An MLM business that has been around since 1980, that makes them probably the oldest company that we have reviewed, so they must be doing something right to have survived so long.
Well, that’s what Warren Buffett thought when his Berkshire Hathaway corporation took over the reins in 2002, so he couldn’t be wrong, could he?
Since then they have seen sales drop from $320 million in 2015 to $280 million in 2018 and with the UK interest closing in 2015 then it would appear that Warren Buffett must be losing his grip in his old age.
However, if cooking and party planning is your thing, then providing the products are top quality and the business plan looks great then maybe worth a punt, but I wouldn’t jack in your day job just yet.
Therefore, let’s cut the chit-chat and let’s see what Pampered Chef is all about, what they have to offer and whether it is worth you investing your time and effort in.
[Affiliate Disclosure: The Pampered Chef MLM Review may contain affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase anything through one of the links. However, this will not affect what you pay!]
Pampered Chef MLM – Summary
Product: Pampered Chef LLC
Location: Addison, Illinois, USA
Founder: Doris Christopher
Founded: 1980
Website: www.pamperedchef.com
Product description: A Multi-level-marketing business, promoting kitchen products, recipes, along with demonstration and food preparation techniques, as well as a business opportunity for anyone who is interested.
Cost to join: There are currently 3 start-up costs. Starter kit – $99 / plus goods value $400+ Delux kit – $159 / plus goods value $700+ Ultimate kit – $259 / plus goods value $1100+
Price of products: $1.50 – $500
Best For: Experienced marketers who have an interest in cooking.
Recommended: I wouldn’t recommend this MLM to newbies looking to venture online and learn how to make money and run a successful business.
Summary: There are several reasons to reconsider joining Pampered Chef as a business opportunity.
The average income for consultants is often low, with few achieving substantial financial success. Initial and ongoing expenses, including purchasing starter kits and hosting events, can be significant and may outweigh potential profits.
Consultants face sales quotas, leading to stress and potential self-purchasing to meet targets. High consultant density in certain areas can make finding new customers difficult.
Success often relies on recruiting others, which can be challenging and time-consuming.
Pampered Chef has faced product recalls and lawsuits, which can affect its reputation and your business.
Earnings are inconsistent, making it a risky primary income source.
These factors suggest that Pampered Chef may not be the best choice for a stable and lucrative business opportunity
Pampered Chef is a party planning multi-level-marketing business, promoting and selling kitchenware from smaller utensil types that cost a few dollars all the way up to high-end products with a cost of around $500.
With parties and demonstrations the main focus, including the use of the products and sharing preparation techniques and recipes with customers along with a business opportunity.
A business that was started by Doris Christopher from her basement in Chicago back in 1980, with a loan of $3000.
At first selling to her family, friends and neighbours, and over the years the business as gone from strength to strength to a point where they were noticed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway corporation in 2002.
Since then Doris as sort of taken a back seat, whilst still involved but now under the control of their current CEO, Andrew Treanor coming from his role as chief executive officer of Pampered Chef.
Check out this short promotional video.
Is Pampered Chef A Pyramid Scheme?
With any MLM type of business, there is
always going to be controversy.
Always under the eye of the Federal Trade Commission because so many of these businesses do tend to hide behind a product or service of some description. I should know as I’ve been there!
All businesses operate in this fashion so nothing unique here.
With Pampered Chef they have an extensive range of products and many appear to be satisfied customers and the fact that they have been in business for 40 years should tell you that Pampered Chef is legit.
Pampered Chef Products Range
The Pampered Chef products are pretty extensive, at last count, there were nearly 700 products to choose from on their website.
What I did notice is that their top of the range products are expensive and wouldn’t take long to find an alternative at a much more reasonable price.
Pampered Chef most popular product range
I don’t know about you but I think these products which are Pampered Chef big sellers are somewhat on the pricey side.
I mean who pays $210.00 for a frying pan?
Obviously many have, as can be seen by the reviews so who am I to judge.
The Pampered Chef product range can be found within the categories listed below…
Cookware and Bakeware
Entertaining
Kitchen Tools
Pantry
Small Appliances
New
Favourites
Enrichables
For a closer look at the extensive Pampered Chef products range with current prices…
As there are so many products I won’t be reviewing any of them and therefore feel free to check out the full range yourself on their website by clicking here.
