Flipping Kitchenware: Discovering Valuable Culinary Collectibles

Reselling 101

By RC Staff

01 October 2023

Everyone needs to eat, which also means everyone needs to cook. Even if you’re a diehard UberEats user or unrepentant DoorDasher, eventually you’ll need to suck it up and cook an actual meal. That also means that cookware, in some form or another, is a necessity. From appliances to spatulas, blenders, microwaves, overpriced juicers; there’s a whole lot of ways for companies to sell you stuff for your kitchen. But why should they have all the fun? Today, we’re looking at the world of reselling kitchenware.

What kind of kitchenware resells?

Let’s break this down into two broad categories: new stuff and old stuff. If you’re an experienced reseller, you’re probably already familiar with this kind of split. Generally speaking, newer stuff will be easier to buy, easier to sell, and require less work in general. New appliances, gadgets, branded equipment, limited edition cups, et cetera.

Older stuff means vintage, collectable, and buying secondhand. It requires having an eye for what makes something valuable and being able to find it. More work, but it can be more reliable than exclusively chasing new releases. There’s plenty of vintage stuff in the world, and plenty of hipsters to buy it.

Flipping modern kitchenware

So everyone knows the basics: spoons, forks, pans, yadda yadda. It doesn’t take a whole lot to make a working kitchen, but what about the extras? If there’s one thing we know from years of reselling experience, it’s that people love to spend money on stuff they don’t need.

Social media is generally your best friend with these types of products. Take these Ninja Ice Cream Makers that dropped earlier this year. Does anyone really need a countertop ice cream maker? And is it even the best product on the market? No, and definitely not, but that didn’t matter. TikTok liked the product, which meant they would sell out.

@kaitlyneats

Ninja Creami is literally magic 🫶🏼 if you were debating getting one… this is your sign #ninjacreami #ninjacreamirecipe #homemadesorbet #homemadeicecream

♬ original sound – Kaitlyn Lavery

And when they did, they would resell too. Resellers made tons of profit this summer by flipping these ice cream makers, and were able to ride the hype wave for as long as it lasted. This is really no different from any other popular product to resell, and if you’ve been reading our blog the formula is pretty clear.

Brand names are an obvious thing to go for. Whether that’s a special, limited-edition offering from a reputable manufacturer, or a crossover between an influencer and established brand, products like these can be great get for a reseller.

Earlier this week, we covered the Supreme X Miyabi Santoku Knives that dropped through Supreme’s website. Are the people buying these going to cook with them? Almost certainly not, but who cares. These knives have started to resell for $500+, and it’s still early.

Branded cups and tumblers are another popular option. Country singer Lainey Wilson rolled out an exclusive collab with Stanley that her fans went absolutely nuts for. Earlier this week, Starbucks dropped their highly-anticipated “The Nightmare Before Christmas” 24oz tumblers. Both of these have flipped for more than $100 over their retail prices.

Flipping vintage and antique cookware

Humans have been cooking for a really, really long time. The earliest archaeological evidence shows that people have been cooking over fire for at least 300,000 years, with some signs pointing towards several million years.

Point being, with all this time spent in the kitchen, there have been plenty of opportunities to create cookware. Many of these items are still completely usable (a spatula is a spatula, after all), and there are communities of people out there interested in buying vintage cookware.

Cast iron has had a bit of a renaissance lately. Chefs love it for its versatility and hardiness, and a well-seasoned pan can be easier to clean than a comparable nonstick. Cast iron pans are quite an old design, and its entirely possible to use a pan made in 1910 in your everyday cooking. As such, there’s a sizable amount of collectors who are interested in vintage cast iron.

Names to look out for are Martin, Wagner, Griswold and Lodge. Yes, the same Lodge making pans today. One nice thing about cast iron collecting is you don’t really have to worry about lead. Many other vintage materials have a chance of being made with lead in some way or another, which severely limits their practical uses.

Other vintage cookware you can try your hand at reselling is china and glassware. Both of these can run the risk of being made with lead, but collectors are often willing to pay for them just to display. There are quite a few different brands and makers out there, so you’ll need to be doing research on the fly when you find new pieces.

Flipping vintage Pyrex

Lodge isn’t the only vintage brand that’s still around. Pyrex has been around since 1915, and still making the same durable glassware since then. There’s a huge variety of products sold by the brand over the last few decades, and collectors have recently started to take a special interest in them.

Pyrex collectors are mainly looking for patterned or otherwise decorated glassware, which is comparatively rare. Even standard designs are still popular, as long as they’re in good condition. Cracks are a no-go, and you should look for the cleanest and clearest glass possible.

Flipping vintage CorningWare

CorningWare is closely associated with Pyrex. It’s also notable for resellers because the brand has been removed and reinstated for sale in the U.S. several times. Right now, CorningWare is still available, but its recent brand turmoil has made it popular with resellers.

Look for plates, dishes, lids, anything with the signature milky-white color and blue insignia. CorningWare products have been in circulation since the 50s, so keep your eyes out for the oldest products imaginable. These are completely functional items even after multiple decades of use.

Where to find cookware to resell

Well, newer products can be found in a variety of spots. Online, obviously, and that’s where you’ll buy most of them. Sometimes brands will do in-store sales, especially for exclusive products. Generally buying kitchenware is no different than any other hyped product. If something goes viral on TikTok, you can expect to see it sold out for weeks at a time.

Vintage products can be found pretty much everywhere. If you like thrifting for stuff other than clothes, here’s your opportunity. Check garage sales, yard sales, estate sales, moving sales, divorce sales; wherever people are putting their old crap up for grabs. People typically don’t do research before they list these items, and there may be some gems mixed in with the junk.

Thrift stores and online marketplaces can be an option as well. We’ve published a guide on how to flip antiques here, and many of the tips for finding items can apply to cookware as well. Just keep your eyes out, look for brand names, and do a little research when you’ve found something interesting.

That’s all for now. Subscribe to our newsletter for more tips like these sent directly to your inbox, and stay tuned for the next big flip.