Dinnerware is at the top of the list for non-toxic kitchen essentials. Dishes get lots of use—usually multiple uses per day. If you are on the hunt for the best non-toxic dinnerware brands, you are in the right place. Let’s explore the world of dishware!
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When considering safe and non-toxic dinnerware brands, two common toxins come up often: lead and cadmium. Most of us are somewhat familiar with lead poisoning—thankfully it is much less common than it used to be. Lead poisoning in children has been linked to lower IQ, learning disabilities and developmental disabilities per the FDA.
Cadmium is not quite as talked about though. Here is an article where you can learn more about the effects of cadmium.
Are some dishes really unsafe?
Unfortunately, we can’t just assume dinnerware is safe simply because it is sold to us. Especially, in the lightning-fast digital world we live in, where we can hop online and order dishes from foreign countries in a matter of seconds. Countries differ greatly in their manufacturing practices, safety guidelines and product testing.
For example, China has a generally poor reputation for product safety and testing standards while the EU has a generally good reputation for product safety and testing. Countries differ not only by enforcement/frequency of testing as well as the toxin levels that are considered “safe.
Something to think about when it’s reported that the level of a toxin is too low to cause a negative impact is the cumulative level. We literally have exposures to toxins all day, every day, so it’s sometimes not as simple as a level being too low to cause harm.
There is also sometimes harm that you cannot see or that takes many, many years to present. Because of this, I tend to err on the side of caution. Let’s move on and check out some relatively safe and non-toxic dishware options.
Best Non-Toxic Dinnerware Brands
Now, let’s dive into some verified non-toxic dishware brands that are safe for everyday use. I personally own and use several of these brands.
Fiesta
Fiesta Dinnerware is made in the U.S. It is currently lead free and has been since 1986. There is a very small amount of cadmium released (less than .02 parts per million) according to their website. One fun thing about the Fiesta line is it comes in lots of vivid color options, like turquoise (pictured above) and poppy, which is the main appeal to their collection in my opinion.
You can go with one color or mix and match—it’s really lovely both ways. If you love a splash of color or an explosion of color (ha!), Fiesta may be the right fit for you. You can order directly through their website or via Amazon.
Corelle
Corelle‘s white dishes are lead and cadmium free. Unfortunately, their other dishes are not. Corelle used tempered glass to craft their dishes. If you are looking for a crisp and clean white dish, Corelle will likely fit the bill. They are the epitome of minimalistic and modern. Their 18-piece dinnerware set has rave reviews on Amazon and Walmart.com.
I recently purchased these due to the unbeatable price point. I am ridiculously clumsy, so I appreciate that the investment was small if or when I break one.
Anchor Hocking
Anchor Hocking Clear Glass dishes are not fancy, but I’ve used them for many years and been extremely pleased with them. I have the dinner plates, salad plates, bowls and small glasses. They’ve all held up great and are super affordable. Glass is naturally a pretty clean material, but Anchor Hocking is a trusted U.S. brand that is lead and cadmium free according to their website. They’ve been around since 1905 (wow!).
We tend to think about kids breaking glass, but I have broken much more glass than my kids every have. I don’t recall my kids every breaking anything glass actually, but I did use mostly recycled plastic when they were very young.
IKEA
Many IKEA products are awesome. IKEA follows EU standards for all of their products, which is a great starting point. They offer porcelain dishes as well as a beautiful tempered glass. Their dishes are lead and cadmium free. This rule should apply to all colors and styles. The only downside of IKEA is they sometimes don’t ship their smaller items. I have tried to order several dish sets unsuccessfully over the years. You can get some of their pieces on Amazon, but there is often a markup,
William Sonoma/West Elm/Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn and West Elm are both direct-to-consumer brands owned by Williams Sonoma. The California-based company has high safety standards. Feel free to read the details about their product safety and testing standards. These dishes are the most costly of the suggestions here, but they will likely last you a long time and are, of course, very attractive options.
While I don’t own any of their dishes, I did purchase some adorable Christmas mugs from Pottery Barn Kids a few years back. I do not remember the exact cost, but they were definitely affordable. We still use and enjoy them!
2 Types of Dinnerware to Avoid
When it comes to dishes, there are a couple of items that you definitely want to steer clear of! If it’s been in the family for a long, long time, if it has a gold or silver rim, if it has vivid color, etc. it’s better off on display than on the table.
Vintage/Older Dishes
You want to avoid eating on vintage dishes/china. These beautiful dishes are often lovingly passed down by parents and grandparents. By all means keep them if they hold special memories for you! Put them on display, use them under other dishes or in other creative ways, but you probably want to pass on actually eating off of them.
In the U.S., the FDA only began regulating lead in dishes in 1971 with a substantial update in 1992. Prior to 1992, may be a definite starting point for removing dishes from your kitchen. The FDA allows a lead release of up to 0.5 parts per million (ppm) while California’s Proposition 65 only allows up a lead release of up to 0.1 ppm. The FDA guideline for cadmium is 0.25 to 0.5 ppm to be considered food safe. California’s Proposition 65 only allows 0.084 to 3.164 ppm.
The brighter the color, the greater the risk of these metals. These metals are added to dishes to seal and enhance the colors. And you know that metal rim that is sometimes on fine china … that’s a nope too!
Most people are familiar with the FDA, but Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is a stricter regulation and unique to California. Proposition 65 requires the state to maintain and update a list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.
To err on the side of caution, you may wish to avoid any dishware with a Prop 65 warning label. The label verbiage may differ from product to product, but the symbol is pretty easy to spot.
Cheap/Mystery Dishes
If you’ve had a dish a long while and/or you aren’t sure the origin of it, it might be a good idea to toss it. Unbranded dishes could be handmade (think flea market) or purchased from a Dollar Store or similar. Cheap and/or unbranded dishes are usually made at a low cost and lack high safety standards.
This goes for plastic, ceramic, aluminum and even glass. If it was in your parent’s house or college dorm and now you have your own kids, it’s likely time to recycle it ;).
Hopefully, this post has given you a starting point on the best non-toxic dinnerware brands. I do try to focus on affordable options, so there are undoubtedly some fantastic high-end dishware collections that you could add to this list. If you are doing a full kitchen overhaul, be sure to check out my related post on safe and non-toxic cookware.
