Perfect Tortilla (taco salad bowl maker) – A Marketing Review
It’s Taco Tuesday and dinnertime is nearing.
The kids keep demanding something different than just soft tacos and quesadillas. You have a stack of flour tortillas ready for action. You’d love to fry the tortillas into bowl shapes, but that requires a ladle, a vat of bubbling hot cooking oil, and some practice.
Oh, if only there was an easier way of making those crunchy taco salad bowls that everybody loves. That is, an easier way than just purchasing them in the store like you do anyway for the tortillas.
What’s this? The Perfect Tortilla baking pan for taco salad bowls?
Perfect Tortilla website — www.BuyPerfectTortilla.com
You mean that I can actually bake those tortillas into bowl shapes right here in my own kitchen? It looks like Taco Tuesday is going to get extra crunchy, extra fast!
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial
Let’s take a closer look at the Perfect Tortilla TV commercial and see how the product is selling itself into our homes.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — Dinnertime at everybody’s favorite Mexican restaurant.
The Perfect Tortilla TV commercial opens with a family in a Mexican restaurant receiving their food. No, they didn’t order burritos, tacos, nachos, fajitas or even quesadillas. They ALL ordered something that’s served in hard shell bowls. Perhaps we’ll see a way to recreate this meal at home.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — I just can’t make those f$%*@&# shells!
We’ve all been in this situation, right?
Instead of searching for stores selling baking pans resembling taco bowls, we try to hold the tortillas’ shape with whatever is lying around the kitchen. In the end the bowls look like crap. You can only crunch them and hope to use the bigger pieces for nachos.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — It’s a non-stick baking pan in the shape of a taco bowl!
Thanks to the Perfect Tortilla, you can bake an ordinary tortilla into the shape of a bowl. Now there’s no need to used a bunch of aluminium foil, an old tennis shoe, or even some crumpled newspaper to hold the bowl’s shape while baking. The tortilla shell baking pan will do the hard part for you!
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — Baking hard tortilla bowls is easy! And fun!
In case you thought it was challenging or complicated to bake such a bowl with the Perfect Tortilla, according to the TV commercial, the answer is NO! Just plop the tortilla shell into the baking pan, stick it into the oven, and then check on it in about five minutes. That’s it.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — Just five minutes from zero to being a hero!
In fact, the product is so simple to use that you really won’t see any further product instructions in the rest of the TV commercial. The remainder of the marketing ploy mainly shows examples of what to serve in the hard but edible bowl.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — It’s a taco bowl party, and you’re invited!
Mmmmmmmm.
Just look at all of those delicious combinations of Mexican food being served in crunchy taco bowls. I wonder if the Perfect Tortilla TV commercial will go into any detail about the product such as its size, how well it works with things besides tortillas, or if it’s easy to store in the kitchen.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — The mighty Marc Gill and his tortilla bowls!
Just when you were wondering if the apparently small Perfect Tortilla bowl could handle making extra-large bowls, the mighty Marc Gill is here to answer that question. According to him (and you can barely see it in the commercial), yes, the Perfect Tortilla makes ALL sizes of tortilla bowls.
How?
I guess it’s a secret. Neither Marc Gill or the TV commercial get into any further details of this selling point. Some stores sell a variety of sizes for those tortilla shell bowls, but Marc Gill claims that the Perfect Tortilla can handle all sizes of tortillas.
Is it easy to fit an extra-large tortilla shell into the Perfect Tortilla bowl? Will the larger shells hold their final shape just as well as the smaller ones?
Apparently it doesn’t matter a whole lot in this advertisement. The important thing to remember is that hard tortilla shells in the shape of a bowl are awesome.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — It can also hold ice cream!
In this shocking example we learn that the Perfect Tortilla hard bowl can hold something besides Mexican food. Exactly how long the bowl will hold its shape after the ice cream starts dripping and dissolving the shell is a different story. The thing to remember is that the hard tortilla bowl can make a nifty ice cream bowl.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — Yes, it claims to be dishwasher safe.
Near the end of the TV commercial we’re reminded that like many baking and cake pans available on the market, the Perfect Tortilla is dishwasher safe, making for easy cleaning. Then again, I wouldn’t expect a whole lot of residue if you’re only using it to bake tortilla shells.
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — It includes the Cut ‘n Cup Slicer! For FREE!
The end of the commercial hits us with the product offer. To sweeten the deal the company is throwing in the Cut ‘n Cup Slicer, absolutely free. There’s no mention of needing to pay any postage and handling fees for the wacky slicing tool with a built-in measuring cup.
So what’s the final offer?
How much is the Perfect Tortilla going to cost us average folk who want to bake their own tortilla bowls?
Perfect Tortilla TV commercial — The FINAL product offer.
As it’s stated on the Perfect Tortilla’s website, you can get FOUR of the Perfect Tortilla baking pans, two recipe guides, and the Cut ‘n Cup Slicer for only $10. Of course, you’ll be paying a small fortune in postage and handling fees to go along with the promotion.
The TOTAL COST comes to $25.90 ($10 + $7.95 P&H + $7.95 (P&H for “free” set of Perfect Tortilla baking pans)) for the current Perfect Tortilla product promotion.
Perfect Tortilla offers a 30-day money back guarantee, but that’s just for the $10 cost of the product. If you think it includes the $15.90 you’re paying in postage and handling fees, well, guess again.
WARNING – Be careful if you enter your credit card company and press the “Process Order” button. Many of these as-seen-on-TV company websites do NOT give you a final confirmation screen before accepting your CC number.
FINAL THOUGHTS
What exactly makes the Perfect Tortilla special?
It’s easy to acquire baking pans for tortilla shells and taco bowls. You’ll have to think outside of Walmart, but I easily found a few baking pans with very similar shapes and much lower prices than the Perfect Tortilla promotion.
So if these special baking pans are available in stores and also cheaper, what exactly drives people to buying the Perfect Tortilla version of the baking pan? Is it for the free slapping/cutting/chopping slicer with a built-in measuring cup?
Unfortunately, the TV commercial and pitchman Marc Gill don’t go into any of the product’s details whatsoever. He just rambles on and on about how great it is and how much fun you’ll have eating out of hard tortilla shell bowls. As it was stated earlier, most of the TV commercial shows examples of meals that can be prepared through almost any baking pan with the taco bowl shape, not just tortilla bowls formed with the Perfect Tortilla.
When it comes to baking tortilla shells into a bowl shape, the Perfect Tortilla appears to be just like any other non-stick, dishwasher safe tortilla bowl baking pan. Nothing was established to sell this baking pan as being better than any other taco shell baking pans in the marketplace.
One of the things that strikes me as odd with this advertisement is that there isn’t any mention or any scenes showing people actually breaking apart and eating the bowl. We see lots of examples of the tortilla bowls being bowls, but there’s virtually no mentioning of the fact that the bowl itself is part of the meal.
The sad thing is that not everybody is aware that such a thing is edible. It’s the same thing when people order soups and the like in bread bowls, and they aren’t aware that the bowl is part of the meal. “You mean you can actually eat the bowl, too?”
Another odd part of the Perfect Tortilla is the product’s name itself. It’s hard to not add the word ‘bowl’ onto the end of Perfect Tortilla. After all, a tortilla is commonly defined as a thin, round, pancake made from wheat flour or cornmeal and baked (sometimes on a hot griddle) until dry. Tortillas are soft, round, and can be shaped and folded depending how they’re being served in the end. This product, however, sells the concept of baking the tortilla into a hard bowl.
So why is a product being called the “Perfect Tortilla” when its final shape is going to be a crunchy bowl? Why not call it Perfect Taco Bowl or Perfect Taco Salad Bowl?
One thing is for sure.
With the Perfect Tortilla, you’re going to need to keep purchasing tortillas to make those fun serving bowls.
