What do I need from Pampered Chef?

[Chelle D]

I have never been o a PC party and am going in a couple weeks. I don't know the hostess very well and she stressed to come and have fun and please don't buy anything unless I saw something I needed. Well, being a cooking enthusiast (she does not know that I enjoy cooking), I know I will find a million things that I have to have and then it will end up in a drawer.

So, what PC stuff do you have and love? What should I get?

[shscharles]

Sorry to be a spoil sport but I've never found anything in the PC line I couldn't get somewhere else without pressure from the "consultant" and cheaper. I deeply resent being invited to someone's house and being made to feel disloyal to the hostess if I don't make it possible for her to buy or win cookware.

(Climbing gingerly down from soapbox.... :o)

[yomomma]

I think their garlic press is one of the best made. Also I have gone through several egg slicers (which I use for mushrooms & olives) purchased from kitchen gourmet shops and the PC model seems to always last longer than those purchased elsewhere.

The last time I ordered, I got the Chef's knife and really like it - but the rest of the knives in my kitchen are crappy so it wouldn't take much to be better than what I had.

[swquilts]

I really like the pizza cutter and the new stone/bakeware they offer, plus the new serving dishes.

[linsleyd]

The pizza cutter is nice as is the big batter bowl. I also like their pizza stone but I got that as a gift three or four years ago so I'm not sure of what it cost, but it's held up really well. The ice cream scoop is also really great. Enjoy! :)

[cherylopal]

i love everything by pampered chef! esp the stones. the only thing item that i had trouble with was the oil mister and i noticed that they no longer carry it.

[Peggy]

I couldn't live without their garlic press! I use it almost every day. I also like their "Quick-Mix" pitcher and the ice cream scoop.

Peggy

[springsgourmet9]

I have to agree with shscharles along with everything I have ever purchased from PC is sitting in a drawer or in the pantry and never used. I was asked to have a party recently and told the hostess that I never use the stuff so I can't promote it. The scissors dulled early on, the can opener doesn't work properly, the earthware cracked and the apple corer peeler is boxed and hardly ever used and the dough separater is in a box because I don't bake often.

I do; however, love to cook and use a lot of my kitchen gadgets often, just not PC. Sorry but I can't give you any positive feedback, just my honest opinion.

[Ms Jaay]

Sorry to be a spoil sport but I've never found anything in the PC line I couldn't get somewhere else without pressure from the "consultant" and cheaper. I deeply resent being invited to someone's house and being made to feel disloyal to the hostess if I don't make it possible for her to buy or win cookware.

(Climbing gingerly down from soapbox.... :o)


lol you took the words out of my mouth. I haevn't been to a PC party, but I have heard more than once that they are quite over priced. However, I'm sure the quality of the products is good.

Chelle, I think that's great that the hostess is encouraging you not to buy unless you see something you actually want or need. Most people definitely do feel a sense of obligation or that they are being pressured to buy when they are invited to parties like that. I would just ask myself "Do I REALLY need/want this??" and "Can I find it in the stores for a better price?"

Have fun at the party ;)

[TerriAb]

I like my stone loaf pan. My quick breads always come out well in there. I also like the parmesan cheese grater (the one with the barrel and the handle). I haven't bought anything from them in a few years, so I don't know if they still have that stuff.

[melis104]

I just bought their stone pizza stone and I love it. I also have the mandolin and use it all the time. I like their stuff and use all of it often. They are high on some things but not others, you'll know what you can get cheaper elsewhere.

[kimszy]

The potato pealer, ice cream scoop (but it is a pain that it can't go in the dishwasher), and I also like their bar boards.

[blazedog]

Can't comment on the quality of the merchandise but I really wouldn't take seriously the "you don't have to buy anything" line -- that's like not bringing wine or something else to a dinner party when the hostess says just bring yourself. :p

It's really socially awkward to go to a purchase party and not purchase anything. I know because someone invited me to a stupid candle party (I HATE candles but that's another story. :p). No way I could have walked away without buying something and not felt boorish.

[Missi]

I like the stonewear and the ice cream scoop.

