Fiesta 18-Ounce Jumbo Cup, Cobalt

No need to traipse back to the kitchen for a partial refill like I’ve been doing with what is now my prior 10-12 oz. cup Creuset mug. Btw, that one is beautiful, but just too small for my current needs. This one holds a large amount of liquid be it coffee tea, etc. and is just what I was looking for. In fact, if I fill the cup up to the brim it’s a bit too heavy. But there’s no need for me to fill it to the edge. I can easy leave a half inch and still have plenty to drink. Also makes it safer to compensate for my morning clumsiness. It has nice solid balanced feel and has a nicely designed shape with a lovely rich colored glaze (I got the Lapis). I really couldn’t care less if it’s authentic Fiesta ware or not. It's well made, very utilitarian and excellent value.

Alas, I wish I were able to create a lavishly spectacular review for this mug that would leave my readers in wont -- yearning for more. If I could somehow make a creative and juicy story -- nay, a tale -- of how this glistening black mug came so delicately shipped to my house and made my life a bit more interesting. Perhaps if I were a better writer or perhaps if I had the life experiences of a truly traveled man, the words would simply pour forth from my fingers and onto my keyboard. I do not even know where I would begin.... For every good tale must have a good first line, to captivate the reader and make him beg for more. It should begin with something along the lines of a rather dramatic, "I am Ian from the city of Pittsburgh and this is my story of how a shiny black mug came to be grasped in the palm of my hand...." Or perhaps a romantic, "Amid the fields, meadows, and thickets of the state of Pennsylvania, stands a city known as Pittsburgh where my mug and I call home...." Or maybe even an action packed sequence, such as this: "With the movement of my hands towards my face, the glistening shimmer of a black mug appeared through a cloud of steam rising from a freshly steeped cup of tea. Slowly, I move my head to the side as I take a long sip. Turning back around, I lower the mug in a dramatic fashion, as I begin to carefully analyze the case that had been sitting on my colleague's desk for the last six months. 'Aha!' I exclaim as the pieces begin to fall into place...." Or if all else fails, maybe even the old fall back, "Once upon a time...." No, nothing like that could do this mug justice. It is beautiful. It is a masterpiece. It is the embodiment of perfection. Er, rather, it is simply, a black mug. And, it really does do that job quite well. -- 5 stars

Why should you buy this one? Four reasons. Made in the United States. Whether you want to support American businesses or are just turned off by the idea of lax environmental, health, and safety controls in China, you can rest easy knowing this product was made in the United States. Lead free. Lead is gross, and if you're paranoid about your brain health like I am, lead free is the way to be. You're going to be pouring hot liquid and then consuming said liquid, and you don't want to ingest lead, or cadmium, or kryptonite, or... Perfect construction. I've dropped this bad boy at least a half dozen times in my early-morning stupors, with the result being nothing more than a dent in the floor. The cup emerged fine and ready to quench my caffeine needs. Perfect size. If you're used to drinking grandes at Starbucks, this is the perfect size. I actually think a grande is 16 ounces, so this is actually a bit bigger. Nevertheless, it makes my loser 16oz cup looking like an inadequate loser. Get real, small cup. I love this cup so much I returned and bought another. I use them both daily (one at work, and one at home).

I absolutely love these mugs. I ordered 10 them in 5 different colors and not only have they added a cheerful touch to daily meals, but they are wonderful for having a group of friends in for soup or chili. They are perfect for cereal, ice cream, rice bowl stir fries, mac and cheese, popcorn, any one dish meal. I haven't measured how much they actually hold since other reviewers have done that, but for me, they are an ideal serving size -- not too little, not too much. If they don't hold enough for you, just go back for seconds. I haven't used them for coffee or tea -- a little to heavy to drink from, and I like my hot drinks to stay hot longer than a large amount would in these mugs. And yes, you do need to look them over carefully for quality control issues -- one of the ten had minor flaws, so I returned it and Amazon quickly replaced it. I've used them for nearly two months now on a daily basis and continue to love them! And made in the USA -- I love that part too.

I've been wanting Fiesta Ware for many years, but I waited until my kids were grown, thinking they would be too rough on them while doing the dishes. (My Pfaltzgraf set has chips on the edges of every plate and bowl! Grrrrr.) So I'm glad these beautiful Jumbo Cups and matching Bread Trays are still around. I make lots of soups and stews served with a salad or sandwich, and these cups and matching oval plates are a great way to serve them. The Jumbo cup fits on the Bread Tray nicely, and it holds a "healthy" portion of soup, chili or stew without encouraging gluttony. ;-) There's enough room next to the cup for a scoop of cole slaw and a wedge of cornbread, making a nice presentation for chili. I have beach cottage decor, so I ordered the cups and trays in three different colors of blue: Peacock, Turquoise and Lapis. Those three colors look great together, and make for a pretty table. So far, they've proven to be quite durable and haven't sustained any chips on the edges, despite having a small kitchen sink surrounded by a granite counter top. Fingers crossed!