We are new to caravanning and are in the process of stocking our van we were going to buy melamine plates etc. but some friends suggested that Corelle may be the better option. Does anyone have any advice on which one may be more suited ?
Dunmowin said
09:02 AM Sep 1, 2016
Corell is much nicer to eat off. Melamine is more like your picnic gear.
We use corell.
villatranquilla said
09:09 AM Sep 1, 2016
we've had both. Melamine dinner plates do scratch after a while (cheap to replace though) but can't be used in microwave. So corelle gets my vote.
macka17 said
10:32 AM Sep 1, 2016
Corelle are a thousand times better.
BUT.. do not get plastic drinking glasses/flutes, whatever.
Double YUKKKKKKKk.
buy\take some Glass glasses for that. or you'll never appreciate your favourite tipple again.
I have my Crystal tumblers for the whiskey, and they go everywhere.
Plus a set of "double skin" glasses for hot climes.
Kept in delivery box for safety, and ice lasts in them forever.
We still have original Melamine set.
They get used round the Barby on rear downstairs deck.
Doesn't matter if you drop them or cat licks them.
Cupie said
11:17 AM Sep 1, 2016
Corelle gets my vote.
Can't stand the plastic melamine stiff.
We take proper wine glasses & porcelain coffee mugs. Never broken any.
Four of everything.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 1st of September 2016 11:20:09 AM
Dougwe said
01:05 PM Sep 1, 2016
To eat off I use Melamine but 'real' drinking mugs and glasses. I only have 3 of everything. I use proper cutlery too not that plastic stuff. I'm on my own and all works for me.
Peter and JudyH said
01:23 PM Sep 1, 2016
We had some Corelle that we also used sometimes at home.
Great stuff, but don't drop it on your tiled kitchen floor - it shatters and goes everywhere - very small bits.
We now take some Melanine and also few crockery plates, couple good cups/mugs and drinks glasses.
Can't drink red wine out of plastic - YUCKKK!
Also metal cutlery, no plastic stuff.
We use the non slip matting between plates etc. as well as under when on the road - minimises breakages!
Meredith said
01:25 PM Sep 1, 2016
We had Melamine to start, but apart from it feeling like eating off picnic plates, we also found it didn't handle the microwave and that the coffee mugs cracked after a short period of use. We changed to Corelle and real coffee mugs and have used that for years without problems.
Aus-Kiwi said
07:24 PM Sep 1, 2016
Plates and cups ?? The plates are over the ditch lol .. Our glass is stored in PCV piping . As cup holders . Havnt broken any .. Yet !
banjo said
10:39 AM Sep 2, 2016
Definitely Correlle and usually cheaper at Big W.
The Belmont Bear said
11:17 AM Sep 2, 2016
Thanks to everyone there are some great tips here including the microwave friendly bit and the best place to buy. I think that we have been convinced that melamine although functional Corelle is probably the better option for us. One thing for sure I will be ditching the plastic wine glasses that I recently bought in favour of real glass and thanks to Aus-Kiwi utilising pvc pipe to store them while travelling.
brickies said
11:24 AM Sep 2, 2016
We brought our from Big W great range .
Cupie said
03:10 PM Sep 2, 2016
We carry ..
4 Large 'English" Dinner plates (ok for serving too)
4 Lunch plates (a bit smaller]
4 Bread & butter plates
4 Noodle bowls
4 Desert bowls
2 Large Serving/Salad bowls
1 mixing bowl
All the above Coromel
2 Porcelain coffee/tea mugs
4 old Melamite coffee mugs hanging off hooks .. rarely used
6 glass wine glasses the shape that they use in Wineries (OK for Red White or Sparkling)
2 glass tumblers
1 expresso coffee cup & saucer
4 S/Steel knife fork spoon & teaspoons
Set of good(ish) kitchen knives & sharpener on magnetic rack
A bit much hey? All are in racks to avoid breakage.
Full set of silicon kitchen tools including a sifter & a grater as well as tin & bottle opener
Oops forgot the fish scaler & chopsticks ... and two egg cups.
Don't get me started on the linnen!
