It does not need to be those things. Cast iron and steel are not always expensive. Can be bought used pretty safely and is very nice to look at if you are ok with the all metal look, or willing to pay more for enameled.
Don’t every bother with the “pretty” looking cookware, even if it’s premium pretty cause that stuff is universally worse to cook with. I make bread in a Pullman Pan cause it’s a classic.
Besides that avoid shades of yellow and red in ceramics, don’t used cracked or scratched, and trust the names that are known not some, “granny made it herself” looking stuff. Oh and lead testing kits are cheap and I already had them for the paint on my stairs.
I’m still baking and cooking with some stuff my grandmas gave me around the time I started college, and I have some crockery my dad offered me before throwing it out that he got from grandma.
I mean, sure. It’s not to my taste, which tends to a more mid-century minimalism, and my grandparents apparently liked riots of color and floral motifs. But I’m absolutely certain that eventually that style will come back around and some descendant is going to be really grateful that we held on to this stuff. As long as I don’t break it, it’ll last for generations.
That was a good period; I got a couple of “earthy” pieces, which are my favorites.
A while back, we bought some china storage things for a move - they’re these fabric cylinders that zip closed - and they came with some sort of nylon separator disks. They’ve turned out to be fantastic for storage of the things we use less, and we use those cheap-ass separators everywhere except the day-to-day flatware. What luck! I’d have not come up with the idea myself.
Did you inherit any favorite pieces? We got a full china set with silver chasing; Mikasa, so I don’t think it’s particularly antique, and although we almost never use it I absolutely love the coffee set. The cup shapes are simple bowls with handles, and the silverwork is subtle and elegant. They’re a joy to look at; if we entertained, I’d have them out all the time.
It does not need to be those things. Cast iron and steel are not always expensive. Can be bought used pretty safely and is very nice to look at if you are ok with the all metal look, or willing to pay more for enameled.
Don’t every bother with the “pretty” looking cookware, even if it’s premium pretty cause that stuff is universally worse to cook with. I make bread in a Pullman Pan cause it’s a classic.
Besides that avoid shades of yellow and red in ceramics, don’t used cracked or scratched, and trust the names that are known not some, “granny made it herself” looking stuff. Oh and lead testing kits are cheap and I already had them for the paint on my stairs.
I’m still baking and cooking with some stuff my grandmas gave me around the time I started college, and I have some crockery my dad offered me before throwing it out that he got from grandma.
I mean, sure. It’s not to my taste, which tends to a more mid-century minimalism, and my grandparents apparently liked riots of color and floral motifs. But I’m absolutely certain that eventually that style will come back around and some descendant is going to be really grateful that we held on to this stuff. As long as I don’t break it, it’ll last for generations.
Yeah I got lucky in that I got all muted browns and natural colors which works well with my cottage witch vibe I got going.
But you absolutely know the gaudy stuff is gonna come back around when it’s cool to show how original the crockery is.
Good luck not breaking it though! Invest in the foam sheets for separating pieces too!
That was a good period; I got a couple of “earthy” pieces, which are my favorites.
A while back, we bought some china storage things for a move - they’re these fabric cylinders that zip closed - and they came with some sort of nylon separator disks. They’ve turned out to be fantastic for storage of the things we use less, and we use those cheap-ass separators everywhere except the day-to-day flatware. What luck! I’d have not come up with the idea myself.
Did you inherit any favorite pieces? We got a full china set with silver chasing; Mikasa, so I don’t think it’s particularly antique, and although we almost never use it I absolutely love the coffee set. The cup shapes are simple bowls with handles, and the silverwork is subtle and elegant. They’re a joy to look at; if we entertained, I’d have them out all the time.