Cutlery Set

From our shop, we know the disappointments after purchase, such as missing small cutlery and spots from the dishwasher. Our advice therefore first addresses those disappointments and then the number of persons and the finish.

What does 24-piece mean, and what cutlery are you missing?

24-piece means 24 pieces in total: for six persons each a table knife, table fork, table spoon, and coffee spoon. Small cutlery for breakfast, lunch, or dessert is not included, although that used to be part of a set.

Small cutlery is referred to in cutlery sets as dessert cutlery: a dessert knife, a dessert fork, and a dessert spoon. At Sola, it is included in the 50-piece sets for six persons, with each person also getting a cake or cocktail fork and a coffee or ice spoon. For the whole set, a serving spoon and a sauce spoon are added. When looking at a large set from another brand, check what the extra pieces are: sometimes these are cake forks and serving spoons, without a small knife.

If young children are eating with you, a small knife is more comfortable for them than a large table knife. We also have separate children's cutlery, with a knife, fork, and spoon in child size. If you want the small cutlery included right away, take the 50-piece version of a series that also exists as a regular set. Such a set is the Sola Cutlery Set Fleurie - 18/10 Stainless Steel - 50 pieces / 6 persons.

Sola Cutlery Set Fleurie

Why does stainless steel cutlery get rust spots and stains in the dishwasher?

Stainless steel cutlery rarely rusts itself: the brown spots are usually particles of less noble metal that float around in the dishwasher and adhere to the cutlery. Such a spot is called flying rust, and you mainly see it on the knife because the cutting part is made of softer steel than a fork or spoon. Such spots are therefore usually not a sign that your set is poor.

Stains almost always come from the dishwasher. If the programme finishes at night and the door remains closed, the cutlery stands for hours in moist steam. Also, a tablet that does not work well or hard water causes stains.

Here’s how to prevent stains and remove spots:

Run the dishwasher when you can open the door afterwards, so the cutlery does not sit in the steam all night.
Remove the cutlery after the programme and dry it with a tea towel afterwards, so no drops dry on it.
Polish away any spots that are already there with a steel polish.

If brown spots remain on your cutlery, try one of the home remedies from our article about it.

How does a set feel in your hand if you can’t hold it online?

Weight and length say a lot about how cutlery feels in your hand. For some sets, the length per piece is listed on the product page, and sometimes also the weight. With the Villeroy & Boch Cutlery Set Piemont - 18/10 Stainless Steel - 24 pieces / 6 persons, you can see what you get in your hands per piece:

The table knife is 22.6 cm long and weighs 78 grams: the longest and heaviest piece of the set.
The table fork is 20.6 cm long and weighs 44 grams, so a lot lighter than the knife.
The spoon is 20.7 cm long and weighs 68 grams: about the same length as the fork, but clearly heavier.

Villeroy & Boch Cutlery Set Piemont

If you’re unsure whether that knife is heavy or light, place your own table knife on the kitchen scale and compare it with that 78 grams. Also, with the black 42-piece set from Studio Tavola, you can place the length per piece next to your own cutlery: that is listed in millimetres on the product page. Compare the weight per piece, as a set with more pieces naturally weighs more as a whole.

For how many persons do you choose a cutlery set?

The contents of the sets differ per number of persons:

Four persons: the sets for 4 persons are 16-piece. The Studio Tavola Cutlery Set - Modern - Stainless Steel - 16-piece / 4 persons has a fork, knife, spoon, and dessert spoon per person, and is fully dishwasher safe.

Studio Tavola Cutlery Set Modern Stainless Steel

Six persons: we have the most choice of cutlery sets for 6 persons, especially 24-piece or 50-piece with dessert cutlery.
Eight persons: the 70-piece Sola sets for 8 persons have dessert cutlery, and most also have serving spoons, salad cutlery, and a cake server.
Nine persons: the 90-piece Sola sets for 9 persons also have dessert cutlery and twelve teaspoons, handy if there are more people at coffee than at the table.
Twelve persons: with often guests at the table, or a dishwasher that only runs once a day, you have more leeway with a cutlery set for 12 persons.

Does matte or coloured cutlery remain as beautiful as shiny stainless steel?

Matte cutlery scratches just as easily as shiny stainless steel, only you see the scratches on matte better because they shine. If you use your cutlery every day and want it to look neat, then shiny stainless steel cutlery has fewer visible scratches. Matte is chosen for the appearance, and those scratches belong to it.

Coloured cutlery may have a colour layer that is dishwasher safe, but not every manufacturer manages that equally well. Therefore, check each set separately whether it is dishwasher safe. This also applies to our gold cutlery.

If you want black cutlery that can go in the dishwasher, look at the Villa d'Este Home Cutlery Set Wonderland - Black - 24 pieces / 6 persons. It has a polished black finish and is according to the product information dishwasher safe.

Villa d'Este Home Cutlery Set Wonderland

If matte black is acceptable and you have no objection to hand washing, then the Studio Tavola Cutlery Set - Classic - Black - 42-piece / 8 persons is suitable. For this set, we recommend hand washing. It includes dessert spoons and cake forks, but no small knife.

Studio Tavola Cutlery Set Classic Black

More black sets can be found in our collection of black cutlery.

What makes a cutlery set more expensive?

The difference between a budget and a more expensive set mainly lies in the type and quality of the steel. You can hardly see that from the outside. When comparing prices, look for sets with the same number of pieces: a 50-piece set costs more than a 24-piece because it contains more.

For a budget set, look at most 24-piece sets from Sola and the 16-piece from Studio Tavola. If you want something a bit more, you will find yourself in the mid-range with the larger Sola sets and part of our Villeroy & Boch cutlery. Sambonet and the more expensive series from Villeroy & Boch belong to the higher segment.

In our Sola cutlery sets you will find series from good to better to best. For everyday use, a set does not need to come from the higher segment: what matters more is whether there is enough in it, including small cutlery.

How do you later add to the same series?

If you start with a smaller set and want more later, choose a series that comes in multiple sizes. Villeroy & Boch Piemont is available from a set for one person to a set for twelve. In between, there are sets for three to six persons.

Many Sola series are also available in multiple sizes, from 24 to 100 pieces, so you can choose the same model in a larger or second set. In our shop, we see that cutlery series often remain in the range for years. If you live alone, start small with the Villeroy & Boch Cutlery Set Piemont - 18/10 Stainless Steel - 4-piece / 1 person: a table knife, a table fork, a spoon, and a coffee spoon. This also allows you to expand a Piemont set with cutlery for one person.