Robert Welch Kingham Bright Flatware Set

Why it’s great

The classic design is very versatile. This set from Robert Welch Designs Iooks great alongside many styles of dinnerware. It’s casual enough for everyday meals but pretty enough for more-formal occasions. The highly polished teardrop handles give the utensils an added flair, but the overall look is straightforward and understated.

The size and shape is appealing and functional. Testers who were partial to shorter tines liked the forks in this set. The soup spoons are also deep and hold a lot of liquid. We found that the blade’s sharpness and sloped angle made cutting easier; it required little effort to slice through a chicken breast.

You can buy only what you need. This collection is sold in a variety of ways, from just three pieces—a fork, knife, and a spoon—to up to 50 pieces. You also have the option to buy eight three-piece settings (the 26-piece set) for about $210, which is a more affordable way to outfit your table with fewer (but nicer-quality) pieces.

Every piece comes with an impressive 25-year warranty. The set has been sold exclusively by Williams Sonoma since 2018.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The solid knife handle is a bit weighty and makes a racket if it falls off the edge of a plate rim.

Some testers thought the bowls of the spoons were too elongated—though their large capacity would be ideal for scooping up soup dumplings.

We noticed some subtle scratches on the soup spoon after unpacking, but this type of imperfection would be covered by the warranty.

Key specs

• Pricing: $21 for a three-piece place setting, $40 for a five-piece place setting, $160 for a 20-piece set, $210 for a 26-piece set, $335 for a 42-piece set, $398 for a 50-piece set
• Finish: mirror
• Serving utensils: yes
• Where it’s made: Vietnam and Indonesia

You may also like: Reed & Barton Dalton 5pc Flatware Place Setting, Crate and Barrel Caesna Mirror 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting, Liberty Tabletop Betsy Ross

Dinnerware pairings: most stoneware, porcelain, bone china, fine china, and glass

Reed & Barton Dalton 5pc Flatware Place Setting

Why it’s great

The classic design has stood the test of time. The Reed & Barton Dalton 5pc Flatware Place Setting has clean lines, rounded handles, and skinny necks that make it feel very elegant. The classic teardrop shape—which dates back hundreds of years—is a sophisticated option for dinner parties, but it’s still casual enough for everyday use. This design has been available since 2009, which usually speaks well for its popularity and continued availability.

The utensils have among the most cohesive sizing of any flatware we tested. Each piece is proportionate to the next, which is more uncommon than you might expect. The spoon bowls are tapered at the tip, which some testers preferred because it meant less metal in their mouth. The teaspoon is an ideal size for eating cereal.

The knife is sharp and well balanced. It cuts cleanly through a chicken breast, and the lightweight, hollow handles don’t have a seam where the blade meets the handle (unlike some other hollow handle knives we tested).

Little details give this set some added elegance. The slight flare at the tip of the knife blade and the defined shoulder where the fork tines meet the handle make this set feel more refined.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Some testers found the hollow-handle knives too lightweight. In fact, many people often assume hollow-handle knives signal poor quality, though the opposite can be true—they’re often a sign of craftsmanship, and can make knives more balanced.

Others thought the dinner fork tines were too long and said they would most likely use the salad fork for most meals since its tines are a bit shorter.

The skinny necks were also off-putting for some people—one tester said she felt like the teardrop handles looked as though they were going to “drip right off.” If you fall into that camp, we’d recommend checking out the Liberty Tabletop Betsy Ross set, which is very similar to the Reed & Barton Dalton place setting but has slightly thicker necks.

Finally, the word “China" is printed on the back of the forks and spoons, but it will eventually wear away, since it’s not etched into the metal.

Key specs

• Pricing: $45 for a five-piece place setting
• Finish: mirror
• Serving utensils: none
• Where it’s made: China

You may also like: Robert Welch Designs Kingham Bright Flatware Set, Crate and Barrel Caesna Mirror 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting, Liberty Tabletop Betsy Ross

Dinnerware pairings: Jars Cantine Collection, Bennington Potters Classic Dinnerware, Fiesta Dinnerware, and most porcelain, bone china, and decorative fine china

Muji Stainless Steel Cutlery

Why it’s great

It’s an affordable set. Muji Stainless Steel Cutlery is a good choice if you want a simple but durable set of flatware and don’t want to spend too much; these are roughly $7 per piece. The only set we recommend that’s cheaper is the IKEA Dragon 20-Piece Flatware Set, but the Muji set is heavier, thicker, and more durable; it’s made of 18/8 stainless steel, unlike the IKEA set, which is 18/0. It would be difficult to bend the Muji utensils with force.

