Grow Forward’s Wheat Straw dinnerware is durable yet very lightweight—it has the feel of high-quality, reusable paper plates, but it’s still microwave- and dishwasher-safe. This is a set that families with young kids could rely on for everyday use or one that would work well during a BBQ or camping trip. Will they last you a lifetime? No. But unless you abuse them, they could easily last until the children in your household are old enough to use some of the other sets on this list.
How we tested dinnerware sets
First, my family and I ate several meals off every set, checking to see if there were any quirks in their shape that might make them annoying to use day to day.
After eating on them, I ran them through many, many cycles in the dishwasher to check how well they cleaned up and how well any color held up.
Then, I did my best to abuse all of the plates to test their durability. I scraped at them with 120-grit sandpaper to check for scratch resistance testing, I shot them with a BB gun, and dropped them from dining table height onto a laminate floor.
How to pick a dinnerware set
The most important factor to ponder before you give your dinnerware collection a makeover is how you actually use the dishes that you have now and whether or not you’d like to change that with a new set of dinnerware. If you have a mish-mash of random plates and bowls leftover from your college years and want a clean slate, a full set of dinnerware complete with cups, saucers, bowls, salad/dessert plates, and dinner plates makes sense. If you’re committed to a cabinet full of meaningful, eccentric coffee mugs, a basic set with only dinner plates, side plates, and bowls may be a better choice.
Another thing to think about is how many place settings you need to have on hand. If you aspire to host dinner parties or Thanksgiving in the future, you should try to have eight or ten place settings. If you live in a studio apartment with little storage, you may only want service for four. Lastly, consider the colors (or lack thereof) that might work best for you. If you like to artfully plate your meals, a stark white dinnerware set will make food pop, adding visual appeal. Natural, earthy colors like grays and browns are great if you like to make simpler food. Strong or vibrant colors are not for everyone but they can make dinner fun.
Finally, make sure you know what your dinnerware set can withstand. Check to see if it’s dishwasher-safe, oven-safe, or microwave-safe. Ceramic glazes, for example, can contain metal oxides or other minerals that will not play well with a microwave. Resin-based plates like melamine can’t handle ovens or microwaves. Earthenware can vary by the set. I’ve flagged any limitations on all the sets recommended here, but be sure to read up on any set before you buy it to make sure it hits the target for how you prefer to use—and clean your dishes.
FAQs
What are the different dinnerware materials?
Porcelain and Bone China: Generally porcelain dinnerware is made from Kaolin clay and feldspar stone that is baked at very high temperatures in an oven called a kiln. Those temperatures fuse the particles in the clay to a stone-like state called Vitrification. Bone China is a blend of porcelain and the ash of animal bones (vegans take note) that make it more chip resistant than regular porcelain. Both tend to be thinner, lighter and more elegant than other types of fired clay construction.
Stoneware: The most durable of all ceramic dinnerware, stoneware dinnerware sets are made from a coarser type of clay than porcelain but are usually kiln fired to similar temperatures. Stoneware tends to be thicker and heavier than porcelain or bone china but more forgiving of abuse.
Earthenware: You’ll most likely recognize this as the type of clay material used in common reddish brown flower pots. Unlike other methods of construction listed above, earthenware is not heated to the point of vitrification and remains porous and more brittle. Unless fully glazed they are not dishwasher safe and will soak up water or other liquids.
Melamine: Melamine is a type of dense plastic resin that is lightweight, usually inexpensive and indestructible. These are great for outdoor events, small children or any other context where plates are likely to be thrown at a wall or slide off a lap onto a flagstone patio. It is worth noting that they are not for high heat applications like an oven nor are they microwave safe.
Other Materials: There is a whole universe of other, often proprietary, materials out there to make dinnerware from: laminated glass dinnerware, polymers, metals, wood, lacquerware, etc. with their own quirks, pluses and limitations to explore.
Can you put your dinnerware in the dishwasher or microwave?
When you are looking at dinnerware sets please check to see whether they are dishwasher-safe, oven-safe and microwave-safe. Ceramic glazes can contain metal oxides or other minerals that will not play well with a microwave. Resin-based “plastic” plates like Melamine usually don’t like high heats or microwaves, and Earthenware stuff is all over the place. Be sure to read up on any set to make sure it hits the target for how you prefer to use—and clean—your dishes.