My online subscription automatically renewed. Then I noticed it and called their customer service to stop and asked for a refund. They said their policy was to only refund if it was disputed within 48 hours of posting! I was out of the country in Ireland! Steer clear of these shysters. read more

I decided to give ATK a chance even without Christopher Kimball. I really appreciate some of the reviews, so even though they are not nearly as fun anymore, I was willing to give the online membership a try. However, like many people I am extremely annoyed by the deliberately misleading and complicated tactics they are using to try to continue billing me for this service. I signed up for the free trial multi-site membership and planned to just drop down to ATK only, but now that I see I have to call just to do this, I will cancel the whole thing. I am going to subscribe to Milk Street instead, and I hope the whole Cook's Illustrated ship goes under. read more

It took a 27-minute phone call to cancel my Cook's Country website membership, which was set to renew at $39.95 a year --- more than double the "$1.46/Month" currently advertised on the website. I guess I should have known better than to let a magazine company get ahold of my credit card number. read more

If only I had read Yelp before I agreed to what I thought was a 30-day free trial! I only needed one recipe when I was out of town, so I signed up for a free trial to get this one recipe. Then I found out that they had already charged my credit card $50 for one year. When I called Customer Service to explain that either I misunderstood the offer, or ... something?? And I had only used the website ONCE, they refused to work with me. I then wrote a letter to the supervisor -- and got an email back saying, basically "Too bad!" They got my $50, but they lost me (and everyone I know) for life. Lousy customer relations!!! read more

I had the same problem as Colin. I love the show and their cookbooks are wonderful but their business practices stink. I subscribe to their magazine and ordered a cook book from their site. I specifically said that I did not want any cook books that I didn't order sent to me. For a while this worked but today I was sent a cook book that I didn't order and when I called there was no apology in fact I am expected to fill out paper work to send the book back and yes I need to go to their website and download a pre-pay label to return it. Why is this any of my responsibility? They just lost a customer. read more

Customer dis-service I love the tv shows, websites, and magazines. I hate your website subscription services. I was charges twice for 1 gift subscription. I was refunded the wrong amount. I wrote back because I still owed you $17.50. You cancelled my account, instead and still did not refund the duplicate gift amount and then for no apparent reason charged me a higher amount for my subscription without my knowledge. I called to straighten things out, yet again and was told that I could not have been charged twice for the gift subscription and that I had actually requested that my account be cancelled. WHAT???!!!!! Erin said she'd have it all straightened out on January 13th and obviously made it worse. Casandra (on the 28th) kept telling me that what I was explaining couldn't have happened but it did! All I was trying to do was make sure your company was not cheated out of the $17.50 and I ended up being given nothing but the run around and was consistently told that I was not understanding but then, finally Casandra dug in further and figured out that I was correct. WOW it should not have taken 15 minutes for her to get it! Then Casandra said she could not refund the duplicate $34.95 until my gift was accepted - nonsense. I was also told that my credit card information was not on file when it obviously was because I was charged $69.95 without my permission. When I suggested that the auto-renewal could be refunded and I could then get my giftee to accept the gift subscription - it was like a revelation to her. What's going on there? The whole conversation should have been over in a few minutes and it was a struggle all the way. The next time I look at renewing any of my memberships or recommend cooking websites I will have to think long and hard about America's Test Kitchen and affiliated sites. I have used the Internet for ages - even before it was the Internet. I've made hundreds of online purchases and have never experienced the issues I've experienced with your sites over the past two years (I had trouble last year, too.) I appreciate the multi-site pricing and the ability to give gift subscriptions but the gift renewal information should go to the giver not just the gift recipient. I had no idea a notice had been sent and that an auto-renewal was processed because it all went to the recipient. Had I been notified, this whole episode would have been avoided. I'm unhappy and I'm sure Casandra is, too, and Erin thought she helped but just made it worse. I don't think any of this is customer service and wanted you to know. read more