Its pieces are well proportioned, with a clean, simple style. The rounded handles and slight taper towards the neck give this collection a classic look. The fork tines aren’t too long, and the bowls of the spoons hold a generous amount of liquid. The rounded knife blade was polarizing because it looks more like a butter knife than a dinner knife, but some testers noted that it would be a safer option for kids.

The pieces are sold individually, so you can pick and choose what you need. For instance, if you never use salad forks or teaspoons, you can create a set without them.

This set is only available in a matte finish. It’s still prone to developing the same patina as polished flatware, however, some people may prefer the muted finish and the lack of branding on the utensils.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Besides looking a bit too much like a butter knife, the knife blade required more effort to cut through chicken than others we tested.

The dessert fork and spoon are very small, so buying just three pieces—the dinner fork, dinner knife, and dinner spoon—may be more practical for some people.

This set felt very utilitarian to some testers, who wished it had a stronger design aesthetic.

Key specs

• Pricing: sold open stock, about $7 per piece
• Finish: matte
• Serving utensils: yes
• Where it’s made: Vietnam

You may also like: IKEA Dragon 20-Piece Flatware Set, Robert Welch Designs Kingham Bright Flatware Set

Dinnerware pairings: most stoneware, porcelain, bone china, and glass

Heath Ceramics Muir Flatware

Why it’s great

This set has a strong design aesthetic. The Heath Ceramics Muir Flatware in Polished (5 piece setting) looks like it could be featured on the cover of a modern design magazine. Although it’s somewhat similar to the IKEA Dragon cutlery, the pieces are weightier and feel much more refined due to the subtle upward flare at the base of the fork and spoon handles. The set is polished to a brilliant shine (though it’s available in other finishes too) and has a substantial thickness the IKEA set lacks—you can’t bend this set, even if you tried.

You can’t deny the quality. It was designed in 2018 in partnership with Sherrill Manufacturing, America’s last remaining flatware producer (whose factory we’ve toured), and each piece is carefully hand-tooled. The weight and smooth surfaces on each piece make them a pleasure to hold.

The utensils are quite wide, which gives this set a cohesive look. Those who prefer large, wide cutlery will appreciate this collection. Many of our testers liked the flat handles because they rested nicely in their hands.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This set was more polarizing than most—some felt it reminded them of airplane cutlery or disposable to-go utensils. Others loved this set and said they’d be excited to eat with it.

The size and shape of the utensils aren’t the most practical, and if you like smaller utensils, these aren’t for you. Most testers said they’d use the smaller teaspoon as their go-to spoon. The spoon bowls are a bit shallow and don’t hold as much liquid as others we tested. The wide-set fork tines may make it more difficult to eat certain foods, like quinoa, which could slip right through the gaps. But we had no issue eating rice with either fork in this set.

The knife and soup spoon are a bit heavy, so these utensils aren’t as evenly balanced from piece to piece as others we tried.

The knife also required more effort to cut through a chicken breast.

Though this collection comes in amber and onyx finishes, we’ve seen how that type of coated flatware fades with use—and they’re over $30 more per set. If you’re spending this much for flatware, we’d stick to the polished or tumbled finishes—they develop a patina over time, but the finish will be more resilient than coated flatware.

