Cheap-ish (?) flatware and assessing quality of items

So our silverware was 18/10 stainless steel and $40 for 5 pieces but that made things $8 per piece. It came with 5 different pieces but only 1 of each if that makes sense. Not sure if yours is different. This is what we got from crate & barrel. We registered for 12 place settings and someone purchased all of it. It’s great quality and we are happy with it!

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That makes sense! I realized I had my figures wrong so I went back and edited them - it's $100 for 45 pieces, which is eight place settings + a serving set, or $45 for 20 pieces, which is four place settings and no serving set. I've looked at this too long!

Your silverware is beautiful! Do you use it for everyday, special occasions, or both?

I really can't tell if the stuff we picked out is "good" enough. I'm continually torn between wanting high-quality items and worrying that guests will think we're greedy for the $100 instant pot AND the $200 air fryer/toaster oven AND the $100 blender AND... But I just don't see the point in asking for things that aren't likely to last.

View Quoted Comment That makes sense! It’s our only silverware set we have so we use it for everything. I wanted something quality but something that could also go in the dishwasher. And don’t feel bad, people want to gift you quality things! I had a friend register for cheap target silverware because she wanted to be cognizant of people’s wallets and she’s ready to replace it after a year because it’s so cheap! And if it makes you feel any better all our more expensive stuff was purchased first from our registries.

Daughter had already gone through set or two of cheap flatware during college, which tended to bend easily and the fork tines were almost dangerously sharp, so flatware was something she was very happy to put on her registry. We went to Macy's so she could "handle" all the options. Like Kelly, durability and being able to wash them in the dishwasher were her top requirements. Even in 18/10 stainless, she found a LOT of variability in construction and quality. She ended up choosing a higher-quality Oneida set. For the 8-piece place setting and several serving pieces, I think the full prices was around $450, but at time of her shower, I was able to get it on sale, with various coupons, for about $200. The pattern is also available as open-stock, so I think she registered for some additional individual items. Most manufacturers produce patterns that vary a LOT in terms of weight, even though they might all be "18/10" (which relates to the mixture of metals in the material). All 18/10 stainless should be equal in strength and resistance to rust, etc., but that material can be used in patterns that are designed differently in ways that might affect their overall quality and durability. (Just like two rings might both be 14k gold, but one might be very thin and delicate and another much more substantial.) I'd try putting a little gentle pressure on a fork or spoon you're considering and see how easily it bends, and examine the fork tines to see how evenly the sides and tips are finished, etc. I might also consider who the manufacturer is and how long the pattern you are interested in has been around; that might be important if a piece accidentally gets chewed up by the garbage disposal and you want to replace it. I think one good quality set is probably a better long-time investment than two less expensive sets. Good luck!

I did register for items on the cheaper side aha but I did an Amazon registry so most everything had customer reviews and photos

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Wow, thanks for your insight! This is very helpful. I like heavy utensils, and I'd say the two we're looking at are probably "medium weight" - the Oneida Icarus, and Gourmet Settings Windermere (the BBB open stock). Because the open-stock ones are $2 each, I'm thinking of buying myself a knife and fork to just try them out for a while and see what I think. With so many options for everything (and surprisingly little in store), it's been sooo hard to figure out what's good and what's not.

Would you mind if I PM'd you and picked your brain on a few other registry items? These communities have been helpful to me, because I don't have many peers getting married and the ones that are are going for much cheaper stuff (Target, Walmart).

I went into a store and handled the silverware before registering for it. Granted, that was nearly 25 years ago. ☺️

I would recommend registering for things at a lot of different price points. Then everyone can find something in the price range they are comfortable with. One of my favorite gifts was a laundry basket filled with inexpensive but very useful items. I still have many of those things that I use.

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No problem at all, I'd be happy to help. (And, FWIW, I've been using my own wedding registry stainless flatware for 32+ years now, and except for somehow managing to break a knife and one spoon disappearing somewhere along the way, it's held up beautifully. I also have a set of silverplate flatware that we never use because it cannot go in the dishwasher and it's a pain to handwash and polish. I've hosted PLENTY of holiday dinners over the years using our "every day" flatware! )

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That's helpful! It's so difficult to see the sticker value of so much of the stuff on our registry, even though I wouldn't think twice if someone else had the same price points (I'd probably think they were smart/responsible for asking for quality items). I'd probably end up getting a lot of this stuff for myself over time anyway, but I'm often willing to save, search for deals, and finally buy stuff for myself that it's hard to imagine asking other people for!

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Thanks so much! I'm going to think of two or three areas where I need the most help and send you a PM

Register for whatever you want!!!! That's the bottom line.. if you want the more expensive stuff, put it on there. If you later decide you want the cheaper stuff you can return whatever you get to get it. I'm of the mindset with some things it's not better to go cheaper, and silverware is definitely one of them. You want it to last and if you register for the nicer stuff you probably won't ever have to replace it!