Home Chef vs. Marley Spoon Comparison Review and Prices (+3 Samples of Each)
Choosing the right meal kit delivery service can be a game-changer for simplifying meal prep and enjoying delicious, home-cooked meals without the hassle. Two top contenders in the meal kit world, Home Chef and Marley Spoon, offer unique features, flavors, and price points that make them popular choices. Whether you’re looking to explore new recipes, customize your meals, or just save time in the kitchen, these services promise convenience and variety with every delivery.
But how do you decide which meal kit is the best fit for you? Does one offer more recipe options or cater better to specific dietary needs? In this article, we’ll dive into a full comparison of Home Chef and Marley Spoon, analyzing everything from subscription costs and meal variety to cooking simplicity and customization options, so you’ll have all the details to make an informed choice.
Reading this article will give you a clear understanding of how Home Chef and Marley Spoon stack up, helping you identify which service aligns best with your taste, schedule, and budget. With all the pros and cons laid out, you’ll be able to pick the meal kit that turns your cooking routine into a seamless, enjoyable experience.
Home Chef vs Marley Spoon Comparison
In the following table, we will be displaying the main characteristics of Home Chef and Marley Spoon. We will also be showing you the important advantages as well as limitations of Home Chef and Marley Spoon, so that you can decide which meal-kit delivery service suits you better.
| Feature | Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| Delivery areas | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii, Germany, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Australia |
| Price range | $30 to $120 per week for two | $55 to $143 per serving |
| Price per plate | $8.99 per plate | $11.50 per plate minimum |
| Difficulty levels | EasyIntermediateExpert | EasyIntermediate |
| Avg. cooking time | 30 minutes per meal | 30 minutes or lesser |
| Avg. calorie count | 400-600 calories per serving | 650 calories per serving |
| Supporting material | Meal description, Nutritional fact, Recipe cards, Mobile app | Meal description, Recipe cards, Photos |
| Recipes supported | Vegetarian, Poultry, Without nuts, Without soy, Seafood, Without wheat, Pork Carb-conscious, Calorie conscious | Health & Diet, Vegetarian Vegan Meat & Fish, Under 30 minutes, Family-friendly |
| No. of choices | 13 per week | 45+ per week |
| Introductory deal | $20 off in first box with free shipping | $40 off on first box |
| Avg. shelf life | 3-5 days for meat, 1-2 days for seafood | 3-5 days for meat, 4 days for veggies |
Types of Plans: Home Chef vs Marley Spoon
| Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| Oven Ready meals $13 per meal serves two Only needs to be heated in the oven | Couples plan 2 meals for 2 people per week= $51.96 + $9.99 shipping ($61.95 total) 3 meals for 2 people per week= $65.94 + $9.99 shipping ($75.93 total) 4 meals for 2 people per week= $83.92 + $9.99 shipping ($93.91 total) 5 meals for 2 people per week= $99.90 + $9.99 shipping ($109.89 total) 6 meals for 2 people per week= $113.88 + $9.99 shipping ($123.87 total) |
| 15-minute meal kits $9.95 per serving, Requires very little cooking time | Family plan 2 meals for 4 people per week= $83.92 + $9.99 shipping ($93.91 total) 3 meals for 4 people per week= $113.88 + $9.99 shipping ($123.87 total) 4 meals for 4 people per week= $143.84 + $9.99 shipping ($153.83 total) 5 meals for 4 people per week= $179.80 + $9.99 shipping ($189.79 total) 6 meals for 4 people per week= $208.76 + $9.99 shipping ($218.75 total) |
| Entrée salads $9.95 per servingNo cooking required |
When it comes to the types of plans in Home Chef, the customer can choose from various sized boxes depending on the needs of their family. The boxes not only differ in sizes but also differ in recipe types. The customer can also choose among different cooking styles and difficulty levels based on their requirements.
Marley Spoon mainly offers two types of plans for the customer. As of now, Marley Spoon offers two types of plans: the couples plan and the family plan. Marley Spoon also has a number of recipes for customers to choose from, including family-friendly and even kid-friendly options for picky eaters.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Types of Plans segment.