Key specs

• Pricing: $98 for polished and tumbled five-piece place settings (color-coated sets cost more)
• Finishes: polished, tumbled, amber, and onyx
• Serving utensils: none
• Where it’s made: Sherrill, New York

You may also like: IKEA Dragon 20-Piece Flatware Set

Dinnerware pairings: Heath Ceramics Rim Line, East Fork Pottery, Jono Pandolfi The Coupe Collection, Kinto Porcelain CLK-151 Collection, Jars Cantine Collection, Iittala Teema Collection, and most all-white porcelain or bone china

IKEA Dragon 20-Piece Flatware Set

Why it’s great

It’s the least expensive set we’ve tested. The IKEA Dragon 20-Piece Flatware Set, designed by Swedish silversmith, Carl-Gustaf Jahnsson, costs just over $6 for a 5-piece place setting (that’s just over a dollar per utensil). It’s a terrific option for college students or anyone setting up their kitchen for the first time (though if you’re looking for even cheaper utensils and don’t mind a mismatched set, we recommend scouring thrift stores).

The modern, industrial styling adds interest without being impractical. The design reminds us of the much pricier Heath Ceramics Muir Flatware. The fork tines are wide set and extend only about halfway to the neck of the handle, akin to a spork—one tester said, “they remind me of MC Hammer pants.” While some testers found the tines comically short, others were charmed by their quirkiness. Their shape may also prove more adaptable for people with certain hand limitations or mobility issues because you can spear and scoop with the same utensil.

We liked the angle and design of the dinner knife too, and the serrated edge made cutting easy—the blade was a bit sharper than the knife in our pick from Heath Ceramics.

This set has proven longevity. According to the IKEA website, this set has been sold for 30 years and has even been used in IKEA restaurants, which is a testament to its practicality and functionality.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This is the only set we recommend that’s made of 18/0 stainless steel. The utensils didn’t rust in our tests, but that type of steel is less resistant to corrosion and easier to bend than 18/8 or 18/10.

With a collective weight of 7.85 ounces, this set was the lightest we tested.

The teaspoon is quite small—it looks more like a demitasse spoon. It’s great for tea, coffee, or eating sorbet, but it’s too diminutive for eating cereal (though it may be just the right size for young kids).

Compared with the more design-forward (and much more expensive) Heath Muir set, the weight and feel of the Dragon set isn’t as refined, and the stainless steel isn’t as highly polished. You could bend the IKEA set if you apply enough force. One tester said this set felt “stamped out and inexpensive” when compared with the other utensils we evaluated.

Key specs

• Pricing: open stock sets (prices vary), $26 for a 20-piece set, $60 for a 60-piece set
• Finish: mirror
• Serving utensils: none
• Where it’s made: China and Vietnam

You may also like: Heath Ceramics Muir Flatware

Dinnerware pairings: Heath Ceramics Rim Line, East Fork Pottery, Jono Pandolfi The Coupe Collection, Kinto Porcelain CLK-151 Collection, Jars Cantine Collection, Iittala Teema Collection, and most all-white porcelain or bone china

Crate and Barrel Aero Mirror 20-Piece Flatware Set

Why it’s great

If you like retro flatware, this set is for you. The Crate and Barrel Aero Mirror 20-Piece Flatware Set, designed by José Joaquim Ribeiro in 2004, has a mid-century modern aesthetic with a strikingly thin silhouette. It’s dramatic yet elegant, and it elicited all kinds of reactions from our testers—some good and some bad. But everyone agreed the Aero set would make a strong statement on any dining table.

Many testers liked the thinness of the handles. The short, closely arranged fork tines and the round spoons were also appealing, as was the delicate knife blade. Most testers who preferred daintier, smaller flatware were drawn to this set.

It’s still practical to use. The rounded curve and the pointy tip of the knife blade were surprisingly sharp, and we had no problem cutting through a chicken breast.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This set is pricey, but you can find similarly styled sets for less; you may be interested in the Fortessa Constantin set, which is about $30 for a five-piece place setting (versus roughly $75 for an Aero place setting). It’s an obvious imitation, but the Constantin handles are wider, flatter, and longer, which some testers actually preferred. The fork tines are also longer, and the spoon bowls are more elongated.

Though nearly every tester was drawn to this set for one reason or another, some felt it was too formal for everyday use. Others said the thin handles were difficult to hold and reminded them of surgical tools. Most liked the small forks (though these could be more challenging if you eat European style, since they have a smaller surface area), but some weren’t fans of the round spoons, since they make it harder to scoop food from tighter spaces.

Some testers said the pointy knife blade would gouge toast and be too small for spreading butter. One person also noted that the tip of the knife was dangerously pointy, especially for young kids.

