Over the years, many household products come and go, getting tossed when they lose their usefulness, are upgraded, or go out of style. But some of these items become valuable over time, leaving people regretting they threw them out decades ago. In this article, we’ll look at everyday items that are now worth a fortune. It’s time to check your kitchen and attic for hidden treasures!
Le Creuset
Le Creuset products are famous not only for their beautiful gradient designs in a wide range of colors but also for their excellent temperature retention and long-lasting durability. The company has been refining its collection for over 100 years, but finding their items at a bargain price is rare.
Pyrex
Pyrex has been a leading brand in kitchen glassware for decades, first introduced to the American market in 1915. The company’s products are made from borosilicate glass, known for its exceptional heat resistance, though this also makes them costly to produce.
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Griswold
Griswold cookware has become highly sought-after by collectors in recent years due to its increasing rarity. The company went out of business in 1957, during a time when they were mass-producing cast-iron products for the general market.
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Wagner
Wagner began as a family-run business in 1891, primarily making cast iron cookware that dominated the industry for its first 50 years. The company eventually dissolved in 2008 after several ownership changes, making its products highly sought after and extremely expensive today.
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Matfer Bourgeat
Matfer Bourgeat, in operation since 1814, has a deep expertise in crafting high-end cookware. With a range of award-winning collections, their products aren’t inexpensive, but they offer excellent long-term value as they stand the test of time without showing signs of aging.
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All-Clad
Founded in 1971 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania—an area known as the birthplace of the American steel and aluminum industry—All-Clad collaborates with top chefs across the USA to design products for the professional market. Fortunately, home cooks can also access their high-end, albeit pricey, cookware.
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Mauviel
Mauviel, established in France in 1830, hails from the heart of great cooking. As you’d expect from a country that takes its cookware as seriously as its cuisine, Mauviel doesn’t do things halfway. The company produces some of the finest aluminum cookware on the market, with collections that exude a beautifully rustic charm—justifying their hefty price tags.
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KitchenAid
Since its founding in 1919, KitchenAid has evolved significantly, with its stand mixers now a staple in kitchens worldwide. What began as a maker of mechanical egg beaters has transformed into a brand synonymous with stylish, must-have appliances. However, be prepared to pay a premium if you want one in your kitchen.
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Hestan
Hestan focuses on professional chefs, providing no-frills, high-performance cookware made from top-quality materials. This commitment to excellence drives up the price, but it’s justified by the company’s collaboration with leading American chefs to continually refine its designs.
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Emerson
Electric fans are surprisingly successful at auctions, sometimes fetching up to $350 if they’re in good condition. Emerson is a particularly popular brand, with 1950s models being especially coveted by collectors.
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Demeyere
Founded in Belgium in 1908, Demeyere is renowned worldwide for its high-quality cookware, consistently producing innovative designs. Their products are favored by both professional chefs and enthusiastic home cooks for their excellent heat retention and easy-clean features.
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Amoretti Brothers
Amoretti Brothers, based in the beautiful city of Turin, Italy, began with the goal of creating high-end, handmade products designed to last a lifetime. They offer kitchenware, bathroom features, and accessories, all crafted to the highest standards, with prices reflecting their exceptional quality.
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Ruffoni
Since 1931, Ruffoni has built a stellar reputation for its handcrafted luxury cookware, made in Italy. Their pans are known for unmatched attention to detail and feature a triple-layer construction method, ensuring both durability and effectiveness.
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Malm
In the 1950s, futuristic designs were all the rage, with people filling their homes with space-age objects. Although this trend faded and these items became rare, interest in the ’50s look is resurging. Among the most coveted pieces is the Malm fireplace, which can sell for up to $5000.
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Staub
Staub is often considered Le Creuset’s main competitor in the slow-cooker market, and comparing the two makes it clear why. Older Staub slow-cookers are highly sought after by collectors due to their appealing color options, durability, and excellent heat retention.
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Mathmos
In the ’60s, lava lamps were the height of cool, appearing as if they had come from the future. Vintage Mathmos lava lamps are now making a comeback, with collectors eager to add a touch of futuristic flair to their ’60s-inspired living rooms.
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Tefal
Tefal is renowned for pioneering the non-stick pan, featuring a red dot that indicates when the pan is ready for cooking. Early Tefal pans from the 1970s are popular among collectors due to their significant role in the development of non-stick cookware.
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Salter
Salter began in the late 1760s when founder Richard Salter, a spring-maker, created the first spring-based scales. The company has flourished since then, experiencing a revival in the mid-1900s, with many products from that era now popular among collectors.
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Hazel-Atlas
After World War II, parties in America became more popular, leading to a golden age of glassware production. Hazel-Atlas was a prominent glassware company from this era, but since it has gone out of business, the prices of its glasses and barware have significantly increased.
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Telechron
Art-deco-style wall clocks were highly popular in the 1930s and ’40s. Today, minimalism has taken over, and such decorations are less sought after. However, collectors are often willing to pay over $1,000 for a vintage Telechron clock.
