Stainless Steel Flatware Grades and Weights in a Nutshell

Are you curious about the various terms and notations that are associated with silverware sets? In case you are, give this post a read as we’re going to cover the types of weights of various flatware available in the market these days and the uses of those weights.

We’ll also get a glance of some popular designs and types of spoons, knives, and forks that are used in cutlery sets at present.

Major Stainless Steel Flatware Grades and Weight Categories

Silverware sets exist in three types of weights and stainless steel flatware grades: 

● Medium - it is significantly lighter than heavy and extra-heavy flatware and the most popular among the three as well. Nearly all the cafeterias inside educational institutions provide medium-weighted cutlery, also known as economy weight in the marketplace. It is flexible enough to bend in the users’ hand and available in one cutlery set sale or the other as it is cost-efficient.

● Heavy - This type of cutlery lasts longer than the first category and bends less in comparison. It is also more attractive in its appearance as it is made of additional materials and components. It is often preferred by many restaurants and fast food joints to maintain a good dining presentation and experience. 

● Extra-Heavy - This is the premium category of flatware and carries a lot more weight and beauty in its appearance. The highest possible quality materials are used for utmost refinement which is noticed and experienced every time it is used. The quality and craftsmanship behind it contribute to its cost, making it highly expensive. It is used at fine dining establishments and hotels and is the strongest, most durable of the three categories of stainless steel flatware grades. 

Common Types of Flatware Components

There are several varieties of flatware sets out there with different designs, patterns, made from different materials, and containing different styles of spoons, forks, and knives. Now that you are aware of the three major kinds of cutlery sets on the basis of their weights, take a look at some of the unique kinds of each here:

● Salad Forks: These are not to be mistaken with the usual forks as they are smaller in size and have a slightly different purpose: picking and eating pieces of salad vegetables and fruit.

● Teaspoons: An essential component of every flatware set, the teaspoon is used for eating or drinking numerous food and drink items around the dinner table from rice and porridge to soups and puddings. It is also used alongside bar accessories online sometimes.  

● Dinner Forks: Used for a wide range of food items like jelly and spaghetti, a dinner fork is also an essential part of nearly every silverware set. Designed for the main course, it is bigger in size than the dessert or salad fork and has either 3 or 4 prongs.

● Dinner Knives: Dinner knives are longer in blade size and are often rounded at the tip. Their main use is cutting bigger pieces into smaller pieces, from vegetables to meat and fish.  

● Dessert Spoons: A dessert spoon is much smaller than a tablespoon but can often be made bigger than a teaspoon. Its role is often confused with that of a teaspoon as well. People often use it to drink soup from bowls because of the shape of their bowls, which is typically deep and oval. 

● Tablespoons/Serving Spoons: The bigger version of the teaspoon, a tablespoon is useful for both serving and spooning soup from the bowl. It is also placed differently for serving purposes next to serving bowls with handles.

● Dessert Forks: Used in conjunction with dessert spoons, dessert forks can substitute salad forks if required. They are smaller in size than the other two forks - salad and dinner forks - which helps cut smaller bites of desserts like pastries, cakes, pies, tarts, etc.