Charlie Bigham's Reviews 1,117

TrustScore 4 out of 5

4.0

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Review summary

Based on reviews, created with AI

Reviewers had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the high quality of the meals, often describing them as delicious, flavorful, and comparable to restaurant standards. Many appreciate the convenience of these ready meals, finding them to be a superior alternative to other supermarket options and even some takeaways. People frequently highlight the tender chicken and the rich, authentic taste of various dishes. However, some customers have expressed concerns regarding the product, price, and value for money. A few reviewers noted a perceived decline in quality and care in certain dishes, describing them as bland or of poor quality. There are also mentions of high salt content and a lack of gluten-free options. While many find the price fair for the quality, others feel the meals are overpriced, especially given recent price increases and what they consider to be smaller portion sizes or insufficient quantities of key ingredients like chicken or meatballs.

What people talk about most

Product

Customers consistently note ambiguous experiences with product. Many reviewers praise the high quality,... See more

Quality

Consumers generally express satisfaction with the quality of meals, often describing them as delicious,... See more

Price

Reviewers highlight ambiguous aspects of price. Many customers feel the products are expensive, with some... See more

Value for money

Clients share ambiguous opinions on value for money. While many reviewers feel the meals are worth the price,... See more

Retail

Reviewers express high satisfaction with the retail availability of products. Many customers praise the... See more

Based on these reviews

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

We love the king prawn and scallop risotto, it's absolutely delicious and it's frequently on my food order. However, two littles niggles: the juices leak out of the wooden tray very easily (due to th... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Charlie Bigham produces several delicious “stand-bys” for one diner, shame you can’t freeze them but they are useful for a quick grab on the way home, that is if you can find them now that my local T... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Tasty meals, much better than many takeaways and cheaper too, although prices have crept up lately. Have also noticed the high salt content of many meals; this may be to compensate if they have starte... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I sent CB a suggestion regarding their meal and I immediately got a positive reply. What a refreshing change that they take on board customer suggestions and hopefully act on it. We enjoy their meals... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Food Manufacturer

Written by the company

Ever since 1996 we've been making delicious food with all the care that you would if you had the time. After all, what better way to spend an evening than chatting, laughing and sharing a wonderful meal? Turn off the phone, dim the lights and crack ...


Contact info

4.0

Great

TrustScore 4 out of 5

1K reviews

5-star
4-star
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1-star

Replied to 100% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 1 week

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thai red curry

Thai red curry. Excellent taste. Best ever and it scores 100 out of 100 on the yuka app which rates food never seen this before once had something that scored zero. Cooked in our caravan oven and always take a selection on our trips so easy and so tasty.

April 16, 2026
Unprompted review
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I treated myself and my sister to…

I treated myself and my sister to paella by Charlie Bigham I was expecting to add an ingredient or two to make it as good as what I’d make myself Well I was blown away - it was absolutely GORGEOUS - it needed nothing extra so I am moved to recommend it wholeheartedly to everyone needing a special treat!

April 11, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hi Laureen,

Thank you so much for your lovely review, we’re absolutely delighted to hear how much you and your sister enjoyed the Paella!

It’s fantastic to know it exceeded expectations and didn’t need anything extra, that’s exactly what we aim for!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A little street in Singapore….

Really impressed with the laksa dish …
So quick and easy to cook and very, very tasty.

Authentic too.

April 11, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hi Jacqueline,

Thank you so much for your lovely review!

We’ve been so excited about the launch of our new dishes, so we’re absolutely delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Laksa and found it both tasty and authentic.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your feedback.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Meatball el Forno (for two)…?

my first Meatball el Forno (for two) was good. Second one not so. Four meatballs and lacking edge of first meal. So not impressed - Sorry

April 12, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hi David,

We’re really sorry to hear this, that’s not the experience we’d expect.

Please do get in touch with us at hello@bighams.com so we can look into this further and help put things right for you.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Charlie Bighams pie bought from petrol…

Charlie Bighams pie bought from petrol garage Waitrose stock Road Billericay essex must be the worst pie I have ever eat and this pie had carrots in and the puff pastry did not rise and taste of nothing . The petrol garage served the pie in a plastic package whereas when I bought a week earlier in Waitrose store served in a a ceramic dish . Avoid buying pie from petrol garage - uneatable and not fair cost £5.99 and failed to eat it and spoilt the rest of meal with my potatoes and vegetables !

