The lip on the plates is taller/deeper than it appears in many of the photos, but it still looks great to me (and will probably prevent more liquids and food from spilling off the sides).
These dishes are very modern looking and a great size. It is true as everyone has said that they are hard to stack - the plates are ok, but for the bowls, definitely store them sideways. Also, the bowls (soup bowls) were not as big as I had hoped, but they are fine.
Overall, these are the best dishes I have found so far!
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Review 2 for bento mini bowl
average
3out of5
ajMurphy
Date:05/01/2013
Location:Sacramento, CA
dwelling:house
sq ft:1000-2500 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
I bought a set of the large and small plates and bowls along with the Cuatro serving pieces but unfortunately they are different shades of white. The dim lighting in my dining room highlights the difference so I can't use them together. Well I could....but no. Boo. I read the reviews that they didn't stack before I ordered them but didn't understand how annoying it was until they arrived. Looks messy. I might try storing the bowls on their side like another reviewer suggested. That may help the problem. Frustrating.
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Review 3 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
abeh
Date:03/04/2013
Location:canada
rent/own:own
dwelling:house
sq ft:1000-2500 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?email
would you recommend this product? Yes
versatile little bowl
Date:03/04/2013
I use these little bowls more than I thought I would. I use them as ramekins for desserts rather than the traditional round ones. It gives my creme brulee a modern edge. I also use them for putting spreads in when I serve scones or for dips.
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
ThinkOutsideTheBox
Date:04/04/2013
Location:Cleveland, Ohio
rent/own:rent
dwelling:house
sq ft:2500+ sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
I've read some of the reviews...I love the Bento dinnerware! I have dinnerware to go! I absolutely love the plates, bowls etc. Very good quality! Very durable. Tip: I have strips of sturdy plexi glass, in between the bowls.
After reading reviews of these being cabinet-hogs, I measured carefully before purchasing a set of 8. I use old fashioned L-shaped bookends (like the library uses) to keep my stacks from slipping around, and I store the bowls on their sides. Works brilliantly, and I love them aesthetically. Win-win.
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Review 6 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
Sport4neck
Date:03/04/2013
Location:Boston, MA
rent/own:rent
dwelling:apartment/condo
sq ft:500-1000 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
Bought this whole set as a gift for a friend who didn't have a dinnerware set. She fell in love and uses them everyday! Has had no problems, isn't afraid of them getting damaged in the dishwasher, and loves the look when she has company over. 100% a great purchase!
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Review 7 for bento mini bowl
average
3out of5
PugLover21
Date:03/03/2013
Location:Cedar Rapids, Iowa
rent/own:rent
dwelling:townhouse
sq ft:1000-2500 sq ft
where did you purchase it?store
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
As a younger engaged couple, these were our first real plates we bought ourselves for our new town home. We'd been surviving off of some handmade plates I had from high school, Were were due for something nice! We spent over $100 on Bento plates, bowls, and serving dishes. While they are indeed visually aesthetic, You do have to be very careful in stacking, You also cannot cut on them, because even when cutting with a butter knife- you see the scratches all over the plate. Washing- Expect to do a dish load a day just on these, you have to very carefully separate the plates and they do take up a lot of space (in my dishwasher, One per row..) They are difficult to care for- But they are very attractive and fancy looking! They can even make eating canned soup- look gourmet.
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Review 8 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
AlexanderC
Date:02/26/2013
Location:Pittsburgh
rent/own:rent
dwelling:apartment/condo
sq ft:500-1000 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
I love Bento dinnerware..its sleek,it's fun it's very sturdy.Plates and bowls are "roomy" and ...they have that "square " look that is the must trend today in everything from furniture, to clothes to shoes to home accessories: I highly recommend this product!
These bowls are very different from typical round bowls. All of the bento dinnerware is made of very heavy, high quality materials -- feels sturdy and not likely to break (I've bumped them many times already and no chips or cracks!). These bowls are bigger and deeper than any bowls I've owned before (maybe more surface area because they are square?) and I love the shape -- very fresh and modern! One downside is that the bowls are square and flat and don't have that downward slope that round bowls have which allows them to be neatly stacked INTO each other (space saving) -- bento bowls stack ONTO each other, if that makes sense, and no space is conserved in your cupboard. These bowls take up twice as much space as my old bowls and because they bottoms are flat they don't stack neatly -- they form wobbly towers. However, the quality is fantastic and we love them.
