[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The picture of these dishes really doesn't do them justice. You really have to hold them in your hand to get an idea of their quality.
Their color is much richer; they have a good weight to them; they're ceramic stoneware, very strong and durable.
Their design and shape, which new to me, makes them very convenient to use - the ridge around the dinner plate's make it easier to fork up things that tend to roll around a lot, like peas, the ridge also gives you a place where you can push food up against it, and excavate, like potatoes.
The ridge around the salad plates keeps your lettuce veges on the plate, not on the table.
The walls around the soup controls splashing, or anything lumpy liquid that you chew.
I love these dishes. I enjoy eating out of them. These dishes really are convenient. In my case, they make eating less embarrassing, so other dinner guests aren't afraid to sit next to me, unless, of course, they are wearing their nice clothes. If they only have nice clothes, that they want to keep clean, some out of town guest, or family member,
usually comes visiting, and shows up with sacks of Chinese food.