Pampered Chef Business Opportunity – What You Need To Know
We can see there is a business opportunity due to there being well over 40,000 consultants earning anything from a few dollars to well over $100,000 but don’t get too excited as there are only about 1% earning anywhere near that amount.
How to become a Pampered Chef Consultant
There are 1 of 3 ways to become a Pampered Chef Consultant.
Starter Kit – $99, which includes over $400 of products.
Deluxe Kit – $159, which includes over $700 of products.
Ultimate Kit – $259, which includes over $1,100 of products.
Not sure whether you will agree but I can’t see that value in goods in any of the images above!
What you will also get when you become a Pampered Chef consultant are business tools…
Marketing emails.
Landing page.
Newsletters.
Catalogues.
A personal website that you can customize.
Plus access to the back office where you will find training material and all your financial transactions.
How to Make Money With Pampered Chef
There are various way’s you can run your business and make money as an independent Pampered Chef Consultant.
Either by…
Selling to customers or even to yourself
This is your first port of call as you will be hoping to recruit others through your sales.
Purchasing the products yourself usually come with big discounts.
Hosting home or local venue parties
Hosted by yourself or a friend and they can be a home or venue locally to you and will probably include product and cooking demonstrations and therefore you will have to supply the food and drinks.
Virtual party
By using social media like Facebook will enable you to broaden your audience.
Catalogue
Just send out the current Pampered Chef catalogue via email and wait for orders to come in.
Wedding Shower
Kitchenware is usually one of the top gifts that wedded couples receive so what better way than hosting a wedding shower for the bride.
Building a team and earning commissions from their sales
If you want to progress and potentially earn a lot of money then you have to recruit others to become part of your team.
You have to train your team so you’d better come with some good past experience else your team members aren’t going to stick around for too long.
These are just a few ideas to get you in the mood. At the end of the day, it is going to take time and dedication on your part.
Plus, when you want to shop yourself, there are some big discounts to be had, mind you, you’ll find that discounts in some cases may not even bring the price down to what it would cost you to buy a similar product elsewhere.
It’s no good coming into a business like this halfheartedly because you won’t be sticking around for too long.
An important thing to point out is that you are going to need to be outgoing and prepared to put yourself about.
Commission rate table and earning potential
According to this chart, they make it look like earning a living as a Pampered Chef consultant is a breeze.
I know what is involved as an affiliate marketer and I can assure you, their working week of 8-15 hours is well off the mark.
Sell the products either online or through parties.
Recruit others.
Train your team.
Develop your website.
Work out and expand your marketing strategies.
Organizing a party alone is going to take several hours!
Here you can check out the Pampered Chef Compensation Plan for yourself
This compensation plan is pretty straightforward and therefore two ways to digest this information, either by selecting the pdf here or watching the short video below.
You might need to pause this video at certain stages as the person making it appears to be in some sort of race. Best I could find though!
Are Pampered Chef Consultants actually making money?
It’s really hard to say due to the fact there is no income disclosure, which should open up all sorts of questions.
It is a known fact and I see it all the time that only the top 1-2 per cent are the real earners and even those aren’t all earning big money.
It is also a known fact that as many as 65% will not continue in an MLM business after their first year ends.
However, Pampered Chef has been going for 4 decades, but even that doesn’t tell or convince me that this is a viable business opportunity.
After all said and done, there is money to be made but you are going to have to work hard because it is not going to be given to you.
Hard work… dedication… patience… That’s what it will take, just like any business venture.
What Others Say About Pampered Chef
Whenever I am reviewing anything whether it’s a product or a business venture I always check out reviews and hopefully from a trusted source but even those can’t be believed 100%.
The first thing I noticed when I was on the Pampered Chef website when I selected the “Shop” option was the rating
summary of the reviews.
Simple maths will give you a percentage that shows you what is going on.
I class 3 stars as mediocre so you would split the reviews here.
* 531
** 526
*** 260
That’s a total of 1317 against a total of 1047 for positive reviews.
That’s 56% of which are negative reviews, and that paints a different picture to the one I had when I first started reviewing Pampered Chef.
There is no quick and easy way of looking at these reviews other than selecting each product and searching for the bad comments.