Like the equipment reviews (well-explained) and techniques explanations, but totally irritated that apparently nothing is free anymore. I even have a log-in/am a member but still can't access recipes, even when currently on TV (which I thought was the point of "being a member".) Am I missing something? If not, no, I am not watching again, or checking their recipes. Lots of other quality cooking shows around. read more

ATK has gone way downhill without Chris Kimball. I just cannot watch the show with its the two female hosts. They were fine in the background but they just don't have it to lead this show. The shows format is old, stale, unchanged and their selection of cooking topics.... "how to make a baked potato or corn on the cob or roast a chicken.. really? Home Ec 101 has more sophisticated recipes". Really like Kimball's new show Milk Street. Fresh interesting and the staff have personality and recipe topics are very well done and watchable. read more

Unfortunately, my story is the same as Larry C.'s. After purchasing the "America's Test Kitchen Cookbook", I started receiving unsolicited merchandise, with accompanying charges on the credit card. By law, this extra merchandise is mine for free - https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/MailFraud/fraudschemes/othertypes/UnsolicitedFraud.aspx I'm reporting their business practice to the U.S. Postal Service. read more

I have been a subscriber for many years. However, I was getting DAILY requests to buy cook books. I called to have this stopped. What was done - they canceled my subscription. That is not what I wanted. I re-subscribed but do not receive the weekly notices on the TV shows with all the recipes. When I called to ask why, it was explained that once I asked my email to be canceled (which I DID NOT), they cannot reinstate me. "A legal issue". I am furious and totally turned off. And will tell my friends. Anne read more

i have been a huge fan of ATK for a long time. I subscribe to both of the mags, Illustrated and Country. My short time subscribing to the app convinced me that they were leaving no penny ungrasped, even if there was no added value in the sale. Still love the mags and recipes but now I hear they have fired CK. I hope to goodness management has a good plan B in place because CK, while he isn't perfect, is the heart and soul of the organization. I've been inside over 200 companies as a consultant and wonder if this new team can work with the culture (some success likely) or are planning on re-engineering things to such an extent that they forget why their customers subscribed in the first place. Pretty good drama here, touched with a bit of absurdity. Has anyone here ever head of Chainsaw Jack and his takeover at Sunbeam? read more

I sent a subscription to my son for one year. Then I noticed I was getting recipes in my email from them. 2 yrs later they said my subscription was ending Dec 2016 and if I DIDN'T want to renew I should let them know or my card would be charged. I then went into my Visa card site to find that they had been charging my card 19.95 per month for 2 years! Shame on me for not checking visa statement because my husband had taken over that chore! There was no way to cancel thru website so I called. I have now filed a claim with the Attorney General. I will also file a dispute with visa. These people should be shut down! read more

Yep, I agree with everyone else. Look for a recipe and you get asked to upgrade your already paid for subscription to a multi-site subscription for an undisclosed price. Not for me, thanks anyway. This is after getting a credit card charge for Cook's Illustrated at $39.95 a year. I called to complain and/or cancel and got a year for $19.95 and a year of online access for $17.95. When I went to the website to look up a coffeecake recipe there's the ultimatum: upgrade or no dessert for you! #@$%&* to these ugly capitalists. read more

I cancelled my online subscription which I used maybe twice and it cost me $69.00. I tried to use it a 3rd time about 6 months later and was charged another $69.00. I complained via email for months, either they hire idiots or they are trained to avoid the issue and do not refund. Recently my credit card company called me to say that they were once again trying to charge me $69 .00 on an expired credit card.....did I want to approve the purchase.....Hell No. I don't care what they are making, they will never get another dime out if me. read more

I subscribe to the magazine and used to watch TV show regularly. Now I am inundated with email ads to sell promoted products so they are no longer unbiased recipes and they are extremely annoying. Worst of all, recipes are no longer available online as announced on TV. Won't renew and have stopped watching. They have lost focus and are double dipping getting paid for TV, magazines and not providing info online as stated on their show. Success is killing them, and it needs to. read more

