Pro tip: that $9 Goodwill rice cooker I bought as a joke in Reno has made 200+ meals and still won't quit
I figured a used rice cooker for nine bucks would die in a month, but two years and about $380 in saved takeout later, it's still going, so what's the cheapest kitchen gadget that ended up being weirdly reliable for you?
Oh man, my $5 thrift store crock pot is the same deal, going on five years now. Just check the cord for cracks and don't submerge the base when you wash it, that's what kills most of these things.