Key specs

• Pricing: $75 for the stainless steel five-piece place setting (color-coated sets cost more)
• Finishes: mirror, black, white, champagne (also sold in various colors under the Goa style on the Cutipol website)
• Serving utensils: yes
• Where it’s made: Portugal

You may also like: Fortessa Constantin

Dinnerware pairings: Heath Ceramics Rim Line, East Fork Pottery, Jono Pandolfi The Coupe Collection, Kinto Porcelain CLK-151 Collection

Alessi Dry Cutlery Set 5 Pieces

Why it’s great

These utensils are stylish. The Alessi Dry Cutlery Set 5 Pieces, designed by Achille Castiglioni and first introduced in 1982, reminded some of our testers of brutalist architecture due to the flat, rectangular handles. They have an industrial aesthetic, but are not at all utilitarian, with pinched necks adding some elegance to the forks and spoons.

They’re also practical. The flat handles rest comfortably in the hand. Those who were partial to shorter tines liked the forks in this collection, which pierced cherry tomatoes without any problems. The spoon bowls hold the most liquid of any soup spoons we recommend, and their tapered tips allow you to reach the last bit of peanut butter in a jar. The knife blade was also very sharp, cutting through chicken with minimal effort.

This is the only set we recommend with two finishes in one. The top of each utensil is polished, while the handles are matte.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This set is expensive. When we revealed the price to our testers, some said they’d be happy with the Fortessa Jaxson set instead, which has a similar aesthetic to the Alessi Dry Cutlery Set, but costs about $55 for five pieces.

Some testers were opposed to the indent on the spine of the knife blade. The teaspoon is small and looks out of proportion next to the soup spoon. So we’d only recommend this set if you don’t mind having a larger tablespoon as your main all-purpose spoon.

Some testers didn’t like that the fork tines are short, though the design may be more adaptable for some people, since its shape can be used to both scoop and spear food.

Like all flatware, the matte handles aren’t immune to small scratches over time, so you can expect them to acquire some patina with use.

Key specs

• Pricing: $97 for a five-piece place setting
• Finish: mirror and matte
• Serving utensils: no
• Where it’s made: Italy

You may also like: Fortessa Jaxson

Dinnerware pairings: Heath Ceramics Rim Line, East Fork Pottery, Jono Pandolfi The Coupe Collection, Kinto Porcelain CLK-151 Collection, Iittalia, and most all-white porcelain or bone china

Sambonet Linea Q Cutlery Place Setting, 5 Pieces

Why it’s great

The delicate look made it a crowd favorite. The thin, lightweight, and elegant handles on the Sambonet Linea Q Cutlery Place Setting are gently curved, so they rest comfortably in your hands. One tester said, “This set is sweet and very dainty, it reminds me of tea time!”

The look is simple but refined and melds well with many styles of dinnerware.

It’s surprisingly durable. Even though the handles are very thin, the steel is hard and would be difficult to bend.

Each piece is well designed and beautifully polished. Even inner-facing sides of the fork tines are nicely polished, which is a sign of superior quality. The tines were a good length too, with sharp points, and testers liked how their curve made scooping up food easier.

The spoons taper towards the tip and look appropriately sized next to the other utensils in this set. The teaspoon is small, but the soup spoon is an ideal all-purpose size.

The knife’s dramatic angle provides good leverage for cutting. It’s also stylistically interesting. And the sharp blade cut cleanly without much effort. Thankfully, the knife handle isn’t curved, as in some sets we’ve tested, so it was easy to hold and didn’t slide off a plate rim.

It’s been sold for decades. The Linea Q set has been available since 1999, which is a testament to its appealing design and durability.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Some testers felt this set was a bit too nice for use everyday. Others weren’t a fan of the branding on the knife blade, which is visible on the side that faces upward on a table. However, it’s subtle and not as noticeable as the branding on some other sets.

Those with bigger hands who prefer heftier, more substantial flatware thought the handles were too thin to grab onto. The Linea Q flatware was also prohibitively expensive for some testers, but we also like the West Elm Briggs Flatware Set, which is similar (except the handles aren’t curved) and costs about $40 for a five-piece place setting.