DON'T SIGN UP FOR THEIR FREE TRIAL ONLINE COOKING SCHOOL! I agreed to try this back in February 2015, but didn't see the value and didn't use it. Maybe one or two recipes over the year. But billed me $19.95 a month for more than a year (through April, 2016) before I realized it was a recurring charge. My fault for not watching closer, but BEWARE and watch your statements. Working with my credit card depute team, was able to get 3 months reimbursed, but out the $200 charged before. read more

My experience with America's Test Kitchen has been downright distasteful. I ordered a gift membership online as a Christmas present for a friend that was never fulfilled. I'm still trying to get my reimbursement. Once I entered my info into their system, I was deluged with unwanted third-party email offers. Then, out of nowhere, I got a Cook's magazine in the mail with a subscription bill, which I had not ordered. What's this heavy armed marketing all about? Their Facebook page says that they make the mistakes in the kitchen so we don't have to. Wish they could apply this intention to their customer relations. They've just lost a loyal customer. read more

Called and asked for my wife. I was just about to say: "she is not available right now, do you want to leave a message?" The lady from Test Kitchen hung up, the moment she heard "not". One gets the impression that these guys are just out for the quick buck. Sorry, you guys will go onto the blocked caller list. read more

They have some good recipes but not worth dealing with. If you can't get it free without entering your email. credit card, etc., don't bother. I signed up for a free 90 day online trial but they charged me $35 immediately. After some research, I learned that their strong arm tactics are probably legal so they will continue to do this. When I tried to cancel, I followed their online instructions but it does not give me the option to cancel. Instead it states that I should contact customer service but every time I call there is a recorded message saying that they are unusually busy and to call back. I bet they are busy with angry customers like me. I will no longer watch the show or consider any product they have. Based on what I read, I am going to cancel my visa debit card and get a new one because they cannot be trusted with it. read more

FABULOUS SHOW, have loved it for years. The folks on the show are delightful and seem to be people of great integrity. That is precisely why it is such a shock to be treated like the business side of a show on PBS television treats fans. And yes, I have been an inside paying customer before and then it was bloody murder to get free of the tangle of the web they weave. Just now I stepped in their doo doo again. I'm invited to see the recipe online. But waitwait first I give personal info and "subscribe" to various things and maybe after that I'll get to see the little broccoli cheese soup. I'm going to sit down and write what I remember from the show and enjoy trying to recreate it in my kitchen without their blankety blank help. I will never ever go to that website again, and I will put their email in my spam bucket because there is nothing they could ever send me that I want to see. And that goes for my subscription (years ago) to their disappointing magazine as well. If you like their show, DO NOT go to the website trying to follow up on their nice invitation to get the recipe!! read more

kcet and pbs plays this program all the time and seems extremely repetitive. thanks everyone to open my eyes for doing business. won't happen. basically they are in all channels for a standard simple tv transmitters day and night all day. urgh! read more

I have ordered books from ATK before and not had any issues. However a month ago (Feb 22) I ordered 3 books during a special sale. I was supposed to get a 20% discount at checkout. I did not get the discount. I've called customer support 4 times and I've been given inaccurate information at least 3 of those times. I was told that the books shipped on March 10. Gee, only 18 days after the order was placed. I called for the 4th time yesterday and was told that the books had indeed been shipped on March 10, and yes, they also applied a credit to my card on 3/14. Guess what, no credit on my card yet and today I get an email telling me that my books were shipped today. Pitiful service. read more

I am an avid cook and have come to admire all PBS's do-it-yourself productions. But America's Test Kitchen (ATK) promotes their "free recipes" when you watch their show, but they're not really free. Furthermore, they're business practices are not best practices. My complaints are being detailed with the owners of ATK today, as follows: When you subscribe to the ATK website recipes, (1) you must sign up for auto-renewal on an annual basis, (2) you have access only to America's Test Kitchen but not any of the confusing related entities (such as Cook's Country), (3) when you are charged the annual subscription of $39.95, YOU ONLY HAVE 48 HOURS TO CONTEST IT, and (4) when you call them to cancel, even if you've not used the service in months, they will not pro-rate a refund. As close to a scam without being illegal as you can imagine. I contested the charge with my cc company. If they don't do what is right by issuing a refund for unused services, I will file a Deceptive advertising/business dealings complaint promptly with the BBB. read more

