Nonbendy flatware with Corelle?

[PeterPan]

This is sort of a first world problem here, but do you have any flatware you like with your corelle? Something kind of nonbendy? I haven't bought silverware in YEARS and am trying to find some to go with this adorable corelle mountain blossoms print https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-3853906/corelle-mountain-blossoms-12-pc-dinnerware-set.jsp?prdPV=3  I don't know why I can't find anything that makes sense to me. It's kind of a low use situation, so I don't want to put in a ton of money but don't want bendy and unpleasant either, kwim? 

I've been hitting outlets and I can get a set of 12 in Mikasa flatware for a great price. Thing is, Mikasa is HUGE! My Oneida 20 some year old open stock is pretty big too. I want something a big smaller scale. The dinner plate is only like 10 ¼" and some of these flatware sets have knives that big. Fiesta makes some stainless flatware that is cute and a bit closer. I haven't found the all stainless in matching sets yet (discount stores) and the colors are off in the colored sets. 

Any place you've found something cute that isn't too bendy? I looked online at Crate & Barrel, but I don't want to pay that much for this. Like it doesn't have to be crazy cheap, but it is occasional use. 

What about finding an old set of silver? They're going to hand wash, no dishwasher, so that could work. Would that look cute or be weird? Would you want to eat on silver? I'm half tempted, just because I hear you can find sets on the cheap. Or do you like more modern for flatware just to have it be functional? The new sets have larger spoons, etc., a definite shift.

Help? LOL

[klmama]

Have you looked at JCPenney?  They have some sets that look like they might work.

[Katy]

Our last sets came from either Sam’s Club or Costco, a special buy in early November. Which I only remember because I hosted Thanksgiving that year.  Buy the plates and wait to find flatware you love. I personally wouldn’t go with plated, go with new stainless. 

[MercyA]

Just popping in to say I love Corelle! Your pattern is so cheery and pretty! 

My stainless--which I love!--came from a garage sale. Sorry, that's not much help! I know exactly what you mean about the scale. Hope you find something that works.

[Garga]

My stainless is vintage from the 1950s. It was my DH’s grandmother’s set.

I’m wondering if you can head to an antique store and find some stainless steel there? Get some vintage stuff? Sometimes items in antique stores are rare and expensive and sometimes they’re not rare and expensive, but are just durable.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Garga

[PeterPan]

8 minutes ago, klmama said:

Have you looked at JCPenney?  They have some sets that look like they might work.

I started going through their website and gave up, lol. I'm going to try to hit the store tomorrow to see them in person. 

 

1 hour ago, Garga said:

I’m wondering if you can head to an antique store and find some stainless steel there? Get some vintage stuff? Sometimes items in antique stores are rare and expensive and sometimes they’re not rare and expensive, but are just durable.

That's a good point about finding *stainless* in a resale/vintage shop, hmm. Hadn't thought about that. You're right that would be perfect for this.

[Shoeless]

Try estate sales for stainless sets. I think I paid a whopping $7 for an old made-in-Japan set. 

You could try eBay for sets of vintage stainless, too. I've been adding pieces from ebay to round out the set I have.

[mathnerd]

Not all the mikasa sets are huge. Costco has a really good deal on Mikasa before thanksgiving every year - they change the patterns that they carry from year to year - I got a rather plain Mikasa set from there 5 years ago because it was plain and it did not have any curly patterns which I don't want - the pieces are not huge at all and I use them as my everyday flatware.

Though I don't remember the name of the set I got, it looked a lot like this and it was a lot cheaper than the list price:

https://www.mikasa.com/collections/flatware/products/satin-loft-65-piece-flatware-set-service-for-12

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by mathnerd

[PeterPan]

17 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

the pieces are not huge at all and I use them as my everyday flatware.

Though I don't remember the name of the set I got, it looked a lot like this and it was a lot cheaper than the list price:

https://www.mikasa.com/collections/flatware/products/satin-loft-65-piece-flatware-set-service-for-12

Ooo, that's one of the ones I was looking at!!! Macys and amazon have it for good prices right now. If I order from amazon and hate it I can return I guess.

Found a pic on amazon and the fork for satin loft is 8 ½", which makes it actually longer than my Oneida. Oh my. The look is cute though.

Edited April 4, 2021 by PeterPan

[KungFuPanda]

Oh, I see . . . I'm the only one who doesn't understand this post.  First of all, what is "bendy" silverware?  Even cheap stuff doesn't bend when you're using it.  Someone please explain what is clearly obvious to everyone else.  As for size, are you in a part of the country that insists upon dinner sized cutlery?  If so, look for luncheon-sized silverware because that's what most of the country uses anyway.  I accidentally got a dinner-sized set once and my people complained until I retired it and repurposed the forks for serving. 😆 I really didn't didn't mind it.

Have you tried ordering directly from a silverware company, like Oneida? I wouldn't fuss with real silver.  Not only is it hand-washable, but you have to polish it or it gets all tarnished and dirty looking.  It's not worth the effort for something one guest in 20 will notice or appreciate.

[Pippen]

27 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Oh, I see . . . I'm the only one who doesn't understand this post.  First of all, what is "bendy" silverware?  Even cheap stuff doesn't bend when you're using it.  Someone please explain what is clearly obvious to everyone else.  As for size, are you in a part of the country that insists upon dinner sized cutlery?  If so, look for luncheon-sized silverware because that's what most of the country uses anyway.  I accidentally got a dinner-sized set once and my people complained until I retired it and repurposed the forks for serving. 😆 I really didn't didn't mind it.

Have you tried ordering directly from a silverware company, like Oneida? I wouldn't fuss with real silver.  Not only is it hand-washable, but you have to polish it or it gets all tarnished and dirty looking.  It's not worth the effort for something one guest in 20 will notice or appreciate.

