Buy cutlery online: how to find the right cutlery
- Table cutlery vs. serving cutlery
- Cutlery at a glance
- How to lay cutlery
- Cutlery sets – the right size
- Ergonomics
- Materials and colours
- Care
- Summary
1. Table cutlery – what exactly is it?
Table cutlery is the cutlery you eat with. A set of table cutlery is laid for each person at the table.
Serving cutlery, by contrast, is used to serve and portion food. It includes salad servers, cake slices and cake knives, sauce ladles, jam and honey spoons, and sugar spoons.
2. Table cutlery at a glance
A classic cutlery set consists of a knife, a fork with four tines, a soup spoon and a teaspoon.
There may also be a small dessert or cake fork with three tines. On a cake fork, the left tine is usually wider and sturdier, making it easier to cut through cake by pressing down.
Other cutlery at a glance
Butter knife: a knife with a smooth edge and a rounded, often wider tip. This makes it ideal for picking up butter and spreading it on a slice of bread.
Fish knife: a knife with a wide blade and no cutting edge. The blunt knife lets you divide fish without cutting through the bones. Alternatively, two forks are laid.
Fish fork: a fork with four widely spaced tines and a short but broad head. This lets liquid drain from the fish more easily.
Latte spoon: a long-handled spoon for stirring drinks served in tall, narrow glasses.
Steak knife: a knife with a narrow, sharp, pointed blade that curves slightly upwards. The blade, usually 12 cm long, is also available with a serrated or scalloped edge. This means the meat is cut cleanly rather than torn.
3. How to lay cutlery
When you lay the table, the question is how to arrange the cutlery correctly. You can see an example arrangement in the following graphic.
Cutlery is used from the outside in. That's why you should lay the cutlery so that the pieces needed first are on the outside.
The soup spoon is held in the right hand and goes on the right-hand side of the plate (3). Knives are also used with the right hand, so they also go to the right of the plate (2, 6, 10), with the blade facing inwards towards the plate.
The forks go on the left (9, 5, 1) with the tines facing up. The side plate and bread knife (8) sit to the left of the forks.
Dessert cutlery is placed above the plate (7, 4), with the handle of the cake fork pointing to the left and the handle of the dessert spoon pointing to the right.
For more ideas on decorating a table or laying a festive table for Christmas, take a look at the Connox guide.
4. Table cutlery sets – number of pieces and size
How many pieces are in a cutlery set?
The more elaborate the meal you want to serve, the more cutlery you'll need. For a meal with several courses, more cutlery is laid accordingly.
In its basic form, a 4-piece cutlery set for one person consists of a knife, a soup spoon, a fork and a teaspoon. A 5-piece set also includes a dessert or cake fork.
Choose the size of the set according to the number of people. Ask yourself how often and for how many people you'll use the cutlery.
For 4 people, choose a 16-piece set. A 24-piece or 30-piece cutlery set is suitable for 6 people and is the right option if you have a small circle of family and friends. If you like inviting guests and serving several courses on special occasions, choose a cutlery set for 12 people with 48 pieces. Alternatively, you can buy two 24-piece cutlery sets.
In general, design cutlery sets from a series can often be extended later with individual pieces, as with the cutlery from the mono-a collection.
There are also special children's cutlery sets designed for small hands.
5. Ergonomics
As well as looks, good handling is important. Cutlery should have a design that sits comfortably in your hand and gives you a firm grip. It should also be well balanced and neither too light nor too heavy.
Good cutlery has no sharp edges – it should be deburred, with sharp edges removed during manufacture. Only the knife blade should be ground thin to sharpen the cutting edge.
6. Materials and cutlery colours
Before you buy, consider the design of your existing tableware so that your tableware and cutlery go well together on the dining table.
Black cutlery (1) makes a statement on the table and stands for simple, clean, understated design.
Design cutlery with a matt, brushed or hammered finish (2) brings boho chic to your dining table.
Gold or rose gold cutlery (3) adds a glamorous highlight to a festive table.
Stainless steel is one of the most popular materials for cutlery. Cutlery made of stainless steel, silver and titanium (4) is timeless, elegant and always modern.
"Modern gold or black cutlery adds style to your everyday table or makes simple white tableware look glamorous. Unusual cutlery colours also create an interesting contrast with handmade-style tableware." – Viktoria, interior expert
7. Care
You don't have to save a high-quality cutlery set for special occasions – you can use it every day. However, everyday cutlery should be dishwasher safe and robust.
Pay particular attention to the marking: for stainless steel cutlery, it should always be 18/10. This means the stainless steel consists of 18% chromium and 10% nickel, making it dishwasher safe, rust-free and taste-neutral. High-quality cutlery pays off.
Tip: to help prevent surface rust, you can place a piece of aluminium foil in the dishwasher.
Make sure you take the cutlery out of the dishwasher and dry it after the wash cycle. A cutlery box keeps high-quality cutlery neatly stored.
8. Summary
- A table cutlery set for one person consists of a table knife, soup spoon, fork and teaspoon. A 5-piece set also includes a dessert or cake fork.
- Choose the size of the set according to the number of people: a 16-piece set is suitable for 4 people, a 24-piece set for 6 people and a 48-piece set for 12 people.
- Cutlery should sit comfortably in your hand and be well balanced for a secure grip without effort.
- For everyday cutlery in particular, choose 18/10 stainless steel, which is dishwasher safe and rust-free.
Buy designer cutlery online at Connox – your benefits at a glance
- High-quality cutlery – originals from top design brands
- Personal support from our customer service team
- Fair delivery costs
- Secure payment thanks to SSL encryption
- Delivery in just a few working days
Shopping advice at Connox
Would you like to buy cutlery online but need some help? Our customer service team is always happy to help. We'll support you with advice while you shop, make recommendations and answer your questions quickly. Then simply sit back and have your chosen items delivered straight to your door.