I recently received a "Best of...2014" cookbook, with an invoice for $24.85. I knew I had not ordered the book, so I tried to contact ATK. There was no contact info anywhere on the invoice. I went online - no contact info on their website either. I took a guess and sent an email to "support@americastestkitchen.com". I received a quick response - I had "signed up" a year earlier for a cookbook series when I purchased one book. I don't remember seeing this anywhere in the fine print. The information emailed me by ATK stated that they would send out a postcard prior to sending any cookbook (they did not) and that I had a 45 day free review of any cookbook received and that I could return the book and ATK would pay the postage. That was not stated anywhere on the invoice, either. ATK initially told me that I would have to pay to return the cookbook - until I quoted its "terms and conditions". Service rep then agreed to send me a postage-paid return envelope. I did a quick search online and found scores of similar complaints. I then contact ATK support again and told them that I was not going to spend my time and energy returning something I did not order. I quoted postal service regulations that stated I could keep or dispose of items that were mailed that I had not ordered. I then told the rep that I was going to file a complaint with the FTC and BBB of MA. I did both (they are both online and very quick/easy). I had a response from the BBB in less than 24 hours. ATK again quoted the terms and conditions to which I had "agreed", but "generously" offered to waive the payment, remove me from my "cookbook subscription" and allow me to keep the cookbook as a gesture of good faith. Needless to say, I will NEVER order anything from ATK or Cook's Illustrated ever again. These business practices are fraud at worst, gross deception at best. read more

The TV show if OK, but avoid their magazines. Cooks Illustrated and Cooks Country will inundate you with mail and advertisements. They attempt to get you to renew long before your subscription is even close to ending. They also begin sending you hardback cookbooks you did not request and then bill you for them even when you've returned them at your own cost. This is a cheesy business practice. You've been warned. read more

Love their show and cookbooks, HOWEVER the customer service is non-existent. I fell for the "free" issue of the Cook's Illustrated magazine with the assurance I could keep the first issue and cancel at any time. The problem is there is no assured way to cancel. I have sent numerous emails to customer service (as instructed on the many invoices advising that my "account is overdue" with no acknowledgement or reply. The invoices keep coming despite trying to go on the website ("where you can easily manage your account") and cancel there. I finally found a customer service phone number hidden on the website but you can never get through to a person due to "high call volume"!!! I even tried to get through to a person by saying I wanted to orderI wonder why? My advice is DO NOT fall for the "free issue" unless you are a glutton for punishment and frustration. read more

If I could have given this zero stars I would have! I have read these reviews and I wish I had read them first before dealing with these horrible people at America's Test Kitchen, who also own Cooks Illistrated and Cooks Country magazines and more! These people are a real huge pain in the "rear end"! I like the Anerica's Test Kitchen TV program and I do honestly like the two magazines but what I can not stand is the continuous pestering by phone and by e-mail! I purchased their huge 2016 cook book and I think I signed my life of privacy away! They call and they call and they call and they call! I get calls from the Test a Kitchen, I get calls from Cooks Illistrated, and I get calls from Cooks Country magazines! They call every single day and I tell them to stop calling but they won't! I finally got them to stop with the constant e-mails, which was not easy! I had to get nasty! Why, after just the reviews on here that company has not stopped their annoying business practices, is beyond me! I use to subscribe to both of the magazines and stopped because of their sales tactics of constant calls!!! I will not take these subscriptions again because of this! I also purchased their America's Test Kitchen 2016 cookbook! Big Mistake! The calling started all over again...worse! I also asked them if they send or sell supplements for each year once you purchase the cook book! No they don't but my idea was a good one, so they said! So if you want the 2017 seasons recipes and reviews...you have to buy the entire cookbook again, so you'll get what you already have plus 2017! I in no way want to keep purchasing the exact same cookbook every year, nor do I have the room for it! Some on here said that they even sent them the next years book with out them even ordering it....well, if they do that to me, I will have the charge taken off my credit card and by law, I gave a legal right to keep the book! I'm in no way responsible for paying for something I did not order! That is the law! What else ticks me off is the fact that if you subscribe to their magazines and buy their cookbooks, you still have to "Pay" to use their web site! Really! Pay to use their web site! That's incredible and the absolute height of greediness!!! In my opinion! They use the excuse that there is no advertising....OK, fine, but when you've already paid for two very expensive magazine subscriptions and a cookbook, that should be payment enough! It should be a reward! Then after all their bragging that they don't have any advertising.....they pest you to buy this, that and the other by constantly calling you! This is absolutely the worst company I gave ever had to deal with! I'm putting it in writing in a letter to them that I want them to stop annoying me with their unwanted sales calls, I'm telling them that's why I want nothing to do with them any more at all and I will not purchase another item from them, ever again! This whole thing is just crazy! They pride themselves on privacy to their customers and then they do this garbage! I've had it with them! Beware peopkle! Don't subscribe to any of their ridiculously expensive magazines or buy a book from them unless you want to be annoyed every single day by phone and e-mail!!! I'm over it! This company us nuts!!! read more

