Friday, January 28, 2011

Vita craft Scam Celebrity China

Let me preface this by saying, I was interested in find Vita craft cookware reviews and there are very few available. Sadly, what is available is muddy with employees trying to give their product a good name.

So a few months ago my wife got call from Celebrity China claiming that we won some stuff, a hotel stay and a camera. But we had to sit through a 90 minute presentation. We just got back from Vegas where we sat through about 5 hours worth of presentations, to include one we were sure that it was a scam. In the end we received about 600 dollars in free show tickets and merchandise. So we figured 90 minutes was nothing and we were also sure that if we could survive the EXTREME high pressure time share sells, we could survive these people.

The presentation was in a good hotel in a crappy neighborhood.  Held in possibly the smallest conference room they had. One presenter reminded me of a bad used car salesmen, while I'm sure the other is/was/will be a pedophile (he was creepy, with little squirrelly eyes and too big for his face glasses).  They told us about our free FILM camera, didn't mention that one over the phone. Seriously in the year 2011 who uses film cameras.  A hotel stay at one of their "deluxe locations" and we got some free toasting flutes for our wedding, except the flutes got damaged in transit so we'd have to mail in for them.

We almost left at this point, ridiculous prizes and I already knew from the recent fair that the Vita craft cookware was way out of my price range. FYI if you want to see, touch, feel, and taste Vita craft go to your local semi big summer fair, Vita craft is there every year, you get to try all the stuff with no pressure. So all that being said we stuck it out, saw a crappy knife, and china presentation then the finale of the cookware presentation.

Having observed the cookware presentation 5 or 6 times before at the fair, this one was lack luster. They told us about how Teflon is going to kill you and cast-iron is heavy and makes your food taste like crap. The presenters told us how these pans will save you money because of the life time warranty and you electric bill. They must have a verbatim script because this is the same thing I've heard before. They finally cooked the chicken, carrots and potatoes (same damn thing every presentation). Everything tastes amazing  with very little seasoning. Its hard to make chicken taste good by itself but this chicken is alway good.

At this point we've eaten, got our crappy prizes and they are telling us about the different packages, but still no prices. This to me screams scam, I'd rather be told the price up front so I can decide if its worth it. Finally like we were contestants on Who Wants to be a Millionaire they revealed the prices for each package.  Surprisingly enough the prices here were about 1/2 of what was at the fair.

We sat down to talk turkey about buying the set II +. Around 2000 dollars worth of pots and pans, if we were to buy a bunch of extras would be tacked on for us. Such as upgraded toasting flutes, free silver ware and another pan (i think). At the time I was enrolled in Business law so when they dropped the contract in front of me, I figuratively tore it apart. They claim that once you sign you have 3 days to cancel or your roped in until you pay it off. The UCC says different you can refuse delivery for a full refund. I tried to point that out and the creepy pedophile guy seemed to think he knew better than I. The contract was also void of any interest fees, all my dude could say was that it was factored in to the final amount. Shady dealing I thought but I know my UCC (you should too it effects you every time you buy something) We became customers.  Red flags all over the place but we really needed good cookware.

 2 weeks later we got a package containing our free prizes, and a voucher for that stupid camera. The presenters promised a 4-5 week delivery. When the 6th week came and passed I emailed Vita-craft who took about 3 days to redirect me to Celebrity china (cc). The cc guy was overly polite and super helpful but stated that it would be another 3 weeks and took my email to send me the shipping info.  Almost 4 weeks later I got an email with my shipping info. 3 days after that I got my shiz.

First thoughts nearly 10 weeks later, I paid 2 grand for these two small boxes...WTF! The pans are super compact they fit together nicely when the handles are off. They look good and have a nice weight to them.

First meal: The Wife cooked fish with no oil and it stuck all over the place. The veggies were fantastic (not worth the 2k). The rice also stuck to the pan we used water for those that think we are the stupid.
    *Non-stick my ass everything that could stick did stick, The fish was nearly ruined the rice wasn't any better off than a 3 dollar Ikea pan.

2nd meal: Breakfast for dinner I cooked: Bacon, eggs, hash browns.  The bacon stuck pretty bad not ruined or torn but I had a rough time flipp'n it. The eggs although didn't stick but I used Pam per the instructions of the presenters, I had rough time with pan temp and it was only barely on Med (so the pans conduct heat very well) in the end the eggs were ok kind of rubbery. The hash browns (shredded frozen potatoes) were an inedible disaster. We used the some of the left over bacon grease in the hot pan we just used for the bacon and the F'n potatoes stuck in every way the could. So dinner consisted of only bacon and eggs.
     *I've never had hash brown stick so bad so I can't attest to other pans but this pan took very little work to to get clean. On the flip side of this the skillet I used to cook the eggs got some bacon grease on it and is now stained. I'm going to soak it to see if that works.

AND DONE for now:  I intend to keep this post updated with my trials and tribulations of the product. At this point I hope that the wife and I just need to learn how to cook with the upgraded cookware.  I would love to hear from other people about Vita craft. I am not unhappy with my purchase...yet.

Heres some pics of the apocalyptic skillet, these are post extensive cleaning all this from 4 eggs and bacon grease.
Top

Bottom:
The most disappointing part is the BOTTOM after one use with electric burner on little less than Med.
                                                            

You can clearly see the stain in the upper right hand corner of the right and center pic.

Man I'm all about the updates tonight.  Heres a pic of the warranty the only reason I put it up is it contradicts what the presenters told me about a "Forever Warranty" its a life time of the "Original purchaser Warranty."

Other than the contradiction it seem pretty impressive. 




89 comments:

  1. round 2 with hash browns turned out very similar to the first round. Nearly everything stuck and we ended up with hash mash. Eggs and bacon came out fine (you have to steam the eggs). One of the most annoying things is the requirement of scrubbing the pan between uses. Normally I would cook the hash browns, then bacon, drain of the grease, then cook the eggs. Since everything sticks to these damn pans its pointless to trying and save yourself dishes time buy using the same pan. At this point if I could return the pans I would.

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  2. I just discovered something I may go to the BBB for. Before I signed the final papers I asked what the interest rate was. Our pedophile looking presenter claim that the interest was already factored in to my final amount. Which was just shy of 2k. I can't see my statement I've been waiting for it to load for 30ish mins but I can say that I'm being charged almost 35 a month for interest.

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  3. so my blog with no followers, (if anyone can figure out why this doesn't show up on google let me know). I have had moderate success with the pans, Pasta, browning beef, hamburgers, pancakes and fried eggs.

    First off the pasta... not a whole lot can go bad here. Add water boil until done. Now the Presenters (from here on out to be know as the DB's [douche bags]) I digress the DBs claimed that EVERYTHING could be cooked at Medium. Not true unless you have 11d hours to wait for your water to boil.

