Simple Additions: Comparing Corelle to Lighter Dishes

[KateInTheKitchen]

Can anybody tell me more about the new Simple Additions? When they said "lighter" I pictured them sort of similar to Corelle. Is this accurate?

 

[wadesgirl]

I would say maybe between our current style and Correlle.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Yes. They are thicker than correlle but much less so than our current line. They are also said to be mar resistant so hopefully we won't get all those marks from forks and knives any more. At first glance they look like correlle but they are definitely nicer. We have some white correlle here and as soon as my director kit gets here I will compare and report.

 

[Chef Gilles]

I can't wait to get my hands on these because right now my only thought is "we're selling Correlle".

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I can't wait to get my hands on these because right now my only thought is "we're selling Correlle".

After seeing them and handling them...that's still my thought. I was NOT impressed.

The mugs especially - one reason why I LOVE our mugs so much is because they are so thick and keep drinks hot for longer. The new ones are very thin. As are the rest of the pieces. Plain white, and round. Something you could get ANYWHERE and for cheaper. There is nothing about these that says "OH WOW! I need these!"
Thankfully, I can use bamboo as my serving pieces.

 

[KateInTheKitchen]

I love that they're white and round. I just want them to be good quality and I REFUSE to use Corelle (it may not break often, but is very dangerous when it does). If they're good, I'll plan to get a set for myself because I love plain white dishes and don't have any. I'm sorry to hear you weren't impressed, Becky.

 

[[email protected]]

I love that they're white and round. I just want them to be good quality and I REFUSE to use Corelle (it may not break often, but is very dangerous when it does). If they're good, I'll plan to get a set for myself because I love plain white dishes and don't have any.

I'm sorry to hear you weren't impressed, Becky.

I think they're porcelain, aren't they? Did I hear wrong?!! :

 

[BethCooks4U]

I think they're porcelain, aren't they? Did I hear wrong?!! :

From the catalog: High-quality porcelain. Chip resistant. Dishwasher-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. Oven-safe to 250F.

 

[KateInTheKitchen]

Maybe I don't understand what porcelain means, exactly. I know that the Corelle mugs are porcelain, and I don't understand what their glass is for the plates (because it's branded as Vitrelle) but I think it's not too far off.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I don't care for the coffee cups either but I have plenty of mugs so that isn't an issue for me.

Here's what I found about what Corelle is made of.

Wikipedia: Corelle is a brand of glassware and dishware. It is made of Vitrelle, a laminated tempered glass product with three layers of two types of glass. The thermally bonded layers give Corelle its strength, allowing it to be much thinner than other dinnerware. It was introduced in 1970 and is chemical resistant, durable and lightweight.

 

[[email protected]]

It says that Corelle mugs are either ceramic or stone.

 

[KateInTheKitchen]

The Corelle website says porcelain or stone. So... what exactly is porcelain?

 

[BethCooks4U]

The Corelle website says porcelain or stone.

So... what exactly is porcelain?

Googled:

It is a hard, transulcent white ceramic used for making dinnerware, bathroom fixtures, etc. It is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln.

 

[KateInTheKitchen]

I guess they're all glass-based products, in any case. I am glad to hear that these are thicker than Corelle. Tempered glass really sucks when it breaks.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I guess they're all glass-based products, in any case. I am glad to hear that these are thicker than Corelle. Tempered glass really sucks when it breaks.

Now I realize I need to clarify my comment. I used corelle for over 25 years (finally got other dishes a couple years before simple additions came out) and there are still a few pieces hanging around here and when I saw ours at SL it sure seemed to me that our new stuff is thicker. I did not see them together to really compare. It was just my impression after having had the corelle for so long. I will come back here tomorrow after my director package arrