I love home stores, and high-end cooking equipment, but often I feel that you are paying a lot for nothing. Equipment doesn't have to be fancy or have a designer name to be functional, and if you find yourself in need of some cooking supplies, but are light in cash, seek out a restaurant supply store like Forest Restaurant Supply, above. You will be surprised at what you might find there.
I went in search of buffet plates, but they didn't have them as cheaply as I wanted. No matter - it's so much fun to walk up and down the aisles and see row after row of pots and pans, condiment dishes, barware, sieves of every size, and whatever you might see at your favorite restaurant for cooking or serving, for very cheap prices.
I got some great wood skewers, $.99 stick lighters, and a bunch of those great tiny glass bowls that you always see on cooking shows. They are so perfect for filling with prepared ingredients, and make it a lot easier when you are making a recipe because the ingredients just slide right in.I used them today when making my Indian -spiced Kale and Chickpea recipe, and since it is very fast cooking, it made it really easy to have everything prepped beforehand.
So skip the Le Creuset outlets (still too expensive) and the latest sale at Macy's, and go to your local restaurant supply store for some real bargains. You'll find some useful things, and still have money left to go out to lunch afterwards!
