Renew your cutlery! Buying guide and best collections

Among the different articles and kitchen products, the cutlery is one of the fundamental things . It is important to have a complete cutlery, in order to be able to face family meals, and the most elegant and formal events.

If you do not know what utensils a complete cutlery should contain , or what options there are at the time of purchase, read this article to clarify all your doubts!

Utensils of a complete cutlery

The cutlery is composed of three main elements : spoon, fork and knife. For an informal dinner, it would be worth including a fork, a knife and a spoon per person. But if you want to impress your guests, or it is a gala dinner, it is best to show a complete cutlery.

TYPES OF FORKS

• Meat fork : it is the fork used for the main dish. It is medium in size and has four points.
• Dessert fork : it is a four-pointed fork, like the previous one, but small in size.
• Starter fork: its size is between the meat fork and the dessert fork. It has four points.
• Fish fork: It is slightly smaller than the meat fork, and has three tips.
• Salad fork : It is a rounded fork, spoon-shaped, and with small teeth at the end.
• Carving fork : it is a fork with two elongated and large tips. It is used to hold the meat while it is being cut.
• Fork for oysters and mollusks: It is small in size, and consists of three flat and wide tips.

TYPES OF KNIVES

• Chef’s knife: it is a multipurpose knife, which should not be missing in any kitchen. It is used to cut and chop. They are wide blade knives.
• Ham knife: it is ideal for cutting ham and other meats. Its blade is long and thin.
• Boning knife: it is the knife used to separate the bone from the meat. They have a thin, curved blade.
• Steak knife: it is a knife used to cut meat. It is thin-bladed, but strong and robust.
• Vegetable knife: it is the right utensil to cut and peel vegetables, as well as fruits. It has a smooth and strong blade.
• Bread knife: it is a serrated knife, with a long blade, to cut bread.
• Paring knife: it is a small knife, with a sharp point, used to peel fruits and tubers.

TYPES OF SPOONS

• Soup spoon: it is a large and deep spoon, to contain a good amount of the food.
• Dessert spoon: it is a small spoon, used for desserts such as creams, cakes, or ice cream.
• Tea spoon: it is a slightly smaller spoon than the dessert one, and flatter. It is designed to take sugar and stir it into tea or coffee.

Placement protocol

A complete and quality cutlery is important when giving a dinner, but the first impression you make on the guests is also important. Therefore, if you have a good cutlery, it is necessary that you know the etiquette protocol for its placement.

In Europe, the fork is placed to the left of the plate. If we are going to place several forks, they must be ordered in the reverse order of the sequence of use. This means that the meat fork should go on the outside, and the dessert fork, on the inside closest to the plate. The spoon and knife are placed on the right side, in the same order of placement as for the forks.

Types of cutlery materials

Complete cutlery can be classified in terms of its manufacturing material, or its quality.

According to its manufacturing material, we can find silver cutlery. It is one of the most used materials for cutlery, which usually denotes great quality and elegance.

We can also find stainless steel cutlery. This material is used for cutlery used on a daily basis, as it is easy to clean and resistant.

Another material that we find is alpaca cutlery. This material is an alloy of zinc, copper and nickel, with a very similar appearance to silver.

Lastly, the cutlery can be made of plastic.

Depending on their quality, we can find high-end and mid-range cutlery . The differences between the two ranges vary depending on the manufacturer. High-end complete cutlery uses very resistant and durable materials, as well as elegant ones, such as silver or stainless steel. Mid-range cutlery has a lower quality than the previous ones, but they are more affordable to all consumers.

The best high-end cutlery

In these articles, when we talk about a specific topic, you cannot miss a product recommendation. In this section, we show you the most recommended options if we talk about complete high-end cutlery .

ZWILLING BELA

Zwilling is one of the most recommended and well-known brands in the world of cutlery. This model of complete cutlery is made of 18/10 stainless steel. This makes it a strong and durable cutlery . In addition, it is resistant to corrosion and dishwasher safe. It is a 42-piece model.

COMPONENTS

• Six table spoons (soup spoons).
• Six table forks (meat and fish forks).
• Six table knives.
• Six teaspoons of tea or coffee.
• Six forks for dessert.
• Six dessert spoons.
• Six fruit knives.

ZWILLING ARTIC

It is also made of 18/10 stainless steel, which makes it dishwasher safe. This model consists of 24 utensils.

COMPONENTS

• Six soup spoons, or table.
• Six table forks, or for meat and fish.
• Six table knives.
• Six coffee or tea spoons.

ZWILLING KING

This model is also made of 18/10 stainless steel. It is corrosion resistant and dishwasher safe. It is a simple cutlery in terms of its design, since it does not have any special engravings or ornaments.

It is made up of 42 pieces.

COMPONENTS

• Six table spoons.
• Six table forks.
• Six table knives.
• Six teaspoons of tea or coffee.
• Six forks for dessert.
• Six dessert spoons.
• Six fruit knives.

WMF BOSTON

The WMF brand has a high range of complete cutlery. Their designs range from the most modern to the most traditional, allowing them to be a good option in most situations.

This cutlery is made of polished stainless steel. They are dishwasher safe and sturdy. The Boston model adapts to your needs, allowing you to choose between different sizes: 24, 30, 58, 60 and 66 pieces.

