Corelle, melamine, or something else?

[msorrell]

Melamine, or as I remember being from Jersey, we called it Boonton ware, because it was made in Boonton, NJ.

Couldn’t destroy it, and it floats!

[FlyingScot]

We use Galleyware brand non-skid melamine and are very satisfied with the look, feel and usage. We don't use a microwave.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[merrydolphin]

We love Corelle, it has the feel of real dishes. Is enjoyable to eat on. Yes they can break we have done it. But it does take quite a blow to break it. Just a normal drop and it doesn’t break. Worth it to me. Yes we have some melamine but prefer the corelle. If in a large seaway we use the melamine with the rubber gaskets on the bottom. We keep a few of them around. We also place the corelle on rubber non-skid mats.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Stoneware. We purchased high quality from Heath Ceramics in Sausalito. 25 years have yet to break anything.

Porcelain made in Italy and Portugal are usually high quality and very durable.

I don't understand the affection with Corelle. It's thin and feels cheap. First apartment cheap. If anyone wonders why their wife won't cruise with them, start with Corelle and follow the thread of similar compromise decisions guys think are the right thing to do.

Peter

It's not the tableware. (And if it were, that person would be a liability, imo.)

I'm like Corelle; cheap, useful and robust (although I wasn't made in America).

[ranger58sb]

We prefer Corelle, onboard.

-Chris

[Bill_Giles]

Melamine used for tea is the very devil to avoid stains. Very tempted to use China/ceramic and accept the odd breakage as they are cheap enough.

[s/v Jedi]

Use what you would use ashore. We took our English Wedgwood aboard in 2003 and only broke one little salad plate while doing the dishes. Went through 3 hurricanes.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Use what you would use ashore. We took our English Wedgwood aboard in 2003 and only broke one little salad plate while doing the dishes. Went through 3 hurricanes.

I have been hesitant to say I use bone china for fear of being ragged out .

I have had one plate and one salad bowl break in 13 years cruising full time, far less than would occur at home, as additional care is taken. This is not coincidental:

“Bone china is the strongest of the porcelain or china ceramics, having very high mechanical and physical strength and chip resistance”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_china

As an added bonus, it is a sheer pleasure to handle, look at and eat/drink from.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

I have been hesitant to say I use bone china for fear of being ragged out .

I have had one plate and one salad bowl break in 13 years cruising full time, far less than would occur at home, as additional care is taken. This is not coincidental:

“Bone china is the strongest of the porcelain or china ceramics, having very high mechanical and physical strength and chip resistance”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_china

As an added bonus, it is a sheer pleasure to handle, look at and eat/drink from.

While bone China is not our style, I wholeheartedly agree that well made porcelain (and ceramic stoneware) are deceptively durable. Over the years, have found that pieces made by artisans such as Heath and Cyclamen in the SF Bay Area, and many pieces from Italy, France, and Portugal that are fired at high temperatures and are very well made. While not cheap compared to a set of Corelle, for us they are a good value given its something we have used daily for over 20 years .

[skyhawk]

we have tons of corelle at home. DW loves it. I think i's a dangerous time bomb. Between the 5 of us (3 kids) I recon we break a piece once every 3-6 months. Not often really given the useage, but when it goes....pieces around the corner two rooms away, in open overhead cabinets, etc...
If you have an open sugar bowl in the room, even far away, might be wise to throw it out...never know if there's a shard in there.

Had a dinner plate break in the sink just the other day. It was submerged in a stack of dirty dishes. Very interesting that it did NOT explode while submerged. It broke into three primary pieces and just a small handful of shards. The large pieces had very interesting wavy edges...as if someone had cut glass by drawing a wavy line with 1 inch or so radius curves.

[Jammer]

Thank you all for the replies.


I am surprised at those who use china, as it is not something I would have considered. We have a number of eight-piece sets of china that have ended up in our care from family, and I will contemplate their potential uses aboard.


Also, at the other extreme, contemplating the wisdom of gunning down a bead of silicone on pieces of melamine for better stability in poor conditions.

[Mickeyrouse]

We have been using China 20 years on our boat and have yet to break anything. We feel the weight premium is a stability plus. My wife feels like she can get China cleaner than plastic. Our pattern is US Navy officer wardroom. Took a few years to get a complete setting for four. The makers are mixed- mostly Tepco and Shenango- but since they’re made to Navy standards they look close enough. And there is nothing more nautical than a blue band with fouled anchor.

[Mickeyrouse]

I would add that our stuff is vitrified china- what heavy traffic restaurants used in the good ol’ days. Almost cast iron.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I am surprised at those who use china, as it is not something I would have considered. We have a number of eight-piece sets of china that have ended up in our care from family, and I will contemplate their potential uses aboard.

I replied earlier that we use and generally prefer Corelle, but that was compared to other relatively inexpensive stuff and assuming a new purchase.

OTOH, if we had a spare china set laying around, I wouldn't have hesitated to use that on board instead.

-Chris

[wsmurdoch]

I have done the silicone caulking thing, but my art work is not too good. In fact, it is ugly. After noticing the how well the silicone strap on my dive mask pulls on my little remaining hair when I put the mask on, I bought some self stick silicone sheet from McMaster Carr. https://www.mcmaster.com/adhesive-ba...s/color~clear/ or more exactly https://www.mcmaster.com/86915K24/ I have cut (with scissors) circles to fit the bottom of our plastic wine glasses and Tervis tumblers. Three 3/4" circles punched from the sheet on the bottom of a Corel plate or bowl will keep it from sliding. It survives hand dish washing without problems. I have not found a way to use it on mugs that have a raised ring on their base.

Bill