Which dinner set to choose?

The foundation of every home is a suitable dinner set for serving food – without it, we are unable to function daily. Regardless of whether we decide to purchase it due to moving to a new place or a simple desire for change, at the moment of making a purchasing decision, many questions arise: which one to choose? Should I buy one for everyday use and another for the holidays? Or maybe find one that will be a 2-in-1 option: practical every day, and on the occasion of larger celebrations, it will impress the invited guests? Buy a set for 4, 6, or maybe 12 people? Further dilemmas are related to the material, colors, and form… Our many years of experience in the sale and production of dinner sets has allowed us to create a short guide that will suggest what to pay attention to and facilitate the selection process.

PURPOSE

At the beginning, you should consider what main function the dinner set is to fulfill and in what specific situations you will use it. This is the basic determinant of the search, thanks to which we will shorten the time of making a decision and choosing the perfect product for us. We must specify what it will be used for:

  • daily use Everyday use should be comfortable and as functional as possible, so when choosing a set for daily use, we should choose one that is dishwasher safe and microwave safe. However, many people allow themselves to choose non-standard solutions here and decide on more diverse color ranges and unusual plate shapes.
  • occasional A dinner set that we take out for holidays, birthdays or a child's communion must make an impression and be elegant. Most often, neutral colors are chosen, such as shades of white, which look perfect in any interior and harmonize with any decor. Refined, however, does not have to mean that it will be simple in form – often unconventional solutions are also extremely tasteful.
  • daily use + special occasions Classic color broken with a bit of extravagance in form – this is the best solution when choosing one set that fulfills two functions. Our brand Ambition offers porcelain series which, according to customer opinions, are perfect in both cases.

DINNER SETS FOR 4, 6 AND 12 PEOPLE

Dinner sets for 6 and 12 people are the most common, less frequently for 4 people, but all are most often chosen for everyday use. Of course, the number of people in a given household should be of great importance here and this should be our main indicator when making a decision regarding the number of plates. Larger sets are enriched with additional elements, and even fulfill dinner-coffee functions, and in this case, they are most often sets for special occasions. Some, when analyzing their own needs at this stage, decide to purchase 2 sets: an everyday one for 4 or 6 people and an occasional one for 12 or more people.

NUMBER OF ELEMENTS IN DINNER SETS

Basic ones for everyday use usually consist of three types of plates that fulfill their functions and are sufficient when serving breakfast, lunch, or dinner:

  • dinner plates – flat plates most often come in diameters of 24 cm / 25 cm / 26 cm or 27 cm, perfect for the main course
  • deep plates – their height usually depends on the diameter, which can be 20 cm / 21 cm / 22 cm or 23 cm, they are mainly used for serving soups, however, those with a deep rim also work great for serving all kinds of pasta
  • dessert plates – flat, with smaller diameters of 19 cm / 20 cm or 21 cm, used for serving delicious cake, but in many homes, they are used to serve delicious sandwiches or scrambled eggs in the morning

When choosing a set, you should pay attention not only to the number of people but also to the number of elements - this will immediately suggest whether a given set is full table equipment or basic:

  • 18-piece dinner set - basic plates for 6 people
  • 19-piece dinner set - basic plates for 6 people + large salad bowl
  • 24-piece dinner set - basic plates for 6 people + 6 small salad bowls
  • 42-piece dinner set and more are considered occasional - the number of elements varies

Occasional sets, in addition to the main plates, are often more or less expanded with additional components:

  • soup tureen - comes with a lid, definitely makes serving soups easier
  • bouillon bowls - perfect for any party for borscht, goulash soup, or tripe soup
  • sauce boats - with a comfortable handle and a spout for easy pouring of sauce over meat and potatoes
  • salad bowls and small bowls - for salads and snacks
  • platters - on which we serve meat, fish, or eggs in various forms

A large number of components often also means dinner-coffee sets, which may additionally contain elements of various capacities, necessary for serving coffee and tea:

  • cups with saucers
  • mugs
  • jugs with lids
  • creamers
  • sugar bowls

But what if we want to have a dinner service for 7 or 8 people, but 12 people is already too many for us? There is a solution that does not force the purchase of a larger set! Many lines, in addition to ready-made sets, also allow for the purchase of individual plates by the piece, which makes it very easy to match the product to individual needs, such as the glass series of the valued Luminarc brand, of which DAJAR is the exclusive distributor in Poland.

MATERIAL

Is it crucial in making a decision? For some, it is important during the selection process, while others are simply guided by preferences! We can choose from three main materials:

  • glass - usually tempered, which is stronger and more resistant to damage, and in case of breakage, it shatters into very small pieces which is safer; glass sets are often tinted and come in a wide range of colors
  • porcelain - looking beautiful on the table, it is refined and elegant, yet very durable and made of the highest quality materials; it comes in various shades of white from snow-white to its creamy shade
  • ceramics - durable and scratch-resistant, characterized by natural coloring and many lovers of this material for ecological reasons

STYLE, SHAPE AND COLORING

Each of these is a matter of our individual preferences and taste, which will surely be satisfied by the vast selection possibilities: from traditional forms to designer solutions, pure madness! Simple round shapes are currently not the only option; innovative rectangular or square plates are also very popular. Subdued or bold colors, rustic, classic or more daring patterns, to traditional or modern shapes – the dinnerware collections offered today follow the latest trends, so everyone can find that one and only suitable pattern!