If you’re looking for great low cost dishes that really look great and hold up over time, then Ironstone dinnerware is probably right up your alley. Sometimes referred to as semi-porcelain, ironstone is a sort of refined earthenware that’s thicker and heavier than most porcelain.
There are many different companies that make ironstone dishes, both in England as well as in America. You can identify them by the makers mark on the bottom of each dish.
Tag Sonoma-2 Ironstone Ceramic 16-Piece Dinnerware Set Service for 4
This is a very nice service for four that only costs around $97. I would describe it as simple and elegant with no actual design but merely a milky cream colored finish that is understated and subtle. It includes dinner plate, salad plate, bowl, and mug that are made of a very high-quality Ironstone ceramic that is hand painted. It also has tonal edging which is especially nice. One of the great things about this sort of dinnerware is that it is both microwave and dishwasher safe. There aren’t any customer reviews that I could find but I wouldn’t let that deter you from picking up this very nice little set.
Tag Monterey Ironstone Ceramic 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4
At only $86 this is a very nice plum colored set with cream interior. It contains a dinner plate, salad plate, cup, and bowl for four. I really like the Monterey collection. The hues and the colors are soothing and stylish. I’m not sure I’d use them for a formal dinner party, but for everyday use you can’t go wrong.
I could go on and on all day giving you great Ironstone ceramic suggestions like the last two, heck I haven’t even touched on Sonoma Ironstone or Johnson brothers, but I think you get the idea already so I’ll just leave it at that.
You can find Ironstone just about anywhere these days from lower end big box stores like Wal-Mart all the way up to high-end department stores like Macy’s and everything in between. If you’re looking for a particular set or a particular color then I suggest running a search on the Internet as your quickest way to find what you’re looking for.
You have a choice of how to outfit your kitchen. As I’ve mentioned before, I wouldn’t suggest purchasing Ironstone for formal occasions, instead you’re going to want a more formal set that you can pull out once or twice a year for fancy parties. But if you’re looking for something that will hold up very well, especially if you have kids, then Ironstone dinnerware may be exactly what you need.
