Best Flatware - Give Your Guests Something Nice To Eat With

Silverware (or home flatware, 18 10 flatware), much like crockery is an essential part of cooking. Good quality and attractive knives and forks can enhance any meal.

Does this mean you have to spend a lot of money for a good cutlery set? No, of course not. Today there is a huge range of quality knives, forks and spoons available.

So what kind should you use? Like most things, try to go for the best quality you can afford. You don't need to get silver plated utensils (they're a hassle to keep clean), stainless steel is more than enough.

When shopping for good stainless steel flatware sets, look for brands that say their product is '18/10' stainless steel, which means it is 18% chromium and 10% nickel. This 10% nickel is what helps the cutlery be corrosion resistant. You can get '18/8' or even '18/0', and they're cheaper, but they won't resist corrosion as well. I have had 18 10 stainless flatware for many years and it still looks as good as they day I bought it.

Stainless steel is quite easy to look after. It can be easily washed in the dishwasher, and doesn't require any special storage. That said, some of my knives have gotten small spots on them after a while. I just hand clean them with a little cream cleanser and they come up as good as new.

If I'm having people over for dinner, I'll also give each piece a once over with a cloth to polish them up. Having a nicely set table with gleaming silverware really makes a difference. Your guests will be suitably impressed, I can promise you!

Speaking of dinner parties, don't think you need more than one set of knives, forks and spoons either, such as one for everyday and one for dinner parties. I used to do this, but the 'special' set was still stainless steel and looked nicer than the cheaper everyday set I bought. So I got rid of the cheap set and now use the other set for everything. It's easier as I don't have to store a set away.

An exception to this could be if you happen to have a really nice set, such as a gold plated set, or sterling silver. Most often these silverware sets will be antiques that have been passed down through family generations. If you're lucky enough to be in that position then great. But please use the set often – that's what it's for! Just look after it by only hand washing it and storing it in a box or drawer lined with acid-free paper.

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