LVR Golden I would have the fiesta just to look at if I had room in my cabinets. A great big smile came upon me when I gazed into your cabinet. That looks just delicious.

Auntgen that little turquoise vase is just darling and I love the way you lined up your cups.

Chris

Another Fiesta lover here. The "happy" factor is huge for me, and I often use certain colors as serving pieces depending on the holiday, ie, vibrant red for xmas, pale peach/green for Easter, orange for fall, etc. Nothing has ever broken or chipped (started in 1982), but I must say the bowls don't fit well in my new Bosch DW (tines too close together), and my old pale/pastel bowls and new white dishes have scratch marks from utensils. Once I started to notice the scratches, I secretly avoid giving my DH my fave colors to eat off of, because when that man cuts his meat, he cuts his meat, LOL. (What fiesta-lovers don't do for their dishes!)

Shades of Idaho, your friend's backsplash is very cool!

The only one who has experience with Fiestaware, in our home, is the cat and she loves it. :)

Bought it because it is certified lead free and all the bowls in the pet stores are made in China. I'm a bit afraid of their glazes.

And yet another mixed-colors Fiesta fan here. I have glass-front cabinets so I get to see them all the time.

Yes, it is heavy, and the bowls stack awkwardly and don't fit the greatest in the dishwasher, and my "sunflower" color plates and bowls are scratched by flatware, but still I have no intention of ever replacing them.

Parma, that's why I use stainless and locally made pottery bowls for the kitties.

I've never been a Corelle fan, although its sturdiness is admirable. My DH was tired of our old stoneware -- I'm not; I still love it. He loves color, and suggested Fiestaware, so we bought 10 place settings and use it for everyday. Yes, it's heavy, but seems to be sturdy and is holding up well. As others have said, it's happy!

The compromise: Whenever we eat in the dining room, we use my old beloved Otagiri Horizon. I need to get some replacement pieces but can't bring myself to pay the online price!
This is my old stuff:

Cats and Fiestware, did you say? LOL! The veggie bowls make awesome kitty dishes!

I have 10 place settings of a Noritake everyday china pattern from 1994, "Fruit Parfait", I registered for it for my first marriage and it has held up perfectly as my main dishes through lots of moves and lots of years. Also a set of white relief-pattern stoneware stuff that is Wal-Mart/Gibson probably from 1995, comes in as the backup dishes or when I need something neutral, I have broken one piece myself, but nothing has ever chipped or scratched.

A couple of years ago, into my second marriage, with the advent of a couple of toddlers eating off the dishes, I started acquiring a good bit of plain white Corelle and love it. So light and easy to deal with, also so many different sized pieces perfect for any application and they all seem to fit really nicely in a dishwasher, no huge clunky bowls that will not nest. I have a bunch of bowls from the tiny bowls for a 2 year old size serving of chicken noodle soup, to the big shallow pasta bowls and a bunch of the veggie serving bowls that turn out to be great to use for an entree salad. The great thing about Corelle is that all of this stuff takes up very little space. No plastic runners in my house, either!

My mom has a Mikasa stoneware pattern that has chipped like crazy and has all sorts of marks from flatware, looks horrible. She can't wait to get rid of it. I wish she would just pick out something new already so I could buy some of it and help the Mikasa out the door!

I am now just starting to collect Wedgwood White, plain bone china, which I will make my new everyday dishes. Kind of an upscale version of Corelle. : )

OP, I would say spring for whatever dishes will make you happy! But don't be surprised if you are still using your Corelle quite a bit.

Already offered my opinion of fiesta above (love it) but wanted to add that my fiesta is all white and I still love it. I wanted "diner-style" plates and love the heft and styling of the fiesta. I'd love to mix and match the different colors, but all white fits better with the style of the house. When we got married, we had all cobalt blue, but when we moved here, the blue totally clashed with the kitchen (and our only dish cabinet is a glass front hutch, so there was no hiding the clashing) so I sold them and bought all white.

Also, for those of you complaining of silverware marks on your fiesta or other stoneware, Barkeepers' Friend gets them off with very little scrubbing. Take it from the woman who's had all white fiesta for the past 6 years or so.

" I love the light weight too of corelle, especially as I get older. "

when I moved here 11 yrs ago I gave away my ironstone (Franciscan) and bought a set of Corelle for 4. love it. as much as I drop things I haven't broken 1 yet! I like how light weight it is. also can't use my corning ware anymore. have bought lighter weight stuff there also.

Parma, good point about kitty bowls made in china. I don't trust china either. We lost our beloved Maggie dog to their pet food additives. She went from a spunky puppy (though 12 years old) to gone in two weeks.