JocknNik said
09:19 PM Sep 2, 2016
After dropping and breaking a couple of Corelle plates (and the incredible shatter that goes with it - they're a type of glass), we switched to melamine even in our home kitchen. For guests and microwave we use good old china, which is too heavy for general use in caravans really. Shatters less radically though. So it's melamine for us for our caravan, with polycarbonate drinking glasses. Poly is super-strong and looks like glass until it gets old and scratched. We would never have Corelle in our van. It's slippery as when wet. Got to be careful when drying up. We were finding tiny shards in our kitchen for days after breaking them. But if you're careful and feel lucky, I'd say ok. For microwave we intend carrying a few earthenware items.
We've done a lot of rough bush camping with plastic crockery so I guess we're used to that sort of stuff.
Sarge9 said
10:36 PM Sep 2, 2016
its worth the search for Arcopal, was made by a french company that could'nt keep abreast of its inserts... the dinner ware is very excellent, I think it must be a glass related product, like pyrex, but surprisingly light and scratch proof. We bought ours before they sagged off the market, but I often see it available in OP Shops and on evil bay..... very up there and perky.
Sarge
Pam said
08:33 AM Sep 3, 2016
We use stubby holders around the mugs and glasses to protect them while traveling.
Cupie said
08:46 AM Sep 3, 2016
Sarge9 wrote:
its worth the search for Arcopal, was made by a french company that could'nt keep abreast of its inserts... the dinner ware is very excellent, I think it must be a glass related product, like pyrex, but surprisingly light and scratch proof. We bought ours before they sagged off the market, but I often see it available in OP Shops and on evil bay..... very up there and perky.
Sarge
A quick search shows lots of it IN USA! on Ebay, at a price too.
Looks like one to keep an eye out for if you want something different & good.
Looks like it is made similar to Corelle. How is it weight wise?
Cupie said
08:52 AM Sep 3, 2016
Pam wrote:
We use stubby holders around the mugs and glasses to protect them while traveling.
Most of our crockery is in purpose made wire frames like drying racks & the glasses in those wall mounted wire frames that all Caravan shops sell.
The remainder is in individual items on non slip matting.
I do store my stubbie holders on the racked glasses.
In the days when I used to drink, my wine bottles were protected with pieces of pool noodles.
In over 200,00km & around 20 years we have broken nothing. Best of all don't have to pack up before setting off. Everything is in its place & safe.
A sample photo ....
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 3rd of September 2016 08:54:45 AM
don't carry excess crockery - just have enough for your needs with a supply of paper plates for when water is in short supply.
We found ours in an op shop.
-- Edited by villatranquilla on Saturday 3rd of September 2016 10:18:04 AM
Bruce and Bev said
08:28 PM Sep 3, 2016
we used to use corelle, but glass and crockery for drinking from. Hate plastic wine glasses when you can buy a white range of them from K Mart - 6 for about $5.
Then we got sick of plastic and bought crockery plates from K Mart - $1 for each item - dinner plate, dessert bowl, bread plate. Sure it weighs a little more than plastic, but nicer to eat off and the food stays hotter. All our plastic ware has been consigned to all the other stuff we first bought when starting nomading
aussie_paul said
08:35 PM Sep 3, 2016
Bruce and Bev wrote:
we used to use corelle, but glass and crockery for drinking from. Hate plastic wine glasses when you can buy a white range of them from K Mart - 6 for about $5.
Then we got sick of plastic and bought crockery plates from K Mart - $1 for each item - dinner plate, dessert bowl, bread plate. Sure it weighs a little more than plastic, but nicer to eat off and the food stays hotter. All our plastic ware has been consigned to all the other stuff we first bought when starting nomading
lol
Aussie Paul.
Sarge9 said
09:06 PM Sep 3, 2016
ARCOPAL is quite light, I think the Corelle is what today is called a knock off....
Mr Google told me this :- Arcopal dinnerware is white opal, break-proof, tempered glassware that includes a fire-glazed finish. The material is 100 percent nonporous and fully tempered to resist thermal pressure. Arcopal dinnerware was fabricated by the French company Arc International in 1958. Some compare Arcopal to a French version of Pyrex.
