Customer Reviews

Pfaltzgraff Napoli 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(30)

 

 

Let me start off by saying we have this set for 16 months now....the pattern is beautiful and everyone that comes to our house for dinner comments on how nice they are, but as most people have said, they chip very easily. We have spent OVER $800 on a service for 12, plus doubles in platters, serving bowls, the big pasta serving bowls, water pitcher, mixing bowl set, etc at the Company store (three 16pc. sets)and assorted pieces over the Internet...and 1/3 of them have assorted chips and cracks. We are NOT rough with these things at all, in fact we baby these things now...but God forbid something slips out of your hand, it's history! You have to be very careful not to have anything touch them in the dishwasher or there will be assorted chips out of all the items that came in contact...and this started from day one. I have replaced 7 pieces over the course of the year because of complete breakage! DO NOT buy the fluted edged pasta bowls, they are very fragile and chip if you just look at them! When we bought the set at the Pfaltzgraff store, they said they were dishwasher safe, that has since been rescinded because of all the problems with them. We had a previous set of dishes for 15 years and had 2 or 3 chips on the whole set...on these dishes we must have 25 to 30 chunks missing!...plus assorted cracks! Another reviewer mentioned the fact that they get hot in the microwave oven when you heat something in them and they were right on the money with their opinion....they are so hot after the cycle is done, you need a potholder to remove the dish, plus the food is not even heated! My wife wanted to bring these back to Pfaltzgraff after one week and I should have listened to her! What do you expect when this over-priced set is made in China! What a shame. I'll give them 2 stars because of the looks, but ZERO stars for durability = 1 Star

UPDATE: 10-5-2007...
I did a review earlier this year and I just had to update potential buyers, not about the dishes, but about the company Pfaltzgraff. Read the reviews, these dishes are so fragile they should be recalled by Pfaltzgraff, but they won't even address the problem, let alone deal with us customers that spent all this money...in our case, well over $800! It's now to the point (2 years) that we're considering buying another set of dishes because we are embarrassed to use them when we entertain. I have written 3 letters to Pfaltzgraff without a response...I have sent them 6 e-mails, without a response. I am VERY respectful to them, make no ultimatums, no threats, just a plea for help with THEIR product that is obviously improperly made. NO RESPONSE AT ALL! I have gone to 2 Pfaltzgraff Outlet Stores and the kind ladies in both said that a lot of their Chinese products are coming back chipped, cracked, and broken from just daily use and now they are instructed NOT TO ACCEPT ANY MORE RETURNS OR EXCHANGES ON THEM! Some company, huh?
So this is a classic example of "Buyer Beware". Our money is too hard to earn to throw it away on a product such as this. Don't fall the beauty, this will happen to you too. I can't tell you how many times a guest at our home has dropped a fork or clipped a dish with their drinking glass only to have a CHUNK of Napoli fall to the table! Horrible. Sorry Pfaltzgraff, you know you have a problem and you have refused to address it....and this is the only way to help others from committing the same mistake as all the other folks here that have purchased them.

These dishes are absolutely beautiful. The colors are vibrant and my three sets arrived well-packaged and without damage.

Note: If cupboard space is an issue, you may want to choose a different set, as these dishes are huge (compared to my old Corell dishes). I especially love the oversized mugs and bowls.

Additional comments...one year later
While I stand by my original review for beauty, I no longer recommend these dishes. We are empty nesters, so there are no kids around being rough with the dishes on a daily basis. Because the plates are too large to fit into the dishwasher, we hand wash the set. That being said, the dishes look awful. There's at least one chip on every large and small plate. We bought a large set, so that's a lot of chips. We think the problem is that the dishes are too big and thick. A slight bump of two plates doesn't bother Corell or even a thinnner set, but these thick ones cannot take it. We paid a pretty penny for a set of twelve, and it's time to replace them because the chips are an eyesore and a reminder that I made a bad purchase. Contrast this with a set of dishes (not Corell) that I bought for the holidays years ago. These dishes are brought out in Nov and used through March (snowman pattern) and were around when our children were young. I brought them out last weekend and there are no chips on any of the pieces and we put them in the dishwasher. That's what I expect from a set of dishes.

Apparently you HAVE to rate at least one star, but this product doesn't deserve it.

I'm SO disappointed in my dishes.

Before I bought the Pfaltzgraff dishes, I had the same Royal Doulton set for over TWENTY years. I didn't chip or break one single dish. Not one. The dishes that I lost were from taking a dish to someone's house and never got it back.

