If you aren't doing anything particularly thrilling atm, can we have a quick chat about crockery and those kinda things?

[FlouncingMintyy]

We have 8 usable dinner plates, a few more than that of bowls and side plates, and 6 pasta bowls which we use quite often. We have about 8 -10 wine glasses and maybe 10 other glasses of varying sizes.

I think that is probably way below average for a family of 4!

Am I right? We should probably be buying some more crockery and glasses but I find that sort of shopping horrendously dull.

How many of this sort of thing do you have? and do you have a "best" dinner service like my parents and inlaws?

We have 5 mismatched dinner plates, about 30 tea plates, 4 deep (mismatched) bowls and a full complement of 6 matching soup dishes that never get used.

3 wine glasses, 1 champagne flute and about 10 odd half pint and pint glasses and an assortment of liberated mugs from coffee shops.

I hate matching crockery but I kind of think we need to put a bit of effort in. I'm 41 for gods sake.

I have a blue willow pattern set for every day, plus seven nice large, deep turquoise bowls I bought for about ?1 each in a supermarket. The turquoise bowls are great for pasta or stew or a lot of soup. The blue willow was all wedding gifts 26 years ago and there has been a good deal of breakage and chipping since then but it's a pattern that can always be replaced. I have enough right now to seat 10 for dinner but only 8 of my lucky guests can have dessert. I originally had a complete setting for 12.

I also have four large turquoise mugs from the same supermarket, the original 12 cups and saucers in blue willow, and 9 blue willow mugs in two different sizes/shapes -- four are from the original wedding gift setting and the rest I bought in the supermarket.

On top of that I have a formal dinner service in Royal Doulton for 12. It's quite nice, white with blue-grey band and platinum rim. I never use it because I am afraid of putting it in the dishwasher and doing it by hand is a pita especially on the sort of special occasion such as Christmas when I could see myself dusting it off for the day. I am considering Ebaying it. exMIL talked me into putting it on my list (in the US) -- I would have preferred loads more blue willow, which imo looks good enough for company.

What I use for Christmas is a set of Spode 'Christmas tree' plates that goes in the dishwasher.

Serving/casserole -- two blue willow oval vegetable dishes that are used at Christmas and Easter. Two deep, round white casserole dishes with lids. One large rectangular oven and stovetop safe heavy roast/bake/fry dish in red (from Aldi). Two oval oven safe dishes in olive green. Two pyrex rectangular dishes and one square. I use them all the time. One nice Royal Worcester 'Evesham' souffle dish that I get a lot of use out of too. I bake cakes in it in my crock pot. Two large oval metal plates that I serve turkey/ham/roast beef/lamb on for special occasions. One small casserole dish from Provence that I use for small/unpopular Christmas side dishes like Brussels sprouts.

I have one teapot (blue willow) and a blue willow coffee pot that I used to use for hot chocolate when all five of the DCs were small. Also a BW sugar bowl and nice little jug.

Wine glasses -- a mish mash, all cheap, and there are four champagne flutes too. I hate the wine glasses because it's hard to load them into my dishwasher. I drink wine bistro style, from a small ordinary glass. I have some plastic tumblers that see almost constant use.

Oh and I have four Waterford crystal wine glasses and a set of 8 Galway crystal glasses too. They never see the light of day. Another thing I am considering for Ebay.

In my defence there were 7 of us here at one point and at Christmas there are always at least 6.

Oh and a blue willow gravy boat.

I am freakishly clumsy, so I don't have a set 'for best'. I also didn't have a wedding list, which is where lots of people seem to get their best china from.

Rather, I'm another who has all white. Well, mostly white, anyway. And none would cause an issue if I broke it. The majority of it from Ikea (10ish plates, side plates, bowls, pasta bowls). More plates that I have 'inherited', that I get out when I have a ton of guests. Mugs are a mish mash - none of them matchy-matchy however.

Serving dishes, ramekins, jugs, platters etc are mostly white and from Ikea or Sainsbury's... apart from the random things I have collected on my travels, or brightly coloured things that my magpie's eye has spotted.

