Five Things to Consider When Buying Dinnerware Sets

Five Things to Consider When Buying Dinnerware Sets

Deciding on a dinnerware set for your kitchen can be exciting. You probably didn’t get to choose your plates and dishes when you were a kid. Once you’re on your own, though, you can finally pick out a design and style you like. Of course, you also want to choose a quality set that will hold up, meet your needs, and complement your dining room. Here are a few things to consider.

1. What Kind of Dinnerware Do You Want?

There are several different types of dinnerware, including fine china and casual dinnerware. China can be beautiful, but it needs to be washed by hand, shouldn’t be used in the microwave, and has a high price tag. If this is your first set of dinnerware, you probably want something more convenient. It’s better to go with regular or casual dinnerware. Make sure all of it is dishwasher and microwave safe.

2. Which Dishes Do You Need?

A basic dinnerware set includes:

• Dinner plates
• Salad or dessert plates
• Cups
• Bowls

This is a good start. Depending on your needs, you should also consider tea cups, saucers, butter dishes, salt and pepper shakers, and a myriad of other serving dishes. However, if you don’t cook a lot or entertain guests that often, the basic dinnerware set will go a long way.

3. How Many Dishes Should You Have?

A set of four dinner plates, dessert plates, bowls, and cups will cover your basic needs. This set serves family of four or two couples if you have guests over. Realistically, though, you will need more than this. If you eat cereal in the morning and a salad at lunch, you’ve already gone through half your bowls by noon. Unless you want to wash dishes every day, or even twice a day, you’ll eventually need at least two or three sets of dinnerware.

4. Contemporary or Traditional Style Dinnerware?

Dinnerware has evolved beyond round plates, bowls, and cups. Today’s dishes come in many shapes and sizes. Square dinnerware is especially popular. Which one you choose, contemporary or traditional, is a matter of personal choice. If you have a more modern home or apartment, than a set of square plates would jive with the aesthetic. Just make sure to consider the utility factor. A square plate might not fit in your microwave. Or if it does, it might not rotate.

5. What Pattern or Color Should You Choose?

Once again, this one is up to you. Picture the dinnerware set in your dining room. Does it accent the decoration and walls? Or does it clash with it? White dinnerware is always a great choice that will go with anything. Plus food looks good on white plates. You could also choose complementary colors.

Or just find an image you like. Dinnerware comes in many designs. If you’re a drawn to a holiday or seasonal set (like snowmen or fireworks), think about if you would use it all year round, or if you would just bring it out for a month or two every year.