• steve
• December 15, 2023
• 10 Comments

Last updated 12/15/23. Originally published 7/6/21

The “Fine” in “Fine China” should be a verb, not an adjective

Fine china was (or more precisely, hard-paste porcelain) was invented in China sometime between the 2nd and 8th centuries AD. Yes, there was a time where China led the world in technological innovation and creativity, creating kilns that could fire at the 2370 degrees F (1300 degrees C) needed for porcelain, creating glazes of amazing colors, and producing pieces throughout its history, culminating in the Ming Dynasty.

In the 18th century Europe admired porcelain from China so much they started to create alternatives, such as soft-paste porcelain and bone china. That led to Great Britain being the biggest producer of fine china and popular brands and robust manufacturing being established in the United States as well.

Ironically, the tide is shifting again. Brands that date back decades or even centuries can no longer produce their dishes domestically. And so you need to check carefully where their products are made. Royal Albert? China. Royal Doulton? China. Pfalzgraff? China. Dansk? China. Lenox? They closed their last US-based plant in 2020, so presumably they’ll be completely in China moving forward. What’s worse is that these brands still charge the same premium than they always did before they moved manufacturing over to China, meaning lots more profits for them.

And yet there are some brands who seem to be avoiding China-based manufacturers in manufacturing dishes and dinnerware. Wedgwood manufactures a lot of its products out of Indonesia. Villeroy & Boch are still making things out of Germany. Noritake is still making lots of their product out of Japan. And Crate and Barrel and Williams-Sonoma both feature a wide variety of dinnerware sets made in multiple countries–even though China is one of those countries, these sites don’t try to obfuscate the country of origin from you.

Is there any dinnerware still made in the USA?

Why, yes. Two manufacturers in the USA stand out in particular: Fiesta’s high quality and beautiful colorful dishes, and HR Coors with their lead-free, restaurant strength plates. They are definitely worth checking out.

About the list

I was a bit surprised to find that a lot of the products I found to be “the best” also happened to be on other “best of” lists, including sites like Wirecutter and Good Housekeeping, although their lists are also littered with China-made products as well. Still, it’s good reinforcement that in buying from these sets and these brands you’re not compromising on quality–these are the best of the best.

As you read the list, you’ll see there’s more and more focus by review sites on smaller, local producers. That’s a great sign, and let’s hope that consumers follow.

Best Dinnerware Not Made in China

1. Crate and Barrel Aspen Collection – Best Overall

Not only did Crate and Barrel’s Aspen Collection make #1 as the overall best dinnerware set on Wirecutter for several years in a row, and not only has it been one of the best reviewed sets on Crate and Barrel’s site for over 20 years, it’s also the dinnerware set that my wife and I use at home.

The Aspen collection is made in Indonesia. I had the pleasure of spending some time in Indonesia years ago, and many of my friends are Indonesian. I can honestly say that they are among the nicest people I have known. Indonesia has its share of challenges with political leadership and corruption, but reforms–including their first-ever presidential elections on 2004, which resulted in a peaceful transition of political power–have resulted in widespread optimism. The main thing threatening them, of course, is the growth of China and how China is magically able to undercut everyone else’s costs.

In short, I would buy stuff made in Indonesia a thousand times before buying something made in China. And it helps that these plates are amazing. They’re not too heavy, but sturdy. They stack excellently in the cupboard, are durable and dishwasher-safe, and work just as well in casual and formal settings. And if you happen to break or chip a plate, just go to your local Crate and Barrel store, and you’ll be able to buy a new individual piece to replace it.

I love the fact that unlike Amazon, Crate and Barrel does not try to hide Country of Origin. Look through Crate and Barrel’s other dinnerware sets for more choices, including dinnerware made in Portugal, Indonesia and Japan. Hint: if it just says “Imported” without any country name, it’s a safe bet that one is from China.

