Which cutlery

Most people are familiar with silver-plated flatware, which is made from a base metal of copper, brass, nickel, or stainless steel electroplated with silver. Other electroplated finishes include copper, gold, and rose gold. Plated flatware can be quite pricey depending on the metal, but unlike solid sterling silver, it holds no intrinsic value. Another thing to consider when buying electroplated flatware is that certain metals—such as copper, gold, and silver—can affect the way food tastes for better or worse for specifics, listen to this episode of the Gastropod podcast.

A lot of colored flatware—including trendy black or psychedelic rainbow sets—that appears to be electroplated is actually PVD physical vapor deposition coated.

PVD is a thin vaporized coating, such as a metal or oxide coating, that manufacturers adhere to flatware in a controlled sealed vacuum chamber. Just as with electroplated finishes, the base metal will begin to show through if the PVD coating wears thin.

That said, in our experience, the color of many PVD sets can be garish or tacky—particularly gold-colored flatware, which can have a yellowish hue. Most of our testers preferred a satin finish over a polished finish because they found it aesthetically pleasing and less prone to unsightly fingerprints.

Some also said satin flatware was a little easier to hold because it was less slick. All flatware will develop some patina with age, despite its finish, so choose whichever you like better.

Before you purchase a set of flatware, check that the finish is even all over the utensils. Cheaper flatware often includes forks with rough, unfinished areas between the tines, indicating that the manufacturer skimped on polishing the entire piece. As you examine the finish, also pay attention to the placement of the manufacturer branding on the utensils.

We were surprised to find so many flatware patterns with oddly placed brands and steel-grade markings. We prefer such markings on the underside of the knife blade, so the brand name is less noticeable.

The most inconspicuous placement for branding is on the underside of the handle near the neck. When choosing flatware, you need to consider the weight, balance, length, and shape of each utensil. These considerations are largely subjective, however, so we recommend handling a few sets in stores to determine what you like best.

One of the most important reasons to look at flatware in person is to determine how it actually feels in your hands. Deciding on the weight of your utensils is a personal choice—you may prefer them light, heavy, or somewhere in between. Some flatware can be egregiously back- or front-heavy, which throws off the entire balance of the piece. Utensils that are too thin and light often feel cheap and are easy to bend. Many of the testers for our guide to the best flatware set were put off by flatware that had sharp angles on the underside of the handles because it dug into their fingers.

Some knives with handles that curved to one side, such as those in the Lenox Chesterbrook Flatware Set , were awkward to hold while cutting, especially for lefties. You may have noticed that Americans generally eat differently than Europeans do. American diners typically hold the fork in their left hand and the knife in their right hand while cutting food; then they set the knife down and switch the fork over to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth.

Chefs' Recipes Marameo's squid-ink spaghetti with crab, chilli and tomato Nov 11, Browse All Recipes Sweet cinnamon buns Nov 11, Cruises The top 3 travel trends for your future food-focused getaways Nov 11, Recipe Collections 10 of our best custard tart recipes Nov 10, Recipe Collections Don't wait till it's too late — now's a good time to plan these Christmas puddings Nov 10, Browse All Recipes Citrus and pomegranate salad with verjuice-shallot dressing Nov 10, Recipe Collections 10 elegant crab pasta recipes Nov 10, Fast Recipes Roast chicken with capsicum salsa verde Nov 09, Explainers How to make the perfect sponge cake Nov 09, Browse All Recipes Eton mess Nov 09, We avoided colored utensils and those with resin, wood, or riveted handles, opting instead for classic, timeless patterns with clean, simple lines.

Since finishes are an aesthetic choice, we tested patterns with both satin and mirror surfaces. We mostly included sets with forged knives in our roundup, but we also considered sets with cheaper stamped knives or pricier hollow-handle knives to accommodate various budgets you can also find an explanation of these differences in our guide to buying flatware.

The longevity of patterns is important, especially if you plan to replace utensils or grow your set in the future. For this guide, we looked at more than flatware patterns in stores and online. To see how each place setting performed in action, we invited our testers to eat their way through roast chicken, quinoa, orzo, kale and arugula salads, and both creamy and broth-based soups. They evaluated the utensils on their weight, balance, length, comfort, and overall design.

After cutting with a knife, Americans usually put it down and transfer their fork from their left hand to the right to eat, whereas Europeans do not. To assess quality and durability, we took a close look at each piece of flatware to check for any unfinished or rough areas. We also washed all of the flatware several times and let it sit in a moist and humid dishwasher for two days to see if any of the utensils discolored or developed rust spots, which was a surprisingly revealing test.

Others liked the smooth, rounded handles, which they found pleasing to hold. The fork tines are a great in-between length—not too elongated but not stubby. The sloped angle of the handle on the soup spoon also makes it easier to eat from deep, narrow bowls.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The branding on the back of the forks and spoons is larger and more noticeable on this Cambridge Silversmiths set compared with the others we recommend. A few of our testers said the spoons were a little too round and deep, as they preferred spoons that were slightly more tapered near the tip of the bowl, like those in the Liberty Tabletop Betsy Ross collection. However, both spoon styles have their benefits—a deep spoon holds more liquid, while a tapered spoon puts less metal in your mouth—so it depends on your preference.

The forged knife is a pleasure to hold, and the fine serrations on the blade cut cleanly through food. Like our main pick, the Caesna set has deep soup spoons that hold a generous amount of liquid.

We also like that this collection includes a huge selection of serving pieces in the mirror finish —including our pick for serving tongs —which are sold separately. Flaws but not dealbreakers: If you like lightweight utensils, most of the pieces in the Caesna set may be too heavy for you. Some of our testers also found the Caesna soup spoon to be too deep, preferring the shallower spoons in the Betsy Ross set.

We also like the shape of the forged knife blade and bolster, which is reminiscent of the knives found in finer, more traditional sterling silver flatware sets. The fork tines are long, thin, and spaced slightly farther apart than on our main pick, an aesthetic that some people may prefer.

We like the slightly tapered tips of the spoons, too, which put less metal in your mouth compared with spoons that have wider, rounded tips, such as those in the other sets we recommend. Still, some of our staffers mistook the seam and the lightweight knives as indicators of poor quality.

The Windermere collection is noticeably more refined than some of the other sets we looked at in this price range. The knives are a comfortable in-between weight—not too heavy or too light—and the fork tines are a nice medium length. The tines are also appropriately tapered, unlike the blunt tips on the forks of some of the other cheap flatware sets we tested.

And the tines are smoothly polished even on the inner edge, unlike in the Gibson Home Classic Manchester Flatware Set , whose forks have inner tines that are so rough you could file your nails on them. The spoons are slightly more circular than those of our other picks, but they still have enough depth for holding broth-based soups.

We also like that the Windermere collection has such a large selection of additional serving pieces which are sold separately depending on the utensil. One of our testers said the shape of the knife blade reminded them of a mezzaluna, and found that its extreme curve made cutting awkward. Simply soak the flatware for 15 to 20 minutes in hot soapy water to loosen the paste.

Wipe the flatware dry with a towel after soaking and cleaning. The shade of the handle is at once classic and fun. Whilst this may not be the most practical choice for the everyday, this 24 piece pink set is really unusual and different.

I would use this set for dinner parties and occasions that require something a little special. This set is a timeless and classic shape at a good price point. Ideal for everyday use, the set will go well with any style of china or tableware. By Charlotte McCaughan-Hawes. By Arabella Bowes.

By Ruth Sleightholme. Gallery List. Gallery Grid. The best napkins to decorate your dinner table. Shopping The best napkins to decorate your dinner table. Arrow Up Arrow Down. The best barbecues to buy now.