MasterChef cookware which was part of a sticker promotion in Australia similar to one run at a New Zealand supermarket has received shocking reviews online.

Exploding rivets, shattering lids, non-stick coating that peels after just one use and handles that conduct heat and burn hands are among the complaints on productreview.com.au.

The MasterChef range that was part of the Coles supermarket promotion in Australia is similar if not the same as the range being promoted in New Zealand by New World.

A promotional sticker is given for every $20 spent. Twenty stickers gets you a two-piece utensil set, 50 stickers will get you an 18cm saucepan and lid and 70 stickers can get you a roasting dish with meat rack.

New World New Zealand said the quality of its MasterChef range was high and it had not received any complaints so far.

“The range New World are offering to their customers is premium quality and has been pre-tested to meet all safety regulations,” Esther Gordon of Foodstuffs, which owns New World, said.

“The cookware also comes with quality assurance, use and care instructions and it’s always super important to follow these care and usage instructions to ensure best results.”

But in Australia, the promotion had received one-star reviews with complaints including burnt fingers from handles that get too hot, rivets that hold saucepan handles on heating up and shooting across the room and glass lids that exploded after handwashing.

One customer from Sydney said they heard a loud bang when cooking and later discovered a rivet cover securing the handle had “exploded off the saucepan.”

“Eating dinner and I almost broke a tooth biting a piece of metal,” the reviewer said.

Another said they had the same experience with two pans and said the rivet “shot off at high speed” and they believed the pan should be recalled.

Several reviews showed photos of the roasting pan with the black non-stick coating peeling off.

Numerous reviews complained about the non-stick coating peeling off after one or more uses.

Another disappointed customer said they had collected 90 stickers to get the “good saucepan” and said it was not worth the wait.

“We have used it a few times and tonight we made pancakes on and it and left black glitter all over the pancakes. Who knows how much of the black glitter has been through our other food.”

Of the 121 reviews on Productreview.com.au many of the negative reviews were from Coles customers who were upset that Coles had run out of stock before the promotion ended.

New World New Zealand said it was halfway through the promotion and had plenty of stock available.

“We’ve taken a look at the host link for complaints, which appears to be an Australian site with the majority of the MasterChef reviews related to out of stocks, and we have plenty of stock around the country,” Gordon said.

“Since the promotion started six weeks ago, New World customers have been giving us great feedback on their new cookware and we’ll soon be sharing the details of how it’s been going at the half-way mark of the promotion.”

Care instructions for the MasterChef cookware on the Coles website recommended handwashing to extend the life of the product, using oven mitts when handling pots, and placing tissue in between pans when storing.

New World pointed out the roasting dish was to be used in the oven only and should be hand-washed.

Jessica Walker from Consumer NZ said the Consumer Guarantees Act applies to gifts and giveaways, as well as goods consumers have paid for.

“So, if anyone has a problem with the cookware they’ve received, they can ask the supermarket to put it right,” she said.

“If the problem is minor, the supermarket can choose whether to repair, replace or refund. If the problem is substantial, the consumer can insist on a refund.

Walker said if the customer only paid using stickers and no cash they would only be entitled to “the value of any other consideration” provided, rather than a refund.

“It’s difficult to quantify the value of consideration so, if the cookware isn’t up to scratch, we think the supermarket should replace it with a similar product of similar value.”

Kirsty Wynn is an Auckland-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience in New Zealand newsrooms. She has covered everything from crime and social issues to the property market and has a current focus on consumer affairs.