Pro and Con of Corelle Plates Dinnerware

Whether for a big reunion party or just a small party dinner, you’ll want to serve your food with durable plates that can stand up to use in your kitchen. Corelle is a leading brand when it comes to dinnerware. The plates they offer are durable, chip-resistant, microwavable, lightweight and even dishwasher safe. What more could you want in a plate?

These too-tough-to-die plates have been manufactured for four decades under evolving names. (In terms of history, Corning was purchased by Borden, and that’s when the current World Kitchen company name came into use.)

I’ll try to give you some plus and minus points about Corelle, but just know up front that I am pretty much in love with this stuff for everyday dishes. Why? Because it can stand up to what you throw at it (literally or figuratively). It’s the classic combination the things we look for, namely great things at a great value.

You’ve probably seen Corelle before, even if you didn’t know the name of it. The plates and mugs are made from a material that’s called Vitrelle. This material is what makes the plates so durable. But it’s not just durability that makes these plates stand out. They come in many beautiful designs that are fade-resistant and color loss-resistant. You’ll be the envy of your neighbors when you’ve got Corelle plates stacked up in the kitchen of your house!

While Corelle boasts that their plates are resistant to breaking, these plates are not invincible. Don’t let the plates undergo sudden temperature changes, especially when in the microwave. After removing a plate from the heat of the microwave, do not set it on a wet surface or carry with a wet cloth, as this may result in the plate shattering. Also, do not put microwave popcorn bags on the plates, since these bags are designed to take a different temperature than the Corelle plates. The plates can only take up until 350° F (176° C).

Also, don’t heat just a small amount of food on a large Corelle plate—use the appropriate size for the appropriate amount. Not only does it save you the pain of cleaning up a larger plate, it also might save you from breaking the plate. Since the heat is not evenly distributed on the microwave, it might become too hot for the plate.

Another thing not to do is to continue using or attempting to repair a plate that is chipped or scratched. It’s already damaged, so you had better throw it away already. The plate may break without warning and cause injuries for the person handling it.

Have you ever seen a Corelle plate break? Wow! They shatter into thousands of pieces when the drop on a hard surface like your custom concrete floor. That’s really the first hint that they are laminated glass. I always thought that they were some kind of ceramic. (Of course, if I were smarter I would have put two and two together, knowing that the inventing company – Corning Glass Works – is know as a glass firm! LOL!)

The plates are under a 3-year-warranty, so if they ever chip or break, you can always have them replaced. The warranty is only good if you have meticulously followed the manufacturer instructions for use of the product.

They offer many different patterns to match your home, ranging from classy to modern to floral.

The range of patterns is extensive (that’s good). However, some of them are rather, well… unattractive. I won’t say ugly. I’ll just say they are not my style.

Their nature patterns are drawn from plants and beautiful creations.

If you are more into classic and elegant, they have patterns drawn from more traditional styles (like flowers around the edge, or a rose), though they are a bit brighter than historic plates.

The casual patterns are kind of mod and light-hearted.

If you like contemporary, these graphics on the plateware or swirly and impressionistic modern-style. If you qualify as a shabby chic person, the plates they have in this niche are a bit more chic than shabby- if you are looking for Paris apartment style shabby (cozy and worn colors), and these are more vibrant than that.

They do a good job with the international style plates. The Cherry Blossom pattern is sweet and pleasant.

A crowd favorite is the plain white plate. It can blend with any of your tabletop accessories. Some people are bothered by putting foods of different colors on top of a patterned plate, and then eating it- I’m not one of them, but I do like the simple white.

Corelle plates come in many different shapes and sizes, for various uses.They have square-ish ones, with four sides. There’s the traditional round dinner plate (10.25 inch), and lunch plate (8.75 inch diameter). Their Contour shapes are something different, and the Simplicity one is a pretty cool use of shape.

As far as price goes, for well under 75 bucks, you are in the Corelle price zone. If you are a family of four, you might want to purchase their 16-piece set, which includes four dinner plates, four luncheon plates, four soup bowls, and four mugs.

Advantages:
- Break-resistant tempered glass
- Works in the microwave
- Can survive the dishwasher, and won’t chip if you place two plates touching one another
- Easy to handle, light, not too heavy
- Chipping is rare, if ever (in my experience)
- They don’t require special care for stacking one on top of another
- The color on the plates doesn’t seem to wear off, or fade

Disadvantages:
- Some patterns may not be to your taste, but there are probably plenty of other ones you will like

Bottom line: Corelle has strong popularity. With both versatility and functionality, it is a classic, and an all around winner for the home kitchen and dining room. If you want a work horse of a dinner plate, you are unlikely to regret buying Corelle plates. They rock.