2. Heath Ceramics Dinnerware

I was actually pleasantly surprised to see that in Wirecutter’s 2023 list they actually highlighted a few American companies that still make their dinnerware in the USA. It was a welcome change from their 2022 list, as well as other lists like Serious Eats and Food Network that continue to predominantly choose made in China options, presumably to

They actually named Heath Ceramics, who makes their dinnerware out of Sausalito, California, as their #1 pick.

Heath has been doing business since 1948 and have been producing dinnerware out of Sausalito since 1959 (you can still take a tour of their factory).

Other than stunningly beautiful dinnerware, they sell other products on their site like candles, vases, pillows, and furniture. Amazingly, they provide the country of origin for every single one of their products. Stunningly, I browsed through about 30 different products and found products made in Texas, New York, Japan, Britain, Germany, and Italy—but not China.

3. East Fork Dinnerware

My shock at Wirecutter’s 2023 picks continued when I saw them pick East Fork dinnerware as another Best Pick. These are made in Asheville, North Carolina using materials sourced locally.

East Fork was founded in 2009. Each piece is handmade in Asheville. They’re 100% lead-free and dishwasher and microwave safe. They come in six core shades, as well as seasonal shades that rotate.

4. Bennington Potters Classic Dinnerware

Completing my shock, Wirecutter also named Bennington Potters out of Vermont as one of their top choices. It’s a small company in Vermont that produces beautiful, simple, and durable ceramics out of their studios in Bennington, Vermont.

5. Wedgwood Gio 16-Piece Set

Wedgwood is of course a storied name in porcelain. It was founded in 1759 in England, establishing the British Empire as a leader in ceramic art. As with many once-great brands it saw decline in the 21st century. By 2009 its assets (along with other former powerhouses like Waterford Crystal, Royal Doulton, and Royal Albert) found itself in the hands of private equity firms. Fiskars, based in Finland known a lot more for things like scissors and gardening tools, bought them out in 2015. Fiskars is wisely letting them do what they’ve always done best–produce fine porcelain. But of course, Fiskars is a public company, so a lot of manufacturing among these brands is going to China. Wedgwood seems to have bucked the trend by sending its manufacturing to Indonesia.

This particular bone china set was named the best of this year by Good Housekeeping. They praise it for being thin and able to stack easily, but also durable enough to use on a regular basis, not just for special occasions. You can even put them in the microwave or dishwasher.

Wirecutter also liked this Wedgwood set, which has more of a traditional English design.

6. Fiesta Dinnerware Set

Both Wirecutter and WIlliams-Sonoma also mentioned Fiesta as one of their top choices. Fiesta is one of those rare brands in the USA that isn’t coy about where their pieces are made. If you go to their Web site, the first thing you see in the upper left-hand corner is “PROUDLY MADE IN AMERICA”.

Fiesta has a history dating back to 1871 when the Home Laughlin China company was formed. In 1907 they moved to their headquarters in West Virginia and have been there ever since. Fiesta was one of their top dinnerware brands, introduced in 1936 in five colors: red, yellow, cobalt blue, green, and turquoise. From 1936 to 1972, their bright colors were ubiquitous, until bright colors went out of fashion in the late 1960s.

The Homer Laughlin Company itself weathered the storm of the 1950s through the 1970s when cheap imports flooded the marketplace (and killed off most of the once-thriving American ceramics industry) by turning their attention to hotel and restaurant sales, where high quality was a necessity. Even as they lost brand name recognition in the consumer space, they continued to hone their quality and renown in the foodservice industry

In 2020, the foodservice divisions and brands of the Homer Laughlin China company was acquired by Steelite International. But reminiscent of how the former employees of Oneida came together to form Liberty Flatware, the former Homer Laughlin China company decided to rename itself to the Fiesta Tableware company and sell dinnerware for the home again, just as they had a century before. And of course, they brought back their most popular Fiesta Dinnerware; happily, despite the best efforts of those who tried to remove color from the world, bright colors are back. In fact, Fiesta has committed to producing a new color every year.

