Material Guide: Choosing between fine bone china, porcelain, and earthenware

Buying tableware is an investment and one that we want to last and be useful. Aside from looking good, we need our tableware to withstand the everyday pressures of a modern home, including dishwashing, microwaving and warming. But how do you decide which material is best for your tableware? Here at Portmeirion, we know a thing or two about crafting quality ceramics that are built to last, so to help you make the best decision when choosing tableware, we’ve put together a guide to the most common materials used. 

A strong, fine ceramic, porcelain has a vitreous body that is smooth-textured. There are a few types of porcelain, including dental, bone, and hard porcelain, but tableware, such as our Sophie Conran White, Lavandula and Sara Miller Artisanne Noir collections, are made from soft porcelain. Made from fine-particle clay that is kiln fired at a higher temperature, this makes porcelain dinnerware durable and non-porous. 

Porcelain is a wonderful ceramic for use in busy homes, often being dishwasher, microwave and oven-safe (dependant on the decoration) with a lot of porcelain tableware able to go straight from oven to table. 

Due to the way it’s crafted, a porcelain body is thinner and feels more delicate to other ceramics, such as earthenware. As a result, shaped details, such as the ribbed detailing of our Sophie Conran White collection, can be incorporated into the design, adding a unique style. 

Naturally cream in colour, earthenware ceramics are strong and practical with a homely feel. Unlike bone china, earthenware is opaque and has a thicker feel. Fired at lower temperatures to porcelain, earthenware is slightly more porous and is glazed to make it waterproof and suitable for use within the home. Its low firing also allows for designed pieces, such as our Botanic Garden collection, which is adorned with vibrant motifs.  

Strong and practical, earthenware tableware is perfect for every day. Glazed earthenware is most often microwave, dishwasher and oven safe, making it ideal for busy family homes.

First developed over 200 years ago by Josiah Spode in Stoke-on-Trent, fine bone china is a type of porcelain that is smooth textured, lightweight, and white in colour. Often used for the crafting of tableware, such as plates, bowls and mugs, bone china is an elegant material that’s often considered to be the most refined of tableware materials.

What makes fine bone china unique is that it contains bone ash, used to give the product strength whilst maintaining its delicate, translucent white body. 

Fine bone china crockery is perfect for both everyday use and special occasions. Considered to be a luxurious material that adds a sophisticated touch to the home with its delicate feel, it’s also very strong and durable. Most often microwave, oven and dishwasher safe (dependent on its decoration) it’s a wonderful choice.