Key specs

• Pricing: $90 for a five-piece place setting
• Finish: mirror
• Serving utensils: no
• Where it’s made: China and Vietnam

You may also like: West Elm Briggs Flatware Set

Dinnerware pairings: most stoneware, porcelain, bone china, fine china, and glass

Degrenne Normandy Miroir 5-Piece Flatware Set

Why it’s great

Its Art Deco design is timeless. The Degrenne Normandy 5-Piece Place Setting is reminiscent of antique silver flatware from the ’20s or ’30s. In actuality, it’s made of stainless steel and requires no polishing. According to Williams Sonoma, this collection is a tribute to the classic French flatware originally designed by Guy Degrenne in 1948.

It’s a fantastic choice if you like to break out a fancier set of flatware for special occasions (or if you just want to feel extra on the daily). This set was appealing to many of our testers, who said it would never go out of style.

This is the heaviest flatware collection we recommend. That’s a plus for some, but if you’re partial to lightweight utensils, this may not be the set for you.

They have some dramatic flare, but are pleasant to use, too. We like the shorter fork tines and the subtle curve of the knife blade. The spoon bowls taper towards the tip—a nice feature if you’re averse to larger spoons that can feel like you’re putting too much metal in your mouth.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The biggest complaint about this set is that the teaspoon is so small it’s more akin to a demitasse spoon. That may not be an issue if you plan to use this flatware for entertaining, but if you want to use it as your everyday set, we found the teaspoon too small for eating cereal.

The maker’s branding is also visible on the side of the knife that faces upward on the table (though it’s not visible in the photo above), which was off-putting to some. At almost 5 ounces, the knife was far and above the heaviest we tested, and too heavy for certain testers.

Key specs

• Pricing: $90 for a five-piece place setting
• Finish: mirror
• Serving utensils: no
• Where it’s made: France

You may also like: Williams Sonoma Hampstead Flatware Set

Dinnerware pairings: most all-white porcelain or bone china and some decorative fine china

Williams Sonoma Hampstead Flatware Set

Why it’s great

It’s elegant without being fussy or stodgy. The Williams Sonoma Hampstead Flatware Set, made by Wallace Silversmiths, is a stainless steel set that gives you the look of silver flatware without the burden of constantly polishing it. In other words, it’s the best of both worlds: a formal looking set that’s still as durable and easy to care for as everyday utensils. Though this collection was first introduced in 2009, it’s likely inspired by the Fairfax sterling silver pattern, which dates back to the early 1900s.

One tester said, “This cutlery makes me feel like I’m eating at a fine-dining restaurant and I love it.” If you’re a traditionalist, Williams Sonoma gives you the option to monogram this set, just like a set of silver flatware your grandparents may have owned.

The sizing of each utensil is uniform and cohesive. The dinner fork tines are long and elegant without feeling over the top. The far left and right tines of the salad fork are thicker and have little notches at the tip—this design is intended to give you more leverage when eating foods that traditionally don’t require a knife, such as pie.

We’re smitten with the hollow handled knives. They’re a pleasure to hold—they’re lightweight, but still feel substantial in your hand. The blades are sharp and cut through a chicken breast with ease.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Many of our testers felt the Hampstead set was too formal to use daily, or that it would look too fancy next to their basic, everyday dinnerware. But if you have Champagne taste, you may prefer a fancier set of flatware even for your morning bowl of Froot Loops. You could also treat this flatware as a secondary set to your everyday cutlery and save it just for special occasions and holidays.

Some testers thought the soup spoon was too large, but most said the teaspoon was a good all-purpose size.

Key specs

• Pricing: $73 for a five-piece place setting, $290 for a 20-piece set, $620 for a 42-piece set
• Finish: mirror
• Serving utensils: two- and four-piece serving sets
• Where it’s made: Vietnam

You may also like: Degrenne Normandy Miroir 5-Piece Flatware Set

Dinnerware pairings: most all-white porcelain, most bone china, and decorative fine china

Liberty Tabletop Chesapeake

Why it’s great

It’s old-fashioned but not overly ornate. Many of our testers were drawn to the Liberty Tabletop Chesapeake flatware because of the shape of its classic, old-timey handles. Its streamlined pattern lacks any excessive ornamentation, making it a more modern take on Colonial-style flatware—a pattern that has remained in vogue for hundreds of years.