    The browning beef and the hamburgers when off without a hitch. My biggest complaint is the F'n cleaning after. These pans might be waterless and oil-less but they are not non stick by any means. For everything but the skillet I can boil water and soap in them to get the pan clean. The skillet takes about (literally) 5 times the cooking time to clean then to cook.

    Now as of late I have had 1 giant pancake topped with two fired eggs. Not possible to do with out oil (spray on crisco, in my case). The spray shiz is the arch nemesis of these pans it works but the cleaning "kills me smalls"

    At this point the only value I see in these pans is the Life time warranty if one of these breaks I get a new one. I'm very doubtful I will buy another cooking utensil from Vitacraft. Bake-ware maybe. My wife bakes like a 20's wife so we go through cookie sheets like crazy. When and if I get bake-ware, my blog of no followers, I will let you know

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  4. I do follow this blog. Hope it makes you smile.

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  5. My hubby and I are looking at going to one of these presentations; I just want the free stuff. I am pre-law and a bit of a tight ass when it comes to cooking (I, like your wife am Betty Crocker reincarnate; bake, cook, grill, broil, sautee, give me a couple things and I can make it yummy to your tummy) so I have old pans from my grandmother that have been passed down (these are HEAVY DUTY pots and pans no joke) but when someone says free, I say lets go. Anyways; I was wondering if the whole free trip and toasting flutes and camera/case went...

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  6. Woot, woot I have a follower. Well an update is in order. I will be contacting Hycite tomorrow. They are the financing group that Vita craft uses. You see I asked my creepy salesman about the interest rate and his verbatim comment "its figured in to the amount." I would take that as the already high priced pans were being jacked up to include the interest. AS of right now I pay 50 a month which 11 dollars goes to principle...ridiculous.

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  7. ahh the free trip. The hotel requires a 50 dollar deposit, this is pretty standard with hotels. As for the cruise... 500 dollars minimum with all the shinangins that are required. I haven't priced a cruise ever, so I'm not sure its much of a deal. The toasting flutes are still in there bubble wrap due to our upcoming relocation so at this point they are plastic-y? We got some silver-ware its pretty bomb diggity, heavy duty and still shiny after multiple dish washer trips. Not gonna bother with the film camera. I have a digital camera that I never take the pictures off of so a film one would rot. We plan on using the Cruise this summer so I'll update as I figure it out.

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    1. All of these posts have really helped us out. Thanks! And I think my iPhone would probably take better pictures than that old school film camera!

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    2. Your posts have also helped me out! I was contacted to attend the Celebrity seminar after going to a bridal show. The guy that contacted me told me that i would receive two free champaigne glasses and a free hotel stay. When my fiance and I pulled up to the hotel (where the seminar was going to be held) we agreed we weren't going to by anything. Well, needless to say this was easier said than done. The saleman we had was very very good, he had be wrapped around his finger in the first 15 minutes. When I came time to purchase or leave, my fiance had to tear me away. I have been regretting now purchasing the cookware so I went online to see the reviews and this is how I came across your review/posts. Thank you for helping me get over my regret, based off of what you have been posting.. i am now glad that we decided just to take our free stuff and leave! Oh, and I think you are right about all of the salemen have a set script of what to say and what to eat, sounds just like the one I went to! Thanks againg for your reviews and updates!

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    3. I bought a set of cookware back in 2013 and at first it was a little bit hard with cooking fish and hasbrowns. However after a few times we have no issues.... sometimes it is the cook and not the pan that's messing it up.

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  8. I recently bought these pans, I got a deal of half off for buying the sample set. I made chicken with it last night and the chicken was DELICIOUS! BUT my pan now has yellow stains on the bottom from the juice, where the chicken was sitting is clean. Also the bottom of the pan also has brown stains from the gas stove. I'm happy the chicken was good, but I'm mad we are paying so much for something that is stained. Have you figured a way to get rid of the stain?

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  9. Good to here you got a deal. The only thing I found that works is bar keepers friend and a ton of elbow grease. I use our skilled pretty frequently and it gets washed and dishwasher'd prob 4-5 times a week and every other week or so I'll scrub the heck out of it. It takes about 10 mins of scrubbing to get to that like new shine.

    haven't got a hold of Hycite yet. They are on the east coast on I on the west mean I have to call before 1pm and the few times I do I get put on hold long enough to get their, were closed message.

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  10. Thanks for the info about the cleaning product. Our skillet looks disgusting! I dont even like cooking on it so I will have to try this stuff. I had the same experience with my pots as far as sticking. I think cleaning is pretty easy, but I was under the impression that sticking would not happen. We only got 2 pots the skillet and frying pan, everything else we ordered was china. Celebrity China is really great. I love our plates and silverware. We received our champagne flutes in the mail and they were wonderful! I actually broke one before the wedding, it cost us a little to replace it, but great customer service. They even withheld to engraving :) We still have our free cruise, but the travel company that's associated with it is a little hard to communicate with. Im in the digital age and hate sitting on the phone to book travel plans, so that's one big reason we havent used it yet. We're just paying the bill off so we can be done with them. Won't ever buy Vita Craft again, but the china is nice ;)

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  11. I am still waiting for my pans to come in but my mother got a set about 10 years ago and swears by them. They are not Vitacraft, they are Prestige which is a company off Vitacraft. Try vinegar and water, I heard it works amazing.

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  12. Oh my followers I haven't forgotten you. I was shooting for a 4.0 this semester of college so I haven't had time to keep you all updated regularly. Overall I'm still pretty disappointed in the pans. I love that the handles are removable, saves a grip load of space in the dishwasher, I love the warranty (haven't had to use it yet but the idea of it makes me happy). Treated like a regular pan using oil these pans are comparable to cheep editions so I feel like I've been ripped off. these take soo much time to clean if I make a breakfast, eggs, bacon, pancakes. I'll easily spend 10-15 mins cleaning the pans.

    I still haven't gotten through to the financing company to fix the interest rate, due to the time difference. I'm out of school just long enough to wait on hold for 1 hour then they close. Funny story though if I call the BBB it will go against the financing company and not Celebrity or Vita craft, that to me is kind of shady.

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    Replies
    1. NEVER PUT POTS AND PANS IN A DISHWASHER! The detergents and abrasives contained in dishwasher products will RUIN any pot or pan over time. Reheat your pan with distilled vinegar and water or use some Bar Keepers Friend...yes I know Vita Craft indicates their product is dishwasher safe...but be wise, regardless of the pots and pans one uses, don't put them in a diswasher...