[mrswaz]

My favorites are the batter bowls and they have new 1 cup size prep bowls with lids that I use for mise en place all the time. I use those practically every day. And I also am a stoneware user. Although I have bought other stoneware, I seem to have the best luck with the PC stoneware versus other brands. If it's in your budget, spring for a piece or two to try it out. I use my rectangular baking stone for literally everything. Cookies, pizza, bread, etc. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to it!

And for what it's worth, have fun at the party! I happen to be hosting one tomorrow night in fact. In my circle of friends, it's more of an opportunity for us to get out of the house and socialize with each other than about the stuff. If the PC rep is good and does her job right, you will be impressed by what you see, but you won't feel pressured to buy if you truly don't want to.

[Chelle D]

Thank you to everyone for the rec's. My KA garlic press broke recently and out of desperation I bought a cheapy at the grocery store. I am a garlic fanatic so I will look at the Pampered Chef one. I was so ticked when my other one broke. I may check out the stoneware too. I would love a nice bread pan.

I agree that I will feel weird if I go and do not buy, but I never go to these unless I think I might buy. I can't tell you how many candle parties and lingerie parties I have gotten myself out of attending. I am only headed to this one because it is a new friend from a church group and it is something that I think I would like.

[Miss Giggles]

The pizza stone and the stoneware are supposed to be good

I have the mandoline. I cut myself on it. Be careful with it. It does come with a safety handle but it was either flimsy or I wasn't using it right. But I guess you could say that with other ones as well

[cangoss]

I bought the big batter bowl, and it's one of the most-used things in my kitchen. I think it was about $16, and that seems reasonable to me, though a lot of their stuff did seem over-priced.

[gordon]

I have quite a few things that I really like. I use the stoneware so often that the 2 pieces I have sit on my counter and never get put away. I have one of the chef's knives that I love. Also on the top of my list is the large cutting board, the bread knife, the "chopper" and the large family skillet. I have had a few parties over the last 5 years and got most of my pieces for 1/2 price with the specials that they run. I'm a big fan :) !

[Stephanie-Oh]

I've used Pampered Chef stoneware (round pizza stone and roaster) and really liked them. The parties are nice to go to when you live in an area that doesn't offer the nice kitchen or restaurant supply stores that the urban and lg metro. areas have such an abundance of. The kitchen dept. in our area Target,Walmart,and Kmarts are very limited in what they carry. So I'm sure that whatever PC carries many of you can get much cheaper but for the rest of us, it's sorta neat seeing all those kitchen goodies at one place, and for once, assessible to us. :D Steph

BTW I had my PC stoneware for yrs..and still use them.

[etawalker]

The PC tart pan is wonderful, as is the mini-muffin pan and tart shaper. I love my Stoneware Bar Pan, Medium Bar Pan, and Small Bar Pan (sense a theme?). I use my batter bowls (small and large) every single day. The whisk is wonderful. The best thing I ever did was buy the professional cookware. In fact, I had a party last week just so I could get the new roasting pan.

If you do decide to buy something, save your receipt! PC is good about returning items, or replacing broken parts, but if you don't have your receipt, you'll be fighting an uphill battle.

I hope you have fun at the party. Not all consultants are high-pressure. And I find that a lot of time, people have these parties because they want to get their friends together and have some fun.

Just out of curiosity... is there anyone out there who has ever purchased the "sink fizz"? :)

[hlao23]

I also have the mandolin and use it all the time. I like their stuff and use all of it often.

Ditto. I can't believe I went without one for so long. I'll also ditto the people who mentioned the garlic press.

I also recently got an apple slicer from them. Not the corer, peeler, slicer. This one is round and you push it through an apple and it cores and slices. Use it almost every day. I've also used it to seed cucumbers and make them easier to chop. :D

BTW - my sister sells PC. She says the only reason the ice cream scoop shouldn't go in the dishwasher is because the scoop will become discoloured (like their cookware). It doesn't damage the scoop.

