Review: Flatware Sets and Silverware Buying Guide:

Everyone can use a good set of flatware (commonly known as silverware) and many of us get them as part of our wedding gifts. There's no sense in buying a good flatware set when you are single since you will probably never get much use out of it. Putting a quality flatware set on your wedding registry is a great way to get started as a married couple with the proper kitchen utensils. Flatware sets usually include that you would use to both serve and eat food with or on - butter knives, forks, spoons, plates, etc. We actually have 2 sets of flatware in our house, one nice set for formal dinners and parties and the other we use on a daily basis. The formal flatware set has sterling silver utensils and fine china while the lessor expensive everyday set has stainless steel silverware and ceramic plates. Flatware sets usually come in sets of five, although you can buy individual units if you need to replace one that broke. Keep track of the manufacturer and pattern if you do get a nice set for your wedding or other purpose so you can easily replace one if it chips or breaks.

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If you are buying a flatware set, start online to see the various patterns and styles that all the major manufacturers offer. Eventually go into a department store or a kitchen supplies shop to see and touch the actual flatware you plan on going with. You want to make sure the flatware is dishwasher safe so cleaning them is easy. We wanted to find the flatware sets in all price ranges so we read customer reviews on Cooking.com, Amazon.com, and in cooking forums on the Internet. The top brands are Oneida, Wallace, Cambridge, Rogers, Reed & Barton, Gorham, Dansk, Lenox, Mikasa, Pfaltzgraff, Hampton, and Towle. You can find the everyday flatware sets priced at $50 or so at depepartment stores like Target and Wal-Mart but the more expensive flatware sets are sold through Macy's, Crate & Barrel and Williams Sonoma. Some of the older patterns can be found online for discount prices, but we found retailers selling cheap flatware sets as well. If you do decide on a nicer flatware set, you may want to purchase a flatware caddy or chest to hold the silverware and store it properly. Below we discuss what consumers and experts think are the best flatware sets in all categories giving you prices, brand and model, and where to buy them. If you are ready to buy online, we recommend Amazon.com. We are always impressed by their competitive prices (usually the lowest), fast shipping, and customer service -- plus almost everyone already shops with them and trusts them. You can browse their up-to-date list of best-selling flatware here - we'll have links below to the recommended sets as well.

Best Casual Flatware Sets:

When you buy a casual flatware set it's really hard to go wrong with any of the brands you purchase. Oneida is the top seller in this category (and has long been the top name in flatware) with their stainless steel sets of 24-pieces, 53-pieces, or 65-pieces. When I lived in New England, we had a neighbor friend who worked for Oneida (New York) and got us started buying with them. We bought a fairly heavy, expensive set of silverware, which I think most people would have used for special occasions, but since we already had a "real" silver set for that, this Oneida set became our daily flatware. Ten years later we still use the same set for everyday use (though a few pieces have been lost), though guests are sometimes surprised thinking it looks so nice. But hey, we paid for it, we may as well use it and enjoy it! It has held up well to countless dishwasher cycles and looks great. Flatware comes in many different styles, so we leave that up to you. You also have to decide how many place settings you need - usually, 4, 8, or 12. Go let's go with brands. RECOMMENDED: Start with Oneida (see all selections and styles here). One option is the Oneida Satin Garnet Flatware for 12 (plus caddy), sells for about $120. These are oversize, heavy pieces, very elegant. Each setting includes the standard dinner fork, salad fork, spoon, knife, and teaspoon. It never needs polishing and is dishwasher safe, with lifetime warranty. Oneida offers other flatware sets for 8 for as little as $45, so browse the Oneida listing above if you want to see more. RECOMMENDED: Our second choice in flatware is Henckels. More famous for their knives, they also make excellent silverware. The Henckels International Provence 45-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 8 sells for less than $100 -- excellent craftmanship and made of sturdy 18/10 stainless steel so you can use it everyday. To find the particular Henckel design you like best, browse the Henckel collection here (consider picking up a knifeset - they are awesome).

Formal/High End Flatware Set:

Fine flatware sets are more expensive than casual flatware sets and are often made with superior materials or offer more designs and accents to the pieces. Two of the better rated fine flatware sets per Amazon.com customer reviews are the Gorham Studio 5-Piece Stainless Flatware Set ($30 - 1 Setting) and the Lenox Eternal Gold 5-Piece Stainless Steel Flatware Place Setting, Service for 1 ($44). I own an earlier version of the Lenox Gold set that is 18/8 stainless steel with 24-karat gold accents. You get the Lenox lifetime warranty, they are dishwasher safe, and it's easy to match this set with other Lenox dinnerware sets. For a beautiful high end flatware set, we like the Reed & Barton Rathmore Silver plated 65-Piece Flatware Set with Wooden Storage Chest, Service for 12 ($420). This Reed & Barton flatware is elegant and very affordable when compared to other brands with similar features. Our last pick for formal flatware comes from Dansk. Their Torun flatware is absolutely gorgeous with a unique curved look. The Torun 5-Piece placesetting sells for $40 and is excellent for entertaining. You can find out more information on Dansk flatware online at Dansk.com.

How to Get Discontinued Oneida Flatware:

We all run into the problem at some point in our lifes with a mismatched set of flatware. We either lose a piece or break something and wish we had a replacement ready to fill in. We went to Oneidas website to see just what their policy is on discontinued flatware sets and how to find replacements if you need. They say that they do their best to notify customers at least 6 months in advance before they dicontinue any product. Oneida also says that most patterns are made with the idea they will be around forever. When we search online for "discontinued Oneida flatware", the largest group of results came from Ebay. We went to the online auction house and found that Ebay literally lists 1000's of flatware sets or pieces for sale everyday. Rest assured that your set is probably listed if you have to purchase something on Ebay. Always start by contacting Oneida.com directly through their customer service department to see if your set is still available or if there are replacement pieces available through them.

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