Dinnerware consists of dinner plates, soup or salad bowls, a side or a quarter plate, etc. Depending on the number of people you want to host, you can get a six-piece, eight-piece, or even a twelve-piece dinnerware set.
However, buying a dinner set is easier said than done, as you are spoilt for choice. Dinner sets are mainly classified based on the material that goes into making them. So if you go to a wholesale dinnerware set shop, you will be bombarded with options like porcelain, Bone China, melamine, etc.
So if you are planning on buying a dinner set for yourself and are having a tough time choosing a dinner set, read this article to make an informed choice.
5 Dinnerware Set Types That You Are Likely To Come Across In A Shop
Most shoppers prioritize the design when they are buying dishes or cutlery. So for most buyers, a fine white Bone China plate with a golden rim might be the best purchase that they can make. However, dishes are more than their exterior looks. And there are many factors, like ease of use and maintenance, cost-effectiveness, etc., that need to be kept in mind.
1. A Porcelain Dinner Set
Source: boutiquepraga.shop
If there were an index that ranks dinner set types based on their popularity, porcelain would most likely top the list. The bowls and dishes in a porcelain dinner set are made up of clay. The clay particles are subject to high temperatures, which gives porcelain plates high durability.
Burning in a fire also reduces the porosity of the material. And when it comes to plates and bowls, the lack of porosity is a distinct advantage. When the material is non-porous, the dish does not retain stains and odor from the food.
So for materials like porcelain, maintaining the dinner set becomes easy. You do not have to scrub the plates for hours to ensure they are entirely stain and odor free.
Apart from its durability and non-porosity, porcelain can be easily used in a microwave oven. It looks great at formal events, yet it is pretty affordable, especially compared to materials like Bone China.
2. A Bone China Dinner Set
Source: luxurybonechina.com
Bone China is similar to porcelain in many ways. In the case of Bone China, the primary raw material is porcelain; however, in this case, the bone case is used in combination with porcelain.
Bone ash is the material obtained by giving a high-temperature treatment known as calcination to animal bones. Also, in the case of Bone China, the temperature at which the material is heated is lower than that used for making porcelain plates.
The most significant advantage of Bone China is that it looks classic and elegant. Bone China plates can easily be used in dishwashers and microwave ovens. Also, they are lightweight and highly durable.
The only disadvantage associated with Bone China Is that it is pretty expensive. So if expensive is a concern and you do not have fine dining on your mind, you can use porcelain instead of Bone China.
3. A Stoneware Dinner Set
Source: yomyomceramic.com
A stoneware dish is made by heating ceramic. These plates are often thick, so they may not be as lightweight as your Bone China dishes.
However, they can always look fancy. If they are not polished, they are great for casual settings like regular restaurants and cafeterias. But if they are glazed, they look shiny and elegant.
Stoneware plates are sturdy, and they can be used for regular meals. So, in contrast to the fancy Bone China plates that are used only once in a blue moon, stoneware plates can be used daily.
Stoneware plates are freezer as well as microwave friendly. So storing the food left on your plate overnight as it is or reheating the food on your dish is easy with stoneware.
Also, when it comes to stoneware, the variety of colors and designs is not a problem. You can get dishes in bowls in a variety of colors and designs. Also, depending on whether you pick a set that has a layer of glazing or one that is matte, you can get many different types of finishes with stoneware.
However, when it comes to stoneware, there are some obvious disadvantages. So stoneware dishes and bowls are not non-porous like porcelain and Bone China. Since they are not non-porous, they take up stains and retain odor from the food. Hence, maintaining them in spotless and odorless condition for a long time is a tedious task.
Thus, if you buy stoneware, do not contemplate long-term usage; instead, buy them for daily and rough use.
4. A Melamine Dinner Set
Source: italia100.com
A melamine set is made up of plastic. Thus, these plates and bowls offer all the advantages you expect from plastic.
They are flexible, tough, non-breakable, cost-effective, and have a BPA-free coating. Thus with melamine plates, you do not have to worry about your food getting contaminated with BPA (an agent associated with health complications).
So if you are messy with handling crockery or have children at home with melamine, you do not have to worry about accidental breaks and shattered glass. Melamine sets are affordable, and they are available in varied designs.
However, they also have some cons, like they cannot be used inside a microwave oven. The heat produced in an oven is sufficient to melt most plastics, and hence melamine plates are not oven-proof.
5. A Laminated Glass Dinner Set
Source: walmart.com
If you are looking for a new-age, break-resistant, and non-porous dinnerware set, laminated glassware is a good option. These dishes are great for casual settings and are usually not used in fancy dining settings like fine dining restaurants.
Conclusion
The type of material you choose for your dinnerware set primarily depends on how you would like to use the pilates. If you plan a fancy dinner party, expensive Bone China is your best bet. However, if you want a matte finish, go for stoneware; likewise, if flexibility and non-breakability are your prime concern, then go for a set melamine dinner set.