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All of the Perfect Tortilla commercial images were screenshots of a TV commercial currently available on YouTube. For more product information, please visit the company’s website at www.BuyPerfectTortilla.com.
Perfect Tortilla and Cut ‘n Cup are registered trademarks.
RellimZone.com is not affiliated with Perfect Tortilla.
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This article was originally published at www.chamberofreviews.com on June 1, 2012. The comments are as they originally appeared.
Even though it took a lot of offers and wishing they would stop i still purchased them because it was the best deal i could find for that shape. the only other place i found was $9.98 for 4 pans and $5.98 s/h. this did not include the book which was also $9.98. sadly i do not trust used cookware unless i know the person giving it to me. i hope they do as they say.
Did you actually use the product? You say nothing about how it works or if it does what it says it will. You just whine about the name of it. This is supposed to be a review, and yet I know nothing more about the product than what I saw in the infomercial. Please learn what a review is before you write another one.
Betsy,
Please learn to read an article’s TITLE before complaining about the article.
I wish I could buy this, but as I’m not in the USA nor Canada ther is no povision to place an order even though I’ve got a forwarder in Miami. Is there a way this can be done?
Hope there will be one in the future.
Thanks for your time.
Dan, I agree that they need to read the title before complaining.
Excellent review, but I think you could have stressed the point a little more that while this product may be OK for what it does, the whole thing is one giant RIP-OFF!!! I ordered a set & was stupid enough to go ahead and get the “free” 2nd set with “free” cut’n cup slicer. This was after saying “no” to a dozen other products they were pushing. I entered my credit card info, thinking I would be charged $10 for the bowls & $15.90 in postage. Yeah, that’s a bit expensive, but I was prepared to pay that amount. I entered my credit card info and….WHAM!! I get a “thank you for your order” message with a total showing of $48.80!!! $48.80???You’ve got to be kidding me! They charged me $31 for postage! I have made other online purchases and am ALWAYS shown a screen with my complete order, including the price BEFORE I press “accept”. But not this company!! They don’t give you any chance to back out of the purchase at all. I’d like to report them to the Better Business Bureau, but they can’t find this company?? Could you please tell me who to report this scam to?? This is such a total RIP-OFF!! and I don’t want anyone else to be scammed like I was!
Thanks for your assistance in this matter.
I just did something I have only done once before–order from an infomercial. I was in a weak moment, I guess. I did notice on the order that shipping to areas outside the US is an additional $10.00 or more. Anyway, I checked Amazon after I placed my order and found a set of 4 for $19.96 and because I have Amazon Prime, the shipping would have been free. Live and learn. When I get these in 4 to 6 weeks, I’ll report on how functional they are.
Lori,
That’s a common issue with the as-seen-on-TV products. Many of them will NOT give you an order confirmation screen when going through the ordering process. That click to “begin order” or “start order” is secretly a confirmation button. I don’t know how they’re able to keep getting away with it.
You may want to try your luck registering a complaint with the FTC. Here’s a link for more information: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
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Sherri,
Sadly, most of those companies rip off people with the shipping & handling fees. And of course, those shipping fees are not refundable if you decided to return the product. It’s all part of the game.
>Lori De Garmo
They do rip you off. I ordered an extra set for my daughter, and when I clicked to order, it had charged me for 3 sets, and 40.00 shipping. A total of $77!!! I am more than angry! Scam artists!
I had a similar complaint, no confirmation screen. Was charged just over $40. Fortunately I called the very next morning to cancel the order. Yes, I found similar bowls cheaper on eBay.
Thank you for the info about “perfecttortia”. When I couldn’t get a clear statement as to what S&H was before I ordered, I backed out and killed the browser tab.
When I checked the web for others comments, this was the best. Not only did I get the s&h info, I also got information that there was other cheaper pans, I got places to look for em.
Oh, if anyone wants possible recipes, “I” use Meals.com. I have used other sources, but this one was the consistent for “all” I wanted (shrug).
