How to Buy Dinnerware

Tips for buying dinnerware

1. First realize that you can spend a little or you can spend a lot when you buy dinnerware. The rough border between the two expenditures lies between casual dinnerware and fine dinnerware. Casual dinnerware is for serving breakfast, for eating snacks and for serving dinner to yourself, family and friends. Fine dinnerware is usually reserved for special events, such as birthday and anniversary meals. Casual dinnerware tends to be more colorful, while fine dinnerware has a more formal design and is often white or a light shade.
2. Decide what you want or need first. Do you want a set of casual dinnerware for serving every meal? Or do you want a set of fine dinnerware for special occasions? Maybe you simply prefer to eat off of the subtle design of fine dinnerware and want some as your primary set of plates and bowls.
3. Once you have decided on fine or casual dinnerware, you should determine your budget. Casual dinnerware tends to be less expensive, but you can also find expensive sets. You also need to determine how many place settings you need. In many cases, you can buy one place setting at a time, or you can buy sets that are provide place settings for four, six or eight people. Know what you need and what you can spend before you start shopping.
4. The majority of dinnerware sets offered for sale consist of four pieces. They are the dinner plate, a salad plate, a soup bowl and a teacup. Fine dinnerware sets may also include a saucer for the teacup.
5. Consider whether you are going to want additions to the dinnerware set you choose. You may want to add matching items such as saucers, a butter dish, a serving platter or a gravy bowl. Find out if the dinnerware sets you prefer offer such additions, in case you want to purchase them now or later.

Caution

At some point in time, someone is going to break a piece of your dinnerware. Before you buy, make sure the manufacturer sells individual replacement pieces and that it also carries discontinued patterns. Ten years on, you may decide to replace a plate or a bowl—you want to know now whether the manufacturer stocks dinnerware patterns that are no longer offered as sets.

Where to buy dinnerware

Find dinnerware at reasonable prices at Target. Browse by brand, price or bestsellers.

Macy’ssells sets and individual pieces of dinnerware. See what each brand offers this year.

Cooking.comdisplays photos of every dinnerware set it has in stock. View only bestsellers and new patterns, if you want.