America's Test Kitchen
reviews and complaints

I received a free trial for 14 days at America's Test Kitchen, Country Cooks and another online cooking recipe subscription. I emailed them 13 days out to cancel. on day 14 my credit card was charged$49.95, all the phone numbers for them do not connect me to customer service. I'm not sure how to resolve this issue. I want my credit card to be credited back and I want to verbally cancel over the phone with a customer service representative. Thank you

I buy each season on Amazon so I can support the show, I was happy when CK left, (although sad Dan Souza didn't go with him since he is basically a little mini CK.) I luv the new addition of Ellie and Lam and glad there is more Brian and Keith, but on this weeks episode (S20, Ep21) Adam told Julia "put that knife down - you're scaring me". Really? - wake up Adam - you are going to disrespect Julia like that? So gross, and a sign that he needs to either shut up, be replaced, or maybe take a class. That was a real turn off and will have me just fast-forwarding through his segments. I was shocked particularly on this show when it is always just supposed to be about the cooking, his lame attempt at humor that questions a great female chef sickened me. Editors should have cut this out, I expect better of ATK!

They offer a free two week subscription and present the subscription as costing $4.18 a month after that but charge the whole $49.95 and refuse to refund any of it if you cancel even 15 days later. I subscribed for the free period on dec 24 2018 and cancelled on jan 10 2019. I assumed based on the sales pitch that I would be charged monthly so the charges would stop. When I cancelled there was no mention that I had already been charged almost $50 and would not get a refund. When I realized what had happened I called back and two reps and two supervisors stonewalled and blamed me for not reading the conditions (which they know no one reads).

It is obvious that their business practices are a fraudulent scam designed to get people's money they do not realize they are being charged and not return it.

I purchased a subscription membership thinking I was getting access to many recipes. They market heavily and email recipes. I also go to their website to search for recipes. However, I'm each of these cases, the recipes I want to access, 9 times out of 10, require me to upgrade my membership. This is false advertising as well as a bait and switch racket.

I ordered the 2017 Annual hardcover book for my fiancé for this Christmas at the beginning of December, which was within the regulated shipping allotted time to receive it before Christmas. On December 19th I received the package, only to my shock that it was a copy of "Cooking for two" magazine and the order form had the wrong name and address in it. Upon my first encounter with ATK customer service the woman was sympathetic and willing to look into getting it Expressed shipped as I live in Canada as this was an extremely important Christmas gift and after all the company messed up and with standard shipping I clearly would not be receiving it before Christmas. As the supervisors had all gone home for the day and I was reassured it would be made right and that I would receive a call the following morning from this representative. I never heard back and when I called back the next day I was informed that they would be reimbursing me $7.95 for shipping and handling and receiving a free digital download of some sort. While I have already had to pay $11.73 for duty for a magazine I didn't order and will have to pay it again when my actual item comes in. As the supervisors were much to busy to speak with a loyal customer, they agreed to refund me the price of the book. I understand that some people would be happy with this, but frankly I am not. I don't want the extra things, because they don't make up for the fact that the company messed up and that my fiance will not have a gift to open on Christmas, after an exceptionally hard year. The only thing I asked ATK was to express my package as there are 4 days left until Christmas and that would be the only way it would have a chance of getting here, but no. Apparently they do not ship express to Canada under any circumstances. I would like to also point out that during all this I remained polite and calm and treated your customer service agents with respect, and sadly the ole mighty dollar wins again versus remembering that your customers are people with families just like you and not just paying your wages. Next time, offer to ship express especially around Christmas, even if it doesn't make it in time, it will show you at least tried rather than just trying to make it right by giving away "free stuff" because frankly I wasn't looking for freebies, I just wanted to see a smile on my fiancé's face come Christmas morning when he opened up this book.

I've always liked the two girls that are kind of running it but when they were cooking not talking to each other you need to bring Christopher Kimball back because this show has gone very very very downhill it's not even worth watching my 14 year old daughter is so upset she cried it's terrible uninteresting without him you might as well go off of the air it's just horrible I'm sorry

I haven't subscribed to Cook's Country Magazine for several years. Despite that, I continue to receive an annual notice that I will automatically be sent their annual cookbook. I don't want it. I haven't asked for it. In order to decline it, I have to mail their postcard back to them. I've done that and despite my effort, I still rec'd the cookbook and later warning invoices that my account will go to collections if I don't pay for it. WTF? Again, this year, I just rec'd the notice that the book was going to be shipped. I'll be mailing the dang postcard back to them once again but in order to stop receiving the postcard, I have to log into their Website and register? I attempted to do that but got to a page that said "it no longer existed." This is such a scam. Do not purchase Cooks or Cooks Country magazines unless you want to be on the hook with them into eternity. So ticked off with them.

Deceptive business practices and poor customer service. While trying to clear up incorrect billing for services not used was told America's Test Kitchen wasn't the website I signed up for services on. This at the same time the charges hit my credit card bill labelled ATK.com and the customer service rep even had a @americastestkitchen.com email address!

I agree with others on this board. Complete unethical business practices. I have tried numerous attempts to cancel all products (magazines, web subscription etc) some of which I have no idea how they got started. They automatically deduct charges from my debit card and then leave no possible way to get back to them to cancel. Phone says they 'don't have capacity to accept calls'... and no email address to return or inquire about a charge.

I am fed up and will be seeking help from my bank in going after them. sad.

In 2009 I ordered a Cookbook from America's Test Kitchen (not a subscription). I have just received the second unordered / unwanted cookbook. With the book was an invoice for $29.95, also stating "I am to return by UPS or insured parcel post (sorry, we cannot be responsible) and Pay Postage (Sorry, we cannot accept C.O.D.)". So, essentially, I receive an unsolicited book, and am expected to pay return postage. Also, their web sight does not offer a place to contact them directly to register a complaint, or ask them how to return the book on their dime. I am currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and do not have the energy or desire to deal with a problem they inflicted on me.