If you check their Google My Business by typing “pampered chef Illinois” into Google without the quotes, I only see 10 reviews there.
Anyway, I have dug out a mix of positive and negative reviews from the Pampered Chef website.
These 6 reviews are all against the pampered chef 6 piece nonstick cookware set, priced at $450, apparently with a life-time guarantee.
The same product of which is either a different batch/make, new and never been washed or people who just don’t use dishwashers.
Anyway, I will leave this in your hands for you to come to your own conclusions, but how can the same product have such diverse reviews?
What We Like – Pampered Chef MLM Review
Accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 1998.
Extensive product range with something for everyone.
Big discounts when you purchase the products yourself.
Compensation plan pretty straightforward.
What We Don’t Like – Pampered Chef MLM Review
For a business that has been operating for 40 years, I find it strange that I couldn’t come across a viable income disclosure.
Not recommended for newbies looking for a business venture.
Delivery doesn’t appear to be able to keep up with demand.
Customer support not very good until the complaint goes to BBB.
Hosting parties takes a lot of time and money for very little reward.
There are only so many local parties you can organize.
Products are over-priced with the quality of many in question.
Is Pampered Chef A SCAM?
Pampered Chef is definitely not a scam as they have been around the block for some time now.
I am not happy with the lack of reviews on 3rd party sites, for a company that has been going for 40 years though.
All the same, many people seem to be happy with the products even if that is around 45% according to their website.
Mind you my research didn’t extend to Amazon where you can find plenty of reviews.
Is Pampered Chef A Worthy Business To Get Involved With?
Not only are you competing against other Pampered Chef consultants when getting your campaigns out there, but you are also competing against Amazon as well.
If you come from a network marketing business with plenty of experience and hopefully success then this one might be for you.
That said, I think I have given you more than enough information for you to make an educated decision one way or the other or to take away and research this business further.
Like all MLM type businesses, I am not a fan due to a few bad experiences.
However, I didn’t call it a day although I was close to doing until I started researching affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing allows you to really develop a business, with no parties to organize and no hidden costs.
There is absolutely no pressure to achieve certain targets and train others like there is in an MLM.
Take your passion or a profitable niche.
Create a website to showcase your niche.
Find out what people are searching in Google that relates to your niche and create informational reviews and posts. Don’t sell because it doesn’t work. You have to help people. MLMs are a hard sell and very restricted.
What you are not going to get away from is hard work.
Learn how to do all this at Wealthy Affiliate, which is a training platform dedicated to affiliate marketing and designed with the newbie in mind.
Don’t take my word for it, check it out yourself for FREE and remember I will be on the inside to help in any way I can.
Pampered Chef MLM Review – FAQs
How does Scentsy work?
Scentsy warmers use a low-watt bulb or a heating element to melt specially formulated wax, releasing fragrance without flame, smoke, or soot. This makes it a safer alternative to traditional candles.
Are Scentsy products safe for pets?
Scentsy products are generally considered safe for pets.
They are made with non-toxic ingredients and follow strict safety standards, but it’s always a good idea to keep the products out of pets’ reach to prevent any accidental ingestion.
What types of fragrances are used in Scentsy Bars?
Scentsy uses both synthetic and naturally derived fragrance oils.
Synthetic oils are sometimes used to avoid overharvesting natural resources or when it’s not possible to derive a particular fragrance from nature.
How can I join Scentsy as a consultant?
To join Scentsy as a consultant, you can sign up through the Scentsy website or contact an existing consultant for sponsorship.
You’ll need to purchase a Starter Kit to get started.
How much can I earn as a Scentsy consultant?
Earnings as a Scentsy consultant vary based on effort and sales.
While some make enough to supplement their income or cover expenses, many do not earn significant amounts, with average earnings reported as relatively low.
How do I clean the wax out of a Scentsy warmer?
To clean the wax out of a Scentsy warmer, pour out the melted wax while it is still warm and wipe the dish clean with a paper towel.
Why can’t I smell my favorite Scentsy Bar anymore?
Over time, you might become immune to a scent by warming it too frequently.
To prevent this, switch out your fragrances regularly.
Environmental factors like humidity and room size can also affect scent perception.
Are Scentsy Bars safe for individuals with asthma or allergies?
Scentsy Bars are formulated to be safe and do not contain harmful chemicals.
