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Royal Prestige Cookware

Royal Prestige News • Hy Cite Settles California Consumer Charges ... Again • Complaints Resolved, Company Claims • Hy Cite Settles Calif. Suit • Texas Settles with Royal Prestige In-Depth Report: A Royal Rip-Off? • Promises, Promises (Español) • Complaints Resolved? • States Take Action • Tips From the Chef Consumer Complaints • General Complaints Company Response • A Message from Hy Cite Corp. The Pitch • Bridal Fairs • Cookware "Party" • "Free Prizes" • "Free Trip" • Longtime Owners The Deal • Cancellation Provisions • Contract Language • Returns Policy • Repair Service • Unauthorized Charges

Royal Prestige cookware, water filters and other household goods are manufactured by the Hi Cite Corporation and sold through a nationwide network of distributors, who use the "party plan" and "person-to-person" methods -- meaning bridal fairs, "seminars" and so forth.

The company says it has instituted new policies to prevent unsavory practices by its distributors and has submitted a statement explaining its policies and practices (full text of the company's statement).

It's up to consumers to make the right decision. The company says it has improved its practices, but some consumers are still unhappy. Here are a few of the more recent complaints (and compliments) we've received:

Betty of Irving, TX November 21, 2009

My husband and I bought in July 08 some pots of Royal Prestige. My husband and I we did payments until december because we remain without work. We tried to fix this problem with Hy Cite or to return the pots but they did not want to. We did not have money to pay and we recieve thousands of minatory calls of Hy Cite. Now this account belongs to D L Recovery Corp. My husband talked to them to pay 50 a month but He could not make it.

My husband is in the Army in a base from Kentucky. I am only with my 2 boys. Yesterday I called D L Recovery Corp. to try to make payments. I speaked to Ms. N. She treated me very badly and told me that I have to pay 2,176.00 in that moment if no, they come to impede all the things that i have in my house, She dis treat me very bad and I just wanted to fix this problem. I want to know if it is legal what she said and treat me like that. Please, I need someone help me. The cost of pots were 1,800.00. I think this is to much money for 6 pots. Thank you very much.

Mary of Sacramento, CA October 14, 2009

My father is 86 years old and lives alone even though he is early stage of dementia but still incredibly independent refusing to leave his home. He purchased a 7 piece set from a door-to-door salesman who spoke spanish like my dad. The total bill came to 1916.00. He doesn't even cook but eats lunch everyday at the senior center and dinner is usually out or with one of his children. They agreed to finance but when he realized the interest rate they charge was super inflated he borrowed to pay them off. Evidently they claim he still owes them 315. I am now involved because he has had a stroke and is hospitalized and can no longer speak for himself. I pretty much scolded them for preying on an old man who doesn't even cook and pressuring him into buying this and they retorted that 'no one put a gun to his head'. I will certainly not give them the 315 and am stuck with this outrageously priced 7 piece set that consists of 3 pots a frying pan and 3 lids. This is our experience but I am not seeking any legal action, just warning people.

Raven of Hartford, KY October 5, 2009

We received notice that we were invited to a seminar where we would recieve a free vacation and free gift certificates that all we had to do was set through the seminar. We went to the seminar, where pressured into buying a pan set, that we later tried to cancel and where told we were not allowed to unless we did so within three days of purchase, we tried to cancel the next day.

We have also never taken the vacations because instead of being free they would cost us an arm and a leg. We used one gift ceritifcate, to buy a surround sound system, that was billed to our credit card for a christmas gift. The surround sound never arrived, and we never got refunded for the system.

Mary of Dearborn, MI October 3, 2009

For those of you who've purchased the Royal Prestige waterless cookware and have regrets about the high cost, I just want to tell you that I purchased a set 30+ years ago. I am still using these pot and pans daily and they have held up beautifully. Yes, they are expensive, but in the long run, it is cheaper than replacing an entire set every couple of years. I've never had to replace any handles or other parts. (The only other pans I have bought have been inexpensive non-stick fry pans...when they warp and scratch, I discard and buy a new one - as they only last a few months.)

Carmen of Wichita Falls, TX September 30, 2009

I get calls from represantatives from royal prestige and i have told them hundreds of times not to call and they continue. I hope you can stop this calls because i will have to put a report on harrassing calls from this people.

Ricardo of hanover park, IL August 29, 2009

The gentleman stated as Jesus came to us to pick up a water distiler to fix it. It has been two years I tried to contact him and I have tried to call the company personally and no one can give me an answer of where my product is. I want my product because it has been too long and I still have nothing it was still under warranty when he took it.