My assortment works for me. I have people over a lot, so often do need lots of crockery. I'm clumsy, so I don't like £££-precious stuff. The majority of it is white, so food looks good on it (appeals to my inner ponce), and I don't have to be disciplined about hand-washing carefully, nor doing the dishwasher immediately after every meal.

We have 6 of everything in plain white for our family of 4. There's also 4 plastic plates and bowls in varying patterns and probably half a dozen plastic beakers.

I chucked out a bunch of stuff when decluttering a few months back and I haven't missed it. I do have an extra 4 plates and bowls stashed in my 'trial separation' cupboard, which I will get rid of as soon as I'm brave enough.

We started with Susie Cooper Wedgewood in sets of six,remains of which I recently gave to friend's daughter. No idea how many I have of anything now, but it's all in varied blue and whites, which I like and is almost as practical as plain white.

I'm plain white, ikea mostly. It gets chipped it gets replaced. I don't have 'best' but have in the past.
I've just realised my glasses have seen better days though
My MIL has best of everything, she does use it quite alot but she also complains about lack of cupboard space.

That sounds like a great idea seeker.

That reminds me once when talking about Le Creuset saucepan colours, and someone made me feel very envious when she revealed that she had a dozen or so pans, all second hand or bargains and all in different colours, so had a variety of orange, yellow, turquoise, green, black, cream cast iron pans.

It made me scowl at my matchy matchy saucepans for a bit.

I generally have a load of white stuff. I am very clumsy and am always smashing plates so I don't have very expensive stuff, usually the nicer ranges from supermarkets. I do prefer eating out of a bowl though, and have 3 much loved black ones (I know, it sounds vile) which I have managed not to smash and have carted around with me for years.

Re glasses, I have about 6. I smash those as well. I remember having a wonderful gift of dartington crystal glasses and I bit the rims off, they were so delicate.

I mean wine glasses.

I did have some champagne flutes but smashed those.

Have loads of tumbler type glasses and plastic beakers (useful for a pair of clumsy people as me and dd are).

Yes yes to tumblers, Gerrof. I like sturdiness in a glass.
Flutes are all bastards.
I generally have bulk stock of Ikea stemmed glasses; you know the ones with the fat stem.

We have about the same as you for everyday op but also have a 'best' set (8 of each to match our dining table) which I bought whilst regretting not doing a wedding list. I then inherited my grandmothers wedding present china which is a set of 8 full place settings and lovely but used for best family as its only really my dsis's who enjoy it to the full as they reminisce.
I enjoy getting nice stuff out to make a celebration of everything so get the best out for family birthday or dd getting a good report (all reports are deemed good but she doesn't know that:))
For us, it's worth having a set of best as it sets the mood for a celebration.

We bought so-called catering standard china plates/bowls in white, and they STILL got black marks from cutlery on them!!

Now we use op shop plates, unmatching. For some reason, they thrill guests who seem to see it as edgy.:o

The added advantage is that older plates are smaller, so good for portion control, and actually recommended by cardiac rehab.

Duralex for tumblers, but any old wine glass, so long as the lip is thin.

I have so much crockery and so many glasses that I am going to have to do a full inventory before I can even attempt to answer you.

when I moved abroad I spilt it all in roughly half and left loads in the UK, but I have since bought tons more that I didn't really need.

I have a problem.

I like to have every bowl/glass/cup/dish/plate/spoon for very possible eventuality. I recently acquired 8 amuse bouche dishes which probably makes me a twat of the highest order.

Amuse Bouche dishes, hey?

Tell us about them. What are they like? Do they have a special shape, you know like those devilled egg plates?

Ooh they are little, like dollies' dishes, and they come in all sorts of cute shapes. Mine a like little oval platters, about three inches long although I have yet to cook an amuse bouche.

adds to 'need' list, alongside massive vintage soup tureen

That envy face looks really angry and aggressive today!
To clarify, I am very happy that you have amuse bouche dishes. And now I want some.