My "wedding china" was/is Pfalzgraff "Acadia" (simple white with a basketweave border, now discontinued). I have broken one piece in 15 years and both DH and I are clumsy as all get-out. Haven't chipped anything. It has survived *counts* eight moves. Yes, it's heavy, so I just don't try to carry a lot of stuff at one time. Our plates fit just fine in the cupboards and dishwasher (cheap-cheap-cheap off-the-shelf Home Depot cabs and even cheaper Kenmore DW) and bowls stack neatly. I do agree the Pfaltzgraff "Heritage" bowls stack terribly, that's the pattern my folks had, but most of the patterns' bowls nest very nicely. The oversized-plate issue some people are having is not restricted to Pfaltzgraff - extra-large plates have been fashionable for several years now. Measure your cabinets and yoour dishwasher before you buy, no matter what brand you're considering.

Pfalzgraff items are often readily available quite cheap on eBay. Since my pattern is discontinued, I've been picking up a piece or two at a time from eBay, as I get around to it.

If flatware marks really bug you, don't spend the money on the special Pfaltzgraff cleaner, it's just Soft Scrub with bleach. As lkplatow says, Barkeeper's Friend takes them right off too. They don't really bother us, usually the food is covering them. ;-)

I HAVE managed to break Corelle several times - I've had THREE sets and grew up with it - my Mom and both bio-grandmothers had it too, although Mom got Pfaltzgraff "Folk Art" or "Yorktowne" for her "nice" tableware back in the early 80s and my paternal grandmother had Pfaltzgraff "Gourmet Brown" she bought in the 50s, that was the dark brown with tan dribbles on the outside, for HER "nice" dishes. IME when it breaks it does so into a bazillion tiny shards you're still picking out of your feet a month later. You just have to ding it at JUST the right angle and blam, there it goes. No insult whatsoever intended to those who adore Corelle but to me it has a cheap, insubstantial feeling in the hand, and the painted-on designs (some patterns are baked into the glass, others are painted on) DO scratch off easily IME, which looks tacky as h*ll.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that the most common dishware pattern in use in our household these days is Dixie. LOL

johnmari - I got my first set of Shadow Iris Corelle from my college boyfriend, and close to 20 years later the design is still as clear and unmarked as the day I received it. Over the years I've picked up more pieces, and a stack of 12 plates easily fits in the dish drawer. One man's cheap and insubstantial is another man's cheap and indestructable :)

I've been bored by those old Corelle dishes for years, but just haven't found anything that I *love* that warrants buying new stuff. The Fiestaware is okay, but if I'm not truly passionate about it I can't be bothered. Maybe I'll get new stuff when dd (now 14) moves off to college and I can sent these old ones with her!

Carrie

You can't get more cheap and insubstantial than Dixie. Diss all you want, but looks like there are plenty who know a good thing. During the remodel the Corelle was a blessing, especially since I was doing dishes in the tub. And even though I thought I'd toss the stuff when we moved in the new kitchen I quickly realized how valuable it was for all the reasons already mentioned.

And btw, what the hell are plastic runners on stairs?

Corelle user here, I gave away all of my everyday chipped Noritake crap several years ago. I have broken 1 piece (bowl?)and it chipped the ceramic tile floor :-(
Love Fiesta, but don't trust it near the floor.

I know you didn't ask for opinions on it, but I highly recommend DENBY stoneware for everyday. It is more expensive, but it is SO durable. You can put it in the oven. I only have a few chips in more than 10 years and they were caused because I keep stacking the serving pieces 3 or 4 high.

I have the Greenwich and Metz patterns and they are vividly coloured where food is placed, and the knife marks are barely noticeable unless you hold it up to the light.

I have Denby Metz too. My dinner plates have the white inside, but all the other pieces are green inside. Too bad it is a discontinued pattern. The Tuesday Mornings around here have some Denby Harlequin.

Oh yes, Denby is lovely! I have fond memories of taking tea daily from a sweet blue Denby teapot and matching cups at a friend's 450-year old thatched-roof cottage in England. I came home wanting a set of my own, and to this day still don't have it. Hmmmmm ... perhaps I should buy myself a Christmas present. ;-)

I like Denby and Emile Henry, both. Corelle is the polyester of china, I think. I like Fiesta as well, but knife marks seem to show pretty easily on the lighter colors.

I have the Corelle Hearthstone chili red with square plates. None have broken but they are really heavy & do not fit well in the dishwasher. I've had them for 2 years, before I had Old Towne Blue Corelle for 25 years. Only 1 piece broke in that time span due to toddler throwing on the floor. If I purchase again it will be the lightweight
Corelle.

