Corelle Dinnerware

If you have gone through the process of moving into a new home whether it be an apartment, townhouse or a house, you’ll know that it can be both physically and mentally draining. Aside from the move itself, any required clean up (inside and outside) and placement of furniture, you need to think of all the things that you are missing which you need to buy. If you are starting from scratch, this would mean you need to buy everything.

As a homeowner (or renter), you know that an important component of any household is the dinnerware. Ideally you would probably want something affordable and yet be good quality that will last for a while. Especially in the current tough economic times, we all need to be more wary of our spending, but hopefully without sacrificing quality in the process. After all, if you get something cheap as well as poorly made, it won’t be long before you need to fork out money again to replace the item.

One possible brand of dinnerware that you might want to consider if you haven’t already is Corelle. This range of dinnerware with the Corelle brand actually comes from the US company, World Kitchen, who also provide other kitchen related products including cutlery and bakeware under brands like Chicago Cutlery and Baker’s Secret. The company claims that their dinnerware is most recognized dinnerware brand in the world.

There are several different lines of Corelle dinnerware sets, with most of them made from a glass material they call Vitrelle. The manufacturing of this material involves their own devised “hub lamination process” where a core layer of glass is sandwiched between two outer layers of glass, which can either be clear or glazed. These three layers are then thermally bonded and as result of the entire process as well as using the three layers, the Vitrelle glass ends up to be quite tough compared to other glass dinnerware.

Given that most of the Corelle dinnerware is made from glass that undergoes such a rigorous manufacturing process, they possess a number of characteristics desirable in all dinnerware.

• They are suitable for heating and re-heating in microwaves and ovens.

• They are (fairly) resistant to breaking and chipping.

• The technique used to decorate the patterns onto the dinnerware makes them resistant to fading and from being scratch off.

• The enamel pigment for the patterns is safe for the health.

The durability displayed by a Corelle dinnerware piece made from Vitrelle glass does not imply that it is heavy. In fact, the opposite is true - it is lightweight. On top of that, it is indeed very affordable compared to other glassware brands. For example, a 20-piece Corelle dinnerware set may cost about $67 whilst an equivalent set from Royal would set you back $400. You can select from a wide range of Corelle dinnerware patterns so the relatively low price tag doesn’t imply limited choice.

This range of dinnerware is meant to be versatile in that they can be used in an ordinary family supper setting or in a formal dinner party. There are numerous patterns with the more popular ones including Line Flower, Garden Trellis, Day Dream and Secret Garden.

This line of Corelle dinnerware is designed to keep up to date with current trends in home décor and fashion. The patterns and shapes of the plates aim to have a modern look about them.

Unlike the Vive collection, this range takes a more traditional direction in its design. There is a focus on fruits, flowers and nature. Examples of patterns include the Thymeless Herbs, Sunny Meadow and Tulip Bouquet.

The Square collection was designed by a famous design organization based in London, called Studio Levien. The plates have the distinct attribute of a circular impression in their center, which is meant to give a visual guide for serving up dinner.

I guess this particular range was aimed at the everyday usage type setting, with the patterns reflecting this fact.

The unique feature of this collection of dinnerware is in the glass material. These are made from Vitrelle2, which essentially goes through the same manufacturing process as the original Vitrelle except that it is 70% thicker. So the Corella Ultra dinnerware is noticeably heavier than the other previously mentioned lines.

This is the only line in Corelle’s dinnerware products that’s not made from Vitrelle glass. Instead it is made from stoneware, which is effectively ceramic. It feels heavier than the Vitrelle made range.

I have come across various conflicting opinions regarding the durability of the Vitrelle range of dinnerware. Some people using it say they are unbreakable while others have said they do break under the stated “normal household use”, and when it happens, it shatters into many dangerously small pieces of glass. What I found is that with a brand new set, it still has all of its protective coating. Over time however, this coating does wear off causing the dinnerware to be more susceptible to breaks, cracks and chips. The lesson here is that even though Corelle says the Vitrelle glass is resistant to breaks, you should still take care of your dinnerware as outlined in their guide.