Whether you are hosting a dinner party or fancy dinner date, having the best dinner plate sets can make the difference between ordinary and classy settings. A classic dinnerware set should look chic on your dining table and be incredibly durable.

What is the Purpose of a Dinner Plate?

A dinner plate is more like a basic plate, and it is used to serve main courses in the meals for formal and informal settings. Most of the modern and best dinner plate sets measure from 10 to 11 inches across a plate. If you are hoping to find dinnerware you can use at dinner parties and dates, you could opt to get open stock dinnerware purchased individually or opt for dinnerware sets that comprise a whole set. To help you settle for the best dinnerware, we have discussed some of the best dinner plate sets with pros and cons.

1. Far And Away Big Plates

Far and Away is a family-owned company that produced extremely durable dinnerware sets that will serve your everyday needs and be used particularly for special occasions. Far and Away Big dinner plates are artisan-crafted sets that are made in Portugal using high-quality materials. The dinner plates feature vertical rims that prevent spillage and easily arrange the plates in the stack. They also have a semi-matte reactive glaze finish that creates the coloration of the dinnerware, giving them a fancy look. The amazing thing is that the plates are functional, classy, and are 100% microwave, dishwasher safe, oven safe. The Far and Away Big plate set comes in a four-piece set ideal for a small family setup. These best dinner plate sets will look chic on your dining table and can be used at a fancy dinner date, dinner party, or even for relaxed afternoon meals.

Pros

• Available in four different which allows you to choose your favorite color
• Microwave and oven safe
• Made with high-quality material that guarantees durability
• Prudently hand-finished
• Classy and elegant design
• Space-efficient

Cons

• Some plates are too large to fit in the dishwasher.

2. Amazon Basics 18-Piece Kitchen Dinnerware Set

Amazon Basics 18 piece dinnerware set is another amazing set that contains plates and bowls that can serve up to 6 people. The set has a six-place setting that includes dinner plates, salad plates, and four bowls that can be used as cereal bowls or soup bowls, making it a great choice for larger families and casual get together. The Amazon Basics 18 piece dinnerware set is designed with AB-grade porcelain material that makes the dinnerware set super durable. In addition, the dinnerware set has a great design that makes it classy and elegant and will easily blend with your dinner table and kitchen. The Amazon Basics plates and cereal bowls are oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe and can withstand up to 572 degrees F. The only downside is that this dinnerware set is fragile and delicate, which means they are not best if you have kids and that they will require to be handled with extra care.

Pros

• AB-grade porcelain material makes them durable.
• Oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe dinnerware set
• Can serve up to six people
• Has an elegant and classy white finish
• Can endure low and high temperatures

Cons

• The dinner set can be fragile

3. Corelle 18-Piece Service for 6

The Corelle dinnerware set is another great option for someone who wants durable plates and would prefer not to use paper plates. These are the best dinnerware sets if you are looking for break-resistant or chip-resistant dinner plates. The Corelle dinnerware set is constructed with a strong triple layer of glass, making the plates and bowls nonporous and hygienic. Corelle dinnerware set is also considered to be the best dinnerware because of its lightweight qualities. In addition, the plates are convinent because they are easy to wash and are top-rack dishwasher-safe microwave and microwave safe. Additionally, these sets can be easily stored or stack in small spaces, which helps greatly, especially for smaller kitchens. More so, the dinnerware set comes with dinner plates, snack plates, and bowls.

Pros

• Made with durable material
• Easy To Clean
• Has an elegant and classy finish
• Can serve up to six people

Cons

• Expensive

4. Gibson Home Rockaway 12-Piece Dinnerware Set

The Gibson Home Rockaway 12-Piece Dinnerware Set is produced by a well-known company based in California that produces high-quality tabletop and house or kitchenware. This dinnerware set comes in a set of twelve and can serve four people, seeing it comes with a four-place setting that includes a dinner plate, salad plate, or bread plate and a shallow bowl that can be used as a cereal salad or soup bowl. The amazing part is that the Gibson Home Rockaway stoneware dinnerware set is sturdy and comes with beautifully colored plates that can be easily matched with your kitchen decor. Additionally, the four dinner plates, four salad plates, and four bowl sets have a matte finish that adds a classy finish. This best stoneware set is also dishwasher safe and microwave safe.

Pros

• Dishwasher and microwave safe set
• Comes with everything you need to serve dinner for four
• Beautiful color options
• Lightweight
• Made with durable material

Cons

• Easily damaged if they are exposed to extreme temperatures over a long period.

5. Porlien 24-Piece Classic Square Dinnerware

Porlien Classic square dinnerware is also considered the best dinner plate sets, especially for large families. This set comes with a 24 piece place setting made of high-quality AB-graded porcelain, which makes it durable. The Porlien Classic square dinnerware set comes with dinner plates, salad plates, soup, or cereal bowl, and a dipping saucer which makes it an excellent choice for dinner parties or get-togethers. The amazing thing is that the plates are chip resistant and have a breakage rate o as low as 3 % Additionally, the plates have a 30 day or one-month warranty that covers any defects. Moreover, the Porlien Classic square dinnerware set is dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and freezer safe.