The utensils are smaller, but proportionate. Matthew Roberts, the president and co-founder of Liberty Tabletop, told us that the Chesapeake pattern has been sold since 2020, and it’s the company’s attempt at giving the customer old-fashioned, American-size flatware (that is, smaller in size than most European sets). The thin necks on each piece give this collection an elegant look, and the wide base of the handles rest nicely in the hand. We love the forks, which have shorter tines and resemble charming little pitchforks.

The hollow-handle knife is comfortable to hold and feels very balanced in the hand, and the blade of the knife is sharp. The spoon bowls taper towards the tip, and we like that the soup spoon isn’t too large as it was in many other sets.

It’s made by the last remaining flatware maker in the US. We’ve toured the Liberty Tabletop factory, a family-owned division of Sherrill Manufacturing, and can attest to the quality of craftsmanship that goes into each set of flatware (you can see photos from our tour in our flatware buying guide).

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Since this flatware is very lightweight and thin (it’s just a bit heavier than the IKEA Dragon set we recommend), you could bend the utensils with some force. If you’re someone who frequently scoops ice cream with a spoon (no judgment), this set probably isn’t for you.

Testers who prefer heavier flatware found the hollow-handle knives too lightweight. Others didn’t like the seam where the handle meets the knife blade. (For a more polished, seamless hollow knife handle, consider the Reed & Barton Dalton set.)

Key specs

• Pricing: open stock (prices vary), $80 for a five-piece place setting, $220 for a 20-piece set, $406 for a 40-piece set, $450 for a 45-piece set, $560 for a 60-piece set, $600 for a 65-piece set
• Finish: mirror
• Serving utensils: yes
• Where it’s made: Sherrill, New York

You may also like: Williams Sonoma Hampstead Flatware Set

Dinnerware pairings: Bennington Potters Classic Dinnerware, East Fork Pottery, Heath Ceramics Rim Line, most all-white porcelain, most bone china, and some fine china

Prior to joining Wirecutter in 2015, I was an editor at the International Culinary Center in New York City, and I worked in various facets of the food and restaurant industry for over a decade. I can often be found hunting for vintage flatware and other treasures at thrift stores and estate sales in my free time.

Writer Stephen Treffinger also contributed to earlier versions of this guide.

For this guide:

• I’ve looked at more than 400 flatware patterns in stores and online and have spent hundreds of hours researching and testing flatware since 2017.
• I toured the Liberty Tabletop flatware factory in Sherrill, NY, to see firsthand how flatware is made, and have attended the New York Tabletop Show to seek out new flatware patterns.
• I’ve reviewed all manner of tableware, including plates, wine glasses, and drinking glasses, as well as myriad kitchen gadgets and equipment.
• Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I’m never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.

With myriad patterns to choose from, shopping for a set of utensils can be an overwhelming undertaking. To winnow our selection, we searched for flatware based on the following parameters:

• We wanted to find all-purpose utensils. They should be appropriate for everyday use and more formal occasions, such as dinner parties and holiday gatherings.
• We mainly considered sets made of 18/10 or 18/8 stainless steel. Both are more resistant to corrosion than 18/0 steel. The only set we recommend made of 18/0 stainless steel is the IKEA Dragon set—it didn’t rust in our tests, and its overall quality stands out in that price range.
• We avoided colored utensils and those with plastic, resin, wood, or riveted handles. Colored flatware is prone to wearing or fading, and wood can’t go in the dishwasher. Plastic or resin has a tendency to fade or crack in the dishwasher, and rivets can come loose overtime.
• We primarily evaluated patterns with mirror surfaces to even the playing field. (Though many patterns we recommend offer matte and colored finishes too, if that’s your preference.)
• We only tested five-piece place settings or 20-piece sets. Flatware is rarely sold individually (though our Muji pick is), but sets that are available in smaller quantities make it easier to replace utensils that may get gobbled up by a garbage disposal or accidentally end up in the trash.
• We grouped similar flatware patterns together before testing. After evaluating several patterns within each design category, we tested our favorites.
• We evaluated the weight and balance of the pieces. The weight of each utensil within a set varies, but they should feel balanced in the hand and relatively cohesive from one piece to the next. Weight and balance preferences are different for everyone, so we tried to look for a variety of options.