Thank you all for your insight. I haven't decided on which dishes to buy. I may have to put it off for a bit as our dear Golden Retriever just had two surgeries which cost quite a bit of money! She is more important than new dishes to us so it is not a big deal. She had a mass cell tumor removed, we do not know the pathology on it yet and a few teeth extracted. I realize the info. on the dog is OT but also know there are many dog lovers on this site that would want to know details.

I have never seen (nor heard) of Denby. Just checked at some sites. Oh my gosh, it's beautiful!

Carol, I'm so sorry about your sweet Golden Retriever. I she's recovering well. I'll add her to my prayer list.

Just a quick update: our Golden Retriever is doing well and her prognosis is very good. Thanks, justgotabme, for your prayers for her. Haven't purchased any dishes but DH and DD both prefer the light weight of the Corelle, but I still love the look and all those colors Fiesta offers. Well, it is on the back burner for now. Happy New Year to all!

I have white ironstone for my everyday china that has held up for more than 25 years and it was inexpensive when I bought it! Gotta love that. Still, seeing those cupboards of fiesta ware-wow! I have always loved fiesta ware, but thought white worked better with everything-linens, etc. I may just have to treat myself soon. I agree that each place setting needs to have different colors for plate, bread/salad, bowl-what fun!

Then again, maybe it is time to use the good stuff everyday. Wouldn't have to polish the silver either if we used it reguarly!

Carol- thanks for asking this question- I'm in the same situation. My Corningware Cornerstone set is over 30 years old and after heavy use I think the glaze is finally wearing off. It's lasted much longer than I ever thought. I wish the Cornerstone line hadn't been discontinued because it was the best of both worlds. It was designed to compete with stoneware and combined the durability of Corelle with a heftier weight.

I have Fiestaware at my vacation house and it's OK, but it takes up too much space on the shelf but it's not what I want here at home.

So now I'm looking at Mikasa Italian Countryside to buy for my everyday set but I am still looking to see if there is a Corelle that's heavier than the really thin ones.

The heavier Corelle is not vitrified glass which is the hallmark and glory of having Corelle. I think their heavier pieces are stoneware but probably not even great stoneware.

I have had Denby Baroque for 15 years and still love it even if my pattern is discontinued. I swear they dropped it because it was too expensive to make! The pattern is much more complex than current Denby.
It is beautiful and functional and highly chip proof. All stoneware is not equal, btw. I don't recall the details but it has to do with the firing and type of clay and Denby is tops. And, unfortunately, the price reflects this.

I also have Corelle, something with a red band, it's the glass equivalent of a paper plate and my husband LOVES them. I never use them to serve anybody except me, Dad, dh and the dogs. But it is very handy to grab 6 plates at a time when unloading the dishwasher!

While not a dish queen, I certainly am one of their ladies in waiting and have several other patterns and brands that I also use regularly. I still want more. Dh could care less as long as he has a plate "as thin as a paper plate!".

One more thing o take in consideration is that Fiestaware is the last dinnerware company in the country. Here's your only chance to by American.

I have a few pieces of vintage Fiesta, and tons of post 86. Every time I think of getting rid of it and trying something new, I just can't. I love the durability, the versatility and the quality. I can set my table with the seasons, or with the meal. Usually, we mix and match or mismash (as my 7 yo DS calls it). I just LOVE it!

Awhile ago, maybe a year ago, I posted about buying fiestaware. I wanted to get a mix of Tangerine, shamrock, sunflower and cobalt to match my favorite butterfly curtains. I finally got them for Christmas this year and I LOVE them. The colors are so happy and I managed to make room for them in my cabinets. I am so happy I got them and wanted to say thanks to all that responded to me on that topic way back when.

I am another Fiesta user. I live less than an hour away from their plant, and made a trip two years ago and bought 12 place settings from their seconds room. Much cheaper that way, and I got a lot of accessories, too. The only problem is, I got black, cinnabar, and white, and the black and cinnabar look just awful lately from scratches. I'm thinking of making another trip to buy a new set, but if I can fix the scratches, I might just keep what I have. So what is it you guys use? Barkeepers Friend? Doesn't that scratch them up even worse?

Thanks for the input!

The only thing my SIL complains about her fiesta ware is that it leaves stacking marks on each other. (Scratches?)

I have had French Countryside by Mikassa since I was married. Love what white does to food. I have been thinking of replacing it since it is showing a tad of age after almost 27 years of every day use but I know I must stick with white. Maybe even Corelle. Something thinner than mine...

I have 1946 era Blue Danube china that I use when lots of people drop by and I need more. It's great quality china and dishwasher safe but I really like food on white plates.

I have Corelle, Fiesta and Villeroy & Boch, "French Garden Fleurence."

First, buy those felt pads to set between all plates, etc. They won't scratch or chip while stacked.

It's just my dh and myself so we usually eat on TV trays in the LR.

