Customer Reviews

Pfaltzgraff Winterberry 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I ordered a set for a co-worker as a Christmas present. The set was poorly packed by Amazon and arrived damaged (not the first time a fragile item ordered from Amazon has arrived damaged due to poor packaging). I have requested a replacement but if the second set arrives damaged I will request a refund.

Before returning the set I did have an opportunity to check out some of the unbroken items. Its a beautiful design, quality made and I believe would make a nice gift.

There is a lot of praise I can give Amazon for their extensive list of products, ease of use in ordering items from their web site and reasonable prices. Unfortunately the whole experience can be ruined by poor packaging practices by their shipping staff.

UPDATE: The replacement set arrived damaged. The package was poorly packed, just like the first shipment and I refused delivery from the UPS carrier. I submitted a request for a full refund of $39.91. Amazon decided to refund me only $26.87. I have sent them an email asking them why I did not receive a full refund.

UPDATE: Amazon reviewed my request and agreed to refund me for the full price of $39.91.

So I decided once we moved into our house that I wanted to start hosting Christmas here. What does one do if they have absolutely no Christmas dishes? They go to Amazon and see what they have to offer in the Pfaltzgraff department of course. Pfaltzgraff is known for their quality, something I found out when I bought my "everyday" pattern, so why wouldn't I be a repeat customer. The pattern on these dishes is both classic and sophisticated. The colors are of course holiday colors, but not so much limited to Christmas that you can't use them all winter long. I debated over whether to go with "Snow Bear" or "Winterberry," but in the end I chose "Winterberry" because I plan to have these dishes in my family for a long time. I was drawn to the pattern because I can see myself setting my holiday table in this pattern year after year, and the colors pretty much go with everything that is Christmas. Winterberry is also one of their most popular holiday patterns, so they have many matching accessories available in this pattern, which if you're anything like me that is a plus. I also loved the scalloped edges on the pieces because that seems to dress them up a bit and make them unique instead of the just the simple rounded lines. The plates are a good size, not overly large, but if you're anything like my family that's a good thing because you want to save room for dessert! I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the coffee mugs, they definitely aren't the ones you played with in your tea set as a child. They offer enough beverage to leave everyone satisfied, and to last them through that piece of cake they couldn't refuse. The bowls are a little shallow, but I actually think they're normal sized. I am used to the deeper ones that came with my "Monaco" set, but if you're looking to serve chili or soup as a main course, they do have matching soup bowls in this pattern that are available. The pieces have a nice sturdy weight to them, so that they don't feel too delicate to actually use. Also, the price here at Amazon cannot be beat for this set. Throw in the free hurricane candle holder, and I was definitely sold. All in all, this is a timeless pattern and the quality that Pfaltzgraff offers in their dishes cannot be beat.

The whole set is beautifully made, except one cup is defective. Contacted Amazon customer service via email at night, and received response next morning, and they have already placed an order to replace the whole set.
Very satisfied.

Heavy-weight dinnerware. The pattern is beautiful and we use them all winter. The pieces are well-packaged and arrived in excellent condition. The dinner plates are large. The mugs have a curved top and nice handles that are comfortable to hold. (I microwave water in the mug for tea, and also reheat food directly on the plates in the microwave.) We also own other Pfaltzgraff patterns and other Winterberry accessories. These are great products and highly recommended.

Several weeks ago I purchased two sets. I bought two sets instead of one to make sure I had enough dishes in the event that some arrived chipped or damaged, as some of the reviewers indicated. Sure enough, in one set two of the mugs were chipped and one dinner plate had a defect in the clear glaze coating. The other set was undamaged. I spoke with a customer service rep and was told that: 1) I have to ship back the entire 16-piece set for exchange; 2) I will not be charged for shipping this package); 3) there's no guarantee that the replacement set will arrive before Christmas and 4) there's no guarantee that the set will arrive undamaged. I struggled to find a workable solution given these options, since I wanted to use the dishes in the weeks leading up to the holidays. I called back customer support and spoke with another rep. She was much more helpful and kind. She proposed that I hold on to the dishes I have until I receive the replacement set and then substitute the new pieces for the damaged ones. I happily agreed. Well, the replacement set just arrived today. I believe it's undamaged, but I unpacked only the items I was going to swap out. And here's the unbelievable part: the plates in the new set do not match the plates in the other two sets I received previously!! The previous sets were marked with a "Celebrating the 15th Anniversary" symbol on the box and on the backs of plates and are different from the regular set. The Anniversary dinner plates are MUCH thinner and flimsier than the regular plates. When I examined the first sets, I was surprised at how thin the plates were, but not having looked at Winterberry before, thought that that's the norm for that pattern. So, now not only do I have to deal with the hassle of replacing the broken and defective pieces and shipping the entire set back, but I have to live with the knowledge that I purchased an inferior quality set and instead could've had nicer, sturdier plates. I am going to keep the 7 flimsy and 1 sturdy plate as a reminder of this unfortunate experience and eventually will no doubt replace the flimsy plates with sturdy ones as they become chipped or broken.
Ironically, several days after I purchased these sets from Amazon, I saw the identical sets (the regular kind, and not the Anniversary kind) at a store for slightly more. With a twenty percent off coupon that the store mails out routinely, the prices would've been comparable and I wouldn't have had to go through all of this aggravation.

My wife and I are planning a wonderful Christmas party and fell in love with the Pfaltzgraff Winterberry dishes. When we order three service sets for 4 they arrived at our home smashed inside the Amazon box. So we called and return them with requests for special handling on the reorder, only to find the reorder in the same shape as the first, Smashed inside the Amazon packing. Amazon put the Pfaltzgraff retail box without any padding in their thin box and shipped them to us UPS. What a joke. UPS are animals when it comes to handling fragile items. I can not imagine anyone receiving an order of these plates without them being broken, DON'T ORDER THESE FROM AMAZON! You'll be disappointed.

I love the winterberry set I received as a present several years ago. I wanted a few more pieces and I ordered 2 sets on Amazon's Friday sale. The boxes came in with slight mishandling. Few broken pieces and Amazon replaced this. The quality of these ones I bought from Amazon does not match the old set I have. Found out that these are made in China and is probably going through a learning curve. The old pieces I have are lighter and more refined. The new ones are crude compared to my old pieces. Also, the new ones are heavier and thicker, not as fine a quality as the old ones. Its quality is not much more differentiable than the cheap dishes you get at Walgreen or Walmart.

after ordering 2 sets and both coming broken I realize I will not get one that is not broken. the dishes come in a box too big for them and there is only one small piece of paper to support the top of the box. the dishes move all over the place all the way here. I give up...

Ordered 4 sets of service for 16 of Winterberry Dishes. Love the dishes. but, the packaging is terrible. Each set came in broken. Each one was worse than the other. They put 1 piece of paper in a box to hold the box of dishes. The box the dishes are in are ripped and broken. Amazon does replace them and the replacements come in packaged expertly. But try to make Amazon understand that 4 sets are broken. When you write them they tell you they have made the replacement. Yes you did but that was the first set.
Well dont buy anything fragile. They don't know how to package

Pfaltzgraff was formerly known for producing quality everyday dinnerware. I wanted a set of Winterberry for everyday holiday use, but couldn't justify spending what a service for 8 would have cost. Amazon had a great Friday sale, so I decided to treat myself. Had I purchased these at the regular price, I would have returned them. Their quality is definitely inferior and even my spouse, who normally doesn't say much about things like this, thought they were of inferior quality. Two of the dessert plates were smashed when I received them, but Amazon was more than helpful and is replacing them. I just wish the quality of the product had matched Amazon's service.