I am in love with this set! I was looking for something that looked natural and heavy duty. I ordered two and they both came in perfect condition, packaged very well. The spots are indeed light and dark brown, but I don’t find that to be an issue at all. I noticed they dry quickly after washing which is great and I haven’t put them in the microwave to see how hot they get but I wouldn’t doubt that they do considering what they’re made out of. Thank you very much!