They were OK for handy hints when the TV series first started. Otherwise, they're lousy homestyle cooks who are terrified of seasonings. They need to get over themselves and learn to cook. Bridget Lancaster is notably obnoxious. When she became a fixture on the programs, I stopped watching them. Take their equipment reviews with a grain of salt. They continually miss some of the best popular-priced items on the market. read more

what a bunch of whiners. WOW, a web oriented business emails you or you have to stop an automatic renewal clause ... GEE, you would think that those writing reviews here are the President of the World ... this is an excellent publication, an outstanding value and no chef should be without at least a few, like we do with Moosewood and other "lines" of really superb food magicians. read more

Ad one fan of the show but their billing practices are borderline fraudulent. I ordered and paid for a one year subscription. It has been 1 1/2 months. No magazine but what appears to be a bill for $19.95 for a one year subscription showed up in the mail today. Very disappointed. When you check the on line subscription management it shows on year is paid for. read more

I was once a huge fan of both America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country. I have bought about 10 of their books and religiously watch both shows. However that is comming to an end. I relied on the recipes posted each season to keep their books up to date. But now, in their greed they no longer do that, even though they state that they do so on their shows. I will no longer watch their shows that are useless without the accompanying recipes, I have also cancelled my mobile subscription to Cook's Illustrated. These people do not deserve my or anyone else's money. read more

I, too, love "America's Test Kitchen", but have to agree about the business side of Cook's Country. I do not believe the handling of business is dishonest. It just seems to be incompetent. Seeking perfection in cooking just does not seem to carry over to seeking perfection in the business side of the show. Perhaps there are two few employees? Perhaps employees are just not well trained? I would recommend to test kitchen that their business department needs to be analyzed by some person or company which reviews business operations and tells them how they need to change. My problems with Cook's Country were: 1. One year I subscribed to the magazine and did send in payment for the magazine. I kept getting bills in the mail saying I had not paid. I finally wrote on one of the bills that I had paid and told when and how I had paid, and mailed this to them. The bills stopped after that. 2. America's Test Kitchen periodically sends e-mails about subscribing to magazines or to online access. I really wanted one recipe which I could not download for free. So, I signed up for an online subscription and found out I still could not download the recipe. After e-mailing the website about this I found out that you cannot have access to all recipes with just one subscription. Different subscriptions give you access to different things. I really dislike this. I would like to see one subscription that gives you access to everything. Separate subscriptions to different pieces of what's online is too confusing (and too expensive.) I did subscribe to the other piece which would let me have the recipe I wanted. If I had not thought so highly of Test kitchen I would never have spent another dime with them. Perhaps, this is part of the problem? Do the people at Cook's Country know their product is so good that people will put up with things like this? And, consequently, they just really don't care about their customers? 3. When I replied to the e-mail about online subscriptions (see above), a special rate was quoted in the letter. I used the link in this letter to subscribe online. It has been a while since I did this, but as I recall the amount actually charged was about $7 more than the rate listed in the e-mail. I should have e-mailed the website and contested this, but did not. At this point I was just too tired of aggravation. Chris Kimball, I have the utmost respect for your show. I don't have respect for the business end of your business. Would you please get some help in getting your business department to give better service? You come across on the show as being a very nice and honest guy. Ultimately the problems in your business department will reflect on you. You seem like the kind of person who would not want people thinking that you were dishonest. read more

