Williams-Sonoma

I left happy leaving the store today! One of the ladies working there, Jackie, was so helpful and sweet and truly made shopping there such a treat. I felt I was making things difficult and she assured me I was not — she made me feel so comfortable and at home. The employees here want to help you and truly care about the customers! And I got an amazing deal on a coffee machine on their 20% off one item sale!

Just left this store… Usually I love walking through and looking at all the cool cooking stuff but today this was not the case. My wife and I received a le cruset pan for our wedding long story short it shattered and cracked all over the place so I took the pan back to this store where it was purchased to see what my options were. Now I must say I didn’t realize this pan couldn’t go on the stove I thought it was enamel and not ceramic so that’s on me. The ladies at the store may as well laughed in my face saying you should know better than that didn’t you read the instructions, then she said it’s a great pan if you use it correctly, we would be happy to sell you another one otherwise your out of luck. Man not only did williams Sonoma not stand behind there products the sales woman made it a point to make me feel stupid. Guess I’ll shop somewhere else from now on

My husband and I are a bit of cooking addicts. We love cooking, and love buying stuff for cooking, and come into Williams-​Sonoma all the time.
One of the men who works here, Michael, is seriously the nicest and most helpful guy. He will go out of his way to educate us on what we are looking at, or to go back in the stock room to search what we are looking for, or to look at other stores for us. I always like going in there when he’s working, because I know he will be helpful in anyway he can. :)

I got the best coffee maker ever here several years ago, not a brand that was carried anywhere else in the area at the time. Last year, I found the perfect citrus juicer. Both have turned out to be very useful and worth the price.
Occasionally I have picked up a new knife or gadget, but many of their items are high priced and too specialized for the everyday kitchen, I think. Pretty table linens but not how I entertain.
It’s always nice to get a tasty treat when they are sampling. The quality is good, and sometimes a mix for a novelty item is worthwhile if it includes ingredients I would not have on hand, or want to buy in quantity.

A few items are useful and creative, like the garlic peeler or mini pie maker, but most products are overpriced and pretentious. The employees are snooty and unhelpful, not creating a very inviting atmosphere. And why would a foodie specialty store not offer chemical free pans? I’ll shop at Crate and Barrel or even Target for most of my kitchen tools.

I really like this store, I just wish I could afford to buy more products from them. But the things I bought here are great quality and some are unique. I bought my Shun knives from here and also a lot of baking related things.
I go here every now and then and «mark» a product to buy, then save up and visit the store to buy. I like the quality of their products and the staff at this store is very friendly and ready to help whenever i ask questions. And i do ask a lot of questions.

Of course, you will be spending more than you probably want to, but here’s to hoping you find something awesome in the sale rack or somehow get a coupon of some sort.
The press character cookie cutters are pretty great, have the Marvel and Snow White ones! I’m not quite sure why, but I get some sort of satisfaction from biting off Hulk’s head…
So, with a gift card in hand, I decided that I would treat myself to what little frugal me usually wouldn’t buy: pasta sauce, pasta, rose water, a zoku quick pop maker, and chopped up chocolate chunks. That was the best damn pasta I’ve made and I really made the jar last. Popsicle maker has paid for itself keeping me cool in the heat and making sure I am eating healthier. Those chocolate chunks made some bad ass Bailey’s cupcakes. Finally, the rosewater, a little to fragrant and fakey for my tastes, so I’ll stick to Indian store cheap stuff.
It is quite fun to just pop in and browse when I have a free moment, and I look forward to those to come.

2012 Review :13
I firmly believe that Williams Sonoma is the most pointless store in existence. Yes, even more than Brookstone. It’s like the wannabe foodie store. Do you want to pay 5x what these items actually cost? Do you want to try to emulate a Momofuku Milk Bar Compost Cookie, which is the easiest thing ever to make, with a mix? Do you want to try to be Thomas Keller and make bouchons at home, trying to fool yourself into believing they will taste the same? Then yes, come here.
Every time I buy something here thinking it will be nice for someone– such as Parmesan dipping oil or a mushroom finishing sauce or a bbq rub– it just sits in the cupboard for years. Literally. There are a lot of silly products here, both edible and in terms of utensils. I image Alton Brown walking in, shouting «unitaskers!» and falling down to the ground, foaming at the mouth. They for real have a «garlic skin remover.» It’s called a knife blade people– use it. I have gotten some useful things here, like metal dry measuring cups, or a cherry/​olive pitter. I also really like their knife display, which will allow you to «test-​drive» the knives with some celery and carrot on a big bamboo cutting block. Or you can test-​drive the salt and pepper grinders.
I come in here pretty much every time I come to this mall, but I never buy anything. I think it’s a good place to be registered, but only if you want people to pay way more than necessary. It’s a good place for ideas, but not when they actually have 4 oz enamel «dutch oven» ramekins that cost $ 100 each. And definitely not when they’re marketed as «stocking stuffers!» My friends and family definitely aren’t quite that lucky.

