diff --git a/examples/mplot3d/contour3d.py b/examples/mplot3d/contour3d.py
index 7c4f5dcbc6d5..2b0a2872d0cc 100644
--- a/examples/mplot3d/contour3d.py
+++ b/examples/mplot3d/contour3d.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 ax = plt.figure().add_subplot(projection='3d')
 X, Y, Z = axes3d.get_test_data(0.05)
 
-cset = ax.contour(X, Y, Z, cmap=cm.coolwarm)  # Plot contour curves
-ax.clabel(cset, fontsize=9, inline=True)
+ax.contour(X, Y, Z, cmap=cm.coolwarm)  # Plot contour curves
 
 plt.show()
diff --git a/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_2.py b/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_2.py
index ed9c27f0b5ab..b6478bc79142 100644
--- a/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_2.py
+++ b/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_2.py
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@
 
 ax = plt.figure().add_subplot(projection='3d')
 X, Y, Z = axes3d.get_test_data(0.05)
-
-cset = ax.contour(X, Y, Z, extend3d=True, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
-
-ax.clabel(cset, fontsize=9, inline=True)
+ax.contour(X, Y, Z, extend3d=True, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
 
 plt.show()
diff --git a/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_3.py b/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_3.py
index db620e426a68..4b8c5ed77d71 100644
--- a/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_3.py
+++ b/examples/mplot3d/contour3d_3.py
@@ -21,17 +21,12 @@
 
 # Plot projections of the contours for each dimension.  By choosing offsets
 # that match the appropriate axes limits, the projected contours will sit on
-# the 'walls' of the graph
-cset = ax.contour(X, Y, Z, zdir='z', offset=-100, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
-cset = ax.contour(X, Y, Z, zdir='x', offset=-40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
-cset = ax.contour(X, Y, Z, zdir='y', offset=40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
-
-ax.set_xlim(-40, 40)
-ax.set_ylim(-40, 40)
-ax.set_zlim(-100, 100)
-
-ax.set_xlabel('X')
-ax.set_ylabel('Y')
-ax.set_zlabel('Z')
+# the 'walls' of the graph.
+ax.contour(X, Y, Z, zdir='z', offset=-100, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
+ax.contour(X, Y, Z, zdir='x', offset=-40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
+ax.contour(X, Y, Z, zdir='y', offset=40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
+
+ax.set(xlim=(-40, 40), ylim=(-40, 40), zlim=(-100, 100),
+       xlabel='X', ylabel='Y', zlabel='Z')
 
 plt.show()
diff --git a/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d.py b/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d.py
index 7cb78e8f1b52..c15ecdcfd6c0 100644
--- a/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d.py
+++ b/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d.py
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@
 
 ax = plt.figure().add_subplot(projection='3d')
 X, Y, Z = axes3d.get_test_data(0.05)
-
-cset = ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
-
-ax.clabel(cset, fontsize=9, inline=True)
+ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
 
 plt.show()
diff --git a/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d_2.py b/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d_2.py
index 5ef9dc8761c7..e550d0ee5933 100644
--- a/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d_2.py
+++ b/examples/mplot3d/contourf3d_2.py
@@ -22,16 +22,11 @@
 # Plot projections of the contours for each dimension.  By choosing offsets
 # that match the appropriate axes limits, the projected contours will sit on
 # the 'walls' of the graph
-cset = ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, zdir='z', offset=-100, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
-cset = ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, zdir='x', offset=-40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
-cset = ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, zdir='y', offset=40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
+ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, zdir='z', offset=-100, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
+ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, zdir='x', offset=-40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
+ax.contourf(X, Y, Z, zdir='y', offset=40, cmap=cm.coolwarm)
 
-ax.set_xlim(-40, 40)
-ax.set_ylim(-40, 40)
-ax.set_zlim(-100, 100)
-
-ax.set_xlabel('X')
-ax.set_ylabel('Y')
-ax.set_zlabel('Z')
+ax.set(xlim=(-40, 40), ylim=(-40, 40), zlim=(-100, 100),
+       xlabel='X', ylabel='Y', zlabel='Z')
 
 plt.show()