[SDMomChef]

I have been to some PC parties, but I have not really found anything that I had to have, so instead of buying something that ends up in a drawer, I always look for something to buy as a gift for a birthday or Christmas for somebody else (usually my mom because I know she loves PC products).

[funniegrrl]

I have a PC garlic press and I HATE it. Can't wait until it breaks so I can get a Zyliss or OXO one. :P

I have a pizza stone and I'm glad to have it; I think any of the stoneware would be fine. Other than that, yeah, overpriced and not great quality.

Also ... I decided not to patronize them any more anyway. When PC was bought by Berkshire-Hathaway, PC company members pitched a fit because BH allowed shareholders to contribute profits to charities, including family planning and population control charities and research. The PC people saw this as "funding the abortion industry" and caused such a stink that BH stopped allowing the charitable contributions altogether.

[rburganmckinley]

I have a ton of PC stuff. I doubt I'll ever buy from them again, EXCEPT their stoneware serving peices which are indestructable (so far at least :D ). I do use the large batter bowl all the time, and the lid is especially handy. I love my stone bread pans, but it's not any different than buying some in the store. My stone roaster cover thing cracked. The cookie cooling racks rusted. I have all three knives, the Chef's knife buckled. The other two are good for camping though since they have a cover. The steel they use for their blades is junk. The changed them a couple (maybe 5) years ago and appear to have gone with a cheaper grade of steel (versus the older knife I have). I much prefer my Tupperware knives, which I just LOVE. I have their chopper, it's a pain to put together because it warped in the dishwasher. I like their ice cream scoops. I have their entire nylon tool set, which I like but it isn't any better than any other brand of nylon cooking tools. I have the apple peeler corer slicer, which is nice for making apple sauce or pies. But a real pain in the a$$ to clean. I recieved as a gift one of the microwave steamer things which I've never used. I know I have more at home, but just can't think of it off the top of my head right now.

Most of their stuff is not top quality, more like mid to low end. Much of it is overpriced, but so are most direct sales stuff.


Edited to add, I forgot about my "stainless" silicone spatula thing that stained. :mad: Beware, curry stains!

[mojokitty]

I have a LOT of the pampered chef products. Some of my favorites are the measure all cup (it works wonderfully for sticky products, peanut butter, ketchup, etc.), I also love the stoneware, the bakers roller is awesome for making pizzas, and the food chopper. I also bought my husband the bbq tools and he LOVES them. They are sturdy and big...manly if you will...which is why I think he likes them.
I read the posts from other people, and I have bought the "cheaper" kitchen products from stores. I have since then replaced those products with Pampered Chef. I think most of their products are of great quality and I cook with them on a daily basis. I have had a couple of things that I wouldn't buy again (the soap dispenser, the bamboo tongs).
I hope this information helps you! Just have fun!
Kelly :D

[travelbug]

I have a PC garlic press and I HATE it. Can't wait until it breaks so I can get a Zyliss or OXO one.

I'm pretty sure the PC garlic press is made by Zyliss. But it's been a few years since I've been to a PC party so perhaps that has changed.

The PC products I love are the mini serving spatula and the bag clips.

Have fun!
-bug

[LaurenG]

I went to a PC party a couple of years ago and had fun! It wasn't high pressure, although I agree with everyone saying that I might have felt a little weird if I didn't purchase anything. All I bought was the apple slicer mentioned earlier and I love it. It was $8 and has lasted so far. (has the OXO one before and the plastic broke--PC's is all metal) We were tight financially that month, so I just looked for something inexpensive that I would use and bought that.

The item I wish I would have also purchased was the "measure all cup"--picture a measuring cup in which the bottom pushes the contents out. So I think of it everytime I'm scraping sour cream out of a measuring cup with a spatula!

My opinion is that you just shouldn't go to a purchase party if you don't want to spend $ on what they are selling. I don't think a true friend would want you to go and be bitter inside because you feel pressure to buy something you don't want. Thats just MHO!

[knunes]

The one thing I love that has not been mentioned (that only costs a couple of dollars) is these little green screw-type things that you screw into your corn cob ends, and you do it BEFORE you put the corn into the boiling water. When you take your corn out, you can hold the ears by these little green handles and they are not hot. I hate it when I make corn on the cob and forget to put them on because it makes them so easy to handle.

