Every once in a while when I’m bored, I like to drop in on my local TJ Maxx and peruse the isles with kitchen gadgets and cookware. I’ve found some Shun knives and great deals on decanters in the past. Today I dropped in and found a set of Jean Dubost Laguiole steak knives for $17 and a Lodge cast iron griddle for $20. I walked out very happy.
I’ve gotten some le cruset there. Never really good knives though. Good for you!
Home Goods (same family) often has steals on decanters (under $10) and, right now locally, some All-Clad odds ‘n’ ends.
We had a Home Goods in Fresno- I loved that place.
These are the exact knives I picked up: http://www.wineenthusiast.com/jean-dubost-laguiole-6-piece-steak-knives-(pearlized-ivory).asp?green=831DB181-4D9D-55D7-925D-D124E67698B4&icid=PDMYBY&mbpagetype=prod
I think I’ll go back and pick up the other package they had, $70 knives for $16 is ridiculous. They also had a pretty nice if not plain decanter for $5. I think I’ll grab that too, can’t have too many decanters. It’s always nice to have a cheap one to bring to OL’s that you need not worry about breaking or forgetting.
Occasionally, if you are in the market for one, they have irregulars or display models of All Clad cookware. I got a display model 12" All Clad MC2 fry pan at a huge discount. After a few uses, who cares if it was a display model?
I frequent the local HomeGoods weekly. In the past I have purchased Shun, le creuset, and tons of artisian pastas. My wife jokes about it being my favorite store and she might be right.
Yesterday I purchased one of those menu boards that you write on in chalk. it stands about 3.5 feet tall. I placed it in the front porch area of my home and forgot it there. When my wife came home, all i heard it ‘What the hell?’. Right away I knew what she was speaking of. I asked it she hated it and she said no.
My guests will now be treated to a 3.5 foot tall Italian chef with a big smile holding a ‘todays menu’ board.
Tacky knows no bounds. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
That’s great, I’d write chores for the kids to do on it everyday.
I’ve found a few nice decanters for less than $20; one is a wide-based magnum decanter, with funnel, all glass — that was a great deal!
I grabbed the $5 decanter. It’s very thick glass and nothing pretty to look at but it will be great to bring to offlines. Can’t beat the price.
You SO know that your kids know how to use erasers, right? ![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
Please, my kids would spray paint it.
I am also a believer - when Mauviel was getting out of the tin lined copper business, for stainless steel (which I will never understand) TJMAXX seems to have carried a lot of the real product for extremely good prices; I bought several for myself and for gifts, all under $50. They still get some All-Clad blems that are good buys.
Prompted by this thread, went to my local (to work) store for a look see. Just junk in the kitchen dept on 6th Ave and 19th Street. Maybe they get better stuff in the burbs.
Keep going. One trip it will be all junk. Same the next trip and the one after that. Eventually you’ll hit the mother lode.
Make sure to look at everything closely hanging together and all the stacked pans. Most of the times it’ll be thin Tramontina or Cuisinart junk, but occasionally there will be a gem hidden in there.
And don’t forget to look through the clearance shelves. A couple months ago I found (and bought) a 12" All-Clad LTD nonstick frypan for $48, and a few 8oz packages of Noirmoutier Fleur de Sel for $2.75 each.
Such as the tri-ply Cuisinart and Calphalon stuff, and I don’t mean the things with the disk on the bottom. Damn near as good as All-Clad and a fraction of the price. Right now my Home Goods has 10" tri-ply fry pans from Calphalon for $19.99 and 12" for $39.99. I already have one of each so I passed.
So I’m not alone. I love Home Goods. In fact I am on my way there in 20 minutes. I try to go on Fridays as that is the day they do most of the mark-downs. We already had a bunch of steak knives but bought a bunch of those Laguiole sets (including cheese knives) to give away as gifts. My favorite item there is decorative glass. The rugs are a great deal too, as are table linens and chairs. Around here the one in Westchester (by LAX) is best.
I love HomeGoods and TJ Maxx as well. In Northern VA there must be around a dozen counting Marshall’s. When I find something good, I tend to hit multiple stores on the same day to capitalize on the bargains. Got a set of the Laguiole steak knives plus a couple of decanters. Saw an All clad pot but didn’t get it, but will be on the look out for more of the same in the future!