Types of Ingredients: Home Chef vs Marley Spoon
| Ingredient type | Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| Produce | Not always organic produce, More of seasonal produce | Farm-fresh produce |
| Meat, eggs, fish | USDA FSIS approved | NAE chickenAntibiotic free meat |
| Other ingredients | SeasoningsSpicesSauces | Pasteurized dairy products, SeasoningsSauces |
Home Chef insists that all its ingredients are very safe to consume on a long-term basis. The produce in the Home Chef meal kits comes from local vendors, with whom the meal kit delivery service has partnered in different regions of the United States. The meat used to make the meal kits is USDA FSIS inspected and approved.
The ingredients used to create the meal kits in Marley Spoon are also of very high standard. This refers to the produce that comes from local partners who use safe and sustainable practices. However, not all the products in the meal kits are organic, and this can be a major limitation for many consumers.
Winner: Both Home Chef and Marley Spoon win the Type of Ingredients segment.
Add-Ons: Home Chef vs Marley Spoon
| Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| DessertSaladBreadFruitSmoothie | Egg bits, Desserts, Protein packs, Snacks |
When the Home Chef customer is placing an order for meal kits for their everyday cooking, they are also free to create add-ons in the form of sides and desserts. In addition to these, the customer can also choose from a range of breakfast smoothies, which are one of the highlights of Home Chef. Bread is also available as an add-on.
Marley Spoon allows its customers to choose from a selection of grocery items to add to their carts. These items include egg bits, healthy and tasty snacks, and even desserts. Furthermore, the customer can also opt to add protein packs if they want to add more bulk to their meals. The protein packs come in the form of chicken, beef, or seafood.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Add-ons segment.
Packaging of Meal kit: Home Chef vs Marley Spoon
| Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| Meal box, Divider, Produce bags, Insulated liners, Ice packs, Plastic containers, Recipe cards | Cooler bags, Ice packs, Cardboard boxes, Insulation bags, Paper bags, Plastic packaging, Plastic container |
| Fully recyclable | Mostly recyclable |
Both Home Chef and Marley Spoon take the sustainability of their packaging very seriously. The meal kits in Home Chef come packed in a meal box that is made out of recycled cardboard. The ingredients and produce are packed into produce bags, and the entire box is insulated with denim to retain the freshness of the products.
Marley Spoon states that 99% of its meal kit packaging is easily recyclable. The ice packs only need to be emptied into trash or soil, and the plastic film is to be recycled. The packaging used to pack the produce and the sauces and the pastes can be disposed of in a recycling center as well.
Winner: Both Home Chef and Marley Spoon win the Packaging of Meat Kit segment.
Customer Support: Home Chef vs Marley Spoon
| Feature | Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| Chat support | – | – |
| Email support | + | + |
| Phone support | + | + |
| Availability | Monday-Saturday | All days of the week |
When it comes to customer support, Home Chef allows customers to reach out to executives through email as well as phone support. However, there is no live chat feature on this platform, which means that customers cannot get real-time responses about their issues. The availability of customer support is limited to Monday to Saturday.
Marley Spoon also does not have chat support for customers to reach out to executives. The customer can also use the email id of Marley Spoon to bring up their complaint. Phone support is also available in Marley Spoon. One disadvantage of the customer support here is that the response time is not guaranteed to be quick and instant.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Customer Support segment.
Sample Meals: Home Chef vs Marley Spoon
| Sample | Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| Sample 1 | Name: Japanese BBQ Burger, Preparation time: 35-45 mins, Spice level: Mild, Difficulty: Easy | Name: Pan-Seared Sirloin Steak & Parm Potatoes, Preparation time: 30-40 mins, Spice level: Mild, Difficulty: Easy |
| Sample 2 | Name: Korean Fried Chicken, Preparation time: 30-40 mins, Spice level: Medium, Difficulty: Intermediate | Name: Hot Honey-Glazed Barramundi, Preparation time: 20 mins, Spice level: Medium, Difficulty: Easy |
| Sample 3 | Name: Garlic-Parmesan Crusted Filet Mignon, Preparation time: 35-45 minsSpice level: Not spicyDifficulty: Expert | Name: Easy Prep! Chicken Biryani, Preparation time: 40-50 minsSpice level: MediumDifficulty: Easy |
Home Chef brings a whole lot of variety to its customers and is mainly popular for its wide range of choices. From the standard meal kits to the Fresh and Easy menu, the customer is bombarded with plenty of recipes, which are rotated often so that there is no boredom on the kitchen table. Each recipe also varies in difficulty levels to bring more challenges.