Justin of Des Moines, IA August 27, 2009

My fiance (now my wife) and I were invited to a special presentation in order to recieve a "free" vacation. We were a little iffy on that, but went anyway. When we did we saw a Royal Prestige presentation, and a very firm sales pitch. Everytime we told the sales person that we would need to think about it he would interrupt us and hound us with more information. We were going to be married in about a month and needed cookware, so because of the scare tactics given during the presentation and the "won't take no for an answer" attitude of the sales man, we purchased, through financing, about 2300 worth of pots and pans, and recieved "free" china. However, when we recieved the first month bill, we were also charged and additional 1000 for the china. Knowing that we probably wouldn't get anywhere with complaints, we decided to go ahead and pay for the product. So far, every meal we have had has been followed with a large amount of scraping food off the bottom of the pans that "won't have food stick".

I recently lost my job and fell behind in payments. I am currently about 200 behind the payments, and am recieving about 10-20 phone calls a day from Hy Cite financing. I am also recieving calls at work, even though I have continuously asked them not to contact me at work. Now, I am getting a salesman, Ted, showing up at my home, and leaving phone messages threatening to have a sheriff show up to serve me on my unpaid bills.

Christine of Sacramento, CA August 26, 2009

I own the cookware. I Love using it. If you use it right, like the directions and the DVD cooking lessons, then there are no problems. I bought my Royal Prestige cookware at the past California State Fair. I just went to this Year's California State Fair yesterday and added some Speciality pans I didn't see before. I take good care of my cookware and It makes the best tasting meals I have ever made. I'm sorry other people have not had good experiences with the cookware, but it does exactly what I was told it would do. Any browning in the bottom of the pan soaks off in seconds and wipes clean. Bartenders Helper keeps the pans shinny inside. Soap and water keeps the pans shinny outside. This has been a good investment for me, worth the price. Please post my positive appreciation to the Royal Prestige Cookware Company for making a fine Product.

Pete of Roseville, CA August 21, 2009

My wife and I purchased a 10 pc. set of Royal Prestige Cookware because we were impressed with the cooking demonstration at the fair. Despite the high prices, they had some great extras added in (not a "free vacation" but more cookware pieces). Our only complaint was a little difficulty receiving our set due to a computer malfunction, but they were more than quick to respond and they also threw in extra pieces for our inconvenience. I had to laugh at some of the negative reviews I read on this post. One complained about using Barkeep ers Friend (found it at Walmart-not expensive and cleans the pots phenomenally). They used it ONCE then stuck it in their closet and are thinking of throwing them away? WOW. I think they have more issues than being mad about paying alot for these pans. Yes, they are expensive. I STILL can't believe I paid this much for cookware. On the flipside, I have been using them everyday, and all the claims about cooking with them have been met. The waterless method of cooking vegetables is so EASY that I have been eating more vegetables that I ever have. Cleaning is NOT difficult, and although I was dismayed to find there are less costly brands of waterless cookware, I don't blame the company for their prices. I paid them and knew what they were beforehand. Incidentally, the salesperson who sold us the pans is still in contact with us via email regarding questions we had. If all the sales people were as scrupulous as our guy, then there probably wouldn't be as many complaints.

FINAL ANALYSIS: They are expensive. If you don't use them, then they are worthless. If you can't afford, then don't put it on a credit card. But the pans themselves are high quality, look great, and perform as advertised. What more do you want from a pan?

Stephenie of Waterbury, CT August 16, 2009

Back in 2008, my fiance and I received a phone call stating that we had won a free honeymoon to any of the 3 locations named [Bahamas, Mexico, and the Dominican republic] We just had to sit through a seminar to claim our prizes, also we didn't have to buy any of the products they were selling. We decided to attend, took down the directions and a week later we went.

There were 2 guys there, Matt and another guy and a woman named Melissa in the back. The talked about how the Teflon in the pots and pans we used are unhealthy and are making us sick and what not, I didn't know what to think at first..scary it was but...hard to believe. So we continued to listen, as Matt was talking the other man there was cooking food on the pots and pans and then passed them out to us. The food tasted good..but it tasted as any other food cooked on any other pan tasted. After the seminar my fiance and I weren't sure if we wanted to buy anything, it was expensive but after awhile of looking at the stuff, we bought a pot and pan set for about 1,500.

We had the set up where they would take the down payment of 120 out of my checking the next week, after that they would take out 51.00 a month. We recieved the pots and pans and were excited to use them, we read the book it came with, watched the DVD, even wrote down important stuff, and we cooked..the food tasted normal as again..in any pot or pan, and the pot we used had to be cleaned with the powder like stuff it came with which would have been easier if it could just be washed like any normal pot or pan.

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