April 5, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hello Sonya, we’re really sorry to hear about your experience.

Just to clarify, we have two different types of pies in our range: our Fresh Pastry Pies (with shortcrust pastry all around) and our ceramic Dish Pies (with a puff pastry lid). It sounds like you may have had the former on this occasion.

If you’d like us to look into this further and help, please do get in touch at hello@bighams.com.

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Chicken Tikka Marsala

Chicken Tikka Marsala. This was very nice. Easy to cook. Authentic and tasty. The rice ( with the silver foil to cover it) was good indeed. A no brainer.

Perhaps slightly 'mild' for me ( even with the red chilli) but the Wife loved it. (You could remove the Chili pieces before heating?)
Next time we might add a few extra Chicken chunks ( from our freezer) to fill out the excellent sauce.
With the Fish pie we add a piece of frozen salmon to it. An extra £1.50? This beefs up the meal nicely.

April 2, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Thank you very much for your thoughtful review Brian. We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the Chicken Tikka Masala and found it easy to cook. It’s great to know it was a hit at home too! We really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Last week I bought A new dish a Chicken…

Last week I bought A new dish a Chicken Parmigiana.
It was tasty , sadly the chicken portions were small and the herb crumbs tomato etc were even smaller.
Very poor value for the £10 , no where near enough for two.

March 27, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

We’re very sorry to hear this, Edgar, and appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.

We’d really like to look into this further and help, please do get in touch with us at hello@bighams.com

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Great taste

Low percentage of fish with Salmon the only prime cut.
Great taste but a ridiculous cost for a ready meal

March 19, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hello Mark, thank you for your review. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

We understand our meals may be a little more expensive than some other brands, but we like to think they’re worth it. We cook in small batches and use the best quality ingredients to create dishes we’re proud of.

Thanks again for your feedback.

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Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I love Charlie Bingham meals

I love Charlie Bingham meals. My husband and I love the Chicken Thai Green Curry. So constructive criticism is for a 6ft male and 5ft4 female average weight, we struggle with how small the portion sizes are. Not feeling full or satisfied is not great. We end up buying a single portion too which then makes this meal expensive. Generous rice portions mean chicken portions. Hence a 3 star rating.

March 16, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hello Dawn, thank you for your feedback. We like to think our portion sizes are perfect for 1/2 depending on dish but we will certainly pass this on to our team. Thank you again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Quality without compromise

My Wife and I are not what you would call “foodies” but recognise quality when we find it. We have now tried a range of offerings that Charlie Bigham provides and have found the quality of the food exceptional, consistently and without compromise. Great stuff!

March 16, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Dear Alan,

Thank you so much for your lovely review.

We’re so pleased to hear that you and your wife have been enjoying a range of our dishes and that the quality has been consistently exceptional. That’s exactly what we strive for!

Thanks again for taking the time to share your feedback

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Paella? I think not

I rate Charlie Bingham meals highly, but the so-called paella is a real let-down. Certainly a tasty meal with plenty of quality ingredients, but nobody who has eaten / cooked an authentic paella would give this name to Charlie's version. Call it Spanish style rice please.

March 15, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us.

I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy our paella as much as you’d hoped, although I’m glad to hear you found it to be a tasty meal with quality ingredients.

If there’s anything further we can help with, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at hello@bighams.com, we’re always here to help.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Doesn't taste as good as competition

Tastes kind of mass produced, unhealthy, and tbh odd. Small portions. Mindful Chef and Cook taste fresher, healthier, and better all round.

September 1, 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

We’re very sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your experience.

If there’s anything we can do to help, or if you’d like to share more details, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at hello@bighams.com.