Corelle: Love it for everyday use. It microwaves great and last forever.

Fiesta: Not fond of it because it is just too heavy, especially the cereal and soup bowls. Plus the bowls get very hot when I microwave them and the food inside is cold. I like them mostly for the decorative touch, but we hardly use them.

I've never been pleased with 'stoneware" or whatever Fiesta is made of.

Villeroy and Boch: Great when we eat food that may be runny because it has the lifted edge around it. I also use V&B when we have company to dinner.

Forgot to add, I'm a big coffee drinker and I never ever buy the coffee cups of my dinnerware sets. Don't like them!

I've been using my Denby wedding stuff for nearly 5 years. My husband has been enjoying the Corelle at both of our parents home, and has finally agreed that its easier to use for everyday! YAY! I just ordered my first set of Corelle. I'll keep and use my Denby for sure, but the Corelle is just easier to load and unload from the dishwasher, its lighter to carry, and I will feel safer using it now that my toddler is getting old enough to handle using a plate.

That said, my Denby is wonderful! No scratches, chips, or flatware marks at all! Its in perfect condition after 5 years of daily use.

My Denby is Storm, which is a really pretty purple/blue pattern, but it has never matched my kitchen. My new Corelle is the Memphis pattern that has lots of different colored stripes around the rim. I love bright plates!

Boopadaboo, they are fun dishes, aren't they! I'm so glad you got some, and hope you'll enjoy them for a long time to come!

Sorry to disagree with you Mao_Tse, however, I know of at least two other USA companies. There is a wonderful company located near me, Hartstone Pottery, making great dinnerware. For OSU Buckeyes, their Buckeye plates can't be beat! I've also purchased from Picard China, for fine china, also made in the USA. I bought their bunny plates for Easter.:) Great quality.
Dee

Here is a link that might be useful: Hartstone pottery

Hostagrams! Try Ebay for replacements. I have replaced several pieces pretty cheap!

My bad. I meant to qualify it by "National mass produced". There are many fine artisans producing dinnerware in this country, and some still in S.E. Ohio. It would be wonderful if some of great old art pottery manufacturers of the region had survived.

mao

Another vote for Fiestaware!!! It is vibrant, substanial, and yes, HAPPY :) Everyday I like to look at it, arrange it in my cabinets and of course, set my table with it. I purchased most of my place settings online with no tax and free shipping. Penney's puts Fiestaware on sale sometimes too.

IÂve decided to get Fiestaware and IÂm very excited.

IÂm thinking about going with the newer square design  anyone have that?

Amazon sells a 3 piece place setting for $29.99 (shipping and tax included). Can I do better than that?

I'm pretty sure I saw it for much less at Dillards. Check out their website. I did a quick look for you and they had a 5 piece red for 25 although that did not include shipping.

I moved into a new home 3 years ago and needed a set of everyday easy-care dishes for the kitchenette area. I collect Jadite Fire-King which is displayed in my white glass front cabinets. My counter tops are pale green Corian (Carribbean). I needed something to match those colors but didn't want anything with a strong statement. I ended up buying the Correlle "Pretty Pink" square pattern. I started with the basics and added over time, so it didn't put too much of a pinch on my budget. The colors look good in my kitchen and the Corelle is easy-peasy to take care of. Durable, dishwasher/microwave safe, light weight and with so many matching accessories, it has been a good investment for my kitchen. I use other various dish & china collections for my dining room. Best of luck in your decision. Buy one set of each and see how they look in your home, then return those that don't work for you.

It's great to see all the Fiestaware-fans saying that their dishes make them happy! I thought I was the only one. How many dish manufacturers can claim such happy customers, I wonder?

It's great to see all the Fiestaware-fans saying that their dishes make them happy! I thought I was the only one. How many dish manufacturers can claim such happy customers, I wonder?

This is the reason I have decided on Fiestaware. Now I just have to decide on Square or Round! :-)

I am tired of trying to load my dishwasher with my Pottery Barn Sausilito dishes and bowls- they take up soooo much room I have to wash half of them by hand. I know Corelle is very thin and great in a dishwasher. How does Fiestaware compare to Corelle in thickness?

I am a fiesta lover, but it is heavy and awkward compared to Corelle. It is likely more akin to PB dishes. Sorry.

Thanks. Just what I wanted to know. I don't need new dishes, just thinking about everyday for the 2 of us that will be convenient to load.

lv_r_golden...

I would love to know the color of a bowl that is in the 2nd picture. I love it. It is in the first row of bowls 3rd from the bottom. It looks like a grey/blue. I have been looking forever to replace some williams sonoma dishes that are looking sad.

Thanks so Much!!!

Correlle Vitrelle is only one made in the USA. All Fiesta is made in the USA