Dinnerware Guides

Plain-language guides for the dinnerware index — the material and measurement questions worth settling before you compare products.

Stoneware vs Porcelain Dinnerware: Which Should You Buy?

Stoneware and porcelain account for most of the dinnerware sold — and most of the confusion. They are both ceramics, but they are fired differently, and that one difference drives everything else: weight, look, durability and price.Guide

Dinnerware Materials, Explained

Almost every dinnerware decision is really a material decision. Six materials cover nearly everything sold — here is what each one actually is, in plain terms.Guide

How Many Dinnerware Pieces Do You Actually Need?

'32-piece set' sounds generous until you do the division. Set counts follow a simple logic — once you can read it, you can compare any two sets in seconds.