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Posts Tagged ‘formal dining’

What do you have in your kitchen? I’m sure you probably have a fridge, a stove, and perhaps a dishwasher. What’s in your cupboard? Most kitchens are equipped with mugs, plates, bowls, and cups. I’m sure that they have a nice design and interesting shapes, but what are they made out of? In the “more economical” kitchens they may be made out of plastic, but the most common materials are: earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. Although we may have heard of these materials before, do we know what they are? We will be examining the differences between these three materials in this article.

Earthenware
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Earthenware is what is known as a “low-fired” clay. This means that it is fired at a low temperature (usually around’15 degrees Fahrenheit). Made from a white and porous clay, it is sometimes called “ceramics” or “ceramic ware”.

Stoneware
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Stoneware (unlike Earthenware) is a “high-fired” clay. It is fired around 2185 degrees Fahrenheit, and as a result of this intense heat, it is much stronger than Earthenware. This firing makes it vitreous (i.e.: like glass), and is chip-resistant and sturdy.

Porcelain
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Porcelain is made out of a number of ingredients. A pale clay (such as china white) is the main material. Other materials, such as glass, granite, and feldspar are ground, and then added to the clay. Enough water is added to make the mixture workable. After working this mixture into the shape you want, it is fired in a bisque kiln at a moderate temperature. After glazing and a “high-temperature” firing, you have a piece of pottery that is delicate and translucent.

Telling the Difference
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Now that we know a bit about each, how do we tell them apart? Here’s the process:

1) Is it porcelain? The first thing to keep in mind is that porcelain is translucent, while stoneware and earthenware are not. Hold the item up to the light. Can you see the light shining through? If so, then it is porcelain.

2) If it’s not porcelain, we know that it must be either stoneware or earthenware. What do we do next? We need to check out the weight of the item. If it’s rather heavy for its size, then it’s stoneware.

3) Stoneware also has a “look” of hand-made pottery. This means that stoneware will have a texture to it. Earthenware will not.

4) Does the piece have a chip in it? If so, then examine it further. Is it very white and does it have a “chalky” look? Use your fingernail. Can you scrape off a bit more material? If the answer is “yes”, then it’s probably earthenware. Earthenware (once fired) has this white, chalky look, while stoneware has a darker, textured look.

5) Is any part of the item is unglazed, see if there is textured clay showing through. If so, it’s stoneware.

We hope you enjoyed this tour into the world of dinner set materials. Porcelain, earthenware, and stoneware are the three main choices. If you would like to learn more about dinner sets, please visit our blog.

Looking to find the best deal on a great dinner set, then visit www.DinnerSetReview.com to find the best advice.

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