The 5 Best Flatware Sets of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

Average Price Per Piece Set Price Per Piece Made In $10 Our Table $3 Oneida Voss $2.88 CB2 $7.50 Laguiole $7.04 Zwilling $2.60 Lenox $1.90 LIANYU $0.80 Knork $5 Robert Welch $10 Oneida Mooncrest $1.70 Crate & Barrel $8

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Flatware's just not that cheap. The most budget-friendly set we recommend costs (at the time of writing) $65 for a four-piece set. Our overall top pick is $200 for four settings. That said, our senior commerce editor, Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, has owned the Made In set for three years and has no complaints. "It still looks as good as new after truly countless times through the dishwasher," she says. "I even bought a second set." That's saying something since flatware can be prone to rusting and bending. No one wants to eat off a fork with uneven tines.

The Criteria: What to Look for In a Flatware Set

Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

Choose a flatware set that creates the feeling of everyday luxury. Look for perfectly balanced pieces with a pleasant heft and a design that suits your taste. Choose a high-quality, rust-resistant material like stainless steel, so that your set will last forever. To make your life easier, find a set that&#;s dishwasher-safe. This will simplify daily use and cleanup.

Our Favorite Flatware Sets

What we liked: The Made In set is simple and timeless. We found each piece to be well-balanced with smooth, rounded edges and a satisfying heft. Its knife cut through chicken easily, while it&#;s spoon held the perfect bite of soup. Overall, you can&#;t go wrong with something so well-made and elegant.

What we didn&#;t like: This set is expensive. It comes with enough for a service for four. Unfortunately, Made In doesn&#;t offer additional single settings, so you&#;d have to purchase a whole other 20-piece set if you wanted, say, enough flatware for six people. Made In also does not include matching serving pieces.

Key Specs

• What&#;s included: Dinner fork, salad fork, dinner knife, soup spoon, dessert spoon
• Number of pieces: 20
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

What we liked: This lovely flatware set breezed through all of our tests. It was durable and easy to clean and had a nice weight in hand. It&#;s available in two finishes. Plus, notice the subtle v-shaped handle: this adds a slight touch of personality to an overall classic design. We liked that you can purchase service for four, then add additional settings as needed.

What we didn&#;t like: This set is among the most expensive we tested. Serving pieces are not included, but a matching serving spoon and fork can be purchased separately.

Key Specs

• What&#;s included: Dinner fork, salad fork, dinner knife, soup spoon, teaspoon
• Number of pieces included: 20 (though you can purchase a 5-, 42-, or 50-piece set)
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

What we liked: This flatware is a great value. The set includes service for eight, plus additional serving pieces like a slotted serving spoon and a cute, shell-shaped sugar spoon. The pieces themselves are pleasantly heavy in the hand. The thick handles featured a slight depression, almost like a thumbprint, that felt natural to hold. 

What we didn&#;t like: This set didn&#;t demonstrate the same attention to detail as the more expensive sets. While the pieces were functional, the edges of the fork tines were slightly rough.

Key Specs

• What&#;s include: 8 dinner forks, 8 salad forks, 8 dinner knives, 8 soup spoons, 8 teaspoons, 1 serving spoon, 1 slotted spoon, 1 serving fork, 1 butter knife, 1 sugar shell
• Number of pieces included: 45
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

What we liked: This set performed well in all of our tests. Its neutral design veers towards modern with a slightly softened angle between the head of the spoon and the handle. It&#;s available in mirror, satin, and &#;Air Silver,&#; which appears to be shinier than the other two options. It&#;s also designed by Robert Welch, the maker of one of our other favorite flatware sets.

What we didn&#;t like: It&#;s not the priciest offering we recommend, but it&#;s still up there. Matching serving pieces are available but must be purchased separately.

Key Specs

• What&#;s included: Dinner fork, salad fork, dinner knife, soup spoon, teaspoon
• Number of pieces: 5 (though you can purchase a 3-, 5-, or 20-piece set)
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

What we liked: This set comes with enough flatware to host a large dinner party, including the serving fork. The pieces are easy to use and clean. For those looking to add a little peronsonality to the table, this set includes a flared and beaded handle. 

What we didn&#;t like: The individual pieces of this set are on the lighter side. The dinner fork weighs 42 grams, which is noticeably lighter when compared to the 54-gram Made In fork.

Key Specs

• What&#;s included: 12 dinner forks, 12 salad forks, 12 dinner knives, 12 soup spoons, 12 teaspoons, butter knife, serving fork, tablespoon, slotted tablespoon, sugar spoon
• Number of pieces: 65
• Material: 18/10 Stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

Qingzhan are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.

The Competition

FAQs

Which silverware sets don&#;t rust? 

Stainless steel is our top material choice because it doesn&#;t rust easily. High-quality stainless steel is rust-resistant and will last a long time if cared for correctly. To prevent rust, always dry flatware completely before storing it. 

What does 18/10 stainless steel mean? 

Stainless steel is graded for quality. The grade is given as a fraction, which represents the amount of chromium and nickel present in the steel. These elements enhance durability and rust resistance. 18/10 stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel, and is considered the highest quality.

What's the difference between flatware and silverware?

Although these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference. Flatware refers specifically to eating utensils like forks, knives, and spoons. Silverware can be used to refer to any item plated in silver.

How many flatware settings should you have?