Again, thanks for the help.
Hard Advice for online buyer. This is worst online purchase experience. Recommend nobody to buy any items using its online service. You would be ripped off by its S&H. Don’t take your risk. Previous bad comments are all true.
My husband was all excited about the infomercial too, but I’ve had experience with ordering from the tv and the costs involved, so I went looking online for instructions on making taco salad bowls at home. All you need is ovenproof bowls. You put the soft taco tortilla inside and loosely drape it in the shape you want on the sides. You could probably do the same by turning the bowl upside down if it was big enough. I’ll bet our local dollar store carries some overproof bowls. Whether inside or over the outside of a bowl, the round tortilla is going to drape into about the shape one wants anyway. Maybe not as perfectly as as it would come out by pressing the tortilla against a shaped bowl, but for the difference in cost I can live with “less than perfect”.
I have no idea how I stumbled on to this review, but it has totally made my Saturday morning. The level of sarcasm mixed with an actual analysis of the commercial is brilliant. I feel like I have been missing out all these years by not only NOT making tortilla bowls myself, but by not even thinking or wanting to make tortilla bowls myself. That was a lot of double negatives there, but I’m too lazy to rewrite it.
If you purchased with your credit card dispute the transaction with the credit card company. If the taco bowl company doesn’t respond with a satisfactory answer, they don’t pay them and remove the charge from your card.
I had a similar experience as MD, I backed out when I couldn’t get the the S&H. Purchased a set of 4 on Amazon.com for $19.98. Just rec’d them, they look the same. I wanted the recipe book, just to see other ideas. MD thanks for recipe website Meals.com
this is truly a rip off 10.00 dollars turns into 25.90 and when i called they only come in 4 per package.
Thank you everyone for saving me a lot of time and anger!
somehow my order came to $108.00 – I received the package today and it included 3 sets of the tortilla pans, 3 cut ‘n cups, and two other items that I have no idea of what they are or what they do. There is no packing list included. I too thought I had backed out of the order, as I did not confirm the order. About two weeks later I saw the charge on my bank statement. I feel like an idiot!!!
If I were you I would contact your local Attorney General’s Office and file a complaint with them. They have the resources to find the company.
>Bob
This company is a rip off scam. They will charge your credit card for more than you agreed to. Please do not order from this evil marketer, its a shame that they take advantage of innocent hardworking people.
>Karen Karen
I didnt even order a second set and they charged me an exorbant amount for shipping and handling. They are rip offs!
Like Sarah, I came upon this website by accident. My husband & I had just seen the infomercial and I was looking for the product website to show him how these companies charge you huge p&h fees. I HAD to read this review to him! It was so well-written and extremely entertaining! I don’t even know of any other products I need to review, but I’m going to be all over this site if for nothing else but the entertainment value! Thanks so much, Dan, for making my night!
I did enjoy all the comments. I however do not order online or over the phone. I you wait and watch you will find all the as seen on tv stuff in the drug stores,walmart,dollar generals and actual as seen on tv stores that have it all. I have got load of stuff that way.
My aunt ordered these weeks ago…still hasn’t gotten them and her card was charged almost $110.00. Go to Amazon and get what you pay for. This place is a huge RIP OFF!!!!
I ordered these. What a joke! They took 2 weeks to get here, after waiting 3 weeks to ship. They could have dropped these light things in the mail and it would have been here in 2 days. Instead, it went all over the country, only to be shipped from post office in GA. Also, they do NOT make crisp shells. They are like rubber and I have tried everything with no success. Tasteless and rubbery.
I never order off tv,most usually if you wait a bit walmart will sell the exact same product for the price on the tv, with out the shipping and handle the only thing is you don’t get the extra goodies they promise to get you to fall for their tv scam.
Purchased the pans locally (10.98 for 4) and used them last night for taco salads. We were pleased. The only disappointment was the fact that the recipe book is not included-only a sheet with oven temps and times. Would like to see the recipes.
