Living Her Best Life: Oprah’s Most Expensive Impulse Purchases
Oprah Winfrey has a net worth of $2.7 billion, making her one of the wealthiest self-made women in the world. Because of this, she has no problem dropping millions of dollars on multiple homes. But that isn't all she owns; she also spent $900 on a coffee maker, hundreds of dollars on a single shirt, and millions on a horse farm in a bidding war. Here are the most expensive items that Oprah bought on a whim.
She Wears A $2,400 Tesla Diamond Watch
Since 1986, Tesla watches have been a luxury item. These watches allegedly strengthen the body's electromagnetic energy field, resulting in lower anxiety and better sleep. Knowing this, it shouldn't surprise people that Oprah spent $2,400 on a Philip Stein Teslar Diamond Watch.
As the name implies, this watch is lined with diamonds. In her magazine, Oprah wrote an entire feature about this watch and how it alleviates stress. She listed a few studies that backed up the watch, and claimed that "just looking at this watch makes us feel good."
Her Yacht Vacation Cost $200 Million
Oprah paid millions of dollars to vacation on David Geffen's yacht, Rising Sun. Often called a "super yacht," this boat includes a movie theater, gym, basketball court, and wine cellar. It has 82 rooms in total. To vacation on this yacht, Oprah likely spent around $200 million.
The 452-foot yacht cost around $200 million to make and is worth $300 million today. Oprah booked a vacation there for her 65th birthday in 2019. On Instagram, she posted photos of herself, her family, and friends enjoying themselves on Rising Sun.
Her "Greatest Luxury" Is A $25 Million Private Jet
In 2018, Oprah told British Vogue about the last time she flew commercial. According to her, a fan said some rude things to her in the airport in April 1991. "I said, 'I'm going to do it, I’m going to get the [private] plane," she recalled. "This is going to be my last time waiting four hours in the Chicago O’Hare Airport.’"
On that day, Oprah bought her first G4 jet for $25 million. The plane includes a shower, flight attendantsts, and of course, no wait. "I would say having your own airplane is the greatest luxury," she said.
She Has Spent Millions Upon Millions On Art
Oprah owns an impressive collection of art. She purchases original pieces from famous artists, which cost millions of dollars each. Nobody knows how much her entire art collection is worth, but we got a hint from a 2006 auction.
During this auction, Oprah sold Gustav Klimt's Adele Bloch-Bauer II (1912) for $150 million. Apparently, she earned $62 million from this auction. That means that she paid $88 million for this painting alone. With this in mind, imagine how much her entire collection is worth!
She Won A $29 Million Equestrian Farm In A Bidding War
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Oprah owns several expensive properties, but she purchased one in a bidding war. This was her 23-acre equestrian farm in Montecito, California, near Santa Barbara. After outbidding her competitors, Oprah paid $28.8 million for this ranch.
Marty Rogers, who managed the sale, claimed that this was a smart buy. "She had a number of experts inspect different aspects of the property and paid extensive due diligence to the property package we provided," he said. Perhaps she will resell it for more money one day.
She Bought 500 Copies Of Isabel Wilkerson's Book Caste
In 2020, Oprah purchased 500 copies of the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. The novel, written by Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson, discusses the timeline of America's social and racial hierarchy. But Oprah did not keep these books; she donated them to 500 CEOs, governors, mayors, and college professors across America.
When Oprah bought the copies of Caste, the novel had just been published. "This is a book for all of humanity and it is necessary for people who are leaders in our country," she told CBS This Morning.
She Spent $25 Million On Her Treetop Colorado Home
Out of Oprah's many properties, the Treetop House in Telluride, Colorado, is one of the most luxurious. She spent $11 million on this home and then paid another $14 million to make it a "high-tech" house. And yes, this home up in the trees includes her custom-made bath.
This 8,706-square-foot home has five bedrooms and six-and-a-half baths. It also includes a 56-foot-long wine tunnel, heated driveway, seven-person indoor hot tub, a game room, a fully-equipped fitness room, and a "treetop fire pit." It's like something out of a Disney movie.
She Exercises On A $1,600 Exercise Bike
During a 2018 interview, Oprah admitted that she prefers to avoid "airplane small talk" with strangers. It makes sense that she would prefer to work out at home rather than at a crowded gym. So in 2019, she purchased the Flywheel Home Bike for a whopping $1,600.
This is no ordinary exercise bike. It includes a built-in tablet, Wifi, and Bluetooth compatibility. If you do not need the tablet, you can buy the bike for $1,400. While some reviewers believe that this bike is "life-changing," others say that you can get the same benefits from a regular exercise bike.
She Has Spent Thousands On Christian Louboutin Shoes
Oprah is a huge fan of Christian Louboutin shoes. She owns several pairs, which range from $500 to $6,000. In 2015, one of her pre-worn and autographed pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes sold on eBay for $17,000. The proceeds went to charity.
That isn't the only time Oprah sold her shoes. In 2016, O The Oprah Magazine held its online charity auction for charity, selling over 250 items. Her Christian Louboutin white & blue peep-toe heels received 133 bids and sold for $2,398. She has likely spent tens of thousands of dollars on shoes.
She Paid $300 For An Exclusive Wine Bottle
Oprah has fine tastes, and wine is no exception. In 2011, she talked about Armand De Brignac's Brut Gold Champagne on her "Favorite Things" list. This drink, which is wrapped in gold foil, costs $300 per bottle.