However, individuals with specific sensitivities should use them with caution and consult with their healthcare provider if they have concerns.
Pampered Chef Lawsuits And Legal Issues
Pampered Chef has been involved in several notable lawsuits over the years. Here are a few examples:
Garlic Slicer Recall:
In 2013, Pampered Chef issued a recall for approximately 286,000 garlic slicers after receiving 23 reports of blades detaching during use, posing a laceration hazard.
This recall was initiated following an incident where a consumer cut their finger while using the product.
Video Data Sharing Lawsuit:
In 2024, Pampered Chef agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging that it shared video viewing information of its customers with third parties like Google and Meta without proper consent.
This lawsuit was part of a broader issue related to the handling of user data and privacy (Wikipedia).
Facility Closures:
Pampered Chef faced legal and operational challenges when it began shutting down its facilities in the UK around 2015.
This decision was surprising to many affiliates and led to various administrative and logistical issues.
These cases highlight some of the legal and operational hurdles Pampered Chef has encountered, reflecting the complexities and challenges of managing a large direct sales business
Feedback, Comments and Subscribe
So, what did you think of the review?
Did I cover all the important facts about this popular company or were there some things missing?
Anyway I hope you did enjoy the Pampered Chef MLM Review
Anything you need to know about Pampered Chef or anything for that matter, I will be only too happy to help in any way I can.
Just put your question in the comments section and I will get back to you at my earliest convenience.
Hey Guys and Gals, great to meet you and hope you enjoyed this post. We created this site to help people like you avoid the pitfalls of making money online and hopefully steer you onto the right path. ENJOY!
View all posts by Mick
14 thoughts on “The Pampered Chef MLM Review – Discover the Joys of Cooking: A Positive Look at Pampered Chef”
Thanks for sharing the great content! Simple layout but very informative! It let me know more and understand about what is pampered chef mlm 😉
Great detailed article about pampered chef. I’ve been to a pampered chef home party and they are fun. The items are pretty costly so I would agree with you on that. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Alyse, I’m sure they are fun for the people who aren’t organizing them.
The amount of work that goes into organizing a home party not to mention the food that they have to put on all adds up to costs that you have to try and recoup through selling products.
Weirdly enough, before I even noticed your comment, the first thing I said to myself was, “who pays $210 for a frying pan?”
However, I think we have solved the equation of what $1,100 worth of products looks like in the Ultimate Kit (5 frying pans and a fork at best guess).
As you know, I always look at your reviews from a business perspective, but I am not in anyway sold on the Pampered Chef.
Okay, they’ve been around for 40 years, which obviously means they’re doing something right.
But, I can’t help but think they are living off their name and reputation, and possibly that of Mr. Buffet’s too (although as mentioned, sales have taken a nosedive in recent years).
Admittedly, many people may be drawn to a product because of a “name”, but as you’ve quite rightly pointed out, these same products are available elsewhere and probably for half the price in many instances.
It’s not for me.
Another fantastic though review Mick, always a pleasure to read.
Partha
Hey Partha, Pampered Chef for many will be like a household name and whilst they do have an extensive product range, I was a little surprised to see so many bad reviews.
Another thing I didn’t like was that they also sell their products through Amazon which makes it all the more difficult for the consultants seeing it is them that is doing all the hard work.
Thank you for your feedback and nice choice of words.
Thank you so much for this excellent review, Mick! I have heard of Pampered Chef before, though I had never previously conducted any research on it. Anytime that a company charges exorbitant prices for its’ products and makes the idea of making money seem too easy, I usually become suspicious (the idea that if it’s too good to be true, it probably is). Anything worth having and that will last takes time, effort, dedication, persistence, and patience-I can tell that you definitely agree. I appreciate your diligence and thoroughness in presenting this information to us! I have saved your site and will share it with my friends and family. God bless you!
Hey C, nice of you to stop by and spend time commenting on this review of Pampered Chef.
I am glad you enjoyed it but more importantly making you aware of the negative side of, not only their products but their business opportunity as well.
I’ve heard about Pampered Chef MLM but had no idea whether or not it is worth it. In my opinion, it’s not because you have a lot of competition, Amazon being the no.1 competitor. However, I’m glad to hear that it’s not a pyramid scheme or anything illegal. I mean, they have tons of products behind then, it’s logical. In any case, thanks for sharing this, much appreciated!