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Hubley
Founded in 1894 as a wooden toy company, Hubley later transitioned to making cast iron doorstops and home accessories. These items became popular in American homes before eventually falling out of fashion. Today, Hubley doorstops are highly sought after by collectors and can sell for up to $10,000!
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Ball
Ball is a prime example of a historic American company that achieved early dominance in glassware. In the early 1900s, their most popular item was the Mason upside-down jar, which could grind coffee and serve as a storage container. Today, these jars can sell for around $1,000 secondhand.
Royal
Before typewriters became obsolete, several brands were available, with Royal being one of the best. Royal prided itself on having the quietest typewriter on the market, and this reputation endures. Today, Royal typewriters are still appreciated by collectors, which is reflected in their high resale prices.
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Handel
Handel lamps, with their drooping, stained-glass shades, evoke the elegance of early 1900s period dramas. The company, however, succumbed to the Great Depression and closed in 1936. Today, these lamps are still circulating among collectors, with their prices continuing to rise.
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RCA
In the past, radio was the primary source of household entertainment worldwide. RCA was a leading brand in the US during that era. Today, if you want an RCA Victor radio for your home, expect to pay at least $2,500.
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New England Glass Company
Perfume bottles from the New England Glass Company can fetch a few hundred dollars today, not just for their beauty, but because the company rebranded in 1892. After becoming Libbey, they increased production, making the glassware, especially perfume bottles, more valuable when labeled under the original New England Glass Company name.
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Tiffany & Co.
Though Tiffany & Co. is primarily known as a jeweler today, the company has been producing homeware since 1837, and some of these pieces are now worth a fortune. If you want to purchase a full set of Tiffany & Co. silver cutlery, you’ll need to have a few thousand dollars to spare.
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Thonet
Thonet furniture remains popular today due to its exceptional craftsmanship and quality. The company, founded in 1819, has a long history. Early Thonet chairs are highly valuable, not only for their age but also for their iconic bent-wood style, which is legendary among furniture enthusiasts.
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Tower
Tower has been in business for over 100 years, known for crafting durable and effective kitchenware and appliances. This longevity has allowed them to expand and produce higher-quality products, which now come at a higher price, despite their earlier reputation for affordability.
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Shreve, Crump & Low
Founded in 1796, Shreve, Crump & Low is North America’s oldest surviving purveyor of luxury goods, primarily known for jewelry but historically producing practical items like cups and jugs. Any item from the 1800s bearing the company’s name is likely to fetch a few hundred dollars or more today.
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Sharp
The home electronics industry has advanced so rapidly that items from the ’90s now seem like ancient relics. Few brands are more closely tied to that decade than Sharp, known for producing a range of high-tech items like boomboxes and televisions. If you’re looking to snag an old Sharp boombox today, be prepared to pay a hefty price.
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CorningWare
When CorningWare introduced their ceramic cookware in the ’50s, it was revolutionary for its ability to withstand thermal shock up to 820°F. Although many companies now produce similar products, vintage CorningWare kitchen items can still be worth quite a bit if kept in good condition.
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Oster
Vintage electronics may skyrocket your energy bills and even risk malfunctioning, but they still have a cool, nostalgic appeal. Early electronic items from brands like Oster, founded in 1928, can sell for a hefty sum. However, these pieces are more valued as historical relics than as functional appliances.
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Robert Welch
Robert Welch’s Campden pans, introduced in the 1950s, have been a favorite among enthusiastic home cooks ever since. While they may not compete with the top brands, the undeniable quality of their products justifies their high prices.
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Fiesta Tableware
Few tableware companies spark as much debate as Fiesta, which was founded in 1936. They were among the first to offer a wide range of brightly colored tableware. Much of their early products were dyed with uranium, which is radioactive. The US government has since warned against using this potentially dangerous crockery for serving food.
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Singer
In the 1850s, before plastic became prevalent in manufacturing, even sewing machines were beautifully crafted, with Singer machines being particularly notable. As sewing machines evolved, interest in vintage Singer models grew, making genuine originals increasingly difficult to find today.
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IKEA
The Swedish furniture and meatball shop, known for its affordable flat-pack furniture, also has items with extraordinary resale value. Rare finds from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s can command prices that rise to tens of thousands of dollars.
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Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton is known for its high prices, but vintage luggage pieces can be especially valuable. It’s quite possible that a vintage Louis Vuitton suitcase gathering dust in your attic could be worth over $20,000.
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Royal Delft
Royal Delft was established in the Netherlands in 1653 and is renowned for its iconic white and blue china. The value of Royal Delft china has been steadily increasing, with the most valuable pieces selling for over $5,000 each.
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Stellar
For a reliable household name, Stellar is a great choice, having been in operation since the 1890s. A full Stellar 7000 set can be quite pricey, but it’s a worthwhile investment for products guaranteed to last.
