Best Charger Plates
Buy the best best charger plates selected and recommended by interior designers. By Emily Hilton.
You can add a little touch of sophistication and elegant style to your dinner table ensemble using these stunning charger plates. The plates are also a practical and easy way to serve food for your guests and your family. A typical charger plate will measure about 13 inches in diameter but you can still find relatively bigger designs too. Charger plates are often useful in catching bits of fallen food. They act as the protective layer between the plate and the tablecloth on the dinner table. The plates allow your guests to hold and move their hot food without burning their hands.
Best Charger Plates
Buying Guide
Emily Hilton
Interior Design Expert
Emily is a young, talented designer, whose professional interests gravitate towards kitchen and dining spaces. She prides herself on her attention to detail, obsession with functionality, and appreciation for craftsmanship.
Charger plates are large decorative plates designed as base settings to place other dinnerware during special occasions. Traditionally used when more than one course is served in its own bowl or plate, a charger lays underneath. Normally, it is removed after the main course and before the dessert is served.
- Charger plates are designed to add an extra touch of class and opulence to any fine dining experience, and not made to come into contact with the food being served, only as a decorative piece.
- A charger plate provides a chic way to create a memorable dining event. It serves as a lovely anchor to your dining table that pleases and make a good impression on your guests.
- On the practical side, you can use charger plates during a plethora of different special occasions and events to protect your table and linens from the messes that would otherwise stain them. Also, when a hot dish is set upon them, as they retain heat.
Charger plates come in a variety of materials, shapes and sizes. Below you can examine the materials to make an informed decision on what will work best for you.
Melamine
Melamine is an organic-based, nitrogen-rich material, made to manufacture cookware, plates and utensils. Melamine is a fire and heat resistant, durable material that is practically unbreakable, making it much more preferable to plastic. Melamine is also dishwasher safe for an easy clean.
Polypropylene
Polypropylenecharger plates are made to withstand scratches, are quite resistant to staining, and resist breaking. They can endure temperatures ranging from 32°F to 180°F and are usually microwave and dishwasher safe. People elect polypropylene over melamine due to its exceptional durability and lower price.
Jute/Rattan
Rattan and jute are durable fibers for a modern look that also adds a touch of warmth to your settings. They cannot be microwaved or put into the oven, are hand-wash only and must be treated with care, and you don't want to try to wring out or press hard enough to force water or other liquids and spills into the weave. Not too fancy and not too plain, rattan chargers will bring a casual, yet unique look to your tablescape. Perfect for boho, eclectic, and coastal decorating schemes.
Glass
Glass comes in many styles to suit any place setting. High-quality glass plates are somewhat raised, helping display your dining set. These charger plates are thicker and more eye-catching than regular plastic options. Cleanup is easy too. Just wash them with warm water. Typically, glass charger plates are not dishwasher safe.
There are several attractive designs to choose from, whether you want to add a bit of whimsy to your table or finish a high-class modern set. These charger plates are durable and can be used time and time again to add a bit of classic elegance to your most special occasions.
Porcelain china
Porcelain chinaalso known as chinaware or simply china is worth the higher expense. This option of charger plates is highly durable and is nonporous to resist staining. It is also slimmer and thus more delicately designed, which can give them a translucent presentation, as well as giving the ability to create shaped details that are integrated into the composition of the body. They can also be quite easily cleaned by hand with a bit of dish soap and warm water.
Bone china
Bone china is a high-grade porcelain, and is lighter in color than found in other ceramic plates. Though fragile, it is the single strongest porcelain available. Its resistance to wear makes it a top choice for high-end hotels and other high-class dining establishments. With no lead or cadmium content, bone china is known to be the safest type of charger plates.
Acrylic
Acrylic is tough and shatter-resistant. It comes in different shapes and colors to match the aesthetics of your dining arrangement. Acrylic weighs approximately half that of glass, making it easier to utilize. It also has impact resistance up to 17 times greater than traditional glass. On the off chance that it actually does break, it fractures into large pieces with dull-edges. To clean, use warm soapy water in conjunction with a specialty acrylic cleaner for best results.
In choosing a charger plate to complement the theme of your dining table, and add visual interest to your special occasion's ambiance, think about the dining ware, glasses, silverware, platters, and tablecloth and napkins you are planning to utilize, and then choose a charger that will harmonize with those styles.
- For bone-white china with a gold rim, choose a gold charger that echoes the gold in the china, and provides a touch of elegance to the table.
- For green, see-through dinnerware, a gold-rimmed charger will elevate the table and add a touch of sparkle and class.
- For more festive events and a brighter table feel, choose complementary colors to wow your guests, such as purple plates with yellow chargers or orange plates with blue chargers. It doesn't really matter if you are planning for a birthday party to celebrate, a seasonal table setting, or a milestone, you can't go wrong when you use opposing colors.
- Looking at a color wheel, three related colors, side-by-side will dress up any table and give it a more whimsical feel. For example, use violet for the charger and blue-violet for the main plate, and add blue glasses for a coordinated table setting. Other color combinations include red-violet, red and red-orange.
- For an uncomplicated but polished table, go with monochromatic color arrangement, colors of varying shades and tones, but within the same color family. A dark purple will be in deep contrast with pink dishware and glasses.
- Large decorative patterns that match plates, with a color picked from the pattern, can be trendy and modern or classically elegant.
- You may want to choose a solid-color charger if your plates have alluring designs. Take care that the solid plate color matches the color in the plate with the decorative style.