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  13. I've had these pots for 35 years and am very happy with them. I do agree however that I would not say they were no stick pots. I generally put them in the dishwasher to clean, but that does take away that new pot look. To restore that shinny new look, I use a sponge and Bon Ami Powder Cleaner, which can be found in any supermarket, and the pots shine like new again. As for stuck on food, I shake Bon Ami into the pot with just enough water to cover the stuck on food and bring to boil and it comes right out.

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  14. I'm with you! These are the WORST pans I have EVER owned! Every time I use one of them it turns into an hour of scrubbing to get the stuck on food off. They told us that they have a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee and that turned out to be CRAP! When I called their customer service department she told me that there are no refunds and then made a point to mail me our service contract with the cancellation policy highlighted.
    You'd think for $2,000 they would either A: be better cookware or B: have better customer service!

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  15. Tell your followers to SAVE their money and buy pans elsewhere! I have considered contacting the BBB as well but I think this company has their scam down to a science! It took 2 1/2 months for me to get the pans, 4 months for me to get the cookbook and instructions (but I stil had to make monthly payments the whole time) and NOW three months later every SINGLE pan is so badly burned and stained they are unusable! But I still have to pay the 2K for the pieces of SH$T!

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  16. I need your help. My son bought a $3000 set of pots and pans from Montrose in Salt Lake. We are now fighting this as I believe it to be a scam. You mentioned about the UCC regulation. Could you send me the UCC code for it? I am going to need it to show violation of the law. I also believe that non disclosure of the interest rate is also a violation of the law but am not sure on that one.

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  17. I just found a post by the Daily News in LA talking about a settlement by Hy cite of about $350000 in 2008 for fraudulent business practices. The court found them guilty of deceptive sales practices and scare tactics. Type in Consumers hoodwinked by cookware scam can seek refund. It was posted on Nov 24, 2009. I am going to use this to pressure Hy cite to take back the unused pans ( all of them, they were never used)

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  18. Sorry this has taken so long to reply. Thus far I've used the heck out of the pan and they have nothing but a gimmick value. I like being able to take the handles off, but was that worth 2k...not in the slightest. So far the pans seem pretty resilient they have been through the dishwasher, in the oven and on high electric burner heat and thus far there is not permanent damage. As for the UCC I'd hire a lawyer and have them look at it, you can return to sender the box with the pan and seek compensation from the company but you'll need a lawyer I'm willing to bet they wont just hand you a refund. As for the BBB the only reason Vitacraft, & celebrity China have a good rating is that they sell your contract to a scammy financing company. If you try to seek hurting their BBB rating they simply claim that the pans are their only business, who scammed you and how is none of their concern. Honestly it is a good scam only because they have a quality product. No where near worth the money that some of us shelled out but quality non the less. I'm a fan of Calphalon personally, I had pan from them that lasted for nearly 10 years. I put it in the oven, in the dishwasher (the label said not to) and used metal on it. I just bought 3 new pans from Bed bath and beyond for 100ish dollars and I'm confident these will be around for at least 10 years. So do the math buying Calphalon for the rest of my long lived life at 200 dollars (I'll get more of these pan eventually) every 10 years. I'd have to live another 100 years to come close to the original price not counting interest on the Vita crap pans.

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  19. Let us know how the legal battle goes. I'm still sticking firm to my recomendation of DON'T BUY THESE PANS. I've put em through the ringer but they aren't worth the money. As a side note if you can't buy it in a store is it ever worth it?

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  20. So, just about every time I look on the bright side of paying 2k for a set of pans. The pans turn around and kick me in the jewels. So I made eggs in the frying pan the other day... not just any eggs, poached eggs. I've soaked the pan, boiled it in soapy water and soaked again. There's still egg goo in the bottom of the pan. WTF!!! I'm fairly certain the amount of stick-age that the boiled, out of their shell, eggs has achieved defies the laws of physics.

    Any update on the legal battles?

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  21. I turned Hy Cite in to the the BBB on Friday the 13th. Waiting to see what happens. I cited the California lawsuit where they had to pay out millions in penalties. It was for discrimination but the article did say that the court found that they used pressure sales and fraudulent sales practices which is why I cited it. They have one month to respond. I am also thinking of sending a report to the attorney General of their state. There is also face book. I have thought of starting an information campaign against them
    I was thinking that there maybe a class action suit available on this if there are enough victims that want to pursue it.

    I am hoping that they will settle to have the mark taken off of their record.

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  22. We returned the pans to the dealer who refused them. That was another $70 out of their pocket. I realized that I would have to go after Hy Cite since they are the ones causing the problem.

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  23. I have had my set for 22 years. I actually bought them from a door to door saleman when I was 19 and pregnant. It took forever (years) to pay for them and luckily I didn't know squat about interest rates back then or this would be my blog. I still have my recipe/ instruction manual and tonight our kid found it and it made me want to see if there were still around.
    I bought an entire set but never really did the waterless thing. I love my roasting pan, the sauce pan is also used frequently. My skillet for searing (can't do that w/ teflon) and browning meat. The electric skillet with the oil core is the best appliance I own. Cooks perfectly and you can fit an entire cut up chicken in without losing heat. The items are in pretty good condition for frequent use and lay perfectly flat on my glass top stove. None of my other pans do that. Once in a blue moon I use a scrub powder.
    I guess I am saying I was dumb enough to by them and have certainly gotten my use from them. Would NEVER spend that kind of money now. Sad about the scamming. I hope they work out for you.

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  24. I just found your blog tonight upon researching the Celebrity China Company. I was at a bridal show a few days ago and got a call that I had "won" a hotel trip and toasting flutes. I went to the presentation tonight at a Comfort Inn or something like that. Luckily we didn't give in but the presentation itself was tacky and reminiscent of a used car salesman. The sales pitch is overly enthusiastic and the salesman was talking a million miles an hour (perhaps meant so you can overlook certain aspects of his speech? who knows)
    Apparently the REAL cause of obesity and heart disease is not having proper cookware! *gasp*
    I am glad you have made this blog, I hope you get more followers and make people more aware of this scam because they are deceitful and sneaky! At least we walked away with some free toasting flutes...

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  25. hi, i've been looking at waterless cooking, but haven't tried it yet. I can say from what i'm reading that they seem specific purpose. You can't use them like regular pots and pans, and there probably is a learning curve. i doubt i'd use them to cook bacon and eggs. I'd stick to the tried recipes, like on you tube. they seem to cook quicker at low temperature as a low pressure pressure cooker. we ordered kitchen craft at a fair, but after reading about the company online we canceled, sending a certified letter the next business day. For all i know the pots might have been great. we are now ordering 3 pans of vitacraft fom their outlet. if they are good we'll order more.also, from another of my illustrious careers as a dish washer at a pizza joint, comet takes stains out of stainless. Now the big question, why does the food taste so good at the demo. simple I think. they probably use top quality ingredients. a good free range organic chicken tastes better than Purdue. and fresh local veggies taste better than the trucked in, tomatoes picked wen green ripened on the truck.if you were going to sell based on flavor, would you spend the extra $5?

