Corelle, melamine, or something else?

[Jammer]

Plates, cups, and bowls -- what materials?


We switched to melamine after having had Corelle in our RV. The melamine isn't as durable but it's lighter and won't shatter. I liked the Corelle better, and it went in the microwave, but we broke a couple of pieces and in each case it took weeks to stop finding the tiny shards.

[rslifkin]

We have both Corelle and melamine stuff on the boat. Generally we use the melamine (and we have more of it), but the Corelle is used when we need to microwave stuff.

At the house, pretty much all of our day to day dishes are Corelle. The stuff is pretty hard to break, but when you manage to hit one just right, they do basically explode, causing that awful cleanup you mentioned. I can't imagine trying to clean that up without a vacuum.

[HankOnthewater]

I have both on the boat. For cups/mugs/plates/bowls: melamine for when underway, stoneware, porcelain or corelle when stationary.
Same with 'glass'ware: plastic beakers when underway, glass when in port.

On my previous (smaller) boat, I had mainly melamine. Yes, melamine can last: I still have some plates that I used when camping in the seventies.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by HankOnthewater

I have both on the boat. For cups/mugs/plates/bowls: melamine for when underway, stoneware, porcelain or corelle when stationary.
Same with 'glass'ware: plastic beakers when underway, glass when in port.

On my previous (smaller) boat, I had mainly melamine. Yes, melamine can last: I still have some plates that I used when camping in the seventies.

Good point on the plastic cups. I'm 99% sure that we have no actual glass on board. As far as lifespan of melamine, all of mine dates to 1987 and has been on the boat that entire time, so it can certainly hold up just fine.

[CarlF]

For reasons I don't quite understand there is good melamine and bad melamine. We use some melamine dinner plates that came with our "two boats ago" boat. Despite almost 20 years of use they still look new. They came from the UK or Europe bought by the PO but no brand marking

For plastic glasses we love Strahl from New Zealand. I don't know how they do it but the plastic doesn't get cloudy. Goes in a dishwasher. Nice heavy feel. Hard to tell from glass. https://www.amazon.com/Strahl-Vivald...n%2C164&sr=1-2

[redhead]

We use Corelle when we're stationary.

But when we're underway I use small plastic trays for meals up in the cockpit. Tray's have a lip on them that'll catch sliding food when heeled over. They rest on your lap, they're rectangular, I like everything about them. Of course they're only good for stuff like sandwiches and snacks. Chili or other "wet" food of course goes in stoneware mugs.

[CaptDHill]

Our preference is Corelle. We have used Melamine, but what we had seemed cheap and plastic like. I prefer not to down grade my experience when I’m on our boat. I prefer a heavy china feel, and Corelle seems close enough. Fortunately, we haven’t broken any, but we have broken glass wine glasses. I have also broken wine glasses at my house. Not often but yes I have. I also don’t like drinking wine from anything other than glass. To use Corelle or Melamine is a personal preference, but my preference between the two is Corelle.

[Adelie]

Microwavable plastic for table ware from BedBath&Beyond.

Corelle for serving dishes.

[sailing_gal]

I like to eat out of "real dishes", since I live on my boat full-time. I have Corelle, have never had one break. Also, I take the Corelle dishes, lay them upside down, and put a circular bead of silicone all around the bottom of each one. Then put them right-side up on a sheet of Saran Wrap and let them sit overnight. You now have non-slip Corelle.

[Cheechako]

Although not real break prone, when Corelle does break it leaves very sharp shards for sure, it's a lot like glass.

We used good quality Dansk Bistro porcelain. It's very durable, dense, not pottery. But of course it can break, but not very prone to doing so.
I've had it since 1990 and still using it at home now! I've probably broken two pieces in 30 years. They have some plate designs with a taller lip than most plates , which is nice on a boat.
We just hate plastic plates.

[rmlarson1098]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Plates, cups, and bowls -- what materials?


We switched to melamine after having had Corelle in our RV. The melamine isn't as durable but it's lighter and won't shatter. I liked the Corelle better, and it went in the microwave, but we broke a couple of pieces and in each case it took weeks to stop finding the tiny shards.

We use big dog food bowls when underway, they will not break (if you buy the 'good' one's!) and they keep the mess down to a minimum, even in bigger seas and at night. We put a coat of rubber cement on the bottom rim so they won't slide around.
Corelle otherwise, but like others have mentioned I was astonished the first time I dropped a bowl and it shattered into a thousand pieces.
I don't see Melamine much anymore but always liked it. Waiting to find a nice stash of the stuff in a 2nd hand store!

[Sailor647]

Corelle. We're cruising, not camping. lol I like to set a nice table.

I haven't broken one yet, but a fellow cruiser forgot to put the full dish drainer away before taking off and the whole lot shattered into millions of glass slivers. So there's that.

[Adelie]

The thing about Corelle is that the process that allows them to make durable ceramic that thin leaves a lot of potential energy in the material.
If you nick a piece down to the core layer the latent potential energy means the piece will explode. That’s why you get lots of small sharp shards and why the pieces fly a long way, all the potential energy is released at once.

We use Corelle for our kids at home and about once a year a piece goes off when dropped. On the whole better and cheaper than them breaking Fiestaware 5-6 times a year.

When I was in engineering school and a prof was demonstrating how durable Corelle was by repeatedly dropping it on the floor. The 3rd time it exploded and pieces flew at least a couple feet higher than his head. Then he explained the down side of Corelle.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Adelie

The thing about Corelle is that the process that allows them to make durable ceramic that thin leaves a lot of potential energy in the material.

What a load of tosh. Corelle is glass - laminated tempered glass.

[Chotu]

I use Corelle. It’s important to me that my food looks good on the plate and doesn’t pick up more plastic there.

Weight wise, it’s great too.