The 22 best dinnerware sets
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The world seems to be in its dinner party era, which means curating a collection of the best dinnerware for your aesthetic is more important than ever.
We spoke with Courtney Whitmore, cookbook author and party hosting expert, as well as Bruce Roy, a wedding caterer for more than 30 years to curate a list of quality brands to consider. We used their advice and our own research to pick the best dinnerware sets from each brand. Whether you want a simple, durable dinnerware set for everyday family meals, or impressive, patterned china you'll pass on for generations, our guide has you covered.
Our Place
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If you want dinnerware that makes a big impact on your table setting, Our Place dinnerware is a great choice. The company sources high-quality materials from ethical factories and artisan collectives with a focus on female entrepreneurs. Like its best-selling product, the Always Pan, Our Place's dinnerware options are both simple and highly functional. The porcelain plates and nesting bowls are hand painted, and the drinking glasses are hand blown, giving each piece a one-of-a-kind look.
Our Place is a great option if you're looking for ethical dinnerware that's as unique as it is functional. You can buy just the essentials separately or purchase a bundle, which offers all the pieces you need at a better value.
What to buy:
Food52
Unlike the other brands on this list, Food52 is a retailer and not a pottery manufacturer. However, its carefully curated selection of unique and hard-to-find dinnerware makes it a worthy addition to this list.
Among the finds are sets from small studios around the country and abroad, including bowls from North Carolina-based East Fork Pottery, colorful French glassware, and imported hand-painted Italian sets from Vietri.
What to buy:
Wedgwood
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If you frequently host dinners and gatherings and love bold patterns, Wedgwood is the way to go. Josiah Wedgwood, an English potter, founded the company in 1759. Because of his invention, Jasperware (a colorful stoneware), Wedgwood became one of the first dinnerware companies to offer colors, including the iconic "Wedgwood Blue."
Historically, British royalty and other nobility have chosen Wedgwood for fine china, and the company holds a royal warrant, denoting it as a supplier to the British royal family. But you don't need to be nobility to enjoy a set of your own; Wedgwood is available online at many retailers.
What to buy:
Mikasa
Whether you're looking for a formal dinnerware set or an everyday set, the American brand Mikasa will have what you need. It offers several collections from an antique white to a more intricate trellis collection, all at an affordable price. You can buy open stock plates or sets with service for one to 12. Mikasa's dinnerware is made from durable porcelain and stoneware.
Mikasa offers a generous return policy of up to 90 days from purchase. You can find Mikasa at virtually every major retailer, so it's readily available if you ever want to add to your current collection or upgrade a few pieces.
What to buy:
Noritake
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Noritake is a Japanese brand that's been around for more than 100 years, and you can still find some of its vintage china today. These days, the brand is well known for providing a large variety of dinnerware options, both formal and casual.
You can purchase most collections by the piece, place setting, or in a set. Noritake does come at a higher price, so "buying in sets would generally prove to be the best option and money-saving choice," Roy said. Noritake customer can register their dinnerware pattern online, allowing you to to replace any broken pieces at a discounted price as long as the pattern is in stock.
What to buy:
Gibson
For those on a budget, Gibson makes a great everyday dinnerware choice. The company partners with many brands — like The Pioneer Woman, Oster, and Crockpot — to provide affordable customized dinnerware and cookware options.
You can find just about every style and material in its massive line of dinnerware, but we're particularly fond of its chip- and scratch-resistant melamine dinnerware for outdoor entertaining or households with children. This high-quality melamine line is great for kids and "can be mixed and matched or added into the table settings for the adults," Roy said.
What to buy:
Crate & Barrel
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For a timeless and simple all-white design that will last for years, the Mercer line from Crate & Barrel is the perfect selection. This low-maintenance dinnerware made from porcelain is dishwasher-, microwave- and even oven-safe.
The plates in this line are flat on the bottom and feature low rims to provide more surface area and a rustic feel that's still classic and elegant. The line is versatile, so you can match it with any other dinnerware look. Crate & Barrel sells the collection as open stock pieces so you can pick exactly what you need, or you can buy the plates and bowls in sets of eight.
What to buy:
Lenox
An American company that's more than 130 years old, Lenox offers high-quality dinnerware with obvious craftsmanship. Its dinnerware comes in many materials including porcelain, bone china, stoneware, melamine, and metal. You can buy the dinnerware as open stock pieces and in sets from three pieces all the way up to 28 pieces.
Lenox also offers a Replacement Promise if you register your dinnerware, meaning the company will replace any Lenox brand dinnerware and serveware you break for free as long as the replacements are available. (This is a recent improvement from their previous policy of replacing items at 50% off.)
