Stoneware is tough. It is not indestructible. Treated well, a Mrid Cera piece will outlast the table you put it on.
The short version
- Dishwasher safe. Every glaze we use is stable through a full cycle.
- Microwave safe. No metallic content in any of our glazes.
- Oven safe to 180°C, provided the piece goes into a cold oven and heats with it.
- Never on an open flame, a direct stovetop, or under a grill. This will crack the body.
- Avoid sudden temperature change. No freezer to oven, no cold water into a hot piece.
First use
Rinse in warm water before the first use. Nothing more is needed — our stoneware is fired to vitrification, so it does not absorb water, food or odour the way earthenware does.
You may notice a raw, unglazed foot ring on the base of some pieces. This is where the piece stood on the kiln shelf. If it feels rough on a polished table, a few passes with fine sandpaper will smooth it.
Everyday washing
Dishwasher or hand wash, whichever you prefer. If you hand wash, a soft cloth or sponge is enough. Avoid steel wool and abrasive scouring powder — they will not damage the fired glaze, but they can leave grey metal marks on lighter surfaces.
Removing metal marks. Grey streaks from cutlery are not scratches in the glaze; they are metal left behind on it. A little bicarbonate of soda on a damp cloth, rubbed gently, lifts them off completely.
Heat
Stoneware holds heat well, which is why food stays warm in it longer. That same property means it needs to change temperature gradually.
- Going into the oven: place the piece in before you turn the oven on, or into an oven no hotter than 100°C, and let it come up to temperature with the food.
- Coming out: rest it on a wooden board or cloth, never on a cold stone or metal surface.
- Never pour cold liquid into a piece straight from the oven.
Thermal shock — a fast swing in temperature — is the one thing that will reliably crack good stoneware.
Storage
Stack plates and bowls with a sheet of felt, cloth or paper between them. The unglazed foot ring of one plate resting directly on the glazed face of another is the most common cause of ring marks in a cupboard.
Hang mugs by the handle where you can, rather than stacking them rim to rim.
What is normal, and what is not
Normal. Variation in glaze tone and depth between pieces of the same design. Small differences in size and weight. Pooling of glaze where a form curves. Fine crazing lines in certain glazes, which are a surface characteristic and do not affect strength or food safety. Faint marks left by the potter's hand.
These are not flaws. They are the difference between a piece made by a person and a piece made by a machine, and they are the reason our glazes are flat rather than embossed — nothing raised to catch a knife, chip on a stack, or trap residue.
Not normal. A crack running through the body. A piece that rocks on a flat surface. A glaze fault that leaves a sharp edge. If you find any of these, write to us within 7 days of delivery at mridcera@gmail.com with photographs and we will replace or refund it.
Questions
If you are unsure about anything — a stain, a mark, a piece behaving oddly — email mridcera@gmail.com. We would rather answer than have you throw something away.