As far as things that have already been mentioned: I love the garlic press, I love the 8 cup batter bowl and I love the ice cream soup. None of these things are overpriced.

[granolagirl]

I like the batter bowl and a mini spatula thing. It looks like this:

http://www.pamperedchef.com/graphics/products_200/2621_200.jpg

oh, and I like the micro cooker
http://www.pamperedchef.com/graphics/products_200/2776_200.jpg

I had a couple other things that I haven't had good luck with.

[dgeevanson]

Another vote for the big batter bowl. I use it for everything! Also,FYI if something that you buy from PC breaks, they will replace it. I bought a pizza stone and a year later it broke. I just threw it away but later found out from the PC rep that she would have replaced it for me free! Oh Well.

[Leonard]

I couldn't live with the "Corn Butterer". It is a plastic tube that holds a half a stick of butter. Take of the lid and presto, it glides over an ear of corn. Result, HOT, BUTTERED CORN!!!!! YUM!

[kgraham]

Another vote for the big batter bowl. I use it for everything! Also,FYI if something that you buy from PC breaks, they will replace it. I bought a pizza stone and a year later it broke. I just threw it away but later found out from the PC rep that she would have replaced it for me free! Oh Well.

While its true they'll replace things within warranty - once its out of their warranty period they will not.

I had a square stoneware pan that I loved and one day it cracked into three pieces while I was baking some chicken in it. :(

My pan was only 3 years old - one year outside of their warranty period. I sent an email complaining because its a rather expensive piece to last only three years. I received a very snotty email back from their "customer service" department. I understand I had no right to a new piece because it was out of warranty, but the tone of the reply truly floored me. I have to say, because of this, I won't be buying any of their stuff ever again.

[JaneStarr]

I don't have anything against Pampered Chef. I've been to 2 fundraiser "parties" sponsored by our local SEPTA (Sp. Ed. PTA) where the organization keeps something like 15% of sales.

I think most of their products are okay or a bit more expensive than equiv value products, but the one thing that really bugs me is the $4+ shipping surcharge per person -- considering that they don't ship to each customer, just the organization rep/host. They have been funny about combining orders, if all you want is something small liike that cute little spatula.
Jane

[tholbrook]

I have a few things from PC - but the only thing I can think of off the top of my head is the round pizza stone. I use it frequently (and usually don't preheat the stone before putting it in the hot oven) - and it has held up very nicely.

Oh, I also have the vegetable chopper - it works fine but I don't use it that often.

My real reason for posting on this thread: I was recently in a baking class and the instructor had a little press for stuffed cookies/dumplings/ravioli. She said it was a new item at Pampered Chef. Now I already have a press for sealing dumplings together (I think it is specifically a pierogi press), but this little gadget was different... it cut out the circles, folded them in half and crimped the seams together. I checked the PC website to no avail. Does anyone know what the this gadget is called? TIA!

[etawalker]

I was recently in a baking class and the instructor had a little press for stuffed cookies/dumplings/ravioli. She said it was a new item at Pampered Chef. Now I already have a press for sealing dumplings together (I think it is specifically a pierogi press), but this little gadget was different... it cut out the circles, folded them in half and crimped the seams together. I checked the PC website to no avail. Does anyone know what the this gadget is called? TIA!

It almost sounds like you are describing the Cut N Seal. It cuts out circles and crimps the edges together. It's not a new product, though.

[tholbrook]

It almost sounds like you are describing the Cut N Seal. It cuts out circles and crimps the edges together. It's not a new product, though.
Thanks - I'll see if I can find it!

[Megan James]

Michelle
I will give a thumbs up to the garlic press. I also like the plastic cooker things. I have two size small and large. It is the black plastic pot looking thing with drainage holes in the top. I do all my frozen veggies in the microwave with that pot. I love that I can use the pot to cook and then just turn it over to drain.
I'd recommend knowing what you want before you go, I usually look at the website, decide what I want and then try not to impulse buy anything else.