The 11 Best Dinnerware Sets for Every Style and Budget
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From everyday to special occasions, set the table with our favorite picks.
Our Place
The best dinnerware set for your home should be a true extension of your personal style. Since you’ll use your main set of dinner plates, bowls, and drinking glasses daily, it's the kind of thing to spend a little extra on since the cost per use is relatively low.
No matter your price point or style, there are tons of different dinnerware sets from all sorts of small and large retailers. We've found the best dinnerware sets, whether your dinner table style is rustic or modern or whether you love elegant pieces for dinner parties or need something durable the kids won't break. Although we’re tempted to use our favorite pasta bowls every night, a standard dinner set is essential.
Beyond design preferences, we’re all starting from different points in our dinnerware journey. Some will slowly build tabletop collections of plates, table linens, and flatware sets, pulling different textures and colors from various retailers — others will prefer it all in one box. We evaluated over 100 dinnerware sets to find something for everyone, whether you want a simple set of dinner plates or a complete 16-piece set with settings for four people. We kept the price points in mind and found plenty of products we loved, but these are the best of the best for dinnerware sets.
Best All-In-One Set: Our Place Set the Table Dinnerware Set
The Set the Table set from Our Place Is a 20-piece dinner party in a box. Since so many pieces from Our Place are swoon-worthy, it can sometimes be hard to decide what to buy. They've done the work for you by crafting a set of their best sellers in monochrome colorways, or you can even get creative and buy their "mixed" variety of Spice, Terracotta, and Char colors.
The ceramic set has a glossy interior which also prevents scratches. The exterior has a satin finish, and each piece has stacking capabilities, which is a plus for kitchens with limited storage. Since the plates are durable enough to go in the dishwasher and microwave, you can bet you can stack them neatly with no damage. We've tested the brand's stackable glassware and can confirm it delivers.
Price at time of publish: $260
What's included: Set of four large Full plates, four Midi plates, four Midi Bowls, four Demi Plates, and four Demi Bowls.
Material: Ceramic
Best Ceramic: Staub 12-piece Ceramic Dinnerware Set
The Staub 12-piece Dinnerware Set is a surprising find from this French cookware company known for its beloved Dutch ovens. These stoneware place settings branded with the Staub logo on each piece are the perfect mix of modern organic design and old-world craftsmanship. It's both dishwasher and microwave-safe, moisture-resistant, and scratch-resistant, thanks to the glossy enamel coating.
We love using the homey set's cereal bowls for cozy bowls of soups and stews. The salad and dinner plates are also versatile enough for any meal.
Price at time of publish: $200
What's included: A set of four 10.5-inch dinner plates, four 9-inch salad plates, and four 5-inch cereal bowls.
Material: Ceramic
Best Stoneware: West Elm Kanto Stoneware Dinnerware
Our top overall pick in our list of the best stoneware dinnerware, we love this Kanto Stoneware Dinnerware set from West Elm for its simple, rustic design. Designed in Portugal, these pieces have all the handmade appeal of pottery (think: uneven edges, a textured exterior, and subtle speckling), at a reasonable price. Each set includes four small bowls, four pasta bowls, four dinner plates, and four salad plates. The pieces are generously sized, with a nice weight and depth to them that feels durable and sturdy.
We also love the color options available. Choose from a selection of neutral reactive glazes, including classic white, blue, black, and cardamom. This dinnerware set is both dishwasher- and microwave-safe.
Price at time of publish: $224
What's included: Each set contains four small bowls, four pasta bowls, four dinner plates, and four salad plates.
Material: Glazed stoneware
Best Diner-Style Set: Dansk Cafe Blanc Strip Porcelain Dinnerware Rimmed Soup Bowl
Danish designer Niels Refsgaard designed Dansk's Cafe Blanc Dinnerware in 1997. The ceramic porcelain dinnerware is primarily white, with thin lines of blue rimming each plate and bowl. While they feel incredibly Scandinavian in their simplicity and functionality, they also feel like an elegant version of the standard blue and white plates you get at your local diner. Since the set is porcelain, it is chip-resistant and safe for the microwave and dishwasher.
