Review on Japanese Donabe Ceramic Casserole Earthenware by Beth Westra

I have lived in Japan for a long time with my wife (who is Japanese and a great cook) so we didn't stop used to the ceramic Donabe pots that we often used in winter. I bought this and it's a terrible disappointment that I had to return it. A hairline crack was visible on the inside when first used. This is not transport damage, but either an existing defect that discolours when cooking, or inferior ceramics that break when heated. Anyway, I didn't want to believe that this hairline wouldn't grow and one day scalding hot soup spilled over my family, so it had to be returned. Had this crack not occurred this Donabe would still be deeply disappointing due to the very poor glazing. The glazing is only partially exposed to the outside, the lower half is very porous. Every drop of liquid that drips onto your side instantly leaves an indelible dark stain that cannot be washed off. This happened when we ran it on a standard bench top burner with butane gas (like those most commonly used in Japan). The interior also has very poor glazing and we actually had veggies on the floor which resulted in a few discolored spots. at glazing. It claims to be "Made in Japan" but I have my doubts as it falls short of that general standard.