Are you fixing to buy a new fine bone china set? It may consist of 12 or only 2-3 pieces. Plain white and patterned options are available. Luxurious, refined tableware becomes a perfect gift to your mom on Mother’s Day. Is bone china microwave safe? Let’s figure it out! Thin, translucent dinnerware looks beautiful. It’s sophisticated, artfully designed and expertly crafted. Meanwhile, these elegant serve ware pieces are strong and durable. Looking fragile, they suit everyday use. Bone china might be even harder than your common household items. But not all of them would withstand heating without deteriorating. Let me specify the basic properties and features of high-grade products. I hope it streamlines your selection and shopping process.
Benefits of Bone China Tableware
There are multiple reasons to buy and use elegant and sophisticated dinnerware. Even if you still stay at home, working remotely, it’s opportune. According to US Census Bureau, up to 4.7 million American people did it in 2018. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this number is going to double in 2021.
But you shouldn’t neglect your appearance or household. Cook a family dinner. Choose the safest dishes to use. Lay a table with your best bone china tableware that is:
- luxurious;
- beautiful;
- elegant;
- light and thin;
- high-end.
Do you still live with your parents? You can bring your mom a breakfast on Mother’s Day. On sophisticated, white tableware, it would be even more pleasant and delicious. Cook a balanced breakfast for your dad on Father’s Day. A large, 128-piece set would become a great gift on their silver or golden wedding anniversary.
Organizing a small family gathering, consider basic risk factors. Not only social distancing and hand hygiene matters. Use only non-toxic, lead-free dishes and teacups.
What is Bone China Made of?
It seems that traditional tableware is outdated. Meanwhile, it’s getting very popular nowadays. Do you think refined plates and mugs suit only formal events? Casual-style, classic and contemporary designs exist. Restaurants use plain white crockery to serve food.
The reason is that this luxurious material is perfectly strong and durable. What makes it break-resistant? Bone china is much stronger but lighter than fine china tableware. Besides, it stands out by its milky white color and translucent appearance. It consists of feldspathic material (china clay) and kaolin.
High bone ash content makes it strong, shatter-resistant. 30% of calcium phosphates is the industry minimum. What you should know about lead in china dishes? Colorful decals, patterns and glazes may contain it. Manufacturing of bone china includes several steps, such as:
- clay making and sieving;
- jiggering and casting;
- fettling and firing;
- polishing and glazing.
Two-times firing at temperatures that exceed 2100 °F is beneficial. It makes the surface wear-resistant and healthy.
Porcelain versus Bone China
Fine china or porcelain is a whole nother. It looks very similar, coming with a smooth white surface. Lustrous and glazed, it’s easy to clean or wash. The invention of porcelain crockery dates back to ancient times. It started with Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Tang blue-on-white pottery stands out by blue pigment in its blue decoration.
Are you fixing to tell modern porcelain from bone china? It differs by:
- brighter white color;
- thicker walls;
- more solid, heavier feeling;
- significant hardness;
- more affordable cost.
Both tableware types stand out by non-porous surfaces. Do you know, how to test for lead in ceramics? It would be possible if you get a special swab set. Ordering professional testing services is more reliable but expensive.
Recognizing bone china bowls or tea sets is easier. Translucency and milky-white tone make them special. Wall thickness is another distinctive feature. Durability is obvious in use.
Is Bone China Microwave and Dishwasher Safe?
Looking refined and beautiful, bone china sets are perfect. They are able to grace your festive occasions and family events. We recognize it as a paragon of lofty English style. An English potter, Josiah Spode has improved the available formula of porcelain.
In 1799, he has added bone ash to the clay. This way, he has made his crockery translucent and more durable. Bone china became a symbol of status and power. Noble and royal families used it in their daily lives.
Porcelain passes firing at high temperatures (up to 2,600 degrees). However, it’s still more brittle than bone china. Its thermal stability is poorer. Per contra, your refined plates and bowls are:
- oven-safe;
- break-resistant;
- dishwasher-safe;
- strong;
- wear-resistant.
Your delicate, refined tableware doesn’t chip easily. Bone ash content would make it your best dinnerware material for microwave. In high-grade products, it may reach 40-50%. Quite naturally, it’s not completely unbreakable. It’s dumb as a coal shovel. But bone china is much more durable than other types of ceramic pottery. So, it suits both everyday use and special occasions.
Bottom Line
Are you fixing to buy a new table set? It might be large and gorgeous, becoming a valuable gift. Elegant, casual-style dinnerware is also available. Consider refined and durable bone china products. They may seem fragile but they are not brittle. Unless they have metallic detailing, you can use them to microwave food. Gold or platinum bands would not withstand heating. Meanwhile, light and thin cups and bowls last long. They are more durable, chip-resistant and healthier than other dinnerware types. A sophisticated and labor-intensive firing process enables it. So, afford beauty and functionality and enjoy it.
