Cutlery sets: equipment, brands, tips on choosing

Man uses cutlery every day. Without them, you can not imagine any meal. A beautiful set of tableware transforms a regular meal into a real ceremony in compliance with the rules of etiquette. Modern manufacturers offer many options for both daily use and for the festive event. This article will help you understand how to use different cutlery, and what sets consist of.

All cutlery can be divided into two groups.

1. Auxiliary (general use). For example, a common salad spoon or tongs.
2. Personal use. This group includes forks, spoons, knives and other appliances that are designed for only one person.

The complete set of personal tableware includes the following items.

• Dessert. Its length is only 14 cm. It is located in front of the plate.
• Dining room (fork for hot dishes). Its length is 17-20 cm. It is located to the left of the main plate. Fortunately, today we use only one fork for all hot dishes, whereas in the Victorian era a set of table forks for one person could consist of 7-10 instruments.
• Cocktail. It is quite rare and is located to the right of the plate or in front of it.
• Salad (fork for cold appetizers). Its length is 14-15 cm. The location of the salad fork is not fixed. It depends on when cold snacks will be served.
• Fork for seafood. Its length is 14 cm. But the structure depends on what specific dishes it is planned to use (for example, a fork for oysters and mussels has a more powerful left clove). A common feature of all seafood forks is that they have only three cloves.
• Fish fork. Its length is about 17 cm.

• Soup (spoon for hot dishes). It is located to the right of the knives and from the plate.
• Tea. This spoon can be used to pour sugar, try a dessert (unless a special spoon is provided), or stir the cream.
• Dessert It is placed in front of the plate.
• Coffee shop. It is used in serving the breakfast table and is served only with coffee. This is the smallest spoon of the whole set.

• Table (knife for hot dishes). It is used when serving any table. Its length is 23 cm.
• Knife for snacks and cold dishes. It is slightly smaller than a table knife. Located to the right of the plate. Interestingly, until 1911, salad knives were made exclusively from silver or with its use. This is due to the fact that lemon juice and vinegar, which were used for salad dressing, ate away all metals except silver.
• Dessert knife. This is the smallest of all knives set, it is located in front of a plate and served with a dessert fork.

• Knife for butter. This knife is placed away from the main devices on the pie plate.
• Spoon for iced tea. It is served along with a cup of tea. Its length can reach 25 cm (this is due to the height of a special cup for such tea).
• Crab and crab fork. Served with the dish and has only two cloves.
• Lobster Needle
• Fish knife.
• Knife for steak.

As a rule, no more than three types of cutlery are placed on the table.Everything else is brought as needed.

To common tableware include the following:

• salt spoon;
• knife saw;
• spoon pouring;
• scissors for grapes;
• spawn caviar.

What are the cutlery products made now, and what materials have been used before?

Of course, the first thing to remember is the expression "family table silver." This expression appeared as a consequence of the tradition of giving the bride a set of cutlery as a dowry. He was considered the personal property of his wife and was not subject to division upon divorce. Family sets such sets were called due to the fact that on each item was engraved wife's maiden name. And for their creation used silver.

To create them, two types of alloys are used.

1. 800th test. Got its name from the ratio of alloy parts: 800 parts - silver, 200 parts - another alloy.
2. Clean sample. It has the following ratio: 925 parts - silver, 75 parts - another alloy. Items made from such an alloy have a special stamp and the symbol of the crown.

A cheaper option are silver-plated instrument kits. As a basis for spraying using a billet of chromium and nickel. Such devices do not rust and can be washed in a dishwasher. Interestingly, silver devices can only have gold plating.

An interesting and expensive option are instruments with gold plating. As a basis, stainless steel blanks are used. The coating is made of pure gold and is measured in microns.

The most common metal for the manufacture of tableware was chromium-containing steel (stainless). Products from this material have a bluish tint, they are resistant to corrosion and do not retain odors.

You can often find products made of chromium-nickel steel. Products from such an alloy have a cream shade. They are resistant to corrosion (due to the high chromium content) and to acids (due to the presence of nickel in the alloy). Such products are unpretentious in care and are often used in restaurants.

It is worth refusing to buy aluminum devices, since they tend to oxidize.

A popular material for dining facilities for tourists is titanium.

Special attention should be paid to devices with decorative design. In order to give aesthetic appeal to the products, wood, precious metals and stones, bones, porcelain, glass and plastic can be used.

Please note that it is better to buy cutlery made of precious metals in specialized stores. In jewelry or souvenir shops can sell sets only as souvenirs. In this case, eating with their use could have been life-threatening.

Cutlery sets consist of an auxiliary set and a few personal ones. The number of personal devices depends on how many people the set is designed for: 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36. Often, manufacturers pack packages into cases, cases, cases and boxes. And to cutlery was easier to store, they can buy special racks and stands.