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  26. the pans are definitely specific purpose. We've learned that hash-browns are a no go. If it needs oil,eggs and pancakes come to mind, than we go with the Calphalon. They do cook steak fairly well you have to be cautious with the heat or your going to get a crispy outside and raw inside. After 8 months of having these and using them as regularly as possible, there are still firmly in the rip-category.

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  27. Thanks for the heads-up, everybody! I got a call yesterday from Celebrity China and my fiance and I are supposed to go to the demonstration tomorrow. We didn't plan on buying anything from them but now I'm dead-set against it. My fiance is a sous chef at a fine dining establishment and I'm a pastry chef, so needless to say we're very rough on our cookware, and we are very particular about our pots and pans. We just want to go pick up some free champagne flutes. Even if they're cheap they're probably nicer than anything we have right now.. and it'll give us a good laugh to watch them try to sell us things we're not interested in.

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  29. We also attended the bridal show demo in 2010 and spent over 2k. We just moved into our house a few months ago so we hadn't even opened our cookware. First weekend in our house we decided to make breakfast. I got the small pan out to make eggs, they stuck to the pan. I tried again with oil, same thing. We were so mad! We had been so excited to use our expensive cookware. I tried pasta another night for dinner, again stuck to the pot, I tried cooking several different things I have made before and same thing. One morning I made pancakes with the flat cookware you have a picture of above. OMG it has been on the counter for two weeks. I dont know what to do with it. I almost just tossed it in the trash. I have scrubbed and scrubber and it looks like your picture. I called customer service and same thing about the no return policy. But the man wanted me to cook an egg with him on the phone. Ok he was really nice and wanted to help me but I have been making eggs for years for 2k cookware I didnt think I would have to "learn" how to cook an egg. We finally just went and purchased some inexpensive pans from target and the work GREAT. I can cook an egg and nothing sticks and very easy to clean. Why did we pay over 2K for cookware...live and learn. I also noticed the insane finance charge on our bill which they didnt tell us about so we paid them off right away. Please let us know of any updates on the legal battles.

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  30. We just bought this cookware from a bridal show and I really wish we didn't. So far everything has cooked fine, but I just don't see how it's worth $2k. I haven't received our bill yet, but I'm scared to see the interest rate now. The presentation lady said it would be 1%. I hope she's right. (ignore the blog name, it was a school project)

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  31. I'm pretty sure you're going to get stuck with 20+ interest rate. I'm with you on the value, its been 8ish months and we seldom use the pans due to the clean up. Boiling pasta can be a chore if some of it gets caught on the sides or bottom. Let us know if you got screwed like we did on the interest rate. The guy that sold it to us blatantly lied and said it was included in the final amount.

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  32. Oh on a side note, look at the value of our pans on ebay and amazon. That's a good place to go for reviews and to see what people are willing to pay.

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  33. Yeah...as usual, I should have listened to my gut and told the woman I love...no. A hard thing to say when they sit there staring all doe eye'd at you after a 90 minute presentation.
    We went last night after "winning" at the bridal show. Come to the Marriot, get some free items and watch a presentation. No hassle, no harm. Well, that is true to some extent...there was no pressure and no "scare tactic" sales pitch. Just someone that put on a good show of dazzle and wow.
    Long story short, I gave in to the woman and we signed up for the low end Set II for like 1490 + tax. Couple things that I caught, but as usual...hind sight. After our presenter did the cooking, and had us distracted with the flavorful chicken and veggies...yep, carrots and potatoes...I remember the 2nd guy walked out of the room with the chicken pan. I caught this at a glance, but like the other 2 couples...spellbinded by the food and Presenters banter. Of course, the pan came back and viola, "See how easy the ick in the bottom of the pan comes out with a little cool water and paper towel?" If I didn't no better, I would say bait and switch.
    Another thing that I remember was already mentioned. We were told that the interest rate is only 1% per month on the balance. Now I am not a math wiz, and do not claim to know how interest works entirely, but I did notice that the back of the docs we signed (hind sight again) say that it is 17%-21% per residence state. Lucky me...I live in OK, so it's 21% interest rate...not 1% per month.
    I have stumbled upon this blog after researching everything since the lil lady had second thoughts today and bang-o...we started finding a lot of customer complaints. Some of it is really not reading everything and impulse buying/greed...or whatever you want to call it. Fact of the matter is we made a mistake in buying into the magic show. I have also read the free cruise is more less another sales pitch (time share dealings, ect).
    So all in all we dropped a 100 deposit on a bunch of papers (got to ship us the upgraded crystal glasses), and 2 business days to get a letter/telegram to Celebrity China for cancellation. Yeah...we'll see how that goes. (crosses fingers)
    I really feel bad for the college kids that put the whole whopping 2500 on their credit card.

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    1. So how did the returning the product work for you?

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    2. Any update on the refund or cancellation?

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  34. Here's a couple a of sites that highlight the true values of the vita craft stuff:

    At the show this set is probably in then 2500-3000 range
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-VITA-CRAFT-WATERLESS-STAINLESS-STEEL-COOKWARE-20PCS-/180600189945?pt=Cookware&hash=item2a0c9c33f9#ht_522wt_1037

    this set sold for about 700:
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Pc-LOT-VITA-CRAFT-WATERLESS-SS-5-PLY-NICROMIUM-SAUCE-PANS-SKILLETS-XLNT-SET-/250907661031?pt=Cookware&hash=item3a6b4312e7#ht_5988wt_1270

    there are a ton more ebay auctions check em out.

    Here's one from amazon:
    http://www.amazon.com/Maxam-KT17-9-Element-Surgical-Stainless-Steel-Waterless/dp/B00077BHPS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318554130&sr=8-1

    I'm a believer in a free market, pay attention to the ebay items and what that sell for. What people want to pay is, in my opinion, its value.

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  35. stupid hyper links didn't show up right...sorry. I'll give quick break down of each for when the sites change:

    1. NEW VITA CRAFT WATERLESS STAINLESS STEEL COOKWARE 20PCS - 799.99 and it wont sell, I've been watching it for quite some time now.

    2. 4 Pc LOT VITA CRAFT WATERLESS SS 5-PLY NICROMIUM SAUCE PANS SKILLETS XLNT SET - 49.99 again wont sell, 3 pans 1 lid. 700ish at the presentation

    3. This is for Maxam cook wear $215.00 for 17 pieces, waaaayyyyy cheaper and it has the same lifetime guarantee

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  36. Really glad I found this blog. We are supposed to go to one of these things tomorrow. We definitely aren't planning on buying anything, but have you used your free hotel stay yet?

