Jelisa is a freelance writer who has covered food and travel, sports and pop culture for numerous publications. When she's not on deadline, she enjoys getting new passport stamps, collecting records and shouting at her beloved Liverpool Football Club.
updated Dec 22, 2020
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We all have that one friend, don’t we? The one who brags about every kitchen gadget she scores, but when you ask her where she picked up that half-price Le Creuset, she acts like you’ve asked her to lead you to the lost city of Atlantis. “Oh, that?” she’ll say, cagily pushing it toward the back of the cabinet. “I can’t remember.” Yes you do, Denise. You remember everything — you just don’t want to tell us.
That’s fine! We don’t need you to. Because we know how to find our own incredible deals on cookware, bakeware, or anything cast iron.
Keep reading to find out how to ensure you’ll get to stroll through a parking lot with a discounted Le Creuset Dutch oven and an unshakable sense of superiority.
The best places to find a discounted Le Creuset (and other name-brand kitchen gear): TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, and Marshalls. Not surprising, considering they all share the same parent company!
According to TJ Maxx, you just need to shop early, shop often, and don’t second-guess yourself. Jillian Rugani, the manager of marketing for the retailer, stressed that most of its stores get deliveries every few days, so it’s worth stopping in midweek instead of waiting for the weekend when you’ll have to compete with more shoppers. “Unlike other types of retailers that generally buy seasonally, the average TJ Maxx store has new merchandise arriving several times a week,” she says.
And, although Rugani didn’t confirm it, sometimes your local staff will let you know when deliveries arrive; after asking around at my fave TJ Maxx location, an employee let me know that big shipments always came in at that store on Tuesdays and hit the sales floor by Wednesday. Meaning, if I was shopping on a Thursday, I was doing it wrong.
It’s possible to find, say, a 5.5-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven for just $90. (Maybe more, maybe less, depending on the sale, your luck, and whether or not Mercury is retrograde.) These pieces are often called “seconds,” which means they’re totally usable but may have some sort of small flaw, like a small chip in the enamel or an issue with the coloring. The point? It’s worth giving the pot a solid look-over before you head for the register.
Read this story before buying a discounted Le Creuset: If You Want an Affordable Dutch Oven, Here’s What You Need to Know
If you find something you’ve been looking for — or something you didn’t know you needed — Rugani advises taking it home with you that same day. “If you love it, grab it,” she said. “We don’t hold replenishment stock in our back rooms.” She also added that you shouldn’t wait for things to go on sale; although those red clearance stickers do appear, the retailer “generally doesn’t” do sales, coupons, or other promotions.
And, if it were me, I wouldn’t tell Denise any of this. Let her figure things out for herself.
Have you gotten any great bargains on Le Creuset items? Brag about your finds in the comments below!
