off premium hybrid cookware. HexClad.com. 

To receive these emails, sign up for our free newsletter. If you’re not sure what to buy, reply to my emails, and I will provide you with a personalized recommendation based on your needs and budget.

Now that you know how to save on cookware, it’s time to narrow down all the options. To help you get started, I’ve created a comprehensive guide that breaks down the pros and cons of 45 frying pans, each in under 15 seconds.