A buying guide setting out your 4 options for dishware with photo examples.
We love hosting dinner parties. We have several each year. Some are extravagant while others more casual. With school-aged children we frequently host other families whose kids are friends with ours. We also love having family over for these dinners.
A very important aspect to putting on a great dinner party is having a fabulous set of dishware that takes the dining table to the next level. However, choosing the right set of dishware isn’t easy. That’s where this article setting out the different types of dishware comes in handy. We break down all your dishware options to help you buy the perfect set for your home.
Table of Contents
The Dishware Buying Guide
A. Dishware Sets: Different Settings for Different Styles
Arguably, the most important decision you are going to make when it comes to selecting dishware is to settle on a specific style. There are essentially two elements that influence this decision: Personal preference and dining room or kitchen aesthetic. If you’ve been in your home for a while, there’s a good chance these two metrics are connected. Rest assured, when the time comes for you to pick a set, you’ll have plenty of options at your disposal.
1. Ceramics
If you’ve ever taken an art class, you’re undoubtedly a tad bit familiar with ceramics. Even if you aren’t, you probably know it’s ubiquitous when you enter a home goods store or the kitchen section of a larger department store. Of course, it’s important that you recognize that the term ceramics is an over-arching term that allows plenty of room for different styles to bubble up to the surface.
A healthy chunk of the subcategories you’ve probably heard about when it comes to dishware can be neatly tucked under the ceramics umbrella. China, stoneware, and earthenware all stem from the same process of taking a piece of material and refining it through fire. Of course, there are a few differences that you should be aware of before you go fill your physical or virtual shopping cart. These differences could be the very elements that finalize your decision.
2. Glass
Let’s say you don’t want to go the ceramics route. You want something that evokes a certain element of elegance, but you don’t necessarily want it to veer off into “special occasion” territory. You also don’t want something that’s too casual. Glass may be your best option.
Glass dishware is something that’s born from an artistic endeavor. If you’ve ever seen a glass-blower in action, you know it’s not an easy task to create one. And this artisanal touch helps to make the world of glass dishware a rather broad category to explore. From plain and basic to colorful and elaborate, there is indeed something for everyone here.
3. Bamboo
Recycled glass is not the only way you can add a touch of green to your dinner table. And while bamboo dishware is a relatively new category of dishware for you to choose from, it’s also one that’s seen a surge in popularity. Its biggest selling point is that it’s environmentally friendly. If part of your purchasing dollar is focused on honing in on products that protect the planet in addition to looking good, bamboo dishware is a no-brainer. However, the biodegradable nature of bamboo dishware is not the only reason to consider this option.
Firstly, if you think that bamboo dishware is only good for one use, think again. While their biodegradable nature does make tossing them an option, bamboo dishware is sturdy enough to where you can use them over and over again. The only caveat to this is that the dishes should be washed and dried by hand. While bamboo dishware is strong, it’s also uniquely delicate.
Bamboo dishware is also lightweight, stain-resistant, and contain an aesthetic that manages to deftly straddle the fine line between rustic and elegance. This latter component makes them one of the most versatile choices on the market, as you don’t necessarily have to wait for one type of “special occasion” to break them out.
One other thing to note about bamboo dishware: They tend to be extremely kid-friendly. They’re far sturdier than plastic dishware, which means they can easily stand up to the wear and tear that inadvertently comes with the reckless nature of childhood dining. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any chemicals that may be present in plastic dishware making an unwanted appearance within your kid’s meals.
4. Melamine
If you’re looking for everyday dishware that is completely bereft of pretense or secondary agendas, melamine may be more your speed. You may have not heard of the name, but you’ve seen it. Melamine is the organic base chemical that’s generally used in plastics, like plates that we’d consider “plastic.”
Melamine plates are convenient, versatile, and can be festooned with all sorts of designs and patterns. However, they’re not without their controversy. There are concerns that using these plates could be unsafe, particularly amongst kids. And while the FDA has said that the melamine dishes are generally safe to use, they do caution that this may not be the case in certain culinary conditions, such as if you use it to heat up something highly acidic in the microwave.
