The Ultimate Guide: Understand Ceramic Tableware Categories and Buying Tips in One Article

Exquisite ceramic tableware gives every meal a sense of ritual, satisfying both the taste buds and the soul. Ceramic tableware has not only practical value but also artistic value. It is made from clay or clay-containing mixtures through kneading and shaping, with diverse designs, vibrant colors, and a cool, smooth touch, making it beloved by many households.

Ceramic tableware comes in many types, including magnesia porcelain, magnesia reinforced porcelain, reinforced porcelain, and more. Each type has different characteristics. When purchasing, you can choose based on your preferences and the practicality of the product. So, how do you choose ceramic tableware? What types are there, and what are their features? What should you pay attention to when using them? Let’s break it all down!

What Are the Types of Ceramic Tableware?

Generally, ceramic tableware can be divided into five main categories: shell porcelain, reinforced porcelain, magnesia porcelain, magnesia reinforced porcelain, and colored glaze porcelain. Each type has its own characteristics, and you should understand their pros and cons when buying:

Magnesia Porcelain Tableware
Made primarily from talc rich in magnesium, magnesia porcelain has excellent whiteness, high strength, and great thermal stability. With its jade-like whiteness and translucent luster, it’s an ideal choice for tableware. Additionally, it is acid- and alkali-resistant, lead-free, and easy to clean, making it very suitable for modern households.

1. Magnesia Reinforced Porcelain Tableware
   This type uses magnesia powder as the main material. It has extremely high strength, low brittleness, high whiteness, and a smooth glaze surface. It’s considered an ideal product for sterilized tableware. Magnesia reinforced porcelain is more valuable than regular magnesia porcelain mainly because of its longer service life, lower breakage rate, and higher-end appearance.

2. Reinforced Porcelain Tableware
   Reinforced porcelain is made by adding aluminum and magnesium to high-quality clay. It’s durable, impact-resistant, and has a delicate texture. However, its color tends to be dull, making it less visually appealing, and it has gradually been replaced by magnesia reinforced porcelain and magnesia porcelain.

3. Shell Porcelain Tableware
   Made from high-white clay and shell powder fired at high temperatures, shell porcelain is non-toxic, lead-free, harmless, and never fades. It’s suitable for mid- to low-end users.

4. Colored Glaze Porcelain Tableware
   Produced in a single high-temperature firing, colored glaze porcelain belongs to underglaze ceramics. It has a unique style, making it the best choice for users who like distinctive tableware.

Standards for Choosing Ceramic Tableware

1. By Material Quality
   Bone china and reinforced porcelain are considered top choices. Bone china, globally recognized as a high-end porcelain, is not pure white but a natural milky white with high translucency and a lightweight texture. Its gloss and smoothness mainly come from silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, and calcium oxide. The higher the calcium oxide (usually from animal bone ash), the better the quality. However, too much bone ash can make it soft and difficult to shape and fire, and poor craftsmanship may lead to excessive lead release, making it the most expensive type.
   Reinforced porcelain, containing magnesium, offers excellent whiteness, strength, and heat stability. With its jade-like glow, it’s ideal for households and is less expensive than bone china.

2. By Decorative Method
   Decoration methods include overglaze, inglaze, underglaze, colored glaze, and plain white porcelain.
   Glaze is a vitreous coating applied to ceramics, giving it a glossy, non-absorbent surface after firing. Without glaze, ceramic surfaces are rough and dull, like purple clay pottery.
   Underglaze decoration, like traditional blue-and-white porcelain, has simple colors and moderate prices.
   Inglaze decoration has richer colors, higher-end appeal, stricter production standards, and higher costs.
   Overglaze decoration is colorful and three-dimensional but has lower surface smoothness and lower costs.
   The biggest difference among these lies in the presence of heavy metals like lead and cadmium.

3. Quality Standards

• Appearance Quality: This determines product grade, divided into premium, first-class, and qualified products. Premium products meet the “five no’s and one small” rule: no spots, slag, stains, pinholes, glaze scratches, and minimal deformation.

• Lead and Cadmium Release: These are crucial safety indicators. Lead and cadmium come from pigments or lead additives used to lower glaze firing temperatures. Poor craftsmanship can cause excessive leaching, leading to heavy metal poisoning. The national standard GB12651-2003 regulates allowable limits.

• Thermal Stability: Good thermal stability means no cracking or breaking under temperature changes, extending the product’s life. For example, heating to 180°C and placing in 20°C water without damage means the item can last 2–3 years or more.

  
  

How to Choose Ceramic Tableware?

1. Look carefully: Avoid bowls with flaws. Hold the bowl up to the light—bubbles, bumps, or uneven bases indicate defective products.

2. Feel the surface: Check if it’s rough or smooth. Rough surfaces signal poor quality. Also, feel the patterns—raised ones indicate overglaze decoration, which is less recommended.

3. Check the rim and fit: Place the bowl upside down to check if the rim is flat. Stack similar bowls—tight fit means better quality.

4. Listen to the sound: Tap the porcelain lightly. A clear, crisp sound means the body is dense and well-fired; a dull sound indicates cracks or incomplete vitrification.

5. Choose plain or lightly decorated bowls: The more decorative the bowl, the higher the risk of toxic substances. It’s healthiest to choose plain or minimally decorated ones.

6. Compare sets: For matching sets, compare each piece to ensure consistent shape and decoration.

   
   

Precautions When Using Ceramic Tableware

Even though ceramic tableware is beautiful and practical, it requires careful handling:

1. Be cautious with painted interiors
   Ceramic tableware may contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals, mainly from interior decorations. The more colorful the glaze, the more likely these harmful compounds are present. Avoid using painted bowls for holding rice or soup, and don’t put them in the microwave.

2. Underglaze porcelain is the safest
   Underglaze decorations don’t require lead-containing pigments, making them safer. Before use, clean with hot water and soak in vinegar to remove residual metals.

3. Avoid metal-decorated ceramics in the microwave
   If you must microwave ceramic tableware, avoid items with metal trim, as heating them may release toxic substances.

   
   

Conclusion

While ceramic tableware is beautiful and functional, it directly relates to our health, so don’t overlook the details when purchasing. Since it’s hard to judge quality at a glance, the safest approach is to buy certified products through reputable channels.