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  37. I've got some details on some people on the board of directors of Hy cite corp.

    Peter Johnson,Jr - VP of finance
    I'm not going to post the 11d billion sites I found on him Heres a link to the links though:
    http://www.bing.com/search?q=Peter+Johnson+hy+cite+email&src=ie9tr

    Marvin G. Siegert - On the board of directors
    http://www.bing.com/search?q=Marvin+G.+Siegert+hy+cite&go=&qs=n&sk=&form=QBLH

    I say raise some hell, I'll do some more snooping to find thier actual emails, if I can, then the real fun will begin.

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  38. I have tried to return the unused pots without success. Now we are in collections and I am going gathering information for a law suit against them. They lost one in California and had to pay millions for deceptive sales practices and racial profiling. I need more people than myself to go after them. email ridgerunner70@gmail.com if you have been scammed by them and want to join the law suit.

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    1. count me in.cant boil water without burning the damn pot.cbtbab77@live.com

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  39. I'm sad that you all have had bad experiences with Vitacraft. I invested in a set of their pots and pans over 23 years ago, and feel it is one of the best investments ever made. Altough pricey, they have stood up to over two decades of heavy, frequent use and are still in perfect shape.
    Last week, one of the handles on a saucepan finally gave out, and after spending all of 2 minutes with a very nice cust. svc rep, I found that they will repair or replace the pot free of charge, no questions asked.
    As far as nonstick, no, they do not have any TOXIC coating to keep food from sticking, but it is a common mistake to try to flip food too soon. If the food has been cooked at the proper moderate temp, it will come unstuck when it's ready to be turned. Cleanup can be a challenge depending on what you're making, but the same goes for any lesser-quality frypan that's not nonstick. For tough cleanup jobs I reboil the pans with water in them; it helps to loosen anything stuck to them.
    Please don't let a few bad experiences or misunderstood expectations leave a bad taste in your mouth for such outstanding quality products. I have rarely in my 40 years found such a high-quality product line or such a supportive company. I am so glad every day that I chose Vitacraft!

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    1. LOW TEMPS!! UTILIZE the LIDS.. and Vita Craft does not need a return policy, bc if you're a mediocre cook and you follow the directions you can make phenomenal food.

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  40. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  41. It's been awhile since I posted so let me first apologize. Let me address a few things though. 1st the pics. 10mp camera, the pics and the flash didn't mix, I don't know why that bothers, me but it does. 2nd... well there's a bunch of posts that will all fit in my rant so here I go.

    If the pans are soooooo great why not offer a better return policy. I bought a brand new toyota, I got a 5 day return policy. I bought a used video game, I got a 7 day return policy. I bought a brand new ipad, I got a 14 day return policy. Lets throw in defective policy: 90 days minimum from each of the previously mentioned items. The way the pans were sold to me "THEY ARE DEFECTIVE" I have $2000 worth of pans that ;can't fry eggs, make stir fry, and make hash browns. Murgie I'm happy for your ignorance I wish I hadn't found Calphalon,Tfal... before this crap known as Vitacraft. It's been 15 months for me and the best I do with these pans (well pans is an over statement) is boil pasta. I tried a grilled cheese sandwich, ask me how that turned out. Try bacon, let me know how that goes.

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  42. Hello, I was randomly researching Vita Craft as my fiance & I purchased some of their materials. I wish I would have found this blog BEFORE we purchased... Would have save us over 2k.. We are moving in a few months so we have not even opened any of our stuff yet, however that obviously will not help me in trying to return it! Like everyone else, the presenters put on a good show, the only thing that I can say was different was that they put that powder clean stuff on it right in front of us & he had no trouble cleaning it at all. (?) But the ONLY reason we purchased this stuff was because we were promised a free cruise as well as the hotel package & toasting flutes. We are getting married in July & are on a tight budget so this sounded like a deal! I have not called to set it up yet but will update u all when I do. I'm all in all pissed that we spent that much money on crappy cookware! I dont even want to open it. -__- AND I am going to research how much cruises normally cost to see if we are getting a deal or not. I figured that if we paid 2,500 on it with all the free stuff we got, it was a good deal... I'm thinking I was wrong. !

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    1. So I just did the same thing you did just yesterday 10/03/2012 and was wondering how everything went for you all?

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    3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    4. I don't mind posts that are pro vita craft but try being productive vs attacking other Commentors. I'm going to remove your post.

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  43. I just got 2k worth of the vita craft cookware yesterday, i didnt read this blog before we bought... :/
    I'm (like mizzrikkibobbi) thinking i spent 2k on pots, pans, good knifes, a two nigh three day get-a-way, and a cruise! that should put us in the green...?
    I think the key with the sticking is the cooking of the food with a cover and on LOW/MED heat, the guy said you should never cook anything on HIGH....

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  44. Sorry to have ignored this blog for so long. Its been just about 2 years since I first had my pans. To this day the only 2 I use are the sauce pans and those are becoming troublesome. Last night I made pad thai, I can't use the skillet to do the stir fry so I only used the sauce pan to boil the noodles. 3 noodles got stuck to the bottom of the pan. I tried to get them off last night and failed, so I soaked the pan with hot water and soap for approximately 15 hours. The noodles were basically a part of the pan still. I tried boiling soapy water, no dice. I finally broke down a used a butter knife to scrape them off. Thankfully the pans are made of stainless steel so my butter knife didn't do any damage. In the end, I wouldn't recommend these pans to anyone for any reason. There's reason they don't sell them in the stores, if they did the return rate would be astronomical and the store would stop carrying them.


    DON'T BUY VITA-CRAP PANS THEY ARE A NIGHTMARE.

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  45. Oh my I forgot about the free stuff... We tried to take our free cruise, the fee's and taxes are 600+ each = not free. Free hotel stay is the same boat only slightly less. So I paid 2500 +free cruise 1200+ free hotel stay 250 = 3950 of free quality stuff. I'm not trying to be a hater but nothing about this deal was worth even my time let alone the money.

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  46. Thank god someone blogs about these!!! We have had our pots for over a year now and HATE them. I finally put them away and bought a 300$ set of cuisinart pans...best pans ive ever had. Can anyone give me information on who to call about my bill? Do I call hycite or celebrity china and crystal? Anyone have numbers?
    As for our flutes and silverware I love them! I will never buy vitacraft products again. They barely clean, always stick and I can't cook anything in them! And I'm a pretty fantastic cook! Id like to know the best ways to clean them...maybe i can sell them to someone lol

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  47. I use steal wool on them. Cleans like a dream!

