I was undecided whether to give this set 3 stars for 4 stars.  They look great. The speckles give them personality and I enjoy the two-toned cream against the stoneware. They stack fine and have done well in the dishwasher. I was worried the stoneware would get too hot in the microwave but that hasn't been a problem. Shipping was fast and all dishes arrived intact. My only complaint is the bowls. The two sizes are virtually identical - one is wider while the other is taller but their volume is nearly equal. There really is no need for 8 bowls per set of the same size.  I hoping for a set of cereal-sized bowls and a set of pasta bowls.