Excellent products, delicious foods, lovely selection of oils and vinegars plus an awesome corporate philosophy to stand behind their products. I know their prices seem a little higher for some items, but they’ve got great integrity for allowing you to return items that have not held up, years later, without a receipt. I love that they stand behind each and every product that they sell. If you are looking for deals, catch one of their awesome sales, especially around the holiday season.

Lifetime warranty. That’s pretty good.

OMG it is a cooker/​bakers heaven! The toys the gadgets oh my! Seriously if you need something for your kitchen THIS is the place to go… I love what they have to offer and the working kitchen in the middle of the store with something on the flames really gives the smell of the place ‘home’

Quality Goods at Quality Prices.
Before you read this, I want you to read and remember Two Facts.
1. You get what you pay for.
2. The things in your kitchen are an investment.
Listen, I know your first complaint about Williams-​Sonoma. They’re pricey. You can get the same things in another store for less money. Well, not the VERY same things in most cases, but you can get a coffee maker, panini, lemon zester, or blender like anywhere.
I know you can, but you still want to go to Williams-​Sonoma. Here’s why: Most of their stuff is BETTER.
Here’s another thing I know about you. You like stuff that works the way it’s supposed to. If it’s a button, it should do what it says every time you press it. Not for the first 3 months. Not most of the time for the first 5 years. But Every time All the time, for as Long as you Own it.
It’s cool. I feel the same.
Let’s just hilight a couple things. It’s Example Time!
Illy Coffee
I know, right? It’s my favorite, too. You can get it cheaper at the grocery, or Target, or wherever, right? Yeah, You’re right. Go buy it somewhere else!
A Peppermill:
Ok, do you want to get a Peugeot pepper mill that will cost you $ 90, or do you want to spend $ 7 on a decent one from Target or even Marshall’s? It totally seems like a no-​brainer. The cheap one will grind your pepper, and will beat the pants off buying ground pepper. In fact my pepper mill is brass with a ceramic grinder that I got for like $ 25 at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx. But I can’t stop thinking about the Peugeot. They’re gorgeous, and my cheap one is already irrecoverably tarnished in a kinda nasty way. Quality metal, quality mill, quality price. But once I’ve spent the money, I can teach my kids the value of quality things, and pass it to them.
If your parents were as smart as you’re about to become, you’d already have a Peugeot peppermill waiting for you for free. ;) Trust me, the company has been around long enough.
Bakeware and Cookware:
Pots and pans, casseroles, cake pans, cookie sheets, etc. Yours are already rusting, aren’t they. They don’t work like when you got them. You want to take them to goodwill and replace them with something WORTH taking care of. Cheap crap teflon peeling off your Chinese skillets and sauce pans… Get beautiful set of All-​Clad cookware, made in the USA and then congratulate yourself on helping out the economy instead of hurting it. Or forget the economy because you can afford to buy Le Creuset. Good for you! All the fabulosity of Cast Iron without the whole «seasoning» matter, since it’s all perfectly glazed.
When you’re ready, you can get them from W-​S. Or ebay. Hah!
Madeleine Pans:
See my Crate and Barrel review for the story.
See BONUS below for my feelings on their customer service.
Gadgets and everything else:
This is more of the same. A lot of it is higher quality than the Target and Wal-​Mart crowd carries. If it’s not, then it’s just throwing away money. But you will also find things that aren’t available most places, or are just Better than the rest.
BONUS!
William-​Sonoma offer free demonstrations. They have sample foods most of the time. You can take free cooking classes! Go check their website for your local store’s schedule. The employees are not 16 year-​old high school students who can’t answer your questions. They are cooks, home-​makers, mothers and fathers with experience and answers. They take the time to help you, answer your questions, explain their products, and give you confidence that you’re making the right purchase.
Better products.
Better service.
… not better prices,
But in my opinion, better VALUE.