Most people will find it helpful to have at least four place settings (20 pieces), but if you plan on hosting dinner parties or have more people to feed, a 65-piece set (12 settings) should do it. Some of our favorite flatware sets also allow you to purchase additional single settings, so you can scale your collection as needed.

What's the best way to clean flatware?

All of our favorite flatware sets are dishwasher-safe. However, some flatware sets (like the brushed gold one we tested) must be hand-washed. If your flatware has wooden handles, these will also need to be cleaned by hand. We always recommend checking the manufacturer's care instructions, just to be safe.

Why We're the Experts

• Madeline Muzzi is a freelance writer, editor, and video producer.
• She has written many reviews for Serious Eats, including wine decanters, mini mortar and pestles, and countertop ice makers.
• We reviewed flatware sets by using the spoons to eat tomato soup, the knives to cut chicken breast, and the forks to eat farro salad. We also shared a meal of soup and salad with a group of friends to get a variety of feedback on each set. Then, we cleaned the sets per the manufacturer's instructions, noting any tarnish or wear.

Flatware is an investment for any restaurant, and the higher the quality, the greater the expense. Still, flatware is what your guests use to enjoy their meals, and quality flatware will make a good impression. If you're purchasing new flatware for your restaurant, you may be asking questions like "what is the best stainless steel flatware?" and "what are stainless steel grades?"

Here's what you need to know about stainless steel grades and flatware.

What Is A Good Quality Stainless Steel Flatware?

The best stainless steel flatware is durable, corrosion-resistant, and develops a beautiful shiny patina over time. But you don't necessarily need to invest in the most expensive and highest quality flatware to impress your guests and get the most use out of your flatware.

Understanding the grades for stainless steel flatware will make it easier to find the right one for your restaurant.

To find the right stainless steel flatware for your restaurant, it's important to understand the different grades and what they mean.

Understanding Stainless Steel Flatware Grade

Modern stainless steel flatware is graded to help restaurants find the best options for their establishments. The right one for your eatery will depend on your:

•         Customer volume
•         Budget
•         Restaurant style

Let's take a closer look at these grades and what they mean.

Chromium and Nickel Content

Flatware is typically made from composite steel. Chromium and nickel are the primary components.

Flatware grades let you know the chromium percentage (the first number in the grade) and the nickel content (the second number in the grade). The greater the nickel content, the greater the shine and corrosion resistance.

Stainless steel flatware grades are as follows:

13/0

13/0 flatware is 13% chromium and 0% nickel, which is the minimum amount of chrome that can be found in stainless steel. It's the least expensive grade and often the preferred choice for institutions and other facilities where quantity is the top priority.

This grade of flatware is commonly used for dessert and dinner knives. It's still resistant to rust and corrosion, but it helps produce a sharp cutting edge that makes it suitable for knives.

18/0

18/0 flatware contains 18% chromium and no nickel. Flatware of this grade is commonly found in cafeterias and casual restaurants. It offers several beneficial properties, including:

•         Rust and corrosion resistance
•         Ability to withstand high and low temperatures
•         A pleasing luster

Additionally, 18/0 flatware is magnetic, so it's a great option if your restaurant uses magnetic flatware retrievers.

18/8

18/8 stainless steel flatware contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Flatware of this grade has a more distinctive shine and greater resistance to corrosion.

Because it contains nickel, this flatware won't work with magnetic retrievers.

18/10

18/10 stainless steel flatware is comprised of 18% chromium and 10% nickel. It offers even greater corrosion and rust resistance, although the presence of nickel causes it to lose its magnetism.

This grade of flatware is the most expensive, but its quality only improves over time. With age, this type of flatware will develop a shiny patina, making it an excellent choice for high-end restaurants.

Which Is Better 18/8 Or 18/10 Stainless Steel Flatware?

When it comes to quality, 18 10 stainless steel flatware is better than 18/8.

•         18/10 flatware contains a higher concentration of chromium and nickel. It's exceptionally resistant to corrosion, and it develops a beautiful shine over time. High-end restaurants typically use this flatware, and it is the most expensive option available.
•         18/8 flatware contains 18% chromium and just 8% nickel. It also has great corrosion resistance, but is not quite on the same level as 18/10 flatware.

While 18/10 flatware is the best option in terms of quality, 18/8 isn't too far behind. For casual and mid-range restaurants, 18/8 may be the better option because it offers the best compromise of budget and quality.

For higher-end restaurants and eateries with a budget, 18/10 flatware is worth the investment. Flatware of this grade feels sturdier in the hand, is less likely to bend, and overall, longer lasting.

Forged and Stamped Flatware

When deciding on which flatware to buy, another important thing to consider is whether the stainless steel is stamped or forged.

•         Stamped flatware is cut out of a piece of stainless steel.
•         Forged flatware is created using a thick piece of stainless steel that's heated and cut to form each individual piece of cutlery.

Generally, forged flatware is stronger and more durable than stamped flatware. Stamped flatware has more flexibility.

Final Thoughts

When choosing stainless steel flatware for your restaurant, it's important to consider your style, customer volume, and budget.

If you're running a fine dining restaurant, then 18/10 should be your choice for flatware. But for more casual and mid-range restaurants, you have more flexibility. A set of 18/8 flatware may work just as nicely or even 18/0. While 13/0 may be the most affordable option, it's generally best suited for cafeterias and institutions.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of restaurant-grade flatware. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.