How to buy the best flatware?

[KathyTX]

Makes lots of sense!

There are lots of styles that I like, for other people.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Michelanglo is a very nice pattern, as well. Dressier than others, but quite elegant.

Charade - thanks for looking it up and clearing up the controversy!!! :0

eBay has my pattern: Reed and Barton Sarajevo forks at $4.00 a fork. They have 8 in stock and with ship/hand/cost of items it all comes to $36.00 - however, they used! (Ewww. I don't know if I could buy used flatware.)

Replacements.com has them for $10.99 a fork, and therefore would cost about $90, for a set of 8 forks.

A new set would cost $50-200/set.

What do you think.......

 

[Southern4sure]

Michelanglo is a very nice pattern, as well. Dressier than others, but quite elegant.

Charade - thanks for looking it up and clearing up the controversy!!! :0

eBay has my pattern: Reed and Barton Sarajevo forks at $4.00 a fork. They have 8 in stock and with ship/hand/cost of items it all comes to $36.00 - however, they used! (Ewww. I don't know if I could buy used flatware.)

Replacements.com has them for $10.99 a fork, and therefore would cost about $90, for a set of 8 forks.

A new set would cost $50-200/set.

What do you think.......

I dont want to gross you out but really it's not any different than when you go out to eat. Your using used flatware each time. It gets cleaned and sterilzed...we hope.

 

[RUDisney]

No, there is a difference. You don't know where the flatware has been. At least in a restaurant, you can assume that it wasn't owned by an old recluse who lived with her cats that had free run of the house. That's what happened with one of my reclusive, alcoholic aunts. The cats had pooped all over the place, including the flatware drawer. Fumigating the house didn't help the smell.

But, to get back on topic ... my GM wanted to donate the dishes and flatware to the poor. My mother took them from her and put them in the dumpster.

That's why I won't buy used dinnerware. Someone like my Mom might not have been there to stop someone from recycling these pieces. Yuck!

 

[Laurajean1014]

Southern and RU - Both good points.....

Restaurants have bugs and icky stuff. And I have no idea what someone would do with a fork! But just thinking about it, makes me feel icky.

Okay - let's say the forks were in a Gorilla's cage for a week! After you wash them in a dishwasher (using high tempature), doesn't that sterilize them?

Too bad you couldn't use low radiation, such as a microwave; that would take away any ickys; but it would blow the microwave.

 

[RUDisney]

I can eat off of a plate that a dog ate from after it has been through the dishwasher. That is clean and sterilized, IMO. But, I draw the line at the possibility of other bodily fluids, animal or otherwise, having been on my table services. Clean, sterilized, whatever... still too much of an ick factor for me.

 

[Laurajean1014]

I'm going on Charade's website to seek out sturdy silverware.............

The Oneida looks great; I'll see what they have.

A friend said: Buy 8 new ones from replacements.com and the other 8 from ebay. Use the 8 new ones for yourself and the other 8 for guests.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that, that didn't sound like good advice.

 

[Southern4sure]

I'm going on Charade's website to seek out sturdy silverware.............

The Oneida looks great; I'll see what they have.

A friend said: Buy 8 new ones from replacements.com and the other 8 from ebay. Use the 8 new ones for yourself and the other 8 for guests.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that, that didn't sound like good advice.

Mental note: Bring my own fork when I eat at LauraJeans's house.....

 

[Laurajean1014]

I know..... I just don't know if I can bring myself to buying used flatware....

Maybe it's just me, but I put out the extra good stuff for company, not the used old stuff. (?) Am I the only one?

Been checking on the web and came up with a few new sets:

What do you think?

 

[Laurajean1014]

or:

?????????

 

[RUDisney]

Gosh, we have similar tastes. I have the 1800 as my "good" flatware and the other one is very similar to my every day flatware that was by Oneida but the pattern name escapes me.

Yes, I use the "good" flatware when I have guests and sometimes for special dinners on birthdays and such.

 

[Southern4sure]

The 1800 would be my company flatware but I like the Radiance for everyday. Who makes these? Are they expensive?

 

[ilovepcot]

You can look online all day long and find great looking patterns at amazing prices, BUT....only way to be sure of liking a pattern is to FEEL it. I've *almost* ordered some patterns but hesitated, then saw them in a store. What I *thought* was beautiful online turned out to be too light and flimsy to suit me. That's the thing with stainless, a LOT of it looks and feels cheap if you aren't careful. There are many really excellent stainless patterns with good balance and weight and aren't cheap, nor do they look cheap. Really, you must handle it to know. And about sterling being a lot of trouble....if it's used on a regular basis, it rarely has a tarnish problem. Many of the better storage chests retard tarnish very well, too. A place that offers some great deals for silverplate, sterling as well as stainless is Barrons. I order LOTS of china, crystal and flatware from them.

 

[Laurajean1014]

The make of the two I was thinking of are Reed & Barton.

That's what my current flatware is made from and I've had it for 16 years. It's in near perfect condition. But, down to just a few forks, we're in need of more.

I'm going to Macy's this afternoon to look at what they have.

My DS9 says to buy all new! Oh course, he's not buying it! I have to love him, he'll even pick it out for me.... (He loves this type of stuff - very much a metrosexual). Loves the fine things, likes to look good and loves the ladies (eh, girls).

I hear the best are Wallace, Reed & Barton and Oneida.

 

[missypie]

Mine is Reed & Barton 1800, also. I bought it 17 years ago and still love it. I admit that I went to an expensive store and tried out all the flatwear, then ordered it from an outlet for half the price (House of 1776 - don't know if it's still around.)

 

[Laurajean1014]

The make of the two I was thinking of are Reed & Barton.

That's what my current flatware is made from and I've had it for 16 years. It's in near perfect condition. But, down to just a few forks, we're in need of more.

I'm going to Macy's this afternoon to look at what they have.

My DS9 says to buy all new! Oh course, he's not buying it! I have to love him, he'll even pick it out for me.... (He loves this type of stuff - very much a metrosexual). Loves the fine things, likes to look good and loves the ladies (eh, girls).

I hear the best are Wallace, Reed & Barton and Oneida.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Okay ladies. Here's a pic of my everyday plates...............

They come in 7 different flowers and I have them all:

 

[Laurajean1014]

There's a few to show you what I have................ so, do I go fancy or plain....

 

[copper68]

i have crate and barrel.. and i love it.. nice, sturdy, and heavy.. love it!!

 

[Southern4sure]

Okay ladies. Here's a pic of my everyday plates...............

They come in 7 different flowers and I have them all:

Very pretty!

I have Pfaltzgraff in the Tea Rose pattern.