So I remember when I got my first apartment, I went to the store to buy stuff for the kitchen. When I came across the section with the forks, spoons, knives, etc, I noticed steep prices for many brands. Why are thy so expensive when they serve as a single purpose. Nothing useful but to put a spoon in your mouth for eating, yet you can find a spoon for $10 dollar. There is no major difference from getting one that cost $1 dollar. Why are some so expensive like that? I still have yet to understand that.
I guess it the material. Having generally had cheap silverware, it breaks, wobbles and so forth. More expensive silverware is durable, and good silver used on special or holiday occassions probably has more real silver in it as well. It is probably best to buy tableware in a moderate price range. That way it will not fall apart on you, nor will it break the bank.
For me the quality of the silverware and plates have an effect on my enjoyment of my meals. This may not be important to some but for people like me I guess it can have an effect. I could be eating just cheap dishes but if I eat them with the right spoons and plates then I can end up enjoying my meal a lot more than I originally would have. That said, for me it's more just a specific type that depends on my personal preference rather than the price, as I won't automatically like it just because it's expensive. Sometimes if the type of silverware is too cheap I'd even prefer to just use plastic spoons.
I notice that the expensive ones are usually the ones with popular brand names on them. I am not a fan of specific brands that's why whenever I buy kitchen utensils, I always look for the unpopular brands but have good quality in them. It saves to buy according to quality instead of brand specific. There are many not so popular brands that also have the same quality as the popular ones.
Some are made of cheap, flimsy metal that bends easily. Not always desirable. I love quality in the kitchen and I am willing to pay for it. It makes cooking so much more a pleasure!
I suppose the prices of items vary depending on several factors like the location of the store and the calibre customer that they have in mind when setting up the business. You can find price variance of the items with respect to location and quality as well as the materials that go to make the items. Some are made with the issue of prestige in mind which means higher prices.
For every day use, I just settle for nice ones but reasonably priced, nothing that breaks the bank. I have to say that I hate the bog standard ones that everybody has, so I always look for unique detail, but that's just my thing I guess. I also have a posh set I got at a bargain from TK Maxx. I didn't go out of my way to find it, I just happened to stumble across it and absolutely loved it. That set I only use when I'm entertaining, not that we do a lot of that LOL I just think it's nice to treat people to nice stuff like good cutlery, crockery and general tableware because for me eating is about that whole experience, creating that beautiful ambience. Somehow, it does make the dining experience just that little bit more special
Sometimes, it's worth it to pay a bit more for higher quality. If you really do get higher quality, it might end up being the better value. If the cheaper stuff doesn't wear well or requires replacement often or something like that then it really isn't a great bargain. On the other hand, if the quality isn't really better and the only difference in price is the name attached to the product, no. I can't be bothered to pay for a name, if it's the name only. In some cases, brand names do offer better products. It takes some trial and error to figure out which ones are actually better. I generally shop in the mid range. I don't go for the extreme low or extreme high end for most things. It's worked well for me.
Well, I personally think it mostly depends on the utensils brand, we have cheap and expensive utensils in my house, we mostly use the cheap one for daily use and the expensive ones are for special occasions such as Christmas, birthdays, family meetings, and whatnot, I really think it's quite fine to have both kinds since there are people that like enjoying special times using special things. I highly recommend the brand RenaWare for all that kind of things, including Cooking Pots, Jars, and whatnot.
Well I have to agree with you. I do not really see the need on having nice utensils, but I can look around and say that about a lot of things. I could even say it about cars, but in that one I am little more in the minority than I am here. Some people just like to impress others or feel the need to, but not me. I will right there with you using the cheap ones.
Brand's reputation, retail brick and mortar store sale price and manufacture cost, those are three of many other aspects that have influence over the final price of a product. I suggest to look for reviews and compare prices with online shops. Sometimes is worth it to pay more rather than purchasing cheap chinese imitation crap.
I always go for moderately priced kitchenware or other things, neither too expensive, not too cheap. Cheap products tend to be of low quality (they are low quality that's why they are cheap), where as spending too much on kitchenware is just a waste of money. Products are expensive based on their design, brand, material used and durability.
We have a set of Corelle plates and mugs given to us by our relatives from the US. I was told that they cost around $100 for that particular set. I don't see any difference between those plates and the ones that we have, apart from being lighter. I think it's made of ceramic instead of plastic. I certainly won't buy plates and silverware that expensive.
I had two fairly expensive sets that I would alternate, but I'm getting tired of them. One was silver plated, and I got sick of polishing it, so I ended up donating the set. The other is nice, brass with rosewood handles, but the handles tend to get discolored if they are exposed to water for any length of time, which occasionally happens if they're put in a container in the sink. The rosewood ones are comfortable in my hands, which is good for my arthritis, but I think when I can, I'm going to invest in a basic set of stainless flatware.
I buy my silverware and plate sets from thrift stores mostly, the quality is better then cheap big box stores, I have found they don't bend like cheap ones. Our my silverware matching and plates matching,no but they are sturdy and I find some cool designs, which make my dinner table have a whimsical feeling to it.
I also get some of my silverware from the thrift store when I need replacements. The quality is often better than what I am willing to pay for in the store. I have a family member that takes the dishes and silverware out of the house and you never see it again. I do not want to pay a good price for something that is going to be lost.
I’m so cheap when it comes to utensil, kitchen tools and stuff like that! I would never get Tupperware stuff, for example. With so many cheap plastic stuff out there, I couldn’t possibly justify spending so much. There are always cheaper alternatives and I always go for the cheap!
I always buy the cheap bundles of silverware or utensils. There is no difference when it comes to their usefulness, but the cheap ones are obviously made quickly. When you see the nice set of silverware they all share the same design and are the same size. The cheaper sets, $1 for 4, is all I have found and they aren't the same size at all. They are cut quickly so they don't look right, but I'm not picky and don't care about the appearance of my silverware. I guess it all comes down to what you prefer...
I find that in many instances the more expensive items are more durable and reliable the cheap stuff. You may have to replace the cheaper items, in some cases the out more expensive items are able to outlast a number of cheap stuff replacements, therefore, in the long run, the expensive items tend to be much more cost effective than those of lesser value.
When I first left home, my Mother gave me a ginormous box full of kitchen equipment. It had pans that she had been given for a wedding present that were still usable after 40 years. She gave me casserole dishes, plates, crockery and utensils as well as tea towells and cutlery. I have had to buy to replace over the years but I've always gone for the cheaper brands. I don't see the reason to spend heaps of money on utensils and cutlery. The more expensive brands are probably better but most are the brand name that you are paying for so cheaper is often just as good a quality.
