Factor (6 meals a week) review 2027

What problem does Factor solve for people who don't want to cook?

Factor is a prepared-meal service: chef-cooked single-serve meals that microwave in three minutes. For one person who does not want to cook, it beats every frozen meal and most takeaways. There is no cooking and no cleaning, and the meals keep a week in the fridge, so a desk lunch or a late dinner is a three-minute job rather than a decision.

The benefits our testers recorded are practical ones. It was the best-tasting prepared meal service we tried, and the sauces held up through reheating. Nutrition is printed on every label, and the menu carries keto and calorie plans. It is priced per person and scored as a meal kit, which is why it sits below the kits it does not compete with.

How did we score Factor?

Factor scored 7.2 out of 10 across five weighted criteria.

• Food quality & taste — 22/30. We checked produce and protein condition on arrival, portion accuracy, and blind taste scores across six meals.
• Recipe variety — 15/20. We counted recipes per week, tested dietary filters (vegetarian, low-carb, gluten-free, family) and looked for repetition over two weeks.
• Ease & time — 15/15. We timed actual cook time against the stated time, judged recipe card clarity, and noted how much prep was already done.
• Packaging & delivery — 8/10. We assessed cold-chain condition, recyclable packaging, delivery windows, and skip and cancel friction.
• Value — 12/25. We weighed price per serving after the intro offer, plus shipping.

Where does Factor stand out?

The measured results back up the convenience claim. Blind taste came in at 7.2/10, and cook time against the card was 3 min. That combination is the whole pitch: no cooking, no cleaning, three minutes.

Our testers also noted that the sauces held up, which matters more than it sounds for a microwaved meal. Nutrition appears on every label, and the keto and calorie plans give the menu a structure beyond simple reheating. Meals keep a week in the fridge, so a six-meal order does not have to be eaten in a rush.

What is in the box and how is it built?

Factor is a prepared-meal service, not a kit. The spec sheet lists 35+ recipes per week, a typical cook time of 3 min in the microwave, and a minimum order of 6 meals. Per serving is 12.49 USD, with shipping at 10.99 USD.

The diet plans are Keto, Calorie Smart, Protein Plus, and Vegan & Veggie. The vegetarian menu is listed as some, and the service is not organic. Portions are single-serve, which is the point and also the limit.

How does Factor compare with the meal kits we tested?

Factor scored 7.2, below Home Chef at 8.5, EveryPlate at 8.2, HelloFresh at 8.1, Green Chef at 7.8, and Sunbasket at 7.7. The gap is not about taste or time — it is about what you are buying. Every rival here is a meal kit you still have to cook, and Factor is a prepared meal you microwave.

Home Chef is the most flexible kit, with protein swaps, double portions, oven-ready or 15-minute meals, 30+ recipes a week, and a 9.99 USD per serving price. EveryPlate is the budget option at 6.99 USD per serving with 25+ recipes and a 2 servings × 3 meals minimum. HelloFresh carries 40+ recipes a week at 11.99 USD per serving. Green Chef is the only USDA-certified organic kit here at 12.99 USD per serving, with keto, paleo, gluten-free and plant-based plans. Sunbasket is the closest prepared-meal rival: a meal kit plus prepared line, 11.99 USD per serving, 40+ recipes including prepared, and a prepared cook time of 6 min.

Against Sunbasket, Factor is faster (3 min against 6 min prepared) and cheaper per serving (12.49 USD against 11.99 USD is not cheaper — Sunbasket is lower). Factor's advantage is the narrower focus: every meal is prepared, where Sunbasket mixes kits and prepared dishes.

Feature comparison: Factor against the kits

Read across the shared labels and the split is clear. Factor is the only prepared-meal service in this group; the others are kits with cook times from 15 to 45 minutes. Factor's 3 min microwave time is the shortest here, and its 6-meal minimum order is the smallest commitment in meal count, though it is single-serve only.

On diet plans, Factor lists Keto, Calorie Smart, Protein Plus, and Vegan & Veggie. Green Chef lists Keto, Mediterranean, Plant-based, Gluten-free, and Protein-packed. Sunbasket lists Paleo, Lean & Clean, Gluten-free, Mediterranean, Diabetes-friendly, and Vegetarian. On organic, Green Chef is USDA certified and Sunbasket is organic on produce; Factor is not organic.

Where does Factor fall short?

Value and single portions are the two places it lost ground. At 12.49 USD a meal for one person, plus 10.99 USD shipping, the value criterion returned 12/25. That is the lowest-weighted result in the breakdown and the main reason the overall score sits at 7.2.

Single portions only means it is not a family solution. And as our testers put it, microwaved vegetables are microwaved vegetables — the format has a ceiling that a skillet does not.

Is Factor worth the price?

Price summary: 12.49 USD per serving, with shipping at 10.99 USD. The value criterion scored 12/25, measured on price per serving after the intro offer plus shipping. For a solo eater comparing it with a takeaway lunch, the comparison is fair; for a household of four, the per-person math and the single-portion format both work against it.

Who should buy Factor?

Solo eaters and lunch at the desk. If you are one person who does not want to cook, Factor beats every frozen meal and most takeaways, and the three-minute microwave time makes it a realistic desk lunch. If you need to feed a family, or you want to cook, the kits above it on this list are the better fit.