The bento dinnerware is fantastic. We recently bought it to replace our PB dinnerware that we've had for several years. The bento adds a fresh, modern look to your table. The dishes feel heavy and well constructed -- I've already banged them around by accident, loading and unloading the dishwasher, and they haven't so much as chipped on a corner. The only downside to these dishes is that they stack very poorly in the cupboard, due to their shape - round plates tend to have that downward slope to the middle of the plate that makes them stack so neatly. The bento doesn't have that -- it's completely flat and square. The good news is that I love the way they fit in the dishwasher -- no rolling or sliding around when you pull out the shelves. The plates are pretty large. We often place the little appetizer bowls on them for sauces that accompany meals because there is lots of space on the plates. Despite the awkwardness in the cupboards, we really love these new dishes. Very high quality for the price, as usual CB2. :)
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Review 12 for bento mini bowl
average
4out of5
mmko
Date:12/27/2012
Location:Oakland, CA
rent/own:rent
dwelling:apartment/condo
sq ft:less than 500 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
Product description does not state that the dinnerware is oven-safe; though, the 4 square starter set explicitly states that the Bento dinnerware is conventional oven-safe. To be sure, I started a live chat with a CB2 representative and was informed that the Bento dinnerware is indeed conventional oven-safe for 2 hours at 350 degrees.
I own the soup bowl, mini bowl, salad plate, and the dinner plate. They are all wonderful, and my guests enjoy them too! I wish the bowls stacked better--I'm always afraid that the bowls will fall off the shelf one day. The bowls don't appear to be very stable when they are stacked. Regardless, I still recommend them!
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for bento mini bowl
average
3out of5
foiegras
Date:12/27/2012
Location:Idaho
rent/own:own
dwelling:house
sq ft:1000-2500 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
As noted by others, these do not stack well in the cupboard and take up way too much space. In addition, they are a nightmare to deal with in the dishwasher, and need to be widely spaced (which wastes all kinds of room) in the DW if you want them to get clean. They are OK to eat off of, but aside from the visual effect, nothing special.
I like square plates, but these ones, not so much.
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Review 14 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
corine
Date:12/20/2012
Location:Queens, N.Y.
rent/own:own
dwelling:house
sq ft:1000-2500 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
I asked hubby to buy me a set for 8 including matching servware-- totalling $250 for this line ...only to find out that they easily scratch! A couple came already scratched! Don't bother eating steak, your steak knife will make these plates look like they've been in some serious cat fight! I am so disappointed at how cheaply made this line is... Sure didn't expext it from CB2! Boo!
3 of 3 found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
VacationGrannie
Date:12/05/2012
Location:Leesburg, FL
rent/own:own
dwelling:house
sq ft:1000-2500 sq ft
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
My neighbor came home on Thanksgiving day from the hospital. I sent dinner to them on the square plate. It created a beautiful presentation for a Thanksgiving meal. Perfect size for a meal to share.
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Review 17 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
mmaries
Date:09/10/2012
Location:United States
rent/own:rent
dwelling:house
where did you purchase it?website
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?website
Bought this item for a dessert table at a baby shower I was hosting. Item arrived promptly and in good condition - excellent wrapping for shipping. Plates were good quality and exactly what I was looking for to display baked goods!
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for bento mini bowl
average
5out of5
JosiPie
Date:09/08/2012
Location:New York
rent/own:rent
dwelling:apartment/condo
sq ft:500-1000 sq ft
where did you purchase it?store
how did you hear about CB2 product reviews?review giveaway
I was really excited when I received these plates. They were just as I imagined. They are pretty heavy duty and look great. Only thing - they don't nest! None of the plates or bowls, do, and since they are quite large, it takes up a lot of cabinet space. We had to buy new plate holders to hold the plates vertically, and our bowls, we stack, and just hope we don't knock the stack over when we retrieve one. Other than that, it's a great set.