Tom
In Essence Does Not Honor Their Contracts. AVOID!
Update [2/26/26]: I am updating this review to address the company’s response with the following facts: Timeline: I placed my order for a 15KW generator in early December 2025. Shipping Error: The company mistakenly shipped a 10KW unit, which I subsequently returned. Confirmed Resolution: On February 13, 2026, the company confirmed in writing that my return was processed and the 15KW replacement was "cleared to proceed" for shipment. Cancellation: Ten days later, the company unilaterally canceled the order and issued a refund, citing "internal circumstances" and "delays" as the reason they could not fulfill the unit. Current Availability: Despite claiming they cannot fulfill the order, the company is CURRENTLY advertising the Mr. Steam 15KW unit on their website as "IN STOCK" for $3,500—$3,900: much more than my December contract price of approximately $3,100. The fact remains that In-Essence Homes is actively selling the unit to new customers while refusing to honor a confirmed shipment at a lower price for an order placed nearly three months ago. How is this fair? I have taken a snapshot of Inessencehomes.com website as of 2/26/26 (see timestamp) showing the 15KW Mr. Steam unit "IN STOCK" for higher prices. Link is available upon request. Original Review: I am extremely disappointed with In-Essence Homes. I paid over $3,100 for a 15KW steam generator in December of 2025. After holding my funds for weeks, they mistakenly shipped a 10KW unit. I spent the next two months coordinating a return and waiting for the correct item. On February 13, 2026, the company explicitly confirmed in writing that my return was processed and the 15KW replacement was approved and ready for shipment. However, ten days later, they abruptly reversed their position, canceled my order, and issued a unilateral refund claiming "supplier delays." The reality is that this unit is currently in stock through their own drop-ship partner (SteamSaunaBath), but at a price $650 higher than what I paid in December. It appears the company held my money for nearly 2.5 months only to back out of the contract once they realized they wouldn't make enough profit on the original sale. They have ignored my demand for $650 in "cover damages" I must pay to actually get the unit I ordered in 2025. Using this company resulted in a three-month delay to my project and a significant price increase. Unprofessional and untrustworthy business practices.
Response from In-Essence HomesFeb 26, 2026
UPDATE in response to recent comment: Dear Tom, For clarity, the 15KW generator is not currently listed for sale on our website. The product was removed and is not marked as available. It is possible that you are viewing a Google cached result or indexed search snippet, which can remain visible for a period of time even after a product page has been removed or updated. When accessing our live website directly, the product is not available for purchase. As previously stated, your generator order was fully refunded once we were unable to proceed with fulfillment. No funds were retained. We understand that this situation has been frustrating and appreciate the opportunity to clarify the current status of our website inventory. Best Wishes In-Essence Homes Dear Tom, We take reviews seriously and want to clarify several important points for transparency. At no point did we intentionally hold your funds. The original order was placed during the holiday season, which can impact standard processing timelines. When the incorrect 10KW unit was shipped, we worked with you promptly to arrange the return. As outlined in our return policy, all returned goods must be received and inspected before a replacement can be released, and this process can take up to 14 business days. You were kept informed throughout that process. On February 13, we communicated based on the information available at that time that the 15KW replacement unit was cleared to proceed. Shortly thereafter, circumstances changed internally that prevented us from fulfilling the generator. Rather than continue to delay your order further, we made the decision to issue a full refund so you could secure the unit elsewhere without additional waiting. We did not retain any funds. The generator portion of your order was fully refunded. Four of the five items in your order were fulfilled successfully. We also want to be clear that there were no “damages” withheld or ignored. Once a full refund of the 15kW unit was issued, there is no remaining contractual balance. We regret that the situation did not resolve as originally intended and understand your frustration. However, any suggestion that we acted dishonestly or backed out for profit reasons is not accurate. We remain committed to operating professionally and transparently. Best Wishes In-Essence Homes