Pampered Chef Consumer Reviews - Page 3

ADDISON, ILLINOIS -- I work at The Pampered Chef Home Office in Addison Illinois. I can easily say that all of the reviews I have read on this site are absolutely false. Here's some simple tips and common sense for you.

1. Keep the receipt from when you purchased $900 worth of Cookware that carries a Lifetime Guarantee. 2. Don't claim the sales receipt states all Pampered Chef products carry a lifetime guarantee, it clearly does not state this at all. 3. Please read the sales receipt. It clearly states the refund and exchange policy. You are required to have the item for return as well as the sales receipt. If you buy a hair dryer at Walmart and want a refund, you cannot just bring in a jar full of lightening bugs and expect to be refunded for the hair dryer. LIFE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

2. You may have just gotten your products from the host a year after the purchase date, but that isn't the Pampered Chef's fault. After all, you do have the option to have your products shipped directly to your address instead. 5. Stoneware is made of natural materials, it is extremely porous and very fragile. Of course it will shatter if you dish wash it or drop it. It's stoneware, not beveled-edge diamondware.

3. Pampered Chef Guarantees are Manufacturers Guarantees. They are used to replace items that become damaged during ordinary use as specified by our use and care instructions (which come with your items inside the box, are mentioned in the catalog and are also mentioned online). We don't replace the stone you dropped, the knife you threw at your husband or the dots plate your kids shattered to use as mosaic tiles. 7. Our Guarantee does not cover free shipping for returns or replacements. We only cover return shipping within 30 days from the day the original products SHIP out of our warehouse. Anything past 30 days is your responsibility.

4. Pampered Chef didn't rip off your wife. She just doesn't read the fine print. The New Consultant Kit is only $155, not $300. The Personal Website renews cyclically, as stated in the Web Site Agreement. It also states by purchasing the Personal Website, you agree to let Pampered Chef charge you automatically on your next billing cycle UNLESS you follow the instructions to cancel the website. When cancelled before the next billing cycle there is no cancellation fee.

5. We go above and beyond to satisfy our customers. Not everyone is going to be happy, but we do what we can to make it work. That being said, don't call in screaming at us about how your Food Chopper broke and you require that we send the replacement right away "or else". 10. Quit taking your lives for granted and step back and realize how privileged you really are. Start being better people and better parents. We hear your children screaming in the background, quit using the TV as a babysitter.

I just happened upon this website and was amazed to realize I'm not the only one with broken and faulty Pampered Chef products! I bought most of my products in the late 90's through mid-2000's through multiple parties. Through the years, I've noticed that things seem to break easier than they should or that they were designed very badly. For instance I had a little pair of wooden tongs just break apart through no fault of my own.

And one of the more recent items I bought was the super long metal tongs with black rubber on the ends... these are completely defective as far as I'm concerned. When you use them, they pinch your skin between the two handles and it HURTS!! It's almost impossible to use these tongs without pinching a huge chunk of the palm of your hand! I'm amazed they ever sold these.

But what I'm most upset about is my stoneware breaking. I bought all my stoneware in probably 1999. About a year ago, my large pizza stone suddenly broke in my kitchen sink, but I figured it must have bumped the side and broke. It shattered, but we were still surprised it could break that easily. But at Christmas, I pulled out my pie stoneware, and my 9x13 stoneware to use on Christmas and both of them were cracked! They were still intact, with a huge crack across the bottom of each. They are stored next to one another, not on top of each other, and none of my other stoneware was cracked.

This cabinet is never used other than by me and would not be able to be shaken or messed with to make something crack. I remembered that I thought they had a lifetime warranty, I contacted Pampered Chef and received a response that they have a 3-year guaranty only and that I was out of luck. I wrote back that it was fine for them to do that to me, but I would never purchase from them again ever. I never heard back from them.

Reading all these reviews makes me realize how easily their products break. Unfortunately I should have listened to my intuition way back when, when the little wooden tongs broke that their products are not nearly as good as they seem to be at the parties. I like the stoneware, but they were never as incredible as it was always portrayed in the parties. Although I have to buy new baking pans, I'm not bothered to try out other products/companies as I was never really in love with these to begin with.

REDDING, CALIFORNIA -- I purchased a Pampered Chef stoneware baker three years ago. The first time lifted it out of the cupboard, it broke in two in my hands. If I hadn't held on to both pieces, the knife-sharp edges could have severely injured my bare foot. I have tried for three years to get a replacement or a refund from several Pampered Chef representatives, but because the original rep quit and the item is no longer made, I have received nothing to date.

Around the same time, I purchased a Food Chopper. The chopper blade became dull and unusable after only a few uses. I was told later that I should have purchased a special chopping board from Pampered Chef. I have yet to receive a refund or replacement. A representative says she is still waiting after three months for Pampered Chef to respond to her inquiries regarding both of the aforementioned items.

Then in November 2007, I purchased a Rice Cooker Plus. While cooking brown rice in the microwave according to Pampered Chef instructions, the cooker suddenly melted and released noxious gases. I could barely breath and had to open all the windows in the middle of winter to get the fumes out. If I hadn't been standing in the kitchen, my home could have caught on fire. As it is, my expensive microwave oven is ruined. Finally, the first time I used the Mix 'N Masher to mashed potatoes it broke.

I have been cooking for 40 years and have never had similar problems with other cookware. I have heard that other customers have had similar problems with the same defective and even dangerous Pampered Chef products. The fact that I could not find a way to communicate with Pampered Chef directly and my representative has apparently tried for more than three months to no avail, indicates to me that the company is not concerned about the health, safety, or satisfaction of its customers. I would like to be contacted by someone who could help me get my money back for these items.

