We bought two sets of the Fortessa Sound in March 2024. In the past 3 months, having the sets 17 months now, we are down two small plates and three dinner plates due to microwave use and/or tapping the plates with serving utensils. We were skeptical they were microwave safe being they are stoneware, but we researched Fortessa and decided to give it a try. In some ways we thought a nicer stoneware that is obviously a widely purchased brand would hold up over time, but it's not to be. Whether it is the brand or that it's stoneware pretending "microwave safe," we were disappointed in the waning durability. Can you put it in the microwave? Yes, thus it's safe. Should you use it in the microwave? No, if you want it to last more than a few months, and because it's stoneware. We're human and haven't perfected (or don't want to perfect) stoneware for modern use.
So, for the actual review of our use of the Sound set, I really liked the weight, color, and design. It fits our decor as well. My wife wasn't a fan of the weight. We both thought it was much darker than in the photos. We noticed right away the typical stoneware gritty, scraping sound given off by utensils sliding across the surface - it was more grating than other stoneware we've used. The bowls are good for soups and cereals but lack the edge support for scooping salsa or sauce up along the sides. They also keep foods cold or warm for a good amount of time - a little surprising. Mugs didn't hold heat as long as the bowls seemed to; you'd think the reverse with more surface area of food in the bowl versus the mug. The curve at the plate's edges are flatter than more "modern" plates (allowing to scrape food up the side of the more modern plates versus using a knife to guide food onto a fork - not a judgement, just an observation in the changing way we eat).
The pieces clean up well, whether hand washed or dishwasher (they are dishwasher safe, but maybe shouldn't be if that contributes to the cracking problem).
As for how we handled our dinnerware - we don't slam our plates around, or drop them into a sink, or let them clank against one another in the dishwasher - because of the weight, they generally are handled much softer than if they were glass-based dinnerware.
We'd suggest not using in the microwave so they may last for a much longer time and handling them carefully to avoid shocking or knocking the dinnerware against itself, or anything else hard, to avoid microcracks that water will seep into. Once you have water inside the plate, it's basically useless and will either "pop" in the microwave, or break when you tap a forkful of food when serving it or literally fall apart carrying the plate to the table.
Whatever your goal is for your dinnerware set, its use and how you want to care for it and how long you want it to last, I hope this helps your decision to spend your dollars on what will work for you.