Over the years we’ve tested 60 five-piece place settings (if you’re counting, that’s 300 separate utensils in all) and invited Wirecutter staff members to evaluate them in our New York City test kitchen. To prevent our testers from being influenced by brand names, we covered the maker’s marking on each utensil and assigned each set a number.

To see how the finalists performed in action, we’ve eaten our way through a variety of foods over the years: roast chicken, rice, quinoa, orzo, salads, cherry tomatoes, cereal, and soups.

We evaluated the utensils based on their weight, balance, length, comfort, and overall design. We also checked for any imperfections or rough areas.

We also let the flatware sit in a moist dishwasher for two days to see if any of the utensils discolored or developed rust spots.

We didn’t test any adaptive flatware for this guide, which is designed to help anyone with hand dexterity or coordination issues eat independently. However, writer Britt Young, who has written for Wirecutter about utensils for cooking and eating with one hand, recommends the Knork (a knife and fork hybrid utensil). Many other types of utensils are designed for specific needs, such as weighted flatware, bendable flatware, or offset utensils. You may also want to check out our section on adaptive dishes and mugs in our guide to the best dinnerware.

Properly cared for, 18/10 stainless steel flatware should last for decades. It will develop some patina over time, especially as you throw it in the dishwasher or as it rattles around in a utensil drawer, but a bit of care can keep it looking beautiful. Here are the most important things to know:

• Don’t soak utensils overnight. Detergents and water can eat away at the chromium oxide on the surface of the steel and cause it to corrode.
• If you have a flat utensil rack, use it. It can help prevent some scratching.
• Black residue on new flatware is normal. It’s residual buffing paste from the manufacturing process and often shows up between fork tines. To remove it, soak the flatware for 15 to 20 minutes in hot soapy water to loosen the paste. Wipe the flatware dry with a towel after soaking and cleaning.
• Rinse cutlery that’s been used with acidic foods or beverages. If your utensils come in contact with tomato sauce, coffee, salad dressings, or citrus, the acids can eat away at the chromium oxide. Try to rinse your flatware if you can’t get to washing it right away.
• Use distilled white vinegar to remove soap residue. If a dishwasher isn’t rinsing properly, the heating cycle can actually cook soap residue onto your flatware, which causes bluish hue. A slurry of baking soda and water applied with a soft cloth or a nonabrasive sponge also works. Just be sure to rinse and dry the flatware afterward, so the vinegar doesn’t corrode the chromium oxide. You might also want to clean your dishwasher.
• Take extra care with knife blades. Many knife blades are made of less corrosion-resistant 13/0 steel (it maintains a sharper edge for cutting), so it’s never a bad idea to wipe knife blades dry after dishwashing. Knife blades were the most prone to rust spots in our tests.

If you want heavier utensils with a classic design: The Crate and Barrel Caesna Mirror 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting has rounded edges on the handles and an elegant, subtle flare at their base. This set is strikingly similar to the Robert Welch Designs Kingham Bright Flatware Set we recommend. The main differences are: The fork tines are longer, the utensils are heavier, it’s sold in fewer buying options, and it costs a few dollars more.

If you want mid-century modern flatware at a lower price: The Fortessa Constantin set is very similar to the Crate and Barrel Aero Mirror 20-Piece Flatware Set we recommend, except it costs about $30 instead of $75. The Constantin handles are wider, flatter, and longer, which some testers actually preferred. The fork tines are also longer and the spoon bowls are more elongated.

If you want utensils with a simple, straightforward design: The West Elm Briggs Flatware Set is sleek and would go nicely with many styles of dinnerware. We like the tapered spoons and the shorter fork tines. It’s somewhat similar to the Sambonet Linea Q set we recommend, except the handles aren’t curved, and it feels a little more utilitarian.

This is not a comprehensive list of all the flatware we’ve considered or tested.