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  48. Ok it’s been over 6 months since I last posted. I now have started to use the pots and pans for maybe about 3 months now... I agree they can be difficult to clean, but I use liquid Bar Keepers Friend (got it at Lowes) and a sponge I have yet to have any food be unable to come off. We cook a lot of Italian frying meats, meatballs, sausage, and macaroni the Bar Keepers Friend takes the hard food off with some elbow grease of course (but nothing crazy). We always wash the pots and pans right after usage, and then dry with a towel. Never let them air dry (they get spotty) we put them away right after drying. I know I’ve only used them for a short period of time but they don’t seem as bad as some of the post made them out to be. When I first read this blog I was so upset I bought these without reading first. A trick I would offer would be cook with less heat and use more time, it works out better. On another note I must say they are beautiful pots and pans, any time we have company over and cook with them people talk about how shinny they are. We will see what happens with time. I will keep everyone posted!
    -Dino

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  49. Well sorry for the infrequent updates. I just used my frying pan for sausage, med-low and a 1tbs of water. So much for the meat wanting to turn when its done. All of my sausage was burned and torn apart when I tried to turn it. I'll offer my followers this. My skillet and my frying pan. I'll send any of you 1 or the other so you can test them to see if you can get them to work. I'll ask that if you have the pans already please don't ask for the pans and pay it forward. I'll try and keep track of who's got them here. Let me know what you all think.

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  50. you really have that bad of luck with them or are you just hating? i've had mine for over a year now and i must say they take some getting use to but not at bad as you try to say they are. P.s. water for sausage...? tip you should use olive oil, not just for these pans but every pan. :)
    also that bar keepers friend works wonders on these pans, i never have to scrub and they look so shiny!
    -Dino

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    1. I just re-read my entire blog. I am apparently and angry little hobbit. I'm less angry now. Honestly I dislike that way the pans were sold to me with no chance of backing out. The price was ludicrous and on the pans if it can stick it will stick so I use them sparingly.

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  51. First I'd like to say thank you for your commitment to this blog! I can tell you are passionate about your experience with this product, and rightly so. Every summer my children and I enjoy a month-long vacation to my hometown and each year I find myself cooking with my mom's pots and pans that she has had for over 30 years. I finally got around to talking with my mom about these pots and pans because I was so impressed with how long they have lasted. She told me that when she was 16 (1980) a salesman knocked on the door and was selling these pots and pans. She really wanted them, asked her parents if she could buy them, and with their permission handed over $200. I thought to myself that $200 was a lot back then and couldn't imagine how much these would cost today. I made a side comment to my mom, before doing a Google search, that they probably aren't as good of quality now-a-days, as they were when they were made back then.
    And after reading through the comments, it seems as though this might be the case, as those who were in favor of this product has had them for a looooong long time.
    Here is my experience:
    1) These pots have always required a little extra elbow grease, which made Teflon so alluring when they came out. But I wouldn't say this is a deal breaker.
    2) I've struggled with food sticking to my own stainless steel pans and started coating them by adding a tbsp or so of safflower oil and rubbed it around the bottom and edges of the pan with a paper towel. I also did this with my moms so I don't know if this helped or not. But I haven't cooked eggs...
    3) I want to share the info that is imprinted on the side of the pan but I don't have it at the moment. I'll post it when I can.

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    1. Eggs remain the bane of my existence with these pans. I use the heck out of my sauce pan and 2 pots though. I wish I could find something to make on my skillets.

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  52. Well hopefully this will help....or not, Heh Heh! I am in the business of waterless cookware. My company is not Celebrity Chef China but my product is similar. I am not speaking for or defending anyone (salesman or company) previously mentioned.

    That said, some of the statements made about the cookware might be helped along with a little knowledge.

    The biggest learning curve I had with the cookware is that I always wanted to cook everything at a higher heat than was needed. Waterless cookware is designed to be started at medium heat and when (valve clicks, lid whistles, vapor seal forms) then turn heat to low. This is what our recipes are timed on, after the click, whistle, etc. If you have your heat too high everything will burn, stick, etc.

    I think part of the problem in some of the above posts is plain old buyers remorse. Again, I can't speak for any one's personal experience with other companies or salespeople, I can just address my own. Buyers remorse usually sets in when you go to tell someone what a great deal you got or the wonderful investment you made and they (with limited information on the subject) say, "Oh my God you did what?" We have all probably done it and/or experienced it. I used to be so bad I could not sleep for a week after buying a new car wondering if I made the right decision.

    I do in home demonstrations where I cook a dinner and when someone invests in my cookware I follow up with a delivery dinner. Both of these dinners are designed to educate the consumer. I literally fry skinless chicken without any grease, cook 4 vegetables (2 frozen and 2 fresh) without any water, make a coleslaw salad, and bake a healthy cake (on stove top)in about 40-45 minutes. This meal is designed to feed 8 adults. My favorite delivery dinner is a vegetable lasagna cooked in about 30 minutes without turning the oven on. We also show people how to clean their pans and other short cuts to cooking with them.

    Now, why would anyone buy a set of cookware like this when store bought are so cheap? I can only speak for my company and pans. I did not intend to but I will mention my website in case anyone wants recipes or to address a comment to me directly. cookingwithdoug.com or email me at doug@cookingwithdoug.com. I don't sell from my web site so I guess that is kosher.

    3 basic reasons for investing in waterless cookware.

    1. Health.
    I cook on lower temps and without water so I preserve nutritional values. Many vitamins and nutrients are heat sensitive or water soluble. I can actually taste my vegetables so no butter or salt needed to enhance the flavors and make the best vegetables unhealthy for your heart and diet.
    I fry (mostly) without fats or oils. I say mostly because I can cook a lot of things without oil but I have never managed an over easy egg yet. But, that said, I do use either olive or grape seed oil and I am cooking on medium low heat, (think 3 on a scale of 1-10) so I am well below the smoke point of my oil. Besides clogging arteries, most cooking oils are about 120 calories per table spoon.
    There is so much that could be said about different types of cookware and the chemicals and metal, etc. that they leach back into food but you can do your own research on that.


    2.
    Good investment.
    I do shows and talk to people and I am always amazed at how many people come up and say that their mother, grandmother, etc. have had our cookware (30-40 years) and still love it. Buy it once and use it for a lifetime. Have you ever paid to little for something? I have. A cheap pair of shoes comes to mind. Research Teflon for an example cheap and easy? Uh Huh
    My product is American made so I know where my dollars are going and product quality and consumer safety in the U.S. may not mean the same as it means in another country; think bad dog food, drywall, lead toys, child labor, etc.