Wow, this actually would be amazing for my buddy that does MLM hardcore. I will send it over to him. I have never personally heard of this until now, but it sounds promising. Have you been apart of this? If so what is the biggest thing for a new person to know first in regards to income for the first year if they don’t have a warm base like family to talk to?
Hey AJ, I think I covered all the questions in the review.
It is a known fact that around 95% but closer to 99% of all members who join an MLM do not make a full-time living and around 65% will have left within 12 months.
Hello, Great info you have here. I’ve never heard about Pampered Chef MLM had no idea whether or not it is worth it. Thank you for so much good information.
Lyne
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Thanks for sharing the great content! Simple layout but very informative! It let me know more and understand about what is pampered chef mlm 😉
Hey thanks once again Samuel for stopping by and commenting
Great detailed article about pampered chef. I’ve been to a pampered chef home party and they are fun. The items are pretty costly so I would agree with you on that. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Alyse, I’m sure they are fun for the people who aren’t organizing them.
The amount of work that goes into organizing a home party not to mention the food that they have to put on all adds up to costs that you have to try and recoup through selling products.
Thank you for commenting
Hi Mick,
Weirdly enough, before I even noticed your comment, the first thing I said to myself was, “who pays $210 for a frying pan?”
However, I think we have solved the equation of what $1,100 worth of products looks like in the Ultimate Kit (5 frying pans and a fork at best guess).
As you know, I always look at your reviews from a business perspective, but I am not in anyway sold on the Pampered Chef.
Okay, they’ve been around for 40 years, which obviously means they’re doing something right.
But, I can’t help but think they are living off their name and reputation, and possibly that of Mr. Buffet’s too (although as mentioned, sales have taken a nosedive in recent years).
Admittedly, many people may be drawn to a product because of a “name”, but as you’ve quite rightly pointed out, these same products are available elsewhere and probably for half the price in many instances.
It’s not for me.
Another fantastic though review Mick, always a pleasure to read.
Partha
Hey Partha, Pampered Chef for many will be like a household name and whilst they do have an extensive product range, I was a little surprised to see so many bad reviews.
Another thing I didn’t like was that they also sell their products through Amazon which makes it all the more difficult for the consultants seeing it is them that is doing all the hard work.
Thank you for your feedback and nice choice of words.
Thank you so much for this excellent review, Mick! I have heard of Pampered Chef before, though I had never previously conducted any research on it. Anytime that a company charges exorbitant prices for its’ products and makes the idea of making money seem too easy, I usually become suspicious (the idea that if it’s too good to be true, it probably is). Anything worth having and that will last takes time, effort, dedication, persistence, and patience-I can tell that you definitely agree. I appreciate your diligence and thoroughness in presenting this information to us! I have saved your site and will share it with my friends and family. God bless you!
Hey C, nice of you to stop by and spend time commenting on this review of Pampered Chef.
I am glad you enjoyed it but more importantly making you aware of the negative side of, not only their products but their business opportunity as well.
Once again thanks for your support.
I’ve heard about Pampered Chef MLM but had no idea whether or not it is worth it. In my opinion, it’s not because you have a lot of competition, Amazon being the no.1 competitor. However, I’m glad to hear that it’s not a pyramid scheme or anything illegal. I mean, they have tons of products behind then, it’s logical. In any case, thanks for sharing this, much appreciated!
Ivan, thank you for stopping by and reading this review on Pampered Chef and commenting.
Your support is very much appreciated.
Wow, this actually would be amazing for my buddy that does MLM hardcore. I will send it over to him. I have never personally heard of this until now, but it sounds promising. Have you been apart of this? If so what is the biggest thing for a new person to know first in regards to income for the first year if they don’t have a warm base like family to talk to?
Hey AJ, I think I covered all the questions in the review.
It is a known fact that around 95% but closer to 99% of all members who join an MLM do not make a full-time living and around 65% will have left within 12 months.
Thanks for the comment
Hello, Great info you have here. I’ve never heard about Pampered Chef MLM had no idea whether or not it is worth it. Thank you for so much good information.
Lyne
Thanks, Lyne and glad you enjoyed the review