How Often Do You Replace Your Dishes?

[Rockette_Scientist]

Once they get chipped/broken, I start throwing them away.

 

[Boopuff]

We had a set that we got when we first married. As soon as kids came along, a broken dish here, cup there and the set became a hodge podge. Once we reached our 20th we got new dishes and glasses. Honestly wouldn't it be great to get to register for new stuff once you reach milestone anniversarys?

 

[mrodgers]

Yeah, dishes are little different than silverware. They get broken. I don't know how many sets of dishes we had.

Glasses also. There's reason 264 for divorce. She complained all the time, "stupid cats keep knocking the glasses off the counter and breaking them." Gee, maybe put the stinkin things in the DISHWASHER instead of piling them up on the counter! Not only that, but when you get a drink of water, you don't need a clean glass for a drink of water half an hour later! 3 girls in the house drinking water all the time, I loaded the dishwasher one evening and filled the dishwasher with 18 glasses. That was from all day long with me leaving for work at 6 am and the kids leaving for school at 6:30. How is there 18 dirty glasses from 6 am until 6 pm when no one was home for more than half and hour in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon while no one ever drinks anything but water? I bet we went through 15 sets of glasses, every one of them knocked off a counter or table by a cat.

 

[caroline5177]

During 23 years, I think we are on our third set. The last was purchased when we did a kitchen renovation about 8 years ago. I decided to buy a colorful set, but still have my all white from before that I use off and on.
I also have some melamine dishes that we use a good bit during the summer.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

When I see something I like at Goodwill! No really, for my first place I didn’t want a prepackaged set of dishes. I went to ss many Goodwills as I could and picked whatever I thought was cute or pretty. Pretty much can be said for a lot of my glass or metal cookware and dishes.

 

[disykat]

I have to comment why my glasses don't break. We really only use them for dinner at the table. The rest of the day we each use a plastic "glass" that resides on our designated coaster on the counter by the sink. (it's under a ledge so there isn't room for the height of the glass) We use them for water all day then they go in the dishwasher before bed. Best thing I ever did was took the kids to a pottery painting place when they were little and we painted coasters.

 

[TCRAIG]

Been married almost 40 years - on our third set of everyday China - not because they broke but because our color palette changed. First set was a rust color stoneware which we used for about 15 years and then I donated to Goodwill, second set was Pfaltzgraff April which I donated about 10 years ago and now I’m using Fiestaware in lapis. I do have a set 2 sets of ‘everyday’ Christmas china as well. We’re on our third set of glasses, with another set of nicer everyday ones we only use for company. We still use the flatware I bought before I was married. It’s still in great shape but I would like to replace it with something less floral. Fine china, crystal and sterling is another matter...especially china- I have At least 24 sets of fine china, 5 sets of crystal stemware and 3 sets of sterling and 2 sets of gold flatware plus a variety of depression glass and other colored glass stemware and serving pieces. I keep my dining room setup and switch out for each season or holiday.

 

[indimom]

Married 25 years. We're on our third set. The first was hand-me-down from family and not a full set to start with. The second was a yard-sale find, very nice but eventually we had a lot of broken pieces. I received a large set of simple white china for Christmas in 2018. So far, so good.

Edited to add: I also own a set of fine china that has only been used a few times over the years because I'm afraid to break anything, a second set of fine china that was my grandmothers (which I only display), and a set of inexpensive but cute Christmas china that I use for parties.

 

[Disneychick75]

We've been using the same pattern for 30+ years. About 8 years ago, I was able to find a source to replace some pieces that had broken. Want to get something new but have not been able to find a pattern I like.

 

[SC Minnie]

We're still using the same set we got as a wedding gift 28 years ago. Only one plate has broken.

 

[Christine]

Been married 37 years. I think I'm on my 3rd set of everyday dishes. None have been expensive.

The last set I bought about a year ago is plain white from Ikea and I love them.

 

[mnrose]

When most of the pieces are chipped or the set is getting dingy looking. I never spend "big bucks" on dishes, so it doesn't bother me much just to say "time to go." I replaced ours just a couple of months ago. Now have a set for 12 that cost me something like $60. See what I mean? LOL. I do have my mother's wedding china, which is missing a few pieces, but I can still put it on the table, complete, for 8 people, but it only gets used for very special occasions since it has to be hand washed. Flatware....the ones we currently use are 12+ years old and show no signs of needing replacement. I have my mother's wedding silver too...and like the dishes, only a few times a year because the flatware needs to be hand washed and dried.

 

[blana]

We replaced our everyday dishes about 15 years ago because we got tired of dealing with the gold ring around the edge not being able to go in the microwave. And because someone gifted me our current set. Flatware is what we were gifted when we got married. And drink glasses will need to be replaced because of breakage soon. (The kids use plastic cups, so we haven't had too many glasses break, but...)