Armand De Brignac's Brut Gold Champagne is a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Like many expensive drinks, this wine is highly exclusive. Today, a bottle goes for $6,699.98 on eBay. But to Oprah, spending $300 on drinks is not much different than how we think about buying a Costco box of wine.
Each One Of Her Bedrooms Contains A $2,700 Mattress
Inside all of Oprah's houses, there is only one type of mattress for each bed. According to her 2012 "Favorite Things" list, the Tempur-Cloud Supreme Mattress is in "every bedroom." Just one of these mattresses costs $2,700.
Considering that all of her mansions have multiple bedrooms, that is a lot of money spent on mattresses alone. But to a billionaire like Oprah, it is well worth the money. "I sleep on it, my guests sleep on it, and then we all spend breakfast raving about it," she claimed.
She Paid $70,000 For A Custom Hand-Carved Bathtub
During a 2018 interview with James Corden, Oprah revealed that her favorite self-care routine--besides reading--is sitting in her custom-made bathtub. This tub is made from marble and onyx and was hand-carved to fit the shape of her body.
Custom bathtubs can cost well over $4,000. However, Oprah paid around $70,000 for this beauty, which is in her Colorado Treetop House. But when she mentioned this tub, she seemed surprised her other co-stars were astonished. "I told you — bathing, I'm serious about it," she said to Corden.
She Owns A $900 Coffee Maker
Oprah has owned many fancy coffee machines, including the $600 Nespresso Creatista Plus. But her most expensive choice was on her 2019 "Oprah's Favorite Things" list. It was the $900 De'Longhi Dinamica Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Machine.
"The all-in-one barista can grind beans, froth milk, and even brew java at a lower temp for iced coffee with zero wateriness," Oprah wrote. Believe it or not, the $900 price tag is one of the cheaper options. Depending on the model, this coffee maker can cost $550 and $2,500.
She Purchased A $2,000 TV That Disguises As Art
On her website, Oprah listed her 100 favorite items that she owns. On it was the Samsung The Frame 4K UHD TV. This 55-inch television cost over $2,000 at the time that she purchased it. When not in use, the TV screen turns into a work of art.
"Finally, a way to get rid of the black screen," Oprah wrote. "The Frame transforms your TV into a work of art." Today, this same-sized TV sells for around $1,500. You can also purchase smaller ones for less.
She Gifted A Library To Amy Schumer's Son
In April 2020, Amy Schumer's son Gene was just over a year old. During that time, Schumer had an interview with Howard Stern on SiriusXM. She said, "When Gene was born, she bought him a library that says Gene's Book Club."
Schumer did not specify how many books Gene received, nor what the books were. But since Oprah is a hardcore book-lover, she likely did her research and bought Gene a lot of books. It seems that the two stars have a very close friendship.
Oprah Owns Rare $700 Golden Beats By Dr. Dre
In 2014, Oprah claimed that O, The Oprah Magazine was the first magazine to receive the Golden Beats by Dr. Dre. This $700 set includes headphones and a Bluetooth speaker. "Both items are Bluetooth enabled and shockingly lightweight," Oprah wrote, "and will sound as good as they look for years to come."
Today, these headphones are difficult to find. But they are not Dr. Dre's most expensive set. They pale in comparison to the $1 million 114 karat headphones, a collaboration between Beats by Dr. Dre and Graff Diamonds.
She Also Uses A $1,495 Workout Mirror
On her 2020 "Favorite Things" list, Oprah listed a mirror. But it isn't a normal mirror; it is A Sharper Image Mirror that doubles as a workout studio. It acts as a TV screen with exercises and a digital model that you can copy, like a private trainer.
When it is turned off, the Sharper Image functions as a mirror. "Turn on the high-tech gym buddy to access thousands of yoga, boxing, barre, and cardio classes led by pro trainers," Oprah wrote. You can also get this mirror for a monthly subscription of $39.
Her Slow Juicer Costs $700--And Isn't That Good
In 2018, Oprah revealed that she owns--and adores--the Hurom H-Ai Slow Juicer. This juicer cost $700, but she thought that it was worth it for an "easy-to-clean, simple-to-operate juicer."
After this juicer appeared on her "Favorite Things" list, USA TODAY tested it. They claimed that the Hurom H-Ai Slow Juicer pales in comparison to cheaper ones. "The Hurom is less user-friendly, isn't super easy to clean, is harder to assemble, and felt less secure due to its smaller base," USA TODAY stated. Perhaps you should skip this Oprah-approved product.
She Dropped Hundreds Of Dollars On A Pajama Shirt
How much would you spend on pajamas? A billionaire like Oprah will drop over $200 on the shirt alone. In 2017, she recommended the Blue Oxford Stripe Sleep Shirt on her "Favorite Things" list. This shirt ranges from $230 to $300 each.
The best part? She doesn't even sleep in it! "I'd relax in it at home or wear it as a cover-up," Oprah wrote. "There might even be a few people who'd actually sleep in it." If a shirt is that expensive, why would you rough it up underneath the covers?
She Bought An Avocado Orchard Because Avocados Are "Too Expensive"
In 2019, Oprah had a behind-the-scenes interview with Trevor Noah of The Daily Show. After sharing some "very normal" things about herself, she said, "I have an avocado orchard." If you need proof, you can see some photos of her avocados on her Instagram.
During the interview, Oprah explained that avocados are too expensive. Hass avocados tend to be around $1 per fruit in California, so her solution was to purchase several trees. After laughing, Noah responded, "Are you kidding me? That's not a normal story!"