COMPONENTS (60 PIECES FOR 12 GUESTS)

• Twelve forks of meat and fish.
• Twelve soup spoons.
• Twelve table knives.
• Twelve forks for dessert.
• Twelve coffee or tea spoons.

WMF PALMA

This model of cutlery is made of Cromargan polished stainless steel. This makes for a sturdy and durable cutlery, as well as dishwasher safe. The size of this cutlery is fully adaptable: 24 pieces for 6 people, 30 pieces for 6 people, and 66 pieces for 12 people.

COMPONENTS (30 PIECES FOR 6 GUESTS)

• Six table spoons.
• Six table forks (for meat and fish)
• Six forks for entrees.
• Six table knives.
• Six coffee or tea spoons.

WMF DISNEY

This is a cutlery for the little ones in the house. There are several designs within the Disney range: the Mickey Mouse design , Finding Nemo, Frozen, The Lion King, Disney Princesses and Winnie the Pooh among others. Here, we are going to detail the characteristics of the Mickey Mouse model .

The cutlery for this model is made of 18/10 stainless steel, with Mickey Mouse prints on the handle.

If we talk only about cutlery, it is made up of 4 pieces, something simple  for the little ones to start eating alone. If we include porcelain tableware, it would be a model made up of 6 pieces (deep plate and porcelain dinner plate, with Mickey Mouse prints).

COMPONENTS

• A table fork.
• A table knife
• A table spoon.
• A dessert spoon.

WMF ALTEO

This model is made of 18/10 stainless steel. It is suitable for the dishwasher, and adapts to the needs of each one, being able to choose between a cutlery of 30 or 60 pieces.

COMPONENTS (60 PIECES FOR 12 GUESTS)

• Twelve forks of meat and fish.
• Twelve soup spoons.
• Twelve table knives.
• Twelve forks for dessert.
• Twelve coffee or tea spoons.

WMF MIAMI

This cutlery is made of polished 18/10 stainless steel. It is also dishwasher safe, and resistant to corrosion. It is made up of 60 pieces for 12 people.

COMPONENTS

• Twelve forks of meat and fish.
• Twelve soup spoons.
• Twelve table knives.
• Twelve forks for dessert.
• Twelve coffee or tea spoons.

WMF ATRIA

It is one of the most complete cutlery . It is made of 18/10 stainless steel, and is dishwasher safe. This cutlery can be 30 or 66 pieces.

COMPONENTS (66 PIECES FOR 12 GUESTS)

• Twelve forks of meat and fish.
• Twelve soup spoons.
• Twelve table knives.
• Twelve forks for dessert.
• Twelve coffee or tea spoons.
• A salad serving cutlery (made up of two parts).
• A ladle of soup.
• A serving fork.
• A serving scoop.

The best mid-range cutlery

Among the complete mid-range cutlery, the Monix brand is one of the best known.

MONIX MANILA

This cutlery is made of 18/10 stainless steel, with a gloss finish . It is available in different sizes: 24, 49, 75 and 87 pieces.

COMPONENTS (24 PIECES FOR 6 GUESTS)

• Six table spoons.
• Six table forks.
• Six steak knives, or cutlets.
• Six spoons for coffee or tea.

MONIX EUROPE

This set is also made of 18/10 stainless steel, with a gloss effect finish. This makes it a dishwasher safe cutlery set . Monix gives you the option of choosing steak or table knives.

COMPONENTS (24 PIECES FOR 6 GUESTS)

• Six table spoons.
• Six table forks.
• Six knives, to choose between table knives or steak knives.
• Six spoons for coffee or tea.

MONIX SIENA

This cutlery, made of 18/10 stainless steel, has a thickness of 2.5mm, making it a resistant and high quality cutlery . It is suitable for washing in the dishwasher.

COMPONENTS (24 PIECES)

• Six table spoons.
• Six table forks.
• Six steak knives.
• Six spoons for coffee or tea.

MONIX MILAN

It is made of 18/10 stainless steel, and includes a walnut case to store the cutlery. This set allows you to choose between a 12, 24 or 49 piece cutlery set.

COMPONENTS (24 PIECES)

• Six table spoons.
• Six table forks.
• Six steak or table knives.
• Six spoons for coffee or tea.

MONIX LONDON

This cutlery is made of 18/10 stainless steel, and includes a walnut case for storage. You can choose between the cutlery made up of 12, 24, 36, 49, 75, or 87 pieces.

COMPONENTS (75 PIECES FOR 12 GUESTS).

• Twelve soup spoons.
• Twelve table forks.
• Twelve table knives, or steaks.
• Twelve dessert spoons.
• Twelve dessert knives.
• Twelve dessert forks.
• A soup ladle.
• A serving fork.
• A serving spoon.

MONIX VENICE

It is a cutlery made of 18/10 stainless steel, dishwasher safe. It has a walnut case for storage, and you can choose between the cutlery of 24, 49, 75 or 113 pieces.

COMPONENTS (24 PIECES FOR 6 GUESTS).

• Six table spoons.
• Six table forks.
• Six steak knives.
• Six spoons for coffee or tea.

PRADEL EXCELLENCE

This model is one of the most complete of the mid-range cutlery. It is made of stainless steel, in silver. It is made up of 48 pieces, and includes a briefcase for storage.

COMPONENTS

• Twelve knives with saw blade
• 12 forks
• 12 tablespoons
• 12 coffee spoons