Their pieces are bold, beautiful, and represent the best of “made in the USA” — solid, durable, and the the utmost quality. They even have a 5-year chip warranty, something I wish Crate and Barrel had. You can order direct from their site, or from retailers like Macys or Amazon.

You won’t do wrong with any set. And if you do drop a plate, you can always order individual pieces to replace it.

7. Corelle Winter Frost White Dinnerware Set

If you’ve ever had Corelle dinnerware in your house, chances are it lasted, and lasted, and lasted for years. If you’re looking for plates to spin on the Ed Sullivan show (or to be thrown across by the room by your toddler), these are the plates for you.

Corelle plates have a no chip, no crack guarantee. They’re safe for the microwave, dishwasher, or oven, and are super-light (and super strong). They stack neatly on your kitchen shelf. They’re made of three-layer glass, but you’d never know it, as the glass is fired to an amazingly strong finish. It’s non-porous and ultra-hygenic.

Thanks to Jack for posting a comment reporting that he found that there is some Corelle dinnerware that’s made in China. Unfortunately Amazon makes it really difficult to tell which sets are made where; I originally linked to Amazon, but I’ve since switched the links from Amazon to Corelle’s own site (where they do a decent job of labeling country of origin).

Look carefully at the product copy as you browse their products. If it says “Crafted with pride in Corning, New York”, it means it was made in the USA. But if it says “Made in China”, just move on. From what I can tell, their traditional glass and vitrelle plates are all still made in Corning. It’s newer offerings like their stoneware that you need to avoid.

You can purchase from Corelle directly, or you can go back to a retailer like Amazon or Walmart to buy, once you’ve confirmed where a particular design is made.

The Winter Frost set was named the best overall dinnerware set by the Chicago Tribune, and from the looks of it most of it (except for the mugs) were made in the USA.

8. Jars Cantine Dinnerware

Jars Ceramics is an iconic French brand that dates back to 1857, and their dinnerware continues to be handmade in Drôme, France. It’s been described as dinnerware that’s made out of stoneware, but feels like porcelain.

Unlike most companies that have long since given away their secrets to China factories, Jars continues to keep its processes to themselves, from firing to clay to glazing. The result are beautiful dinnerware that

9. iittala Teema Dinnerware

Last but not least there’s iittala Dinnerware, also named to Wirecutter’s list. iittala was founded as a glassworks company in 1881 and is now a leading Finnish design company.

These porcelain pieces were designed by Finnish designer Kaj Franck back in 1952 and have stood the test of time. Today, they’re made in Thailand.

NO LONGER MADE? Williams-Sonoma Brasserie Porcelain Dinnerware Sets

This used to be my #2 pick, but it seems to have fallen out of stock. I’m keeping it here in case it comes back.

This is another set that Wirecutter named as one of its top picks. This one is made in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is another country that many Americans don’t know a lot about. It’s the 8th most populous country in the world. As with Indonesia, it had a tumultuous history following the end of colonial rule and the subsequent dominion of Pakistan. It declared independence in 1972 and despite political unrest and corruption that likely stunted its potential as an economic potential, is today the 39th largest economy.

I’m always happy to see “Made in Bangladesh” on labels, because to me it’s a sign of the free market system working the way it should, rather than artificially propped up by a central government. While doing business with the CCP may seem “cleaner” to companies, the reality is that the corruption is just centralized, and as we’ve seen with Hong Kong, as with any tinpot dictator the CCP will not hesitate to crush and subsume anything that threatens it.

On to the dinnerware. Wirecutter recommends this set for people who want heavier dinnerware. It’s got heft but still feels “refined” and stylish, perfect for a bistro setting. It’s microwave and dishwasher safe. And if you drop or chip a piece, additional pieces are available in sets of four.

Do you know of other dinnerware sets not made in China worthy of mention here? Let us know in the comments!