Ewan Black Stoneware Espresso Cups 75ml Set of 4 - Multi

These are four stoneware espresso cups, each holding 75ml and measuring 6cm across and 6.5cm tall, finished in a reactive glaze so the set is multicoloured rather than matched. The cups have no handles. Each has a stepped profile, with a wider band at the rim sitting over a narrower base, and that step lets the four stack neatly into a single column on a shelf or in a cupboard. Every cup in the set carries a different glaze, from a fine speckle to a deep sheen, so the four look related without being identical.

A 75ml cup is an espresso cup, not a mug, so these are for short coffees: an espresso from a machine or a stovetop pot, a macchiato, or a ristretto after dinner. Without handles they sit in the palm like small beakers, which suits a quick coffee at the kitchen counter in the morning. They are just as at home on the dining table at the end of a meal, where the mix of glazes lets each guest pick a favourite. With four cups in the set, a couple has spares for visitors and a household of four has one each.

Stoneware is fired at high temperatures, which makes it dense and hard wearing, and it holds heat well. A reactive glaze changes as it fires, so no two pieces come out of the kiln quite alike, and that variation is part of the character of the set. Care is simple: the cups go in the dishwasher, the microwave and the oven, so they can be warmed before a shot is poured and washed with everything else afterwards. For styling, keep the four stacked beside the coffee machine as one column of mixed glazes, or line them along a wooden tray next to a small plate of biscuits.

How much does each cup hold?

Each cup holds 75ml, which is espresso size: right for an espresso, a ristretto or a macchiato rather than a full mug of tea.

Can the cups go in the dishwasher and the microwave?

Yes. The maker says they go in the dishwasher and the microwave, and in the oven as well, so warming them before pouring is easy.

Do the cups stack?

Yes. Each cup has a stepped profile, a wider band at the rim over a narrower base, so the four stack into one neat column for storage.

Are all four cups the same?

No. Each cup has a different reactive glaze, so the set is multicoloured, and a reactive glaze also varies from piece to piece as it fires.

How big are the cups?

Each cup is 6cm across and 6.5cm tall, a compact espresso size that sits comfortably in one hand and fits easily on a saucer.

Do the cups have handles?

No. They are handleless and are held in the palm like small beakers, which keeps them compact and lets them stack neatly.