Hi, we pick up our first van in a few months and are wondering what is the best tableware for an off road van being used for long term stays. The important criteria is we want something that is light but also microwave safe.
Melamine seems to be the most common but it is not microwave safe. We would love to hear advice from folk who love their cups and plates.
Flags2 said
11:47 AM Jan 11, 2020
Hi Still gone,
Had the same issue and settled on Corelle. Lightweight, tough and microwavable. Check out Big W. As cheap if not cheaper then online (eg ebay and amazon). Some sets have mugs and others do not so check carefully (eg 12 piece set won't but 16 piece set will normally). You can also buy pieces individually; eg I bought a few extra dinner plates to use as serving plates. Have a great time out there.
Cupie said
12:39 PM Jan 11, 2020
Flags2 wrote:
Hi Still gone,
Had the same issue and settled on Corelle. Lightweight, tough and microwavable. Check out Big W. As cheap if not cheaper then online (eg ebay and amazon). Some sets have mugs and others do not so check carefully (eg 12 piece set won't but 16 piece set will normally). You can also buy pieces individually; eg I bought a few extra dinner plates to use as serving plates. Have a great time out there.
I'm a Corelle fan too. Just hate eating off plastic (Melamite).
I carry a set of 4 of everything including cutlery. But not the terrible Corelle mugs. I use porcelan from David Jones.
But be careful in the way you store them as Corelle is actually glass & like porcelain a bit fragile. I have never broken anj crockery primarily because of the way I store it.
I store wine glasses in the plastic coated wire racks available at most camping stores. Again no breakages.
PS .. From my weights spreadsheet ... Corelle 5.3kg, Bowls/servers 4.4kg & Glasses/mugs 3.4kg ... a bit too much?
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 11th of January 2020 12:43:11 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 11th of January 2020 12:48:06 PM
We only live out of a car, space & weight is even more critical. Just buy the Corelle items you really need, you can always add items later. We use a dinner plate as a cutting board, stops liquids falling off the edge.
P.S. it's a good time to start a spreadsheet with the weight of every item you are going to stick in the caravan.
Corelle has our vote as well - Initially buy crockery from Salvo's or Vinnie's get one extra than needed for guest or breakage. I have stocked all my kitchen requirements from Vinnie's, cups, plates, mugs, gadgets, pots, pans, etc.
While you are there get a couple of nut crackers - they are great for crab shells.
Stillgone said
01:41 PM Jan 11, 2020
Thanks for all the great replies. Corelle it will be and probably purchased at Big W. Definitely doing a weight spreadsheet but doing the final check at the public weighbridge. Who better to learn how to store our cups and glasses from than Cupie. All the ones in the photo looked like wine glasses though, just saying.
-- Edited by Stillgone on Saturday 11th of January 2020 01:42:25 PM
Cupie said
06:38 PM Jan 11, 2020
Stillgone wrote:
Thanks for all the great replies. Corelle it will be and probably purchased at Big W. Definitely doing a weight spreadsheet but doing the final check at the public weighbridge. Who better to learn how to store our cups and glasses from than Cupie. All the ones in the photo looked like wine glasses though, just saying.
-- Edited by Stillgone on Saturday 11th of January 2020 01:42:25 PM
How does that old saying go "Wine is the spice of life" or something like that.
If you want something smarter and better than the main pack, search out Arcopal, was a dow-corning product but they went bust (pun intended) with breastfeeding implants. Light weight, more like China than crockery, basically unbreakable, except on the rocks at Wilson's Prom. (1 cup).
Hi, we pick up our first van in a few months and are wondering what is the best tableware for an off road van being used for long term stays. The important criteria is we want something that is light but also microwave safe.
Melamine seems to be the most common but it is not microwave safe. We would love to hear advice from folk who love their cups and plates.
Hi Still gone,
Had the same issue and settled on Corelle. Lightweight, tough and microwavable. Check out Big W. As cheap if not cheaper then online (eg ebay and amazon). Some sets have mugs and others do not so check carefully (eg 12 piece set won't but 16 piece set will normally). You can also buy pieces individually; eg I bought a few extra dinner plates to use as serving plates. Have a great time out there.
I'm a Corelle fan too. Just hate eating off plastic (Melamite).
I carry a set of 4 of everything including cutlery. But not the terrible Corelle mugs. I use porcelan from David Jones.
But be careful in the way you store them as Corelle is actually glass & like porcelain a bit fragile. I have never broken anj crockery primarily because of the way I store it.
I store wine glasses in the plastic coated wire racks available at most camping stores. Again no breakages.
PS .. From my weights spreadsheet ... Corelle 5.3kg, Bowls/servers 4.4kg & Glasses/mugs 3.4kg ... a bit too much?
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 11th of January 2020 12:43:11 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 11th of January 2020 12:48:06 PM
As above.
We only live out of a car, space & weight is even more critical. Just buy the Corelle items you really need, you can always add items later. We use a dinner plate as a cutting board, stops liquids falling off the edge.
P.S. it's a good time to start a spreadsheet with the weight of every item you are going to stick in the caravan.
https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65110614/towing-weights-again/
While you are there get a couple of nut crackers - they are great for crab shells.
Thanks for all the great replies. Corelle it will be and probably purchased at Big W. Definitely doing a weight spreadsheet but doing the final check at the public weighbridge. Who better to learn how to store our cups and glasses from than Cupie. All the ones in the photo looked like wine glasses though, just saying.
-- Edited by Stillgone on Saturday 11th of January 2020 01:42:25 PM
How does that old saying go "Wine is the spice of life" or something like that.
Here's a few more storage pics
Sarge.