Pfaltzgraff Blake 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Black

Many MANY years ago I bought a set of Pfaltzgraff seconds (they were discounted because the colored glaze was not absolutely perfect around the edges) at an outlet, the majority of which have survived over a decade of heavy use.Moreover, the pieces that did break were lost due to my general clumsiness.What I'm trying to communicate is that the reason this set attracted my attention is that Pfaltzgraff makes stoneware that can take withstand an enormous amount of rough and tumble daily use, far more than any other brand I've used.I also really liked the look of this particular set on the product page; although...When they arrived, the first thing I noticed is that the centers are not as pure white as they appeared in the images (at least how they appeared on my screen).The actually color is off-white, so if you are specifically searching for a pure white with no brown tones,this might not be the pattern for you.That being said, the pieces are all really appealing, have a nice smooth, shiny glaze, and the neutral palette makes them easy to match.I particularly like how the textured pattern on the edges of the pieces varies slightly across the two different types of plates, the bowls, and the cups.My absolute favorite thing about this set, however, is the cups/mugs!With a lot of dinnerware sets I've looked at and bought, you get a tiny little tea cup that is not good for much more than decoration or small after dinner coffees/teas.While that is fine for china you only use for more formal holiday meals, it's annoying when you are looking for dinnerware you hope to use day in and day out.These mugs are substantial and will work for both hot beverages, as well as smaller serving of things like soup, cereal, etc...One thing to carefully consider before committing to this set is how you feel about the weight of stoneware.The big trade-off of the durability and look of stoneware is that it is quite heavy compared to other materials.If, like me, you prefer a heavier plate/bowl/cup, it is the only kind of dinnerware you'll keep in your cupboards.However, those who prefer lighter options because they have kids, wrist issues, or what have you, may want to hold out for set made from a lighter material, even if they aren't going to hold up as well.As you can tell, these get a huge thumbs up from me on both looks and functionality.Definitely hope I get to use this set on a daily basis for years to come...

This tableware set is gorgeous and very unique. The colors are simple but the textured patterns make a bold statement that’s sure to grab people’s attention. I’ve gotten compliments on these from everyone who has seen them.The accent color on these looks black but it it has hints of dark deep blue at the outside edges so it’s not black black. The glazed finish on these adds shine and depth to the color and gives it a more organic type of look.I really love the fact that the color is the same across all dishes but the texture patterns are not, they are complementary which adds interest to each place setting while still maintaining an elegant, cohesive overall look.The quality is good, which is what I’ve come to expect from Pfaltzgraff. The plates have a nice thickness and weight to them and the finish is glossy and flawless. The glossy finish on these make them very easy to clean and they are dishwasher and microwave safe (a must have in my home). I’ve put them through the washer and microwave several times now and had no issues with either. I was a little concerned at first that the texture would make these more difficult to clean but that hasn’t been the case at all. These are comfortable to use and they look beautiful on my table.

I really like these dishes. When i saw the pattern online i thought it was just black and white, which i was fine with. Our kitchen is actually blue/gray and white. So the dishes would have worked fine with the black. We got a pleasant surprise though when we pulled out the dishes and there is a line of blue around the edging with the black. So it actually turned out better than we expected as far as matching our kitchen.I pulled these out of the box and they seem quite nice. Heavy stoneware. We currently had dishes from IKEA. Just plain gray dishes. And they are so light and thin i'm always afraid someone is going to put them away wrong and they will chip. These dishes feel strong and sturdy like they will hold up well. I ran them through the dishwasher and they came out looking great.Really nice dishes!

-1 star because the colors do not match the strong black as what's pictured. It's really more of a muted black on an off white. The large plates this is especially noticeable because of the added details. The cups though look quite lovely with this muted black, but it's flattering on the rest of the set.-1 star because of the manufacture's choice of packaging. Why they chose to side load bowls and the large plates, I do not know, but it was incredibly frustrating removing these two types from the set.In more detail, these are lovely, but are underwhelming in person. The black looks more like an off black gradient in person. What I take issue with though is how the manufacture packaged these. This is not a shipping issue - this is a "someone wasn't thinking" issue.The manufacturer's product packaging is one large box that has the four types put in their own individual boxes. There's a lot of padding within so they all sit securely. The salad plates and the cups were fine. Those were packaged by the manufacture so they came straight out from their respective boxes. However, the bowls and the large plates were packaged so that they have to slide out of the side of their respective box. This made it cumbersome to remove and there was one fateful second where I thought I was going to fumble the bowls to meet my kitchen floor. These should have been packaged so they could have been pulled up and out from the box, and not pulled from the side.Make sure to exam all the dishes - especially if they're a gift. One of our bowls arrive chipped, and there was no chip in the packaging, which is something I think happened during production and product packaging and is again a manufacture issue, rather than in shipping issue. If it had been a shipping issue, I would have imagined that the chip would have been within the packaging materials., but it wasn't.