The Belmont Bear said
10:09 PM Sep 3, 2016
Thanks everyone the response on our question was a lot more than I expected and the tips about storage & what people take with them was extremely useful hope others got as much out of this conversation as we did.
We are new to caravanning and are in the process of stocking our van we were going to buy melamine plates etc. but some friends suggested that Corelle may be the better option. Does anyone have any advice on which one may be more suited ?
Corell is much nicer to eat off. Melamine is more like your picnic gear.
We use corell.
BUT.. do not get plastic drinking glasses/flutes, whatever.
Double YUKKKKKKKk.
buy\take some Glass glasses for that. or you'll never appreciate your favourite tipple again.
I have my Crystal tumblers for the whiskey, and they go everywhere.
Plus a set of "double skin" glasses for hot climes.
Kept in delivery box for safety, and ice lasts in them forever.
We still have original Melamine set.
They get used round the Barby on rear downstairs deck.
Doesn't matter if you drop them or cat licks them.
Corelle gets my vote.
Can't stand the plastic melamine stiff.
We take proper wine glasses & porcelain coffee mugs. Never broken any.
Four of everything.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 1st of September 2016 11:20:09 AM
We had some Corelle that we also used sometimes at home.
Great stuff, but don't drop it on your tiled kitchen floor - it shatters and goes everywhere - very small bits.
We now take some Melanine and also few crockery plates, couple good cups/mugs and drinks glasses.
Can't drink red wine out of plastic - YUCKKK!
Also metal cutlery, no plastic stuff.
We use the non slip matting between plates etc. as well as under when on the road - minimises breakages!
We carry ..
4 Large 'English" Dinner plates (ok for serving too)
4 Lunch plates (a bit smaller]
4 Bread & butter plates
4 Noodle bowls
4 Desert bowls
2 Large Serving/Salad bowls
1 mixing bowl
All the above Coromel
2 Porcelain coffee/tea mugs
4 old Melamite coffee mugs hanging off hooks .. rarely used
6 glass wine glasses the shape that they use in Wineries (OK for Red White or Sparkling)
2 glass tumblers
1 expresso coffee cup & saucer
4 S/Steel knife fork spoon & teaspoons
Set of good(ish) kitchen knives & sharpener on magnetic rack
A bit much hey? All are in racks to avoid breakage.
Full set of silicon kitchen tools including a sifter & a grater as well as tin & bottle opener
Oops forgot the fish scaler & chopsticks ... and two egg cups.
Don't get me started on the linnen!
We've done a lot of rough bush camping with plastic crockery so I guess we're used to that sort of stuff.
Sarge
A quick search shows lots of it IN USA! on Ebay, at a price too.
Looks like one to keep an eye out for if you want something different & good.
Looks like it is made similar to Corelle. How is it weight wise?
Most of our crockery is in purpose made wire frames like drying racks & the glasses in those wall mounted wire frames that all Caravan shops sell.
The remainder is in individual items on non slip matting.
I do store my stubbie holders on the racked glasses.
In the days when I used to drink, my wine bottles were protected with pieces of pool noodles.
In over 200,00km & around 20 years we have broken nothing. Best of all don't have to pack up before setting off. Everything is in its place & safe.
A sample photo ....
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 3rd of September 2016 08:54:45 AM
don't carry excess crockery - just have enough for your needs with a supply of paper plates for when water is in short supply.
We found ours in an op shop.
-- Edited by villatranquilla on Saturday 3rd of September 2016 10:18:04 AM
Then we got sick of plastic and bought crockery plates from K Mart - $1 for each item - dinner plate, dessert bowl, bread plate. Sure it weighs a little more than plastic, but nicer to eat off and the food stays hotter. All our plastic ware has been consigned to all the other stuff we first bought when starting nomading
lol
Aussie Paul.
Mr Google told me this :- Arcopal dinnerware is white opal, break-proof, tempered glassware that includes a fire-glazed finish. The material is 100 percent nonporous and fully tempered to resist thermal pressure. Arcopal dinnerware was fabricated by the French company Arc International in 1958. Some compare Arcopal to a French version of Pyrex.