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Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I’ll have the meatballs al forno,two or…

I’ll have the meatballs al forno,two or three times a year.
The taste is fine ,but I always wonder how long the company deliberated over the size of the single portion .
Quite a while I’d guess.
The reality is that for most people under 70 years of age ,it’s not quite big enough for one . Not so small as to look stingy,but definitely not enough for anyone with a half decent appetite .
Consequently I always have to get the one that’s supposed to be for two people,and is then quite expensive for a ready meal for ‘one’

March 3, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hello Stephen, we're so glad to hear you enjoy our Meatballs Al Forno. We like to think our portion sizes are perfect for 1/2 depending on dish but we will certainly pass this on to our team so thank you for the feedback.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Duck Confit, ok at half price but wouldn’t buy at full price!

Purchased the Duck Confit when offered at half price. The duck legs provided a generous amount of meat although they were surprisingly pink despite being well cooked, soft and succulent. I found it best to cook the duck legs on a baking sheet rather than with the lentils to provide a crisper texture but it’s still difficult to identify the Parmesan crust. The lentils lacked any real depth of flavour and I couldn’t find any bacon. The potatoes were crisp on top but again lacked the buttery flavour you might expect. I purchased this when it was significantly reduced in price and would buy again when heavily discounted but not at the full price.

March 11, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Dear Claire,

Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback with us.

I’m sorry to hear that the Duck Confit didn’t fully meet your expectations. Your comments on the flavour, texture, and overall balance of the dish are really helpful, and we’ll be sure to share them with our development team as we’re always looking to improve.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Are you feeling rich

Tasted good but the price was well over priced

March 7, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Thank you Colin for your review, we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

We know our meals can be a little pricier than some options, but we believe this reflects the care we put into them; cooking in small batches and using quality ingredients throughout.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My favourite is Charlie Bighams Red…

My favourite is Charlie Bighams Red Thai Chicken Curry and rice. The sauce is creamy and delicious and always plenty of tender chicken pieces.
Also love his fish pie and we always have it with veg the night before we fly somewhere on holiday, as it’s so easy to cook while busy packing etc.
The beef lasagne is also lovely. So many more to try!

March 9, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hi Trisha,

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review, we’re so pleased to hear how much you’re enjoying our dishes.

We especially love the idea of Fish Pie as a pre-holiday tradition while packing, what a great ritual!

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Duck confit was absolutely delicious

Duck confit was absolutely delicious. Duck was perfect, potatoes superb, lentil sauce excellent (could have done with a little bit more- but that in no way detracted from the overall experience of the dish). Added a bit of brocolli cooked on our new hob! Well up to restaurant standards. We ate as the first dish cooked in a new oven (deliberately not very ambitious) and all worked out perfectly. Eaten with a splendid 2010 Chateau Angludet - perfect. OK it's not a quick cheap weekday dinner, but this was a bit special - new kitchen. We'll definitely have again, quite superb!

March 9, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Phil. We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the Duck Confit. It sounds like a fantastic pairing with the Chateau Angludet. We'll be sure to share your kind words with our chefs, we hope you enjoy our dishes again soon.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Nice food but not value for money

Don’t get me wrong the food is delicious however they lose 2 stars because of value for money . The little dishes are tiny and very small portions . I only buy them when Tesco put a yellow label on but £6.50 is a bit OTT . I’ve upgraded them to 4 stars as I’ve just had the chilli con carne which I believe is meant for 2 people but was great for me on my own .

March 5, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hello Neil,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're really pleased to hear that you enjoy the taste of our food.

Our dishes are designed as single portions and are made with carefully sourced ingredients and cooked in small batches by our chefs, which is something we take a lot of pride in.

Your feedback is valuable and helps us continue to review and improve our range.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The only ready meal you'll ever need!

In a world where people only write reviews to complain, I wanted to pass on my love for Charlie Bigham's Chicken Tikka Masala.

Just to say it’s great. There’s no other curry that comes close (even from an authentic curry house)

Yes, we all know Chicken Tikka Masala is a British creation, however you chefs….. keep doing what you do well!

Here’s to eating more of the good stuff!

It'll take a while, however forward to working my way through the entire CB range.

March 2, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Charlie Bigham's

Hello Dean, thank you so much for taking the time to share such a lovely review.

We’re absolutely delighted to hear how much you’re enjoying the Chicken Tikka Masala (that’s high praise indeed!) and I’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Charlie and the chefs.

Here’s to you working your way through the rest of the range!

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