The Liberty Tabletop Betsy Ross set was a former pick, however, the blade on the knife came loose from the handle with use and began to wiggle slightly. If you like the look of this set, we’d recommend getting the Reed & Barton Dalton set, which has seamless hollow-handle knives.

David Mellor Chelsea Flatware (5 Piece Setting) has a very modern aesthetic, but it’s heavy. The elongated fork tines were too polarizing, and the round soup spoons look like they were from an entirely different collection.

The three-pronged forks in the Alessi Santiago set were universally disliked by our testers, since rice or corn would slip right through the wide gaps. The knife blade doesn’t extend past the handle, making it very impractical and awkward to hold.

The soup spoons in the Mikasa Italian Countryside 20 Piece Flatware Set were noticeably heavier than all the other utensils, making the set feel imbalanced. And we noticed some imperfections in the pattern on the salad fork handle. One tester said, “This set feels very dated and ’80s, very Golden Girls.”

The Fortessa Jaxson Flatware is similar to the Alessi Dry Cutlery Set we recommend, except the handles are square, not flat and rectangular. Some people found the edges of the handles uncomfortable to hold, and the maker’s mark imprinted on the forks and spoons was polarizing.

The West Elm Doria Flatware Set felt dated, and the utensils were also too heavy for many of our testers.

The Oneida Diameter 5 Piece Fine Flatware Place Setting feels balanced in the hand and the knife is sharp. But the six-sided handles reminded our testers of holding a Ticonderoga pencil, which many found uncomfortable to hold. The soup spoon is also large, while the teaspoon is very small.

The knives in the Fortessa Medici 20pc Flatware Set are heavy and the fork tines are long with somewhat blunt tips. Most testers said they’d use the salad fork in lieu of the dinner fork since it was so big.

The ends of each utensil handle in the Cambridge Isobel Mirror 20-Piece Flatware Set looked like they were slanted at different angles, which made this set feel incohesive.

We really liked the size, shape, and weight of the Crate and Barrel Lucca 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting, but the pewter finish was polarizing for our testers. The fork tines are also slightly blunt on this set compared with those of our picks.

We used to recommend the IKEA Förnuft 20-Piece Flatware Set as a budget option, but it looks and feels low quality (more so than the IKEA Dragon set we recommend), so we dismissed it.

The Pottery Barn Classic Stainless Steel Flatware Set was very heavy. The hollow-handle knife felt as if it were in the wrong set because it was so light. We also found the fork tines stubby.

The Oneida Aero, Villeroy & Boch Celeste, and Liberty Tabletop Modern America collections had thick necks that made the flatware feel clunky and utilitarian. The Modern America knife blade also developed rust spots after we ran it through the dishwasher.

The Reed & Barton Grand Hotel II and Liberty Tabletop Satin Pearl sets have a beaded design around the perimeter of the handles that most testers didn’t like. The Grand Hotel II flatware also felt notably heavy.

The Liberty Tabletop Classic Rim and Satin Annapolis flatware sets were too basic for many of our testers, who said these collections reminded them of diner flatware. We also thought the large serrations on the knives were not refined enough for more formal occasions.

The Gorham Studio, Villeroy & Boch Chancellor, and Robert Welch Designs Westbury flatware sets developed rust spots after we ran them through the dishwasher.

We opted not to test flatware sets from several direct-order brands, such as Year & Day, Made In, and Fable. Their smallest offerings are 20-piece settings, which makes replacing pieces difficult. And, all those brands cost roughly $50 or more for a single setting. Many options we recommend, such as the Muji Stainless Steel Cutlery and the Robert Welch Designs Kingham Bright Flatware Set, are similar but cost much less.

Finally, we ruled out flatware from Lenox, Cambridge, Reed & Barton, Williams Sonoma, West Elm, Crate and Barrel, CB2, Pottery Barn, J.A. Henckels, Mikasa, Fortessa, WMF, Hay, IKEA, Oneida, and Gibson Home if it was sold exclusively in large sets or made of 18/0 stainless steel. Insufficient or unfavorable reviews, limited stock, and dated patterns were also grounds for dismissal.

This article was edited by Marilyn Ong and Marguerite Preston.