To make it easier to analyze the offers on the market, we divide all kits into premium versions and kits for everyday use.

Consider options for everyday use.

• Table set for 24 items from the brand Garde. This is a set of Russian-made stainless steel. It includes 24 items (knives, forks, tablespoons and teaspoons) for 6 persons.Its price is about 7,500 rubles. Products have a concise appearance, slightly elongated shape and milky matte shade of steel.

• A set of cutlery "Troika". It is made in Russia, at the Pavlovsk plant. The set includes 36 items (a tablespoon, a fork and a teaspoon) for 12 people. Its price is about 2 500 rubles. Table accessories are made of stainless steel and decorated with engraving with floral motifs.

• Set of tableware Gottis Wave. Produce such kits in China. They include 24 appliances (tablespoons, knives and table forks) for 6 persons. Made of stainless steel. A distinctive feature of this set was a small decoration in the form of a circular depression at the end of the non-working part of a spoon.

• Set of 48 items "Uralochka" Nytva. It is produced in Russia and consists of 48 instruments for 6 persons. Products are made of stainless steel with engraving on the handle. This gift set, which is sold in a special suitcase. The total cost is about 4,000 rubles.

• Cutlery set Nomo. Produces it in Portugal, the company Belo Inox. The set consists of 44 devices for 6 persons (24 main devices and 20 - auxiliary ones). Material - stainless steel. The approximate cost is 11,500 rubles.

• Set of tableware Zwilling steak. This is a set of German production, consisting of 12 items. A feature of this company is that it produces specialized cutlery for different dishes.

For premium sets can be attributed to more expensive gift options.

• Set Roma Odisio Solingen. Produced in Germany by Odisio. In a set of 24 devices for 6 persons. Products are made of stainless steel with a gold coating. This set is offered in a gift box in the form of a wooden box. The approximate price is 25,000 rubles.

• Set Swing Pintinox 1929. This is a kit made in Italy. It includes 49 dining facilities for 12 people. Stainless steel is used as the material. The approximate price is 24,000 rubles.

• Set Sushi King (Mogano). Produced in Italy by Pintinox. It consists of 24 devices for 6 persons. Stainless steel is used as the base material, but the handle is made of wood. The peculiarity of this set is the unusual, strongly elongated form of tableware. The set is on sale in a case. Its approximate cost is 15,000 rubles.

• Cutlery set Face. Produced in Portugal. It consists of 72 main devices for 12 persons and 3 auxiliary devices. The approximate cost is 45,000 rubles.

• Cutlery set Schafer. Produced in Turkey. It consists of 72 basic cutlery for 12 persons and 5 auxiliary devices (shovel, ladle, common spoon, common fork and skimmer). The set is offered in a special suitcase. The approximate cost is 25,000 rubles.

• Cutlery set from the XY series by Guy Degrenne. This is an elite set of French production, consisting of 24 dining fixtures. Its distinctive feature was the unusual color of bronze. The set is packed in a strict, classic gift wrap.

• Apollo cutlery series. Devices are made of stainless steel.

The advantage of table sets is that there is no need to look for suitable devices. To select the appropriate option, you need to consider a few points.

1. Do not buy products made of aluminum. They are toxic, retain odors, quickly lose their attractive appearance and do not have sufficient strength.
2. Cutlery of the highest quality is made of stainless steel alloys: nickel silver (an alloy of copper, nickel and manganese) or nickel silver (an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc). Such products are often coated with gold and labeled.
3. Do not hesitate to ask the seller a certificate of compliance with international standards ISO 9001. This is the only way to ensure that this product is safe for life and meets all standards.
4. A quality product should not have scratches, chipping or chipping.
5. When you purchase be sure to smell the subject. Quality alloys do not retain odors. The device should not have any smell at all.
6. As a rule, well-known brands decorate appliances with their stamp.

In order for devices to last longer, you need to follow a few rules.

1. Knives are not recommended to put with other devices, since the contact of the blade lose their sharpness.
2. Devices with wooden and plastic handles can not be left in hot water for a long time.
3. To restore shine to stainless steel cutlery, rinse with powder, soda, or fine sand.
4. After using silver devices, they should be washed in a solution of baking soda, and then rinsed in hot water.
5. Do not recommend storing silver devices with stainless steel devices.
6. Stains on the tableware can be cleaned with citric acid, then wipe the device with a dry cloth with dental powder.
7. When washing appliances do not use metal sponges, as they can scratch the surface.
8. Name spoons from souvenir shops should be stored separately from the tableware that you use for meals.

Further watch video review of a set of tableware 72 subjects of Reality.