I checked this DVD out of the library, then decided I needed to own my own copy. It's the best cooking class I've ever attended (even better--you can freeze and rewind a DVD. Try asking a cooking teacher in a class to back up.) The recipes are well-thought out (and tasty!), the instruction entertaining and easy-to-follow, and the tone down-to-earth. This show is about teaching you, not entertaining you with catch phrases and wacky food combinations. It acknowledges that you're not a gourmet chef with unlimited time, a pantry full of exotic ingredients, and a kitchen full of gadgets. Instead, they keep it real. Bow-tie clad Christopher Kimball is no one's idea of eye candy, but he's personable and warm, and he keeps the show grounded in the real world by asking questions, making suggestions, and adding to explanations. Everyone involved comes across as a real person, not a celebrity with an inflated ego.
The "hook" of America's Test Kitchen is that they try all sorts of different ways of making a recipe for weeks behind the scenes, then show you the ingredients and preparation method that they found made the tastiest result. They also test and rate ingredients (like brands of dark chocolate) and tools (like food processors) and give you recommendations in various price ranges. All the recipes (and some bonus ones) are included on the DVD--just load it into your computer.
For anyone who loves to cook but still has a thing or two to learn, this DVD is a real find. For a beginner, it is a great introduction to the kitchen.

Baught this for my wife, she loves the show. I have watched the DVD with her and have enjoyed it very much.