I’ve heard a great deal about Pampered Chef, but have never been to one of their parties. I wanted to learn more about the company, as I love kitchen gadgets. Writing this review gave me the chance to find out what makes Pampered Chef tick.
Name: Pampered Chef MLM
Website: pamperedchef.com
Founder: Doris Christopher
Present Owner: Warren Buffet, Berkshire Hathaway Corp.
Present CEO: Tracy Britt Cool
Year Started: 1980
Product type: MLM (kitchen products)
Price: Select from three starter kits: $99, $159, $259
Rank: 3.8 out of 5
So, Tell Me About This MLM Company
Well, I can tell you one thing right up front: This company is not a scam or a pyramid scheme, or Warren Buffet would not have purchased it. I would imagine that his investigation of a prospective company purchase is more thorough than anything we could do with our reviews. If he thinks the company is okay, I’ll go with that.
Pampered Chef is a MLM (Multilevel Marketing) company that sells a diverse selection of products that you can use in your kitchen. Founded by Doris Christopher, who was a home economics teacher, the company was started in her basement. Now the company is international, and can be found in Canada, the UK, and Germany, and it is still growing.
Since its purchase by Hathaway Berkshire, the CEO of the company is now Tracy Britt Cool.
What Hoops Do You Jump Through To Become A Consultant?
You first need to select a sales kit, which gives you a selection of products at discounted prices that you can use to demonstrate Pampered Chef to family, friends, and new customer contacts. You can choose from three different sets:
1) STARTER KIT
This one costs $99.00. For this price, you get around $450 in Pampered Chef products
2) DELUXE KIT
Costs $159.00. You get over $700 in products and some online business tools
3) ULTIMATE KIT
The price of this one is $259.00. It gives you over $1,100 in products and online business tools.
Your online tools include some good things. One is a personal website that you can customize, plus marketing emails and newsletters. Your website will include special dashboards for hosts and guests.
The cheapest way to join is to host a party. For doing so, Pampered Chef will give you hosting credits. These will give you from $25 to $50 off your kit.
You need to sign up for this opportunity through a sponsor. If you don’t have one, you will be appointed a sponsor based on your location.
You can operate your Pampered Chef business part-time or full-time. Your money comes from commissions for the products you sell. These commissions are paid by direct deposit two times a month.
What Kind Of Products Are Available For You To Sell?
Here’s a list of the type of products you can sell:
- Bakeware
- Cutlery of all designs
- Cookbooks
- Appliances
- Grilling accessories and barbecue essentials
- Various dishes
- Holiday sets and party packs
- Kitchen storage boxes and stowaway spaces
- Some assorted food products
Some products are very popular. Here’s a short list of some of the ones that folks love most:
- Kids pizza making set: Retail is $45
- Emoji cookie cutter set: Retail is $10
- Herb infuser: Retail is $10
- Manual food processor: Retail is $52.50
- Small bamboo knife block: Retail is $165 and includes four pieces
- Beer bread mix: Retail is $11
There are hundreds of kitchen products available, covering everything from cookbooks to stoneware.
How Do You Make Money With Pampered Chef?
Pampered Chef has a number of ways you can make money from selling their products. Besides cash, you will receive bonuses that include free products each season, more training, and vacation reward points.
The commission structure is decent, and depends on your gross sales per month. Here’s the breakdown:
- $1-$749 sales in a month earns you 21% commission
- $750-$1249 sales in a month earns you 22% commission
- $1250-$2499 sales in a month earns you 23% commission
- $2500-$3999 sales in a month earns you 24% commission
- $4000 and above sales in a month will earn you 25% commission.
Here are all the ways you can make money with this company:
SPONSOR NEW CONSULTANTS
When you get people to join your team, you create a downline. As you were their sponsor, it will be up to you to offer training. You will also receive commissions of 3% on their sales.
PERSONAL WEBSITE
With your own personal website, you can extend your reach far beyond family, friends, and neighbors. Suddenly you have a much larger audience.
MANY TYPES OF PARTIES
- Live Party: This is hosted by you and/or a member of your team. You can furnish drinks and snacks or even a cooking demonstration.
- Virtual Party: Use a social media such as Facebook. Invite friends from anywhere to log in while you display products and furnish a demonstration.
- Catalog Party: An easy one — Send out catalogs through the mail and then just wait for orders to come back.
- Fundraiser Party: With this event, instead of the host receiving a percentage of sales, the money is given away to any charity you choose.
- Wedding Shower: This one is a natural. Host a shower for the bride and receive commissions on any products the guests select for her.
MONTHLY QUOTA
There is a requirement by Pampered Chef that you need to make at least $150 in sales each month to keep your membership active. You must make sure that you sell enough each month to cover that requirement.
Why Are These Products So Expensive?
It’s a MLM company, dear! First of all, the company does not sell their products through stores. This creates a scarcity so that people want to buy them. If you want to buy these products, you have to go to the source. Of course, you can always search eBay, but the product you want could very well not be there. So bite the bullet and order from a consultant.
Besides being a bit more exclusive than products you can buy anywhere, you need to remember that the company is a MLM. To be able to pay the commissions earned by their consultants, they have to have enough profit built in to the price to cover these.
There Is A 30-Day Product Guarantee
This 30-day guarantee is a good selling point for customers. However, be aware: there’s more than one guarantee. For example, the Lifetime Guarantee only covers repairs or replacements in case the product is defective.
There is a three-year guarantee on some products, and I read a couple of customer complaints. They were unhappy with this guarantee because their product developed a problem (for example, peeling finish) after their guarantee had expired.
