Good flatware should be made of quality metals that will last you for years to come.
Cutlery is not something you replace often, so when it's time to choose your own, choose a cutlery set that is durable,
corrosion resistant, affordable and will last for years to come.
Infull Cutlery's products are made for durability, visual aesthetics, ease of use and care to produce the perfect
dinnerware for the home.
We've listed some expert guidance for an easy cutlery purchase, outlining what you're looking for when looking
for cutlery and what to consider when choosing your top choice.
Narrow down your choices before you shop.
With so many choices, it helps to first decide how many pieces you need and what your budget is.
You should expect to pay more than $300 to have a quality set for your home, but it can be as low as $30 if you're
selective about the number and type of utensils you need.
Regardless of your budget, Infull recommends looking for products that include the five core utensils.
"When buying utensils, you want to make sure each set comes with a dinner knife, dinner fork, salad fork, dinner
spoon and teaspoon; that will cover everything you need," Whitmore says.
"I prefer to plan for large parties, so I like to buy at least eight sets, but usually 10 or 12 sets.
It's never a bad idea to buy extra sets because items like spoons are used more frequently (for cereal, coffee, etc.). "
Next, decide whether you want to buy single pieces (also known as open stock), pieces set by place, or sets that
typically serve 4, 6, 8, or 12 people.
Here is more information about each type.
Open stock:
If you are only missing a few pieces of tableware, if you are a college student, or if you live alone and only need
a few pieces, then buying single pieces (also called Open Stock) is a good option.
It's also a good option if you're looking for temporary or easily replaceable tableware, for example if you need
to stock your own rental property, or if you have extra mouths to feed for special occasions. However, many stock
items are not the most durable, so they may not last very long in daily use.
By place:
If you buy cutlery by place, there are usually five pieces per box: dinner fork, salad fork, dessert spoon, soup spoon,
and dinner knife.
This is a great option when entertaining guests if you want to choose the number of place settings that fit your
family (since box sets usually come in fixed quantities), if you want to replace lost or damaged cutlery, or if you
want some extra place settings as a backup.
Premium products are usually priced between $30 and $50 per setting.
Sets:
You'll get more bang for your buck if you invest in a set.
A set can accommodate from 4 to 12 people (some retailers can even accommodate up to 16) and has the same
five-piece set as a personal place setting.
A box set serving four people usually has 20 pieces, a box set serving eight people usually has 40 pieces, and so on.
Sets serving 12 or more people usually also come with a "hostess set" - additional serving utensils such as solid and
slotted serving spoons, meat forks and soup spoons to match the cutlery design.
Sets are especially useful if you have a family of at least four people, or if you frequently host dinner parties for
a large number of guests.
Choose a reputable company
Whether you choose open stock or sets, experts say you can get the best results by choosing products from well-known
brands.
"When buying dinnerware, make sure you buy from a reputable dinnerware company," says infull-in.com's dinnerware
and metal products engineering.
You want to make sure you can buy replacements 10 years down the road.
These companies are also usually happy to provide materials and manufacturing methods, offer longer warranties,
and provide great customer service.
All of the options in our guide have been reviewed by experts, come with a minimum 25-year warranty, or are
made by well-known tableware brands that have been in business for at least 50 years.
If you can, shop in person
To get a good feel for your dinnerware, it's best if you can inspect the pieces in person to see if they fit the grip and
match your aesthetic.
If possible, check out the complete place settings in person to make sure the size is right for you.
If you decide to shop online, make sure you buy from a reputable retailer with a good return policy, as you won't be
able to assess the comfort and weight of the flatware until you try it.
Infull-in.com is one such merchant where you can shop with confidence and no worries.