One woman placed an order of adorable, pink cooking pans on Temu. When she received them, however, she was shocked to see how flexible they were. And not in a good way.
Mikayla Renfroe (@mikaylarenfroe on TikTok) shared a video Tuesday showing her husband handling the pots she received from Temu. And by handling, we mean bending in half.
“I’ve officially fallen victim to Temu,” Renfroe added in the video’s text overlay.
Her video has garnered over 57.9 million views since it was posted.
Are these Temu pots really that bad?
The pots Renfroe purchased appear to be a $29.97 set of six pink “stainless steel” pots and matching lids from Temu. The site claims to have sold over 2,500 of the sets, and the item listing has an average review of 3.5 stars.
However, a closer look at the comments shows that many were unsatisfied with their purchases, as Renfroe was.
“Box was opened, one screw for lid handle is missing and they are very thin pans, no way in hell can anything be cooked in them unless on way low so it dont burn…very cheaply made, would not recommend,” a recent review read.
“It feels like it has been painted on pink,” another reviewer wrote. “The bottom doesn’t have that sliver ring under it. It’s not glossy and it feels cheap. But for the price and the amount of cookware, I’d say it’s worth your buck. Update: the frying pan comes isn’t safe to cook, it smelt burnt, and the fire alarm went off but I didn’t have an issue with the pots but still returning them due to a few flaws.”
More negative reviews
“Terrible craftsmanship. upon putting it on my stove it burned immediately. scorched inside out,” a third wrote. “Smell of burnt plastic and chemicals. DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM. ITS DANGEROUS. The fumes coming from it was ghastly.”
Even more, a further user said they opted to use the pans in their child’s play kitchen instead. “Thank goodness this was free, I’m going to put it in my kids Play Kitchen,” they wrote. “I wouldn’t even boil water in these pots, they are so thin and flimsy, I hope no one considers this a serious purchase. Can’t imagine any of these pieces being safe.”
Not only did several commenters claim these pans were not safe to use, but many said their items arrived already damaged, too.
What does the product listing say?
The item listing claims the products are made of stainless steel in Guangdong, China. Additionally, the cookware set’s branding refers to it as “high quality stainless steel,” including phrases like “nontoxic,” “nonstick,” and “oven and dishwasher safe.”
The seller, which is called “Great Option” on Temu, launched one year ago. It sells a variety of items, including different pot sets, large toolkits, electric lunch boxes, and electric razors.
The Daily Dot reached out to Great Option via customer service chat and to Renfroe via TikTok direct message for more information.
@mikaylarenfroe I’ve officially fallen victim to Temu. Got me 🤣😭
♬ sonido original – Vibes by Ley
Are all products on Temu bad?
One commenter asked Renfroe, “Why does anyone shop on Temu?”
Renfroe responded with a video, showing off a wooden, mid-century modern-style shoe organizer she purchased from the online seller. “It’s cute! That’s why,” she explains.
Overall, shoppers should be wary when purchasing products from Temu. NBC News tested six normally high-ticket items that were substantially cheaper on Temu in December. More than half of them did not measure up to what was advertised.
For those unhappy with their Temu orders, they can return their purchases up to 90 days after their original buy date. Customers will receive their refund once the returned item has passed Temu’s inspection, per the brand’s website.
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