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What's the deal with Tchibo?

Tchibo, Germany, life overseas
Tchibo. They're everywhere. When I got here, I was so confused by the store-within-a-store, that also had its own standalone stores. Why did their inventory change so often? Where was their stuff made? How come they sell coffee AND sports bras?

While I can't answer a lot of these questions after 5 years here, I can say Tchibo is a quirky little brand that has rotating items, usually around a theme (and often seasonal). I am finally starting to get a sense of when to expect what at Tchibo (spring cleaning, winter onesies for everyone in the family, workout gear for the new year... you get the idea). It can be a great source of useful, and fun / not useful items for the house AND they even sell furniture on the website.

Overall, I've been happy with my Tchibo purchases. Women's clothes can be hit or miss, but their ladies' pjs as well as almost anything for kids are always a hit. I appreciate their wide usage of organic cotton and fair pricing. Some of my best finds there include:


    Tchibo, Germany, life overseas
  • Milk foamer. This thing is gold for entertaining kids - it's hand-operated, easy to use, and produces lovely milk foam for your coffee or hot chocolate. 
  • Ceramic hob scraper. I have heard you can get these at Home Depot in the states, but have yet to see one with changeable blades and with the nice grip that this one has. 
  • Balaclava for kids. This is great for kids to wear under bike helmets - it keeps their head & neck really warm in cold or windy weather. I knew I wanted something 'like this', logged onto Tchibo's website, and found it right away. This is how I have come to love their shop - they seem to always have what I need and it's easy to find. (Don't get me started on amazon.de...)
  • Holiday table decor. We hosted Thanksgiving last year and I found everything I needed for simple table decor at Tchibo. Something about Depot (an exclusively home decorating store) rubs me the wrong way -maybe it's all those decorative glass bowls full of pointless marbles and candles that look like they'll never be used... Tchibo's decor is just more my (simple, low-key) speed. 
What have you found and loved at Tchibo?

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