Price at time of publish: $150
What's included: Four place settings, each including a dinner plate, salad plate, mug, and rimmed soup bowl.
Material: Porcelain
Best Pottery: East Fork 7-Piece You're-All-Set Set
We are big fans of everything East Fork Pottery makes, including the 7-Piece You're-All-Set Set. We love that humans make the dishwasher and microwave-safe Pottery in Asheville, North Carolina. The 100% regional lead-free materials can vary slightly since they are handmade. One setting is everything one person could ever need, which features many of East Fork's bestsellers, including the "Bitty bowl" and the wildly popular East Fork mug, which we consider to be one of our favorite coffee mugs.
Sure, you won't be using every single item during one meal, but it would be interesting to try. Offered in seven core colors like Morel, Blue Ridge, and Panna Cotta, each piece has a speckled finish emphasizing how artisan this pottery is.
Price at time of publish: $214
What's included: One place setting, including the mug, Bitty bowl, breakfast bowl, everyday bowl, cake plate, side plate, and dinner plate.
Material: Clay
Best Glass: Luminarc Arty French Glass Dinnerware
Food52 has the exclusive on Luminarc's vibrant Arty Dinnerware set. The family-owned company, founded in France in 1815, is known for its dinnerware and glassware. The 18-piece set includes six three-piece place settings in a mix of intense pink, orange, and soft blue hues. The tempered glass dinnerware is colored from underneath, so use caution with the type of table service surface.
Since they are tempered glass, they're also thermal shock resistant and safe for the dishwasher and microwave. This Luminarc set is like a bold lip in plate form and is for the type of host who likes to make a statement. They're super bright, sunny, and a joy to behold.
Price at time of publish: $100
What's included: Six 3-piece place settings, including a dinner plate, salad plate, and bowl.
Material: Glass
Best Modern Set: Jono Pandolfi Coupe 4-Piece Place Setting
Jono Pandolfi's dinnerware is beloved by chefs and home cooks alike. The durable stoneware is used in numerous high-volume commercial kitchens and is handmade in America. 10 Artisans work together in a New Jersey Studio overlooking the Hudson River 2 craft these gorgeous 4-Piece place settings. The bowl is the perfect size for a multi-purpose dish that can easily transition between salads and plates of pasta. Even though these are handmade, the ceramic is dishwasher and microwave safe. The interior gray is a Design Within Reach exclusive color, but the set is available at Food52 in white.
Price at time of publish: $195
What's included: One place setting, including an entree plate, salad plate, cereal bowl, and Alaska Bowl.
Material: Ceramic
Best Value: Gibson Home Rockaway Round Stoneware 16-piece Dinnerware Set
The Gibson Home Rockaway Round Stoneware 16-piece Dinnerware Set is a massive seller for many retailers. Based in Los Angeles, California, the family-owned company that has been open for over 40 years aims to make beautiful dishes durable enough for everyday use. The stoneware dinnerware has a smooth flat finish with a matte glaze. It comes in various colorways, but we love the white with faux metallic trim along the rim.
This dinnerware set looks fancy enough for a dinner party but is actually quite durable and sufficient for raucous family dinners. You can also put them in the microwave and dishwasher, and you can't beat the price for what you get.
Price at time of publish: $60
What's included: The 16-piece Dinnerware Set serves four people, including four dinner plates, four dessert plates, four bowls, and four mugs.
Material: Stoneware
Best Splurge: Costa Nova Pearl Dinner Plate Set
The white Costa Nova Pearl Dinner Plate Set is another example of Portugal's dominance in the dinnerware game. This beautiful set, inspired by 18th and 19th-century European ceramics, has an edge crowded with uniform white balls that resemble a string of pearls. It's sold by the setting or piece and has numerous serving pieces if you want a complete matching set. While the stoneware collection is gorgeous enough for special occasions, we love how durable it is for any weeknight. The dinnerware is safe for the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher, but larger pieces should be hand-washed.
