Complaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 45 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 11 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/05/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am writing to request a cancellation and refund for the $49.95 US charge applied to my account on July 4th. I signed up for a trial but was not sent any reminder email before my card was charged. Additionally, I experienced difficulty cancelling during the trial period, and your website was down when went to get support after I got the email. I believe this practice is predatory, as it charges users without proper notice and makes cancellation unnecessarily difficult. It is extremely unfair to wake up to an unexpected charge.Please cancel my subscription immediately and process a full refund.Thank you for your understanding
Business Response
Date: 07/07/2025
We have cancelled your America's Test Kitchen Essential Membership and issued a refund. You should see that credited back to you within the next 3-5 business days. You will not be billed again unless you sign up for another term.Initial Complaint
Date:06/12/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a pressure cooker from this America's Test Kitchen for $138.56. I used it within a week of receiving the item. It didn't work. The pressure cooker will not maintain pressure at all. I immediately contacted the company to ask how to return this broken item. They said I have to seek out a remedy from the manufacturer. So they sold me a broken item and now expect me to figure out how to fix it. It came broken. It never worked. I literally had to press hard on the lid of the pot manually to get it to stop leaking steam. I couldn't even believe they wouldn't accept it back. I don't think I've ever experienced such terrible customer service ever.Business Response
Date: 06/16/2025
I'm so sorry for the frustration. I have issued a refund for the damaged item. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for the refund to post to your account. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our customer support team at *****************************************************************************************************************************************************
Initial Complaint
Date:03/15/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Received a charge from Americas Test Kitchen for ***** on 3/13/25, I have never signed up for or accessed a membership or digital subscription to any of their sites. I immediately called customer service and was issued a refund which I could see as pending on my bank account. Now this morning that pending refund is gone and the charge for ***** is still listed as pending with a transaction date of 3/17/25. I would like an IMMEDIATE and complete refund and my payment information deleted from all your records.Business Response
Date: 03/17/2025
We're so sorry for any frustration you've experienced. I see the charge you referenced was an automatic renewal of your digital membership. I can also see you spoke to our customer support team on 3/14/25, and we cancelled and refunded the charges at that time. Please allow 5-7 business days from the date of the refund for the funds to post back to your account.Initial Complaint
Date:03/05/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am absolutely outraged by the fraudulent charge of $49.95 that appeared on my credit card statement from Americas Test Kitchen. This is a card I rarely use, as I primarily rely on my American Express for daily transactions. Naturally, I was shocked to see a balance and, upon further review, discovered this completely unauthorized charge.I have not been a subscriber to Americas Test Kitchen for many, many years. At no point did they seek my consent to renew a subscription, nor did they even attempt to notify me of any renewal. This charge was completely bogus and ************** soon as I noticed the charge, I immediately contacted my credit card company to file a dispute and ensure that this fraudulent transaction is reversed.What makes this situation even more appalling is that, despite being charged, I have never received any access to their productswhether digital or print. This is deceptive, unethical, and a clear example of predatory billing practices.I am deeply disappointed in Americas Test Kitchen and their blatant disregard for ethical business practices. I demand an immediate resolution and a full refund. Additionally, I want this complaint documented to warn other consumers about their dishonest and unacceptable tactics.I expect a swift response and corrective action.Business Response
Date: 03/05/2025
I'm so sorry for the frustration! I was unable to locate an account under your email or zip code. I am happy to refund the charge and ensure no further charges are made - are there any other email addresses or zip codes that may be associated with the account?Initial Complaint
Date:02/19/2025
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I woke up to a $75 charge on my bank account. Have absolutely no idea where this came from. I signed up several years ago for $9.95/month but canceled it years ago. They canceled. No word from them and now a $75 charge. Did I accidentally hit a button? What happened? I went online and just saw page after page filled with complaints about this. It is very bad. I now cannot pay my gas bill in the middle of winter. The money was there before this. Here, heating company will disconnect heating service even in winter. I am so confused. Is it a button that can accidentally be hit and if a you are a previous customer there is no additional input needed to verify this is actually what you want. Why no warning email? I am so confused as to what happened.Business Response
Date: 02/19/2025
I see that you had our online cooking school membership, which was the 9.99 charge you referenced. This membership was cancelled on Apr 19, 2023.