Marley Spoon also offers a range of options for customers to choose from based on the needs of their palate as well as the time they can commit in the kitchen. Most of the recipes in Marley Spoon fall under the Easy to Cook category but can range in their cooking time. Marley Spoon also adds a kick of flavor with freshly prepared spices and pastes for customers to use.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Sample Meals segment.
App rating: Home Chef vs Marley Spoon
| Platform | Home Chef | Marley Spoon |
| Google Play Store | 2.1 | 4.8 |
| Apple App Store | 3.2 | 4.7 |
| TWP Rating | 3.5/5 | 3/5 |
Final Verdict: The winner in this battle is Home Chef with its high number of options.
The best thing about using Home Chef is that the customer gets to enjoy plenty of options in this meal kit delivery service. There is not only a meal or recipe for every type of wallet, but the affordability is also pretty great in Home Chef. Home Chef also has a number of recipes that are easy to cook under the Fresh and Easy menu.
Home Chef is valued by many amateur home cooks since there are many difficulty levels covered in the platform. There is also a Culinary Collection here. The recipes in the Culinary Collection require a little more patience and effort in the kitchen. These are preferred by those who are eager to learn new cooking techniques and whip up some magic in the kitchen.
Marley Spoon or basically Martha & Marley Spoon, definitely tickled everyone’s excitement when the venture was initially launched. In Marley Spoon, the customer can find very easy-to-cook meals landing on their doorstep at the right time. The recipes in Marley Spoon are home style all the way and intended for daily cooking and eating.
However, many customers have left negative reviews about Marley Spoon, mainly due to its poor customer support. The meal kit delivery service also does not have a fast response, which can leave many questions unanswered. At the same time, there are tons of users who have found Marley Spoon to be the answer for their daily cooking needs.
Home Chef is clearly the winner when we compare it with Marley Spoon. This is because Home Chef has been an expert in catering to the personal needs of the customer along with those of their families. Home Chef beats many meal-kit delivery services, simply because of its variety and superb customer support.
Methodology
In order to offer you the most comprehensive reviews of all meal delivery companies, we thoroughly examined the information they provided on their respective websites, reviewed user reviews on various social media platforms, interviewed testers and actual users, and conducted primary research on social media platforms. Additionally, reviews from previous consumers of these services were analyzed using the appropriate Google and Apple applications.
This page will be updated with images and videos of our experiences as we continue our internal review. In the event that they significantly differ from those of our external assessors, we will revise this page to provide you with both perspectives. This enables you to identify the service provider that is most suitable for your needs by utilizing the aforementioned information.
Our primary criteria for evaluating these meal delivery companies are the diversity of meals offered, the simplicity of the recipes, the variety of diets and cuisines, and the supporting documentation as well.
We have also considered the recyclability of the packaging for these products. Finally, we have evaluated the shipping and customer service capabilities of these websites.
FAQs on “Home Chef vs Marley Spoon”
Where does Home Chef come from?
Home Chef comes from Chicago, where the company headquarters are located. As for its meal kits, this meal kit delivery service has a number of distribution centers located in Atlanta and San Bernardino, including Chicago.
Does Martha Stewart own Marley Spoon?
No, Martha Stewart does not own Marley Spoon. Marley Spoon is owned by Fabian Siegel. Martha Stewart was chosen to be the face of Marley Spoon, mainly because of her world-famous popularity in the kitchen.
How much does Marley Spoon cost per week?
Marley Spoon costs $6.95 to $10.25 per serving and the price per week can depend on the contents of the box. The subscriber will also need to pay a flat shipping fee of $8.99 for every order.
