What do you have in your kitchen? I’m sure you probably have a fridge, a stove, and perhaps a dishwasher. What’s in your cupboard? Most kitchens are equipped with mugs, plates, bowls, and cups. I’m sure that they have a nice design and interesting shapes, but what are they made out of? In the “more economical” kitchens they may be made out of plastic, but the most common materials are: earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. Although we may have heard of these materials before, do we know what they are? We will be examining the differences between these three materials in this article.
Earthenware —————- Earthenware is a “low-fired” clay. This white and porous clay is fired at a low temperature, usually around’15 degrees Fahrenheit. It is sometimes called “ceramics” or “ceramic ware”.
Stoneware ————– Stoneware (unlike Earthenware) is a “high-fired” clay. It is fired around 2185 degrees Fahrenheit, and as a result of this intense heat, it is much stronger than Earthenware. This firing makes it vitreous (i.e.: like glass), and is chip-resistant and sturdy.
Porcelain ———— A number of different ingredients are used to make porcelain. The main material is a pale clay, like china white. Other materials that are incorporated are: glass, feldspar, and granite…which are ground, and then added to the clay. Water is added to make the mixture easy to work with. Worked into the desired shape, the mixture is then fired in a bisque kiln (at a moderate temperature). After glazing and then a “high-temperature” firing, the result is a piece of pottery that is both translucent and delicate.
Telling the Difference ————————— Now that we know what makes each of these items different, how do we tell them apart? Here’s the process we will follow:
1) First check to see if it is porcelain. Unlike stoneware and earthenware, porcelain is translucent. Hold the piece up to the light? What do you see? If you can see some light shining through…then it’s porcelain.
2) We now know that it is either earthenware or stoneware. How do we tell the difference between these two? Check out the weight of the item. Is it rather heavy for its size? If so, it’s probably stoneware.
3) If the piece looks like hand-made pottery, then it is stoneware. Stoneware, unlike earthenware, will have a texture to it.
4) If the piece you are holding has a chip in it, take a close look at it. Is the area very white and “chalky” looking? Can you scrape off a bit more material with your fingernail? If so, then it’s probably earthenware. Earthenware (once it has been fired) has a white, chalky look. Stoneware has a darker, textured look.
5) If any part of the piece is unglazed, take a look to see if textured clay is showing through. This means that it is stoneware.
This completes our journey into the world of porcelain, earthenware, and stoneware…the main ingredients of today’s popular dinner sets. If a particular dinner set fancies you, then we have a lot more information on our web site.
Want to find out more about that stoneware dinner set, then visit Diana Richards’s site on how to choose the best earthenware dinner set for your needs.
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