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  53. 3. Easy to use and clean.
    I eliminate pot watching. Put the food on the stove on medium. When the lid clicks, turn it to low and your vegetables are ready for dinner. Of course, there are more complicated recipes that take more effort but they will in any cookware. I can usually cut cooking times by a 1/3 to a half so think of more free time and less kitchen heat. Try one of your pots and cook your vegetables without water and see what you wind up with and let me know how easy it cleaned up.
    Cleaning seems to be a major thing to some folks but it does not have to be if you are cooking properly and following recipes. I immediately put warm water in any pan that I have cooked anything in that leaves a residue. Think about frying chicken w/o grease or lasagna as mentioned. And yes, I have burnt stuff in almost every type of cookware there is but a good soaking usually helps. I use a stainless steel cleanser to shine my cookware as mentioned above. I also run my pans through the dish washer. Water stains do not effect how the pan works. Again, any discoloration can be removed with stainless steel cleanser.

    I hope this helps without being too much. Obviously, I believe in what I do. If I can help in any way email me.

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    1. I appreciate the help here, most of us are stuck with what we bought. I don't think this is buyers remorse in action though. I still 2 years later hate my pans. The pans may last me forever but if I can't use them at all for major staples in my house why have them?

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  54. My fiance and I fell for a Vita-craft presentation in UT and ordered a $1800 set (after tax). The sales experience was largely the same. We signed the contract late on a Wednesday night. We began to reconsider, her parents advised against it, MY parents advised against it, and we resolved to cancel it. This was Saturday. We hoped that Monday would fall under a "3 business day buyers remorse" type policy, though we knew the contract was marked non-cancleable. We sent a flurry of phone calls and messages on Monday, and my fiance managed to speak with some people at their headquarters in Kansas (the selling company, I think, not Vita Craft). They didn't plan on letting us cancel. Then we got a hold of the people who actually sold us the cookware, who said differently.

    Within a day, the order was canceled and confirmed in writing. I'm still waiting on the refund of the $150 down payment, but it's only been one day and they took at least that long to withdraw it. I think the deciding factor that allowed us to cancel was that we made our decision and contacted them before the product had shipped. We can't, of course, comment on the quality of the product since we didn't receive it, but I had a hard time finding any favorable reviews.

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  55. So I just re-read the entire blog, thank you all for posting and reading my shitty editing mistakes.

    There's a lot of good advice posted above. I'm a lot less angry about my purchase now, I'm by no means happy but I shouldn't blow up in the blog.

    I'm going to try all the above advice through out the next couple of weeks to see if I can salvage a bad deal. I use 3 of my 5 pans. 2 pots and sauce pan. While me frying pan and skillet sit collecting dust. I haven't flipped sides, I still don't recommend these over any of the other stainless steel makers out there, especially for the price.

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  56. Just got the Set II last night with my fiance, but although it looks like they have great products... I've found others pretty similar for much cheaper.

    For those that regret their purchase within the 3 days: Talked to Doug Rinas at Celebrity and he was nice about everything and is cancelling the order as soon as he gets the cancellation papers later this week. Made no fuss about it at all.

    If you're in the same situation as I was you can call (800) 729-6346 and ask for him. Should be able to help you out without any added pressure.

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    1. were you able to cancel your order successfully?

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  57. I wish I would have read this blog before purchasing Vita Craft. These are the worst pans I have ever had I've had to dig out all my old pans. Everything sticks, the pans burn, the food doesn't taste good w water or grease since everything sticks, they take forever to clean.

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  58. Well, I've been intending to look up Vitacraft for years now, and finally have, and am kind of appalled reading the comments.

    Back in the 60's, as a college student, I "fell" for the sales pitch - so did my sister. It took me decades as a poor young woman to pay off the debt, at I think about $5.00 per month, and at that time I definitely was sorry and embarrassed that I'd bought the set because our money was so tight.

    However, over 50 years later - astounding! - I am still using and loving the set (which is in incredibly perfect shape) for almost all my cooking needs, after having cooked almost non-stop for my husband and two kids, and now just myself.

    Not to be insulting, but you DO have to learn to cook with these the correct way, and be consistent with using very little water, turning the heat down, etc.

    One bonus is that even though it distresses some people to hear me say this, I have often just shoved the entire pot into the refrigerator when I don't have time to put (for example) an entire batch of soup (or turkey stock!) into other containers, and because of the lids sealing so well, I just take it out the next day and warm it slowly on a burner, and it's absolutely perfect.

    The other great thing is being able to take something off a burner after searing the meat, or doing the first steps (say, a pot roast) and then complete roasting it in the oven, since they're oven-proof. Or jambalaya, or anything else that needs several steps, ending with the oven.

    I have a set of 5 saucepans, the skillet, the roasting pans, the egg poacher, and a 3-sizes double boiler, along with various other bits and pieces. As my bonus, I also got a set of steak knives and a set of carving/utility knives, which I am also still using over 50 years later.

    I have not had any problem through the years with bad sticking - as someone above said, if you immediately put the pan in water, it generally will come clean with no problem at all. When I've had serious stickage, I use to use a Brillo pad and scour it - easy peasy! Nowadays I just use a scraper or one of those great scouring pads if there's any difficulty.

    Having said all this, I actually don't cook fried eggs in these pans (!), having learned decades ago that they will stick. So there's that.

    But my sister and I both absolutely love these pots and pans. One of my kids has a full set of Cuisinart which I have also used, and I'm actually so spoiled with the Vita-Craft to the extent I don't cope well with "normal" high-end pots anymore....you CAN get used to the method, and enjoy shorter cooking times, NOT boiling the heck out of vegetables, and cooking terrific soups, applesauce, meat dishes, etc. And the flavors are so good.....

    Very sorry to sound like a walking ad for Vitacraft - I never do this sort of thing, and I am absolutely NOT associated with them in any way - but they have turned out to be a wonderful investment, much to my pleasure and great surprise, after the initial payments so many years ago. Of course my memory tells me that I think the entire cost was in the $200.00 range - a far cry from what it seems you all are paying for them.

    From reading all the above comments, it does sound like a scam, and today I would certainly be wary of it, and probably not buy them - but I did really need to tell you all that they are something I still love and appreciate no end. As I type this, I am cooking quarts of applesauce in one pot and making soup in another, and I know I will use these probably continually til the day I die - then they can be passed on to someone else!

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    1. My mom also bought hers in the '60s as a woman new to the work force at some sort of Vita Craft house party. I just posted below, but I really feel like there are 2 Vita Crafts. Maybe one is the luxury name and the other the lesser brand (Celebrity China)? Or maybe their product has gone downhill over the last 50 years. My mom sent in some pots/pans to be fixed a few years ago and they either fixed them or sent back new ones if needed. No big deal. She thinks these would still be a good investment for me (though she remembers buying her complete set for about $400 which would be over $1000 these days)! But I just wish I could get to the bottom of whether there are two Vita Craft systems!

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  59. It's been 4 years since I was hooked into debt by Celebrity. The pans still suck.The frying pans even with oil, suck, and everything gets stuck. They also do not heat evenly. I've tried all the recipes and suggestions, nothing works as it's supposed to.

