[4] Circulation grew from an initial 25,000 to 600,000 in 2004 and one million subscribers in 2007, maintaining a growth rate substantially higher than the general category of cooking magazines.

Though the company is still officially known as Boston Common Press, most of its publishing activity is done under the America's Test Kitchen brand.

On November 16, 2015, a news release from Boston Commons Press announced the departure of Kimball over a contract dispute.

Founder Kimball's philosophy, which his magazine reflects, is that there is a "single best way to make a dish" that leads to "nearly bulletproof" results.

At the end of the article, the author reaches a final recipe and lists the ingredients and preparation instructions, often with minor variants.

[4] For instance, a recipe for Chinese barbecued pork substitutes ketchup for the traditional red bean curd, which can be difficult to find in the United States; a method for improving inexpensive beef roasts suggests turning off the oven during the final hour of cooking to improve the beef's texture; and a recipe for low-fat cookies includes pureed dates, an unorthodox ingredient that the author preferred over more traditional low-fat alternatives.

Each magazine also includes a detailed taste test, in which a panel of tasters evaluates different brands of ingredients such as ketchup, dark chocolate or balsamic vinegar.

[10] Every issue includes a detailed equipment test, where a panel of users tries a variety of items such as knives, cutting boards or baking sheets.

Many issues also include a two-page spread illustrating details on a general method or task, such as "Mastering the Art of Stew" or "Stocking a Baking Pantry".