Pros

• Has a square shape which is good for serving larger entrees
• Made with Fine Porcelain Quality that makes the dinnerware set durable
• Has an elegant and classy finish
• Can serve large groups of people

Cons

• The dinner set can be fragile

What's the Best Dinnerware Material?

When shopping for the best dinnerware sets, you must consider the quality of the material used to make the set. In addition, you have to ensure that you get a remarkably durable dinnerware material. There are some great materials that you could consider:

1) Bone china

Bone china is a high-quality and super durable material that is mostly used in most formal dining sets. It is considered the best dinnerware material that is strong, lightweight, elegant, and chip resistant. The amazing thing is that you can use the set made from this fine china material on daily basics or even during special occasions. Additionally, the bone china material is dishwasher and microwave safe.

2) Stoneware

A stoneware dinnerware set is made with stoneware material which is super durable and great for everyday use. However, this durable stoneware material is a bit heavy and is mostly made with different clay colors, which will give the stoneware dinnerware a fancy and stylish look. The best stoneware material is super durable, but it can be easily destroyed if exposed to extreme temperatures.

3. Porcelain 

The porcelain material is super durable, versatile, but still very delicate. The material is dishwasher, oven, and microwave safe. Dinner sets made of this material will mostly be white and are mostly used or formal dinner settings.

4) Earthenware 

Earthenware is another common material used to make quality dinnerware sets; this material is heavy, strong, and mostly used for daily use. The material is oven and microwave-safe; however, the quality of the material will deteriorate with time if exposed to heat over a long period.

5) Melamine

Melamine is another very common material used to make dinnerware sets. This material usually makes a durable, chip, and break-resistant dinnerware set, ideal for a family or outdoor dining. The downside is that the material is not microwave or oven safe.

What to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Dinner Plates

1. Quantity

You must purchase enough plates per the number of guests or people you will be serving. The dinnerware sets usually come with different piece place settings; some will come with as little as four-place settings, and some up to 24 place settings. These settings will include up to four plates, bowls, cups, side plates, salad plates, dessert plates, butter plates, and even dishes. A 16 piece dinnerware set is one of the easiest and most convenient sets you can buy. The 16 piece dinnerware set will include four dinner plates, four mugs, four bowls, and four salad plates, which is convinent for a small family setup. However, it is also crucial to note that if you are looking for a formal dinnerware set, they will usually come with additional pieces like wine glasses, salad plates, teacups, soup bowls, and water glasses.

2. Design

While purchasing the best dinnerware sets, you must choose the design that you prefer most. Mostly the material will give you an idea of what the dinnerware set looks like, but the design will vary. They will come in different shapes, patterns, and colors, and you have to choose one that will suit your kitchen setup best. However, it is important to note that the set's design, e.g., the color shape or pattern you choose, will either limit or provide the flexibility to make a great food presentation.

3. Dishwasher and Microwavable Safe

Having a dishwasher, microwave, and oven-safe dinnerware set is super convenient. Most of the best dinnerware sets are oven, dishwasher, and microwave save, but some are not, making it important that you invest in a set with these features. The safe will help you prepare fast and quick foods and snacks with much ease with the oven and microwave. Additionally, a dishwasher-safe set is equally important since it will save on time while it comes to cleaning up. However, you should remember that using the hand wash method to clean your dinner plates will be a better way to maintain them and make them long-lasting.

4. Price

The price of the dinner plates you purchase is also something that you might want to consider. You will have to ensure that you get extremely durable dishes that will not break your bank. You will most likely have an option of an affordable dinnerware set that is still incredibly durable. The important thing to know about the price is that you ensure that you stick to your budget without compromising the quality of the set you purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Dinner Plate Sets

1. What are the most durable dinnerware sets?

Most brands have high-quality dinnerware sets; however, some companies make low-quality sets. For instance, the Far and Away dinnerware sets are strong and super durable. In addition, these dinnerware sets are microwave and oven safe and can be used daily or even as formal dinnerware sets.

2. What is the difference between salad plates and dessert plates?

In most informal settings, plates will be set before guests sit down. The salad plate is usually set on the left, and the dessert plate is set above the plate, which is placed at the center. The salad plate and the dessert plate will usually have the same size, and if you do not have a salad, you could use a salad plate to have dessert or vice versa.

3. What is the best color for dinnerware?

The color of the dinnerware will mainly be based on personal style or preference. However, most people prefer white because most culinary creations will go perfectly with white dinnerware. In addition, the white plates will give your food a look more captivating and appealing.

4. What is the best material for an everyday dinnerware set?

Mostly the best dinner plate sets material will mainly depend on your lifestyle. A stoneware set or bone china is a great option because they are practical and are super durable. Porcelain and melamine are also durable and versatile. The melamine is also ideal for outdoor dining use like a picnic set up or a camping trip.