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  60. It's been 5 years since I've got my pots and pans and the only things we use are the sauce pan. Well occasionally cook veggies in the bigger flatter pot, usually though it's liquids only stuff in the regualr pot, pasta, boiled eggs, sauce. The frying pan and skillet are utterly usless unless I go to culinary school and from watching food network a lot they have very limited uses anyway.

    100 years from now I'm sure I'll still have the pots and I'll brag like banker at the current worth plus inflation.

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  61. Thank you for this blog! I've been researching them all night and this is by far the most honest and informative review I've come across. We definitely will not be buying the product but I love a cheap trip! Even having to pay more than the $50 deposit, was the trip worth the price? (I think you said you had to pay $250 more.) Thanks again for this blog.

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  62. Yardstick, I got suckered into these products 26 years and have never had any luck with these damn pans. I have a 4 piece set of Teflon pans that have help up tried and true over those years along with my grandmother's old puts n pans that are about 75 years old and they do much better than any vita craft product I've ever tried. Like you I burned a lot of food and had to labor for hours to scrub off the particles that stick to the calm pots.

    That a-hole that said I use bar keepers and never have to scrub is a liar. If I boil pasta in mine I gotta flipping scrub, rediculous!!!!

    And the whole idea of buying these dumb pans was so we wouldn't have to use oils yada, yada, yada. So that arrogant arse needs to button his hole.

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  63. Yardstick, I got suckered into these products 26 years and have never had any luck with these damn pans. I have a 4 piece set of Teflon pans that have help up tried and true over those years along with my grandmother's old puts n pans that are about 75 years old and they do much better than any vita craft product I've ever tried. Like you I burned a lot of food and had to labor for hours to scrub off the particles that stick to the calm pots.

    That a-hole that said I use bar keepers and never have to scrub is a liar. If I boil pasta in mine I gotta flipping scrub, rediculous!!!!

    And the whole idea of buying these dumb pans was so we wouldn't have to use oils yada, yada, yada. So that arrogant arse needs to button his hole.

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  64. This thread is years old now...but can anyone comment on the different Vita Crafts? There seems to be Celebrity China which everyone hates. The pots and pans my mom has been using for the last 50 years are from Vita Craft in Shawnee, KS. They don't look like the Celebrity China pots and pans in many ways, and the product lists aren't that similar. Is it like one is the luxury brand and the other the more basic (like Acura and Toyota)? Just a few years ago my mom used her lifetime guarantee. They either fixed the pots/pans or sent back new ones. There was no drama. I really feel like there are at least 2 Vita Craft names that are being confused for the other. But maybe I'm wrong. Can anyone clarify?

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  65. So glad I didn't buy tonight! I went tonight to the presentation , alone as my fiancé is out of town (the lady that called me originally said it'd be fine!). James the jerk presenter was so awful to me for being there alone. He literally asked me to go and come back when my fiancé would be there. I said absolutely not since I'd driven an hour in traffic to get there and made time in my schedule for it and they had said it was fine! He proceeded to tell me he would just have to "put up" with me then. Verbatim. Never have I felt so humiliated and only stayed to get the free stuff at the end. Honestly though now after getting home upset about it feeling like I missed out since I didn't want to pay tonight so the jerk would get my money in his dirty pocket, I'm so glad he offended me and I found this blog! I know it's an old blog but I'm surprised there aren't more like it.

    Side note--I actually asked about the interest rate because as a pharmacist I'm pretty good at fine print so I could tell there was some catch. He fed me the same line "it's combined in the total price". I then asked what the total price including interest was when all was said and done and he evaded my question and walked away.

    I feel like I dodged a bullet and now have nice champagne flutes and somehow managed not to punch the guy in the throat...successful night Afterall !

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  66. So...did anyone ever use that hotel stay? I went to one of these presentations for the free stuff. After reading through this blog, I'm glad that's all I got! I'm wanting to know if this hotel stay is real. I'm obviously nervous about mailing them $50 for a hotel knowing their products are a scam.

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  67. I used to watch their cooking demos at the state fairs because my grandmother would watch them when we'd go with her. I'm pretty familiar with their products and the cooking techniques to use.

    That said I buy waterless cookware at thrift stores all the time. I have massive collections of Vita Craft, Royal Prestige, Lifetime, Lustre Craft, Health Craft, Kitchen Craft, Prudential Ware, Chalfonte, Saladmaster, Corey Flavorseal, Queen and whatever other brands they sell under or sold under. Most have consolidated into a few that remain. I think there are only 4 companies that actually manufacture most of what is available so you may run across more brands of the same thing. Vita Craft being one that makes their own.

    There is nothing wrong with any of them, but there is a learning curve to using them. If you're going to cook an item that already has moisture in it if you toss a few drops of water in should dance on the surface, then you know it is hot enough.

    There is a Norwex cleaning paste and pads that will get them as good as new so long as they're not warped. I spend about $5 for a pan, polish it with some elbow grease, sometimes replace the handles if they're damaged which sell from $5-15 depending on the brand and they're good to go again. Seeing as the retail on these is insane it's worth it.

    That said there is nothing wrong with using oil in them either if you so choose, if you make something like a grilled cheese it's unavoidable, but it won't hurt anything.

    Someone has a video up on YouTube of how to properly cook eggs on them without issue.

    Vita Craft in and of itself is not that bad a company, they sell the rights to distributors to sell certain lines of their cookware often through door to door marketing, they may custom make lines for other brands, not sure enitrely but it is very likely. They make commercial cookware as well which sells on their website and they are a big seller in Japan.

    I've got nothing against their design and I like their lids and lip design better than some of the other brands as it is easier to pour from, it's a shame their commercial lines aren't exactly the same because you can buy a whole set brand new from Amazon for $1000.

    I'd rank any of the brands I listed up there with the 5 ply All Clad which is thought of quite well.

    So by all means buy them and learn to use them just don't pay the door to door or in home demo prices.

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  68. ok can anyone tell me if they did the "FREE" Cruise? I called Companion Cruises (the partner for Vita Craft) and was quoted $368 for a 5 day cruise. They said that was the taxes and port fees. I looked up the same cruise on Carnival and while the price they quoted me was less it does seem to be more than port fees and taxes. Any one else have the cruise experience with this Vita Craft/Celebrity China deal?

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  69. I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. Celebrity size

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  70. Hello I’ve got my moms pans which she’s had for about 30 years but my big pan had something get burned in it so now it scorched or burns everything! I’ve been trying to contact the company to figure out what they’ll do about it and can’t find any contact information. Could someone please share that? PS I’m planning on having my mom contact them because I figured that the warranty was only good for the original purchaser. Thank you!

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