Pamper Chef

The stones' are awesome. The pizza cutter is great, the can opener is cool. We don't have any cookware other than several of the stones. We have several gadgets, they have lasted quite a while.

I can not figure it out either. I have been invited and bought the pizza stone and another thing (I feel obligated to get something if i go to someone's house). I rationalize it as the money I would have spent out at a restaurant/movie. I will bet your next invite will be stella & dot.

I was super shocked about Avon. The make-up is worse than drug store brands and the rep kept on comparing it to department store make-up. The only thing close is the price (not quality). At least I can get a real make-over at Benefit, Lancome or Channel. The Avon rep had some piece of paper w/ colors and we all had to rub our fingers on the paper then transfer make-up to face. I decided to purposely exaggerate the clown look to see if my friend's friend (the rep) would still compliment me...She did. I bought Silk Hands Soap (still over priced, but again I wanted to be polite).

no difference. use marked up prices so that the sellers can make their commission.

There is a difference with heavier, well built skillets. Most of us do get along with the cheap stuff tho. I do iron skillets, they work fine for me. I occasionally get me a new non stick skillet to have on hand for some things.
You can get cheaper things than pampered chef tho that are just as good.
Just remember, heavy heats better with less scorching.

There are some Pampered Chef items that I like & use--pizza stone, salad dressing measure/server, pineapple peel & core, steamer dishes for the microwave. But there's nothing I couldn't live without or replace for half the cost. Think of PC as the "Coach purse" of kitchenware! LOL

Some are a little better quality, some are a lot better, like the stoneware and some of the gadgets. But really, I will go on ebay and get them cheaper if there is something I really like.

made from better materials resulting in more even heat distributio, more evenly cooked food and decreased cooking time.

I don't have PC cookware but I do have some of their other products and I love them. The chopper and garlic press are great.

I do have Americana cookware and it made from surgical steel, Great product and made in America

I have to agree with Jim. We have the pizza cutter, the pizza stone and the can opener. We love those items. They are quite unique. We also have a basket that we use to cook shrimp on the grill. My husband really likes that! Haven't tried the cookware. I would just pick one of those items or something that looks interesting that you might not see is stores.

I've always thought of pampered chef as honestly having superior items that are probably worth more than what you buy in stores. It's just a question of whether or not you care that much. My husband's cousin was selling Cutco Knives last summer. They are crazy expensive. They actually are far superior to knives you buy in stores, but I'm just not sure I care enough :-) We bought 4 steak knives to support her knew job. We do like them, but probably not enough to buy a whole set of knives.

I love my metal PC pots..but I didn't pay full price I bought them when I was a host so I recieved half off...I can't wait till I host again to get more :) They have a lifetime warranty also which is nice

Love, love, love my knives and stones. I have 4 knives, 2scissors, pizza stone and the pizza cutter, cutting board. I love all of them. Worth every penny I paid!

My PC cookware is close to 15 years old and still looks and cooks like new! There has been no loss or scratching of the nonstick surface and they clean up so easily! They did survive my DH putting them in the dishwasher, but only the outside isn't quite as pretty. But if you didn't know what they looked like before, you wouldn't know. I love being able to simmer a pot of chili all day and not have to worry about scorching. and the heat proof handles are wonderful! I was having to replace my pots and pans at least every 5 years. These aren't even close to losing my love! I did host a party to save on them.
And as for paying for Pampered Chef, Tupperware, or Avon, or even the deluxe set of Cutco knives I own and adore (which helped a friend get through college) - and yes - that's why we do it.
The home parties are a wonderful excuse to get together, I always have a great time. The person selling is usually a friend (or a friend of a friend)who is trying to make a little money to make ends meet in this crazy economy. They are all quality products from companies that have decades of acolades to back them up.
Help the "small business" owner in this day and age. If you need to save a little money then host a party. You will help yourself, the hostess you book from, the seller, and all the friends you invite who can use these wonderful products.
BTW - I don't sell anything, but I believe in friendship and quality. Now I must go and get my Avon order emailed off to a friend!

I may be biased because I am a PC consultant. All I can say is that before I started using our cookware, I was replacing chipping non-stick coated pots and pans every couple of years. Our cookware is made using a different process. It will never chip off - ever. It has a lifetime replacement warantee. The only thing I might say negatively is that you're not supposed to put them in the dishwasher. They do clean up very quickly with just a sponge. They handle high heat cooking (a must for me) and they go right into the oven. That feature alone is worth the extra $$ for me. They are extremely durable. I cook every day and I use my big 12" skillet for almost everything. My best friend had a very expensive set of Calfalon (sp?) and they were gross after a few years. She hosted a couple of big shows and replaced all her pots & pans with PC stuff. She swears her new stuff is so much nicer than the Calfalon she had.

I personally wouldn't pay full price for them (although I still think they're worth the full price and I've had customers tell me this too). If I were you, I'd at least host a Catalog show and get some at half price. You'd need to collect at least $300 in orders to earn a half price selection.

That's just my 2 cents for what it's worth. If I didn't have PC cookware, I might try QVC or HSN to see what they offered. At least they have good return policies if you don't like them, although you might get stuck for a big shipping bill. If you got them from Pampered Chef, they will pay for the shipping back to them within 30 days. As a Host, you'd pay nothing for shipping them to you and even as a guest at a show, you'd only pay $4.75 in shipping max. Just a thought.

Added: Everyone needs to know that if you have pans with non-stick coating chipping off into your food, you need to throw your pan away immediately - that stuff is so toxic. I don't care what you buy, but NEVER, NEVER use a pan where the coating is chipping off.

I love Pampered Chef. I have ALOT of it. But I do not have the pots and pans. I have had most of my PC for over 10 yrs. I broke one stone and they replaced it, no questions. Nothing else has ever broken. I wore out a chopper!! That thing was fabulous! I was a chopping fool!! I got a new one and probably only have used it twice! Must have worn out the fun on the previous one!!
I would say that PC items are worth their prices. But of course it is better to host and get what you really want at a discount.
Good Luck!
D.