Wow. My order just arrived today and I’m all excited to try it. Well that was until I read this page of awful reviews. Bummer! Hope my experience is somehow different
i almost fell for the scam because of the dice and measure cup, but i always research enticingly advertised products before ever making a purchase. & this site was most helpful, indeed. Thanks for the honest feedback forum, which saved me the American rip-off…
YOU CAN GET THEM AT THE STORE ‘AS SEEN ON TV’ I BOUGHT MINE LAST WEEK AND LOVE THEM…THEY ARE CRISPY……… NO PROBLEM WHAT SO EVER
>Joe
I just purchased them at Walmart and paid no shipping. The price was $10.95. I did use them the same day and they work great.
I need the recipe book, I have the pans I would like the recipes. Thank You!
That’s why I always read Trip Advisor ans sites like that first. The reason I looked this up first is to see what other actual buyers have to say first. and I thank ALL of you for the heads up. I guess i’ll just go to BedB&B or one of those kitchen stores at a mall and look for a pan ’cause I still think it’s a great idea. Making your own smaller taco shells at home with a regular frying pan and some oil is easy. You just form the shell, folding it over, as it’s frying, using a slotted spoon or a fork/butter knife in your other hand. only takes a minute on each side of the corn tortilla “cup”/holder. and they smell great making them yourself.
>Dennis
Ebay. great idea. How about looking in thrift/second-hand stores? I bet they hit the dollar stores in no time. lol. My question is what chemicals do they emit into your food? I’ve been trying to avoid non-stick pans, although that Orgreenic fry pan seems to be OK.
>Sarah
Ha Ha ha ha. That’s the idea of running those commercials over and over. to break you down. and they make a “show” out of it for the masses, sometimes a full half hour! just like a sit-com or something. Just take the really Free Ideas and recipes and re hash them. I do get good Ideas from some of these “shows”. and Ideas are truly Free. I think I’ll make some of my 2 min. home made corn tortilla tacos today. look through the frig to see what leftovers I have. Throw on some kind of mayo/sauce/salsa. Voila!
>Larry
I wondered about that while I watched. How was an already pre-made Flour tortilla going to be crisp? But if you make your own Corn tortillas in a frying pan with oil, forming them into shape as they cook-2 min., they ARE crisp and yummy. Not a Bowl, but good. Save the bowls for a treat when you go out to eat? just saying….
I purchased perfect tortilla pan set. However, there are no directions on how long to cook/bake them, degree of oven. There are NOT any instructions on the box. Is a direction sheet missing from the box I purchased?
Need instructions.
Marlene
I purchased the perfect torilla pan set from Bed, bath and Beyond. The price was $10.99 for 4 pans and you can use your coupons if you choose. They usually have 20% off coupon which would make your purchase 8.79. I believe if you call and order from the store they will even deliver it for free. They also have a 2 pack that comes with the recipe book , but it is $14.99. The pans do work great and make dinner more fun.
>Marlene Ruppert
Marlene,
We baked them in a convection oven at 400 degrees for about 8-9 mins. Just keep an eye on them the first few times you cook them, because with the convection fan blowing, the sides sometimes tend to fall inward.
I bought the buy one get one free offer. I don’t know where the got the money figures but the 4 bowls cost $51.08. These are readily available at K Mart for 2 for $10. So $21.00 will buy 4.
Love the bowls… Did not order on tv I found them at Walmart for $10 and I got four bowls but they did not come with recipe book…
I bought mine from Walgreens and we love it! I think it works well for the price!
I’ve discovered that Walgreen’s and Dollar General are now offering an entire section of ‘As seen on TV’ items.
Super pleased, since I surely never need to get the two-fer offers, and the ripoff warnings are for real !!!
Our family is rather kooky, and we buy each other some ASOTV stuffs, just for the laughs, but this year DIL and her mom are each getting this set of four, found @ Wallgreens for $10.95, IIRC. I sorta want some myself, but maybe in Jan, for my b-day … LOL