Right, I'm doing this inventory from memory alone but I think I have:

In the 'occasional' cupboard in the dining room I have:

A plain white (but with an embossed/raised pattern around the rim) 'best' bone china service of large dinner plate, medium dinner plate, side plate, pudding bowl, cup and saucer x 8, plus milk jug and sugar bowl

I have plain white huge deep pasta/salad bowls x 8, plus one odd one on its own that doesn't match the others

2 large Spanish earthenware coloured dishes and a tagine and a huge couscous dish we never eat couscous

9 x white amuse bouche dishes

6 x large white serving platters/dishes in various shapes and sizes

One of those glass, lidded cake stands.

8 x rectangular plain white plates, which I used for poncily arranging starters or puts in a restaurant stylee.

6 x plain white square dinner plates for arranging poncey dinners as above.

(I have probably another 10 or 12 serving dishes/bowls/oven to tableware in a variety of shapes and styles, mostly practical/un-posh and used regularly and live in the kitchen.)

I have 4 x ice cream sundae dishes and 8 x little glass dessert dishes

1 x plain glass deep trifle bowl

10 x beautiful Edinburgh crystal wine glasses with a very simple elegant modern cut pattern that weigh a ton and I LOVE them

10 x water glasses to match the above

8 x small champagne flutes with the Moet & Chandon logo on the side (we got them free from somewhere)

About 5 other mismatched champagne flutes

4 x martini glasses

4 x brandy balloons

6 x sherry schooners

about 10 shot glasses

I did have a large glass water jug but I broke it

10 x cutlery settings, in George Butler classic Dubarry design

Tablespoons, big knife, small knife, big fork, small fork, pastry fork, dessert spoon, tea spoon, coffee spoon, soup spoon, fish knife which I never use even though often serve fish

I'll do my everyday kitchen dwellers later. I'm too exhausted right now.

For four of us we have a 12 piece dinner set. I couldn't downsize it or I'd always be washing up.

If you have a dishwasher, make sure you have enough plates and cups to fill it. No sense in having to wash up early because you've run out. If you want some "not best" then mugs and sandwich plates, not another dinner set.

YY to plain white as it is easy to match.

What happens with having lots of extras and best sets, is that they can fill up your kitchen cupboards, and the kids can throw them away when you die.

I went out bargain shopping in my local charity shop yesterday and came home with a Polish pottery kitchen cannister for £1.99. I am celebrating but feeling a little remorseful at the same time.

Seeker I love your system! I might even adopt it!
We have the remnants of a cheap set bought at Argos ten years ago. And a muddle of mugs, cups and glasses.
When we move into our new house next year I plan on updating these. We received lots of lovely crystal glassware as wedding/engagement presents - I gave away any I didn't like, and use the ones I kept.

If I had a best set of anything, they would be used - life is for living! My sister broke one of my good crystal wine glasses a few weeks ago, but I didn't make a fuss - they are there to serve a purpose, and glasses can be replaced , unlike sisters!

They will talk about it for years you know Fellatio

I am always happy to chat about crockery.

We do have a 'best' set, which is a silly idea wait uses up half the sideboard and rarely sees the light of day. I got it out on Sunday and did 'Posh tea' for the DC and I. They loved glugging sipping Ribena from dainty coffee cups.

Our 'everyday' set was handed-down from mil. She evidently has a worse china-habit than I do, as we had to charity-shop half of it, there was just so much. It is virtually indestructible stoneware, although two dinner plates are now chipped and it all looks scratched. Recently she offered to buy us a new set. I was about to thank her profusely and suggest we convene at the nearest crockery shop, when dh cut in with, 'Why would we need new?' I nearly wept!

A few years back, she tried to give us her zillions of Eternal Beau, but I politely declined.

My mum has developed a 'mismatching china' habit, so I go junk shopping with her, to fulfil my crockery urges.

Oh don't say that BeCool - they only come in sets of three so I'd have to end up with 12 and then I'd have to upgrade everything else!

I don't aim to have ten of everything, eight is sufficient, but I sometimes buy a couple of spares of some things (the crystal glasses in particular) to allow for breakages.

I get cross if I am having eight people and I am limited to what I can cook because I only have four or six of a particular dish/bowl/plate. Honestly - my life is soooo hard.