So, I looked and looked at dishes and finally decided I like this particular pattern made by Pfaltzgraff. I drove over an hour to the Eastern Shore outlet store and bought place settins for twelve and bought most of the serving dishes.

One by one the plates ... the serving dishes are chipping. And not just little chips. I have a large serving bowl that a chunk larger than a 50 cent piece came off.

The dishes are NOT dishwasher safe unless you place some sort of padding around each dish because if there is the slightest clink, they will chip.

The dishes do NOT do well in the microwave. Considering how they have performed, I would never consider using a dish in the oven.

I sent a letter with a copy by email to Pfaltzgraff two months ago. I heard nothing back.

I just followed up with another letter and cc by email asking if the planned on even acknowledging my letter and concerns. Nothing.

Don't EVER buy Pfaltzgraff.

A warning to those contemplating Pfaltzgraff Napoli dishes. Other reviewers are absolutely correct -- Napoli dishes can NOT be used functionally in the microwave...they get scalding hot (can't pick them up without potholders) while your food stays cold. It is also correct that they chip incredibly easily. I've never had a problem with any other dishes, yet 50% of mine are chipped after less than a year. As pretty as this pattern is, please don't waste your money. I'm already considering this investment a huge waste as these dishes have to be replaced already.

I have had these dishes for only 1 year and they have ALL chipped and cracked and the glaze is cracked as well. I have re-ordered a set of bowls and several plates and had the same results. They say they are "microwave safe" but after the first few uses, the dish heats up to the point of burning your hand (or worse yet the unsuspecting hand of your child or guest!) and the food/liquid inside stays cold. I am SO disappointed and am now shopping for a new set of dishes.

I have had my Napoli dinnerware for less than a year and they are all chipped. I contacted Pfaltzgraff which did nothing. They also can not go in the microwave...they get really hot,food stays cold.

The unique design of this dinnerware line is lost in the low quality earthenware body. This low fired clay body breaks easily, is bulky to handle and is just plain disappointing. Before you buy, beware. What is the dinnerware made of? If the dinnerware is not high fire stoneware, porcelain or a china clay body, forget it. If you plan to use it then you are wasting your money. Someone should be ashamed.

Five stars for the dishes. They are absolutely beautiful. The picture doesn't do them justice: the real color is a lot more "flashy"! I also like the fact that they are quite heavy stoneware.

However, zero star for Amazon customer service. I bought four Pfaltzgraff dinner sets in total, two Napoli and two flower garden. One Napoli set arrived with two completely smashed dinner plates, and a chipped bowl. The package simply does not have much protection. But other sets arrive quite securely packed and are in perfect condition. (However, one flower garden dinner plate has a bit of a mark from manufacturing.)

The horror lies in dealing with Amazon customer service to have the damaged Napoli items and the defective flower garden item replaced. The first representative responded by asking for some ASIN number of these items. I emailed back asking what that was. Then I got a second email offering to refund me 20% of the sale price, i.e. $19.99 instead. Then I checked out Pfaltzgraff website for the replacement costs for these items and found this would cost me around $34. So I emailed back saying I would either take a refund of $34 or have the replacements. Since then Amazon turned a deaf ear on me. Subsequently I emailed 2-3 more times but never got a reply. I have given up hope for this.

By the way, Amazon doesn't offer the best price on these dishes. The flower garden set is selling for $29.99 at Pfaltzgraff, which, in addition to good prices, also offers a much larger selection! I'm getting many coordinating Napoli items from Pfaltzgraff and can't wait to see them!

I've had these dishes for 2 years. They look great, but they also chip up very easily. Too bad I bought the whole series before realizing this. They do not do well in the microwave as others below have stated. I will be buying a new set of dinner plates very soon. This was a poor long term investment.

They ARE so beautiful, and because of their beauty were even more of a disappointment and waste of money. I usually check reviews, and did not check before I purchased these dishes. Boy, I wish I would have! I have had these dishes less than 90 days, and 7 pieces out of 32 are chipped, some large and some small. We haven't handled them roughly, and Pfaltzgraff said while they are "chip resistant " , if you bump them "hard" enough they will chip. I can tell you we have not only not bumped them " hard", they have not knowingly been bumped at at all. My husband handwashed one last night, this morning I picked it up off the dishtowel and a huge nickle size chunk is just laying there. I would guess it is the poor quality crafmanship coming from all of the " Made in China " products of today. nothng is made to last and even the corporations customer service seem to consider everything a " throw away." Do not waste your enthusiasm, time or money .