Rachael Ray Products That Got Totally Trashed On Amazon
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Rachael Ray is a modern-day phenomenon — she went from product demonstrator to celebrity chef to domestic diva to one-woman media empire, and this was all before she branched out into retail and became her own lifestyle (and pet food) brand. Her Rachael Ray kitchenware line offers hundreds of products on Amazon, ranging from Apple Peelers to Zesters (okay, technically a grater, but that doesn't fit the whole A to Z motif). Most of these products are pretty highly rated, which may be due to their quality, but may also have something to do with the enduring loyalty of Rachael's army of fans.
Even Rachael, however, can't do everything absolutely perfectly all the time (that's a feat only Martha Stewart could pull off). No matter how well-received most of her kitchen line may be, there are still a few items that Amazon customers have responded to with a resounding "Yuck-O!"
This cookware is crummy
The Rachael Ray Hard-Anodized 12-Piece Cookware Set with Bakeware currently sells for $201, which isn't too bad for 12 pieces (even if four of those pieces are actually pot lids). What is bad is the fact that the nonstick coating on the pans peels off after the first use, the skillets tend to warp, and one of Amazon's reviewers describes the pans as being "[s]o cheap lightweight and thin they are like camping pans." Another reviewer notes that the nonstick coating on one of their pans "melted off on medium heat," while another pan had a "handle [that] broke apart when I picked it up from the stove."
Even a customer who received this cookware for free through Amazon's Vine reviewer program and who'd originally given the set a four-star rating amended their review to two stars after just three months because by that time the pans were in such poor shape that she'd had to stop using them.
This bakeware is bogus
The main complaint from purchasers of the Rachael Ray Cucina Stoneware 12-Ounce Oval Au Gratin ($17.04) is that it's so darn small! Okay, so anyone who's up on their kitchen math should be aware that 12 ounces is just a cup and a half, but as several Amazon reviews pointed out, this dish really only holds 12 ounces if you fill it to the brim.
One reviewer who took the time to measure discovered that the "actual amount of food tha[t] can be put in, without spilling or boiling over is 7oz to the top of the first curve." The size alone isn't the only problem with this au gratin dish, however, as more than one reviewer remarked that this item arrived in more than one piece (i.e. broken).
This dinnerware is a dud
The Rachael Ray 58640 Circles And Dots Dinnerware Set, priced at $79.94 for 16 pieces (4 bowls, 4 cups, 4 plates, 4 saucers) is said to be extremely flimsy by many reviews. The plates are easily scratched by no more than a fork, and all of the dishes seem prone to chipping. An Amazon reviewer said of one of these salad dishes, "One little hit against another dish and it chipped right away," and the rest of the set soon followed suit. Another purchaser had an even worse experience, with dishes doing more than chipping: "After about a week one of the larger plates got a crack in the middle and broke in half. Not long after that one of the smaller plates did the same."
While some of the reviewers found the dishes to be quite attractive, others disagreed. One described the pattern as "not at all a striking or attractive design," with colors both "out of balance and obtrusive," while another complained that "not all the dots are centered and [there's] some smeared or blotchy paint."
These salt and pepper shakers stink
The Rachael Ray Tools and Gadgets 2-Piece Acacia Salt and Pepper Grinder Set ($26.99) is a definite dud or, as the title of one Amazon review put it, "beautiful garbage." Evidently these grinders are very poorly made and tend to have various parts and pieces dropping off which renders the units non-functional.
While one reviewer claimed that her unit lasted about a year and a half before falling apart, others had problems after just one or two months. Even before the grinders quit working, this set is not without its problems. One reviewer noted its small size and also remarked upon the fact that the salt grinder was prone to leaking.
The moppine is a floppine
The Rachael Ray Multifunctional 2-in-1 Moppine, Ultra Absorbent Kitchen Towel & Heat Resistant Pot Holder ($14.98 for a purple one; prices vary by color) is described by Amazon as Rachael's favorite 2-in-1 kitchen item, but we'd like to see what's No. 2 on the list. Or rather, we probably wouldn't.
The "moppine," which is meant to be a cutesy term for something that supposedly functions as a combination dishtowel and potholder, is said by some reviewers to be an ok potholder, though hardly multifunctional, while others complain that it is too bulky and awkward for even that use. It also takes up way more storage room than would either a dishtowel or a potholder — or probably both of these items together. One reviewer claimed this was the worst Rachael Ray item they'd ever bought and the only one they'd ever hated, saying, "I can't even hold a pan from the oven because it burns right through. Padding is horrible! It's a HUGE disappointment."
People are tired of this anti-fatigue mat
Rachael Ray Luxprolyn Premium Anti-Fatigue Kitchen Mat, which is supposed to have a cushioned foam backing that can help alleviate some of the pressure on your back, feet, and neck from standing in your kitchen for an extended period of time, is actually not all that comfortable to stand on, according to many of its Amazon reviews. At $59.45, that just makes it a really expensive mat.
Nor is it much in the looks department — as one review puts it, this mat "isn't particularly aesthetic," while another notes that it "displays every footprint [and t]he indentations from use are very unattractive." Still another review notes its "poorly finished edging" and also remarks upon its ability to hold "imprints from footprints [that] don't go away over time."