Price at time of publish: $33
What's included: One plate
Material: Stoneware
Best Rustic: Vietri Italian Lastra Collection
Handcrafted in Italy out of Italian stoneware, the Vietri Italian Lastra Collection is the peak of luxury dinnerware. Vietri is one of the largest importers of Italian dinnerware sets with many colorways and styles, from simple white plates to festive patterns emblazoned with trees to match your favorite holiday serveware. The Lastra collection comes in a warm linen white that can easily transition from daytime use thanks to its durability to a special occasion. The stoneware clay dinnerware is fired at higher temperatures, which means it is chip and break-resistant and safe for the microwave, dishwasher, and freezer.
Price at time of publish: $162
What's included: One set in Linen, including a dinner plate, one salad plate, one cereal bowl, and one pasta bowl.
Material: Italian clay stoneware
Best Classic : Corelle 18-Piece Dinnerware Set
The Corelle Vitrelle 18-Piece Service for 6 Dinnerware Set is a classic for many reasons, but its durability has been legendary since 1970. Corelle is known for being chip and crack-resistant, while also being easy to clean. They can go in the dishwasher and the microwave. The soft gray border of the glass dinnerware provides a little interest to the otherwise classic design that will be at home on anyone’s dining room table. It will also last for years to come.
Price at time of publish: $70
What's included: The 18-piece set includes six 10-1/4-inch dinner plates, six 6-3/4-inch appetizer plates, and six 18-oz soup/cereal bowls.
Material: Glass
Factors to Consider
Planned Use
Before purchasing a dinnerware set, it's important to consider how you plan to use it. Durability is essential for everyday sets, so look for chip-resistant materials. Check the manufacturer's recommendations if you need to microwave your plates or put them in the dishwasher. Sometimes, more special occasion pieces or finer china have special handling instructions due to special finishes or intricate design flourishes.
Number of Settings
When buying a dinner set, pay attention to what's included. You'll see listings with items such as a 16 or 18-piece set which breaks down to service for four to six people, not 16 or 18. Sometimes, brands sell dinnerware sets by the setting. A setting typically includes three to four pieces, including a dinner plate, salad plate, bowl of some sort, and mug or cup and saucer. Pay attention to the fine print if you need to accommodate more diners at your table. Don't feel constrained by manufacturer sets — many retailers offer open-box dinnerware so you can mix and match cups and bowls tailored to how you dine.
Material and Care
Dinnerware comes in various materials, such as fine china, fine bone china, porcelain, stoneware, earthenware, glass, and melamine. Bone china, a mix of Chinese clay, bone ash, and Chinese stone, is considered the most durable ceramic dinnerware since it is lightweight, but many sets are not dishwasher or microwave safe. We find porcelain or stoneware the best choices for everyday use because they are durable and chip-resistant if treated correctly. You can also normally wash both in the dishwasher, which is convenient for everyday use. The more artisan the pieces, like earthenware, the more care is involved in cleaning and storage. For sustainability, glass is a good choice since it's non-toxic and normally chip-resistant. Melamine sets are a terrific outdoor dinnerware alternative and shatterproof alternative for kids. However, most manufacturers advise not using it as your daily dinnerware since the high heat from food and dishwashing can wear down the finish.
Design
Look for dinnerware that matches your personal style. If you want more versatile dishes, choose neutral patterns and colors that you can mix and match based on your mood. However, other considerations are less obvious, like the type of lip on your dinner plate, for instance. If you are looking for dishware containing saucy things, look for higher lips and pay attention to how much usable surface area you get with thicker rims. You might also want to consider the design and materials of your utensils, too; gold flatware sets will look great with a certain set of dinnerware, whereas stainless is great for other kinds of sets.
Our Expertise
Jennifer Zyman is a Senior Commerce Writer for Food & Wine and a former restaurant critic with a culinary school degree and over 15 years of food writing experience. Her work has appeared in Atlanta Magazine, Bon Appetit, Eater Atlanta, The Kitchn, Local Palate, National Geographic, Simply Recipes, Southern Living, and Thrillist. To write this story, she used research and her culinary expertise.
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