Just by looking at the pictures online, I could already tell I was going to love my donabe - but trust me when I say the pictures still don't do it justice. There's so much beautiful, intricate detail; I could just look at it forever! But aside from the looks, just holding it in my hands I could feel what a quality piece of work this was, and that's exactly what I was looking for/expecting. It's not heavy at all, but you can feel a little weight as you hold it in your hands.
The staff I spoke with online were extremely helpful in answering any questions I had about how to season the donabe, and how many people this size can typically serve (2 to 3). I can't tell you how excited I was to finally use it when it came in the mail. The first chance I had, I made a celebratory hot pot meal, everything cooked really well and tasted delicious, but even more so than that it was a fun experience.
Because I did some research on donabes I was a little worried about using it for the first time, but they're meant for everyday cooking, as beautiful as they are. This donabe gave such a comforting mood over my portable gas stove, I felt even more at home in my new apartment. And though meant for everyday, it made my dinner feel so special. I recommend this donabe to anyone looking to get into them as it was very easy to start using, and this one was enough to serve me and my always hungry partner.
The key takeaway is that I that I had a great experience every step along the way with this purchase, everything was worthwhile. I hope to get another sometime soon. Enjoy, and good luck in the kitchen! Thank you :)