I see you also had an all-access digital membership that was not cancelled in April of 2023. The charge you just received was an automatic renewal of that membership. I have cancelled and issued a full refund for the most recent charge, ($74.95) as well as the previous charge from Feb 12, 2024 (*****). You should see the refunds post to your account in 7-10 business days
Customer Answer
Date: 02/19/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have
determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in
reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to
accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as
resolved.
Regards,
******` ******Initial Complaint
Date:02/15/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have never signed up or even heard about America's test kitchen until I seen a charge on my credit card for $49.99 that happened last Sunday 2/9/2025?Just want to know why I am being charged, and how to get a refund? Thanks.Business Response
Date: 02/19/2025
I apologize for the frustration - I was unable to locate an order under your email or address - is there another email address that may be associated with your account? Are there any other members of your household who may have made the purchase? If so, can you please share their name and email address?Initial Complaint
Date:02/12/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I canceled this service years ago and have never used it. However, every year, ********* me again. There is no way to contact them through their website to dispute the charge. It's frustrating that I have to go through this process every year when the account has already been canceled. Thank you for your attention to this matter.Business Response
Date: 02/12/2025
We apologize for any frustration you've experienced. We have cancelled your account and issued a refund for the most recent charge.
We have multiple ways to contact us if you should need to do so in the future.
You can start a live chat by visiting our help center at *****************************************************************************
You can also call us M-F 8AM - 6PM CST at ************ or email ****************************************************************************************************************
Initial Complaint
Date:01/05/2025
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was charged January 5th for $55.15 for an all-access membership after the free trial. I made the free trial to use recipes for the busy holiday season and didn't realize it would auto renew without some sort of reminder email. I find it very predatory when companies don't send an email to remind customers that their trial will turn into a membership soon, since companies are hoping we forget. This is especially the case during the holiday season. I did not expect this sort of behavior from America's Test Kitchen and I am very disappointed. I would like to ****** my subscription and get a full refund.Business Response
Date: 01/06/2025
I have cancelled your digital subscription and issued a refund. You should see that credited back to you within the next 3-5 business days. You will not be billed again unless you sign up for another term.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/06/2025
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved.
Regards,
**** ********Initial Complaint
Date:01/01/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On January 1st 2025 Americas Test Kitchen charged my debit card TWICE for an unauthorized *****. This double charge ruined our ability to enjoy the holiday. I expect an IMMEDIATE REFUND and an apology!!!Business Response
Date: 01/02/2025
We apologize for the frustration. The charge was for the renewal of your digital membership. The account is listed under an ********** email address which is why you may not have received notice of the renewal. I have issued a full refund which should post to your account in 3-5 business days.
We only see one charge for $74.95 in our system - can you confirm that there were 2 charges on your card? If so, can you please provide a screenshot of the second charge?
Customer Answer
Date: 01/02/2025
Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered.
Ive attached a photo of two identical charges. Please refund me, and cancel my membership permanently.
Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
FAQ
Regards,*****
Business Response
Date: 01/09/2025
Thank you for sending that image - we are only seeing one settled transaction in out system. We believe the second one you show is an authorization that should drop off and not settle. Can you please let me know if you're still seeing the second charge pending on your account?Initial Complaint
Date:10/12/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On September 24, 2024 I received a bill for $59.95 for my membership renewal. I notified them that my membership was for $49.95 in perpetuity. They asked to see the email confirming this. After they read it they said ****** wasn't authorized to do this. In 2015 ******* gave me a renewal amount of $49.95 in perpetuity due to problems I experienced on their site. In 2023 I was charged $59.95 but when I called them and told them my rate was $49.95 in perpetuity they lowered the rate and left it at that. This year they said they would give me the rate of $49.95 for this year only. Am I in my rights that the renewal of $49.95 should remain? I've attached the correspondence detailing this. Thank you!Business Response
Date: 10/14/2024
The customer support representative was not authorized to offer a perpetual membership. We apologize for any frustration this has caused.
As stated in your recent correspondence with our customer support team, we are happy to offer one additional year at your current price.
Per section 8 of the terms and conditions of your digital membership, we retain the right to modify the price of memberships at any time.
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