I also ordered an annual from Cooks Illustrated, and about a year later, another arrives in the mail along with an invoice for $30.90 (including S&H). Being too busy, I did not find the time to buy a shipping package and return postage in the allotted time (yes, my fault), and then I received a past-due invoice in the mail. I emailed the company yesterday, basically telling them that their business practices suck. Today I went online to pay my bill, and discovered that I have an account that is set up with an active "series plan", which is apparently why I received the unexpected annual book, and was also set up with "Yes, please call me with special offers". I HATE telemarketing calls, as one ATK's found out after I'd received several calls offering me cookbook deals. I know for sure I was never offered the opportunity to opt out of either of these selections. Well, I paid my bill, I deactivated my "series plan", and I unchecked the "call me" box. I also unsubscribed myself from any future email communications, recipes, product reviews - you name it. I used to have respect for these guys, not not any more. read more

I have received there cook books every year without a problem, this year when I received it I went online to pay the bill and it said that my amount due was $0. So I sent a check in the mail which was cashed, but apparently not by them. I proceeded to sign in every time they sent me another notice saying I still owed money only for my account to tell me I owed $0. I attempted to call them during their business hours four different times only to receive an automated message telling me that they were unable to answer my call and to call back later. With this kind of treatment I wasn't about to give my credit card number to a machine over the phone so I emailed them along with photos of my $0 account balance on THEIR screen to receive an email back TWO WEEKS later that stated that I owed them the money and must pay it immediately. That's it!! I mean I had explained to them in the contact us form that I have been trying to pay this dang bill since October with no luck through their online system or through their phone system and all they send back to me is that I need to pay it. Well of course I do, but HOW am I supposed to do that??? I obviously can't send a check in the mail, and their system says I don't owe anything and no one is available to answer my calls. GOODNESS!! Also, in the contact us form I asked for a phone call, still haven't received one!! It's very sad that such an awesome product has such horrible and appalling customer service. Well they have for sure lost this customer!! read more

Don't waste your time ordering books from America's Test Kitchen. I ordered 9 books from ATK on November 26Th. I was promised delivery for Christmas if I ordered by December 11Th so my order was placed in plenty of time. A couple of weeks passed and I had not received my order so placed a call to customer service and I was told the order shipped by the U.S. Postal service on November 30th and that I would be receiving them shortly. Friday December 22Nd and I still have not received my order. I contacted customer service again and I was assured the books were scheduled for delivery Saturday December 23. No delivery was made on Saturday as promised. I called Customer service again on Monday December 24th to learn customer service was closed. These were Christmas presents that I can now not give. I call customer service on Wednesday December 26th I am given an apology and a guarantee that my order will be sent second day delivery from UPS. Here it is January 2nd and I still don't have my order. Oh but they were able to charge my credit card almost instantly for an order that we never received. Now I am in the tedious process to have my credit card reimbursed. America's Test Kitchen has lost my confidence and business. read more

I ordered cookbooks from them last year and suddenly today I received an unsolicited cookbook in the mail. It included a $30 bill and request for payment. I called customer service to inquire and was told I had received a postcard in the mail letting me know a preview was coming. I once again stated I did not order this book or sign up for this service. I was then given instructions to go online and in "3 easy steps" obtain a return label and then "simply" drop it off at the nearest USPS. Furthermore, as a courtesy they would delay my bill by 30 days. Apparently they have kept my credit card number from my previous purchases! At this point I was honestly livid. The representative then said she would remove me from their "preview" list. I never signed up for this service. This is apparently how they practice business looking at the previous review. What a scam! I, like most people, have a busy work schedule and now have to take time out of my day to return their unwanted book. read more