These are really very pretty dishes. They just make me feel happy seeing them out on the table. They are impressive and have a nice weight to them. As others have said they are rather large. The 9 1/2" plate is big enough for a lunch or heating up leftovers for dinner. I wish there were a slighlty smaller plate that could be used for rolls. However with the 4-6 colors in the pattern it shouldn't be difficult to find a coordinating small plate. The bowls are plenty big for a good sized salad or bowl of soup. Just keep in mind all the pieces are larger than usual. You will have to be cognizant if you are trying to manage portion size. And finally the bowls do have to tip to fit in the dishwasher. I don't use the dishwasher more often really as I use the smaller plates for most of my meals for one.