I returned a new set once because it was bendy.  It looked good but was terrible quality. I don't remember the brand--I think I was shopping for a kid moving out. 

I love my Hampton 18/10 stainless that I bought 20 years ago so much that I watched for a set on ebay to replace some pieces that had disappeared. 

[Garga]

56 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Oh, I see . . . I'm the only one who doesn't understand this post.  First of all, what is "bendy" silverware?  Even cheap stuff doesn't bend when you're using it.  Someone please explain what is clearly obvious to everyone else.  As for size, are you in a part of the country that insists upon dinner sized cutlery?  If so, look for luncheon-sized silverware because that's what most of the country uses anyway.  I accidentally got a dinner-sized set once and my people complained until I retired it and repurposed the forks for serving. 😆 I really didn't didn't mind it.

Have you tried ordering directly from a silverware company, like Oneida? I wouldn't fuss with real silver.  Not only is it hand-washable, but you have to polish it or it gets all tarnished and dirty looking.  It's not worth the effort for something one guest in 20 will notice or appreciate.

I’ve run into bendy flatware that actually does bend when you use it. Cheap stuff that I got when I first got married 29 years ago. I think the OP wants something cheap, but not *that cheap. 

[mathnerd]

2 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Ooo, that's one of the ones I was looking at!!! Macys and amazon have it for good prices right now. If I order from amazon and hate it I can return I guess.

Found a pic on amazon and the fork for satin loft is 8 ½", which makes it actually longer than my Oneida. Oh my. The look is cute though.

With a costco coupon, I think that I paid $59 for the set (service for 12 with some extras) which was a good deal. Too bad that it is too big for your usage. 

Zwillings is another brand that you could look at. I have seen it at Macy's, Bed Bath and Beyond and Kohl's. It should be easy to return at those places if you end up not liking the set.

[KungFuPanda]

1 hour ago, Pippen said:

I returned a new set once because it was bendy.  It looked good but was terrible quality. I don't remember the brand--I think I was shopping for a kid moving out. 

I love my Hampton 18/10 stainless that I bought 20 years ago so much that I watched for a set on ebay to replace some pieces that had disappeared. 

 

1 hour ago, Garga said:

I’ve run into bendy flatware that actually does bend when you use it. Cheap stuff that I got when I first got married 29 years ago. I think the OP wants something cheap, but not *that cheap. 

Oh man, I have not encountered that at all (and I own some $2 forks from BB&B).  I thought SURELY she meant something other than utensils that literally bend when you use them.  There are some plastic forks that are too heavy duty to bend. 😆 I'd be SO mad if a metal fork at any price point bent.  Is this a consequence of the price of steel going up?

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, mathnerd said:

With a costco coupon, I think that I paid $59 for the set (service for 12 with some extras) which was a good deal. Too bad that it is too big for your usage. 

Zwillings is another brand that you could look at. I have seen it at Macy's, Bed Bath and Beyond and Kohl's. It should be easy to return at those places if you end up not liking the set.

Oh that is crazy good! And I may go with it yet. The look is right. I'm definitely going to try to see it in person. I could even hit Costco. I don't have a membership there right now but it could be worth it, lol. One of those places has feta in huge tubs, and when I'm a member I stock up and freeze a year's supply, lol.

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, mathnerd said:

costco

Wow, you weren't joking! They have tons of flatware on their site! Totally had not thought to look there, thanks!

[teachermom2834]

I’ve had the really cheap stuff that might bend if you had a tough piece of meat but that is really cheap thin stuff that doesn’t even feel like anything in your hand. It’s weird but I’ve been pretty broke. 
 

The next step up stuff I had was stainless steel but I don’t know what weight. It wouldn’t bend with regular use but within a few years the tines on the forks were uneven. It was from getting wedged in the dishwasher wrong or caught in the drawer wrong or something. But it made me absolutely nuts to eat with a fork that the tines were bent even a little. The rest of my family claimed not to notice. 
 

I finally upgraded to a heavier weight on a Black Friday Kohl’s sale and the difference is significant. I love them. One of the finer details in life my newlywed self couldn’t even have imagined. 
 

I totally don’t get why flatware is so huge and has so many details on the handles. I wanted something very simple and it took a long time to find something that didn’t have some big design or feature on the handle. I did find a simple set at Kohl’s but it took lots of searching through ones that were huge. 

I inherited a set from my mother that is probably 40 years old and it is all on a more dainty scale. Full size but not huge. 

[hippymamato3]

I knew I shouldn't have looked. I love that pattern! And I do NOT need any more dishes!

[Zinnia2]

I use Oneida stainless that I like for everyday. 

 

And I have a set of silverplate that I use for special occasions (because of the hand wash). We used it yesterday.  It is actually very pretty, very comfortable in my hand, and because it's not the peak of style right now, you can get it for a decent price somewhere like Facebook Marketplace or an antique store.

 

[KungFuPanda]

16 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Oh that is crazy good! And I may go with it yet. The look is right. I'm definitely going to try to see it in person. I could even hit Costco. I don't have a membership there right now but it could be worth it, lol. One of those places has feta in huge tubs, and when I'm a member I stock up and freeze a year's supply, lol.

I never thought of freezing feta! Do you freeze it in liquid or just wrap it tightly?

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, KungFuPanda said:

I never thought of freezing feta! Do you freeze it in liquid or just wrap it tightly?

I just popped the whole container (1 quart? I don't know, it was big) in the freezer. Actually I bought several of them (4?) and used them over at least a year. There were no quality issues particularly. It's just budget feta, nothing too fancy, so I didn't have high expectations. But it wasn't freezer burnt or ruined or anything.

https://www.samsclub.com/p/athenos-feta-cheese-24-oz/prod7760060