I purchased the Executive Cookware set several years ago. I was hesitant to invest such a large amount of money on cookware but the lifetime warranty on the pans made it seem like a no-brainer to take the plunge and invest the money. After all, they were guaranteed for life, right? WRONG! I called Pampered Chef today to let them know that the coating on my top of the line pans was coming off and was informed that the Teflon coating was NOT covered under their warranty. Any deterioration of the coating is considered everyday wear and tear thus not covered.

When I asked what the warranty DID cover, I was informed that it covers if rivets become loosened, a handle falls off, that kind of thing. I am so extremely disappointed by Pampered Chef right now. I'm pretty sure I own half their catalog and the Executive Cookware was my second set of cookware that I had purchased from them.

My first set of cookware also had the coating wear off and when I upgraded to the Executive line I was assured by my consultant that the new cookware would not only NOT wear out like that, but if it did, the pans would be replaced. Incidentally, a different consultant that I spoke to recently about the cookware also told me that the coating would be covered by the warranty. Pampered Chef is clearly misinforming their consultants.

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- At a Christmas holiday event, I bought a couple of items from Pampered Chef. I received a receipt for $114.47. After receiving the merchandise, including a free item, I decided to return the items for a refund. I packaged everything in the original packaging and returned everything including the free item.

My credit card account was charged $116.64 and my refund was $98.29 even though the receipt clearly indicated that the shipping was only $5.25. After four back and forth emails, a final phone call reiterated the fact that Pampered Chef would not refund any more money and their representative had misled me into thinking that the shipping was $5.25 and miscalculated my receipt (although the math is correct). This outfit is breaking the law and probably making a nifty profit by both overcharging and under-refunding. Never again...

I have used Pampered Chef products for many years, continuing to purchase them, although they are more expensive than local stores, because I believed in their quality. However, I have found that the company does NOT stand behind their products, nor do they honor the warranty they sell you the product under.

I purchased the deep dish baker several years ago. I have used it approximately 10-15 times. Today it cracked in the middle after heating. I didn't panic, because I KNEW I had a lifetime warranty on all Pampered Chef products and since it was an expensive product, I contacted them immediately. Well, now it seems the warranty that was advertised by their representative (who no longer sells Pampered Chef) has changed from lifetime to 3 years. Who knew that was legal?

The same thing happened when I called about a plastic stir pitcher that melted in the dishwasher (although labeled dishwasher safe). I was told that my water must get hotter than the average dishwasher. Nothing else, we have washed has melted to date. Anyway, I will NEVER again buy a Pampered Chef product or HOST a party since I no longer say that I have had a good experience. However, the baking stone I purchased from local department store at a fraction of price and use daily is going strong after 10 year.

Over the years I have purchased Pampered Chef products and have really enjoyed them. At the party I was told there was a lifetime guarantee on the products also. A couple of months ago one of my bar pans broke in half in the oven. I called the lady that was the representative at the party and she now tells me that it is only a three year warranty. Funny how the warranty changes after you purchase the product. She was nice enough to replace it this time but told me that when you cook on it you can't have frozen meat on it and you can put frozen pizzas on it and you have to have the pan full on it etc.

Well this certainly isn't told at the party is it. I would never have purchased these very expensive products if I had of known all these things about them and then the warranty changes. I really like the products and if the truth had have been known would you really sell as many items at a party that you do. I have read the comments on the warranty of your products and maybe as a company you should realize that we are not lying when we tell you that we were told that it has a lifetime warranty. And maybe there should be a paper in the box or stamped right on the box that you need your receipt and there is only a THREE YEAR warranty not LIFETIME.

Just about like any of these home party marketing schemes Pampered Chef comes in at the bottom of the pile for low quality, overpriced junk made in China. Little of it is actually made in the U.S. A. I purchased a vegetable peeler recently. You can tell it is cheaply made by the feel. A better one can be had at Walmart for about 1/4th the price. All of the stoneware is overpriced and again can be purchased at Walmart for 1/2 or better. Stay away from Pampered Chef junk. Premier Jewelry is another rip-off with junk jewelry made in China. The markup is tremendous with at least 4 levels of sales people getting a big chunk of the markup. Stay away from home party junk.

BEL AIR MD, MARYLAND -- Recently a friend of mine hosted a Pampered Chef party and had asked me to attend and buy something from the catalog. While I didn't need anything I had planned on buying a product and attend her party. I am new to the area and thought it might be a good way to make friends outside of work.

Well at the time of the party my father had passed away and was unable to do either for my friend. She was totally sympathetic to what happened and I thought that the issue would have passed. Well it turns out my personal email was passed onto another PC consultant who emailed me and she was informed by my friend that I had changed my mind about ordering from the catalog. She said that although she didn't know the reason it was none of her business. However if I changed my mind and ordered $60 worth of things from her I could get a gift with purchase. (As though I would change my mind after that). I had never changed my mind, I had had every intention to make good on the promise but had to rush out of town to be with my family and couldn't make it back until after the party was over. That was a very insensitive comment to make by a Hostess.

ST.LOUIS, MICHIGAN -- I won a kit from the Pampered Chef, then got screwed over big time. Nobody told me I had to pay a fee for not having shows after 3 months even though it's a "go at your own pace" type of job. LIARS and you have to submit at least $150 for it to count... want to know what your commission is off of $150? Barely $80. BULL CRAP! They don't tell you that stuff when you sign up.

Every time I bought something, it broke, and when a customer bought something and it broke. I called and they asked how it broke. I said it was unknown because she put it in the dishwasher, and then the paint chipped off the stainless steel pan after one wash. They said she shouldn't put it in the dishwasher... OK then don't put DISH WASHER SAFE ON THE PAN! So bottom line... don't work with them, and don't buy from them.