Family Handyman is a home improvement and DIY publication offering articles, guides, and projects for homeowners. This page aggregates customer ratings and reviews to help you understand reader experiences with the magazine and its service.
Family Handyman Reviews
1.0
14 reviews
What Shoppers Say About Family Handyman
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
Family Handyman is rated 1.0 out of 5 by 14 shoppers, with all reviews rating the publication one star. Shoppers report serious concerns about unsolicited book shipments accompanied by surprise billing, delayed or non-responsive refund processes, and significant changes to the publication's format and content quality. Multiple long-term subscribers express disappointment with the shift from physical magazines to email-only delivery, with complaints about shallow content coverage, loss of expert contributors with hands-on trade experience, and editorial direction that no longer aligns with reader interests.
Common complaints include difficulty returning unwanted items, unresponsive customer service, and feeling that the magazine no longer delivers the practical, expert-level DIY guidance it once provided. Subscribers who paid for multi-year subscriptions in advance report receiving minimal content in return. The publication's decision to pivot editorially has alienated at least some long-time readers who feel the magazine has strayed from its core appeal.
Customer Reviews (14)
Sorted by: Most recentWalter J.Jul 15, 2024
That fresh redesign you're promoting is pretty laughable. Fifteen years I've been subscribing and suddenly overnight it turned into a home design publication. The June issue showed step by step instructions for building a decorative arbor that featured a wedding display, tips on pollinating plants, bird house projects and garden hose shopping advice. Not interested. I'm canceling my subscription right away.
Paul H.Jul 5, 2024
The magazine did an overnight flip from being a practical guide for home and vehicle repairs to a women's lifestyle magazine focusing on small building projects and table flower arrangements. See page 30 of the July August issue as an example. I had three years left on my subscription plan and would like reimbursement for the remainder. Please cancel my account right away.
George N.Jun 28, 2024
Since the late nineteen nineties I've been reading this magazine and always looked forward to the practical advice and project ideas. Then something shifted. For the past year I noticed the direction felt different and finally figured out why after looking at the current issue. The editorial department has eighteen people and twelve of them are women. Look, I'm not against women in the field. I'm married to one and there are plenty of talented female DIYers out there. But you can clearly see the magazine is embracing its feminine side now. If your goal is reaching female readers then keep going but I'd wager a lot of male readers are leaving. The Family Handyman was built for men and it's not anymore. Keeping that original name feels dishonest to the male DIY community. Maybe Family Handyperson would fit better. It's disappointing to watch this happen and I don't see a turnaround coming. I'll stick to rereading the older issues I have.
Frank K.Jun 26, 2024
Honestly, they should rename this to the Family GirlyMan at this point. I subscribed for 20 years and now I'm done. If I wanted to read reviews about hiking boots, I'd go somewhere else. Even major truck brands have stopped advertising in this magazine. Looks like going woke really does go broke.
Family Handyman Review FAQ
What is Family Handyman's current rating on RetailCoupons.com?
Family Handyman is rated 1.0 out of 5 based on 14 customer reviews. All recent reviews rate the publication one star.
What are the main complaints shoppers mention?
Shoppers report receiving unsolicited book shipments with surprise $21 bills, difficulty obtaining refunds for subscriptions, delayed customer service responses, conversion from physical magazines to email-only format, and disappointment with editorial changes that shift away from expert-level DIY content toward other home-related topics.
Are there concerns about billing practices?
Yes. Multiple reviewers describe receiving unopened boxes marked as gifts that contain bills when opened. Subscribers also report challenges getting refunds approved and processed, with some customers receiving repeated automated responses but no actual refund after multiple weeks of waiting.
What happened to the physical magazine?
According to reviews, Family Handyman converted from regular physical magazine delivery to a once-monthly email format. Subscribers who prepaid for multi-year subscriptions report receiving only email content instead of the promised physical publications.
Do reviewers recommend Family Handyman?
No. All recent reviews on RetailCoupons.com are one star, indicating shoppers do not recommend the publication. Long-time readers express particular frustration with recent changes to content quality, editorial direction, and delivery format.