Look on the product you buy — it should have a seal that defines the guarantee for that particular product.
You Can Earn a Vacation Or Gift Certificate — How Does That Work?
It’s your sales activities that earn you these bonuses. All consultants, no matter their rank, are eligible for these trips. A destination is available for each year. Trips go to places like Alaska, Disneyland, Italy, or Mexico, for example. If you don’t want to travel, you can opt for a gift certificate.
Does Pampered Chef Have A BBB Rating?
Well, yes, the company has an A+ rating, which is a very good thing. However, many complaints are listed These cover topics such as faulty or defective products, and poor customer service.
The good news is that Pampered Chef has responded to all the complaints listed.
I have also seen other reports from customers regarding the issue of poor customer service.
PROS
1) You and your guests can earn rewards simply by making a purchase. Pampered Chef offers a monthly special that they will give to consultants and guests.
2) You set your own hours and work if and when you want.
3) You get to purchase products at a discount.
4) You don’t have to purchase massive amounts of inventory.
5) Commissions are reasonable.
6) You can do a virtual party.
7) You have several options as to how you can sell.
8) You don’t need to know how to cook.
9) You can earn a vacation at any level.
10) Catalog remains fairly consistent.
11) Paychecks twice a month.
12) You have a 30-day guarantee on products.
13) You get a website.
14) Products are usually excellent.
CONS
1) You have to buy one of the starter kits.
2) Complaints about defective products are not always addressed satisfactorily.
3) Hard to make a full-time income.
4) Expensive products.
5) Parties can be tiring and expensive to give.
6) Minimum sales level to remain active.
7) What do you do when you run through family and friends? Time for cold calls (Yuk!)
8) Income not guaranteed
OPINION
I have always harbored good thoughts about this company, even though I’ve never been to a party. I think if I could clone myself so I had more time, I might join this one.
Of course, I’d probably also have to move to an area with a larger population base. In my small community, I’d run out of people to invite to parties very soon. I guess I’d have to give virtual parties or get that website promoting for me.
A word of caution: If you join a MLM, you need to spend a lot of time recruiting or setting up parties so you can make commissions. It’s not easy to beat the bushes in order to find new customers. Decide first if you have time and patience.
I do like kitchen gadgets, and could have fun purchasing things at discount. I’d probably give all my commissions back to the company.
I believe, though, that it would be hard to make a full-time income from Pampered Chef. Therefore, I’ll stick with the company to which I now belong. It’s called Wealthy Affiliate, and is an affiliate marketing company.
Though I can’t sell neat kitchen gadgets, I can build a fully-functioning website, offer products from a company that accepts affiliates, and earn a commission. I don’t have to buy inventory or some kind of starter kit.
Just pick a niche that is based on something you are passionate about and build your business. Write informative posts about your subject (or perhaps company reviews, such as this one) and help people find things they need or solve a problem they have.
Wealthy Affiliate gives you a solid way to build a dream. If you would like to know more, click the link below. Wealthy Affiliate is free to join and $49 a month upgrade, with no hidden upsells. 
Hello Fran, thanks for sharing your own opinion as to whether is best to go into it or leave it and it ha helped me in making my own decision with this business. Getting to see the owner gave me so much joy it wouldn’t be a scam and I am pleased to know it’s not a scam business. However it being an MLM is a thing of concern and also it’s expensive product. Thanks again.
MLM is not easy. If you really love the company and its product, you are much more apt to be a success at it. Many of these MLMs are not scams, but they involve lots of work. Most MLM products are more expensive than what you’d find in a big store, partly because you can only buy these products from the MLM company and partly because they have to have enough in the asking price to pay commissions.
You are welcome.
The first thing that cough my attention is to see Warren Buffet as one of the present owners. I’m not a huge fan of MLM platforms. But the thing that completely discouraged me about joining this platform is that it’s hard to make a full time income. And I would not like to go around my family offering them to join. And even worse, doing cold calls.
MLM is not an easy way to go, but it can be done. I belonged to an MLM for 10 years, and finally, by the end of that time, my paychecks were $1,000+. I quit because it just took up too much of my time, and when I was at my homestead on Spruce Island, AK, I’d have had to do cold calls to the wildlife. I do understand why you don’t care to try.
Based on your review, it seems that pampered chef is a good MLM company. I also believe that MLM are not scam. I also joined some before but since I didn’t have that much time and do not had the guts to recruit people, I stopped. It needs marketing skills and if you are not afraid of being turned down every time, it is a good one to start. What I like about affiliate marketing is I do not have to convince people personally just to buy from my offers. However, you can combine both if you have a website to manage.
Yes, it is hard to get out in front of people to recruit all the time, and you have to be able to do that. Fortunately, I’ve not had that problem, but have not stayed with my MLM company because it just took too much time. It is not an easy way to go.
I agree with you about affiliate marketing. It’s nice to just put the product out there, and if they want it, fine; if not, someone else will.
I will say that pampered chef is not a scam, because the review show that it has a good structural form of operation which allows it members to earn money and for the fact that pampered chef company has an A+ rating, which is a very good thing. To consider I will not be scared of doing business with them. The only problem I see in it is that to earn you must keep purchasing product or you keep referring people.
thanks for sharing.
Yes, to earn you must keep referring people. You don’t have to do all the purchasing yourself if you can find enough people who want to order from you
However, MLM is not an easy way to go. It’s certainly doable but might take you more time than you’d think. I do like their products.