Boring - help me choose cutlery

[BellesAndGraces]

I can’t make another single decision. I’m all decisioned out. But I have to buy cutlery this weekend. So please help me choose between the following:

• Arthur Price Sophie Conran Rivelin set (is the dip in the handle a bit odd?)
• John Lewis Taper Cutlery Set (link shows 3 piece but they also stock 44 piece)
• Arthur Price Rattail set (but are the embossed bits at the end of the handle not nice?)

I swing between “who even cares about cutlery” and “I’m a grown up, I should really have nice cutlery”.

I rather like this - yes I know its Argos but still...

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9311776?clickPR=plp:10:24

I have to like the feel in my hands, enough heft to feel solid but smooth design so nothing catches and feels good in hands - hate sharp edges etc. I really like the dipped handle ones mostly because of the style of the knife blade, but they may date, so with that in mind wld go for the smooth narrow tailed ones. Look for a set where its easy to replace some if necessary and doesn't have more in the set than you need

We have some weedy cutlery at work, I always think of it as "prison forks". Don't know why, I've never been in a prison and I have no idea what forks they use. 😂

out of the 3 I would choose John Lewis.
however have you thought of buying vintage cutlery from antique markets I have collected beautiful cutlery over the years. silver plate, bone handles. Lovely to hold, unusual pieces that I didn't know I needed until I had them and used them.
all for a fraction of the price of a new set.

Robert Welsh will send you samples so you can feel them. You can also buy all the pieces individually so you can have sharp knives instead of useless buttering knives. We have the Hidcote cutlery https://www.robertwelch.com/search?q=hidcote but they're all lovely sets.

https://www.robertwelch.com/collections/cutlery-samples

You won't know until you use them. The weight and feel of the handles makes a big difference.

We have DRAGON 24-piece cutlery set, stainless steel - IKEA (2 sets)

Instead of these, I recommend this one:

https://www.denbypottery.com/autumn-dining/cutlery-set/052013281

We have these and they are of very good quality and sturdy. Feels nice in hands and easy to clean.

You need to feel the cutlery before choosing.

Of those three, I would probably go for the Rattail as it is a classic design that has been around for hundreds of years. I would definitely chose Arthur Price over John Lewis for the same reason a PP suggested. They have been manufacturing their classic ranges forever so you can always get replacements or matching items if you want something more uncommon eg a cheese knife, salad servers, carving set, steak knives etc. Have a look at their own website as there are more options on there than buying a set of their cutlery from a department store. They have a sample service too (5 teaspoons for £5).

www.arthurprice.com/products/sample-service

The most useful thing in cutlery is longevity of the design. We chose the ikea Dragon range 30 years ago and still can top up teaspoons.

I would also go to a shop and pick it up because one of them will feel nicest/the right weight and balance to you. I like the Arthur Price FWIW.

I am very particular about some things in life. You have to feel the pieces of cutlery to know if they suit you.

I would second this- we've had ours for nearly as long as they are still going strong. They are really good quality- worth the investment as you won't need to replace them.

And another vote for Robert Welch Radford. Knocking on for 40 years here, and both adult children have chosen it.

The third set looks very similar to the Viners 18/10 set that we've had for over a decade now, nice chunky handles, very comfortable to hold, no "pointy" bits - on the handles at least. For that reason I'd opt for it.

We have rivetin (just knives, forks and spoons) and I never noticed the dip so it's not wierd in real life!

I think you can't choose cutlery by looks, you have to hold them, see how they handle, how do the various pieces feel in your hands? If you are buying for a family, that means all of you, or at least one larger-handed and one smaller-handed person.

Another recommendation for Robert Welch here. They have a sample service: choose 3 styles, pay for the sample settings, get everyone to try them out, return within a month for a full refund. Then buy whichever pieces you want of the winning style. I went for traditional but shimmering for the fancypants cutlery, Honeybourne Bright. They are gorgeously tactile, weighty, balanced.

Do you have to buy in a rush this weekend?

We've got the Robert Welch Radford and still really like it 21 years on. It's also really useful that you can still get it. Not sure where all of our teaspoons have gone.

Have you been and tried it?

Comfort and ease of use is important. Easy to hold, well weighted and balanced.

I recently treated myself to a decent cutlery set and spent ages over the designs. I went with Rattail from Sheffield. Its a classic design and uniform across all the utensils. So that would be my vote.

John Lewis ones are classy and classic - def these.

Took your advice and popped to John Lewis to try out the cutlery. The Radford set had a good weight to it, it did all feel very long but I still liked it so it won out. Thanks all. I should have asked my favourite nest of vipers ages ago instead of agonising over cutlery for 3 months!

I see you’ve chosen but I’ll give my pov.
Full stainless steel cutlery may be hygienic in the dishwasher but I never use mine (wedding present). I find salad dressing and other wet stuff slides down onto my hand.

For everyday use I have good quality bistrot style cutlery 12x with extra cake forks, sundae spoons and serving utensils. Plus Victorinox steak knives.

I have this one as well. I love it, though it was painfully expensive. Managed to get 10% off by signing up to their newsletter as well.

Missed you had already bought it, glad you have picked it up!

I have this in Bordeaux marble effect to go with my red ironstone plates.

I voted for the set with fish knives and cake forks even though the spoons look like they might be a bit stabby, purely because I was overwhelmed with nostalgia for fish knives and those little tongs for lifting sugar cubes and dropping them into cups of tea (bone china tea cups with saucers natch!)

If buying for myself I would have gone with the ones you picked in the end. Life is too short to be polishing silver fish knives.

@BellesAndGraces
Excellent choice! We're really pleased with ours and now need to buy the set of steak knives.