What to buy at thrift stores (and what to skip)

Thrift stores are a skill. Here's what consistently pays off — and what's a trap.

Always worth a look

• Solid wood furniture — dressers, side tables, bookshelves. Check joints and drawers, ignore ugly finishes.
• Cast iron and quality cookware — All-Clad, Le Creuset, Griswold. If it's heavy, it's probably good.
• Books and vinyl — pennies on the dollar, and first editions do show up.
• Brand-name clothes with tags — check seams and armpits, then check the price tag.

Skip it

• Mattresses and pillows — just no.
• Cheap particle-board furniture — it was wobbly new and it's worse now.
• Nonstick pans with scratches — the coating is done.
• Anything you wouldn't buy at full price — a "deal" on something you don't need is just clutter.

The 30-second test

Pick it up, check the brand, check for damage, check the price. If you'd still want it at twice the price, it's a real find.