What to buy:
When shopping for dinnerware, you'll want to consider a material that meets your durability and lifestyle needs. The main dinnerware materials you'll find are porcelain, fine and bone china, stoneware, and melamine. In general, porcelain and china are more delicate, while stoneware and melamine are heartier and can go in the dishwasher. Here's a breakdown of the different material types:
China
China is durable, lightweight, and often reserved for special occasions. There are two types of china — bone and fine. Bone china is made by combining china clay and cow bone ash, which forms a translucent, milky look that's timeless and classy.
While both bone and fine china may be associated with special occasions, they're also a surprisingly good option for everyday use — both bone china and fine china are durable dinnerware options, with bone china being the most durable.
If you prefer the look of bone china, you will pay a higher price. When shopping for bone china, make sure you look at the percentage of cow bone ash content. According to Noritake, the standard amount of bone ash should be 30%. If you don't see the percentage listed in the product details, ask the manufacturer before purchasing; brands can claim their dinnerware is bone china with even a small percentage of bone ash.
Porcelain
If you prefer a slightly heavier, sturdier feel for dinnerware, porcelain is a great option. Porcelain — a nonporous ceramic — is fired at a high temperature making it durable, and it's oven-, dishwasher- and microwave-safe. Porcelain dinnerware usually comes in white but you can find it in different colors and patterns.
Stoneware
Stoneware is a nonporous ceramic dinnerware made from stoneware clay that's fired at a high temperature. It's thicker than both porcelain and china, and you'll often find this dinnerware material at your favorite restaurant for this reason. This type of dinnerware requires a little more maintenance as it doesn't handle extreme heat or extreme cold temperatures well.
Melamine
Even though many dinnerware materials are durable, they aren't completely shatterproof like melamine. Melamine is a type of plastic that's food safe. Whitmore suggests it's worth investing in a chic melamine set if you have small children in your household; it also doubles as dinnerware for outside or poolside dinner parties. However, according to the FDA, it isn't microwave safe. And even though melamine has come a long way in appearance — often looking like a higher-end material — it may be too casual for a formal dinner.
A nice dinnerware set is something you'll keep for years to come, and perhaps even pass down generations, so we chose brands that have been around for decades, or even centuries. After speaking with cookbook author Courtney Whitmore and wedding caterer Bruce Roy and doing our own research, we selected trusted brands that provide the best customer service and have plenty in stock so you can easily replace or add to items in your collection.
How many dinnerware pieces do I need?
You can buy dinnerware as open stock, by the place setting, or in sets with services of two to 12 people.
"I always advise people to have a dinnerware set for at least 10 [people] in addition to a selection of platters, trays or serving pieces," said Whitmore. "You can mix and match pieces to coordinate a cohesive look as well."
Brands may differ in what pieces they include in their place settings or sets. If you are shopping for a dinnerware set for a formal dinner, make sure each place setting "includes the key pieces like dinner plate, salad plate, a teacup and saucer and dessert plate," said Roy.
What's the best type of dinnerware to buy?
How you plan on using your dinnerware will determine the type you need. For formal special occasions, you probably want porcelain or china. Stoneware and melamine are sturdier and dishwasher-safe, more suited to everyday use.
What style of dinnerware should I buy?
The style of dinnerware depends on your personal aesthetic and how you plan on using your dinnerware. If it's for everyday use, you can play with different colors and patterns. If you're looking for dinnerware for a formal table setting, it's best to keep it simple.
"I always recommend a classic white set with a little extra detail like a subtle scallop edge or a beaded trim," said Whitmore. "You can use it all year long and switch out the colors of table linens, flowers and decor to coordinate color schemes with holidays and occasions."
What are the best dishes for everyday use?
First, you want a material that's dishwasher- and microwave-safe. You may even want an oven-safe material. Overall, they should be versatile and sturdy.
While stoneware and melamine are obvious choices, some china and porcelain are dishwasher-safe but are still more delicate.
What is the most chip-resistant dinnerware?
Porcelain, bone china, stoneware, and melamine all resist chips and scratches.
Where can I purchase replacements for broken china?
If you receive a broken or damaged dinnerware item when you first purchase it, most companies will replace the product for free. If you want to replace a broken item from your collection, check to see if the brand offers a replacement program. If you register your dinnerware, brands like Lenox and Noritake offer a replacement program at a discounted price or free as long as the items are still actively being sold. You can also check Replacements, Ltd., the world's largest retailer of dinnerware (with more than 425,000 patterns available), to search for a replacement.