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Beats me. When DW and I started living together about 19 years ago we bought 4 place settings of Fiestaware to supplement the mismatched collection of dishes I already had. Then she gradually added more when new colors came out. Now I think we have enough to serve 12 at a time. Plus all types of Fiestaware accessories: S&P shakers, plastic mixing bowls and measuring cups/spoons, flat sided disc pitcher, coffee creamer & sugar set which is never used, a large non-stick skillet that I found for $10 at Marshall's, plus various other pieces.

She brought along her set of better (not fine) china from her previous marriage, but we donated them to a thrift store about 10 years ago because they were rarely used.

We have a set of Christmas dishes from Target that's about 15 years old.

As for flatware, we bought a set of Oneida at Kohl's 19 years ago to replace the crap I had. She had a set of better silverware that we likewise donated due to lack of use.

 

[Micca]

We've had to replace broken pieces, there's not much left of our original "everyday" dishes but it's been almost 46 years. OTOH our "good China" we got when we got married is in boxes in the garage. I could count on one hand the number of times that stuff has been used, and I'll bet it's been over 30 years since it was last used. Not sure what we're waiting for? I guess they'll get passed on to DDs at some point and they'll sell them at a garage sale.

 

[lovin'fl]

Been married 24 years almost and on our 3rd set of everyday dishes. Can't remember if our first set was hand-me-downs or just a set of Corelle that I chose but wasn't fond of (was dated so I want to say was hand-me-down from my mom). So I got some cute thick ceramic dishes from Kohl's that were solid colors (red, yellow, green, orange...chunky dishes, think called Fiestawear). They chipped easily and were all in bad condition pretty quick. But we used them like 12 years and when we moved 3 years ago I got a new set of plain white (Bella) Corelle (they don't break or chip and not as heavy/clunky). Gave my chipped up set to DS who got his own apartment.

On my second set of flatwear (Oneida) as well. Had to get new set because the kids (long story having to do with them leaving the basement in such a mess) would toss forks and spoons in the trash when cleaning up their messes. We were down to like a set for 4 (from like 12). This new set has had some pieces go missing since I replaced old set when kids were in HS. But it was a new enough set that I could order a few replacements (and I did have to twice).

China. Have 1 set. Not sure if it's all that great. I think the pattern is called Franciscan (has desert roses on tan background). I don't love it and we hardly use it.

No good crystal or real silver. Not really into that.

 

[RangerPooh]

I had a Corelle set when I first moved away to college. Ditched it after we got married. Purchased a set similar to Fiestaware and had that for the first 12 years of our marriage. When we moved we decided that we'd donate it and buy when we relocated. Purchased a set at Target. It's ok. Silverware we replace pieces of every few years as it disappears, probably into the trash can. Really I need to buy a whole new set it's so mismatched.

As for good China, I've inherited 4 sets that we rarely use. I don;t think we've used it in the last 3 years. I've told each of my kids that they are inheriting a set. No complaining over which one you get. Inherited my moms, both grandmothers, and a great grandmothers sets... apparently I only have part of the set or there's another one out there for either grandmother or great grandmother because my aunts have pieces too. The hutch is full, I'm not taking any more!

 

[georgina]

Married 32 years also. Still using same basic white everyday set, have had to replace some small plates and bowls as they broke, so I added in some Fiestaware on sale at Kohl's from time to time. When my MIL died I got her complete set of Franciscan Ware stoneware which I intend to make my everyday dishes soon. Using same basic everyday flatware also. Drinking glasses break a lot, so we just get another set at IKEA as needed.

Having grown up with depression-era parents, I have a hard time replacing things that are still working fine. I am planning to move in a year or so and looking forward to replacing my 32 year old bedroom set. I think we are on our second sofa

 

[kirstenb1]

Our stoneware is Noritake Roxy and our china is Noritake Blue Hill. I never really wanted china. I didn't see a need for it. But my MIL insisted that was all she wanted to buy us as a wedding gift so we chose a pattern. I think I've only used the set once in 32 years! We've hosted lot of family birthday dinners at house, but they've always been too casual to break out the china. We usually host Christmas dinner, but we have a set of Spode Christmas Tree china for that. Years ago, my boss and his wife got me a starter place setting of Spode and it just grew from there. I suppose we could use the Blue Hill more often, but I'm just not a fancy person!

Those are pretty patterns! We have Noritake Cafe du Soir, and Pacific Majesty. We aren't fancy at all!! Honestly, life has been tough the last couple of years, and that is what convinced me to start using the fine china, the good towels, etc. I realized if I didn't start using them, I might not ever.

 

[cats mom]

Wedding gifts included 1 set of fine china and 2 sets of stoneware.
I'll always keep the fine china.

I've switched the stoneware sets out a few times, but definitely used one more than the other. Got rid of the most used set last time we moved. A few broken pieces and light crazing over the years, but most of it was fine. Honestly I was just a bit sick of it, want less stuff now, and didn't want to move it.

I thought choosing neutral dishes was smart back in the day, but I didn't factor in the lasting forever thing.
(Mikasa New Avenues and Mikasa French Countryside if anyone is interested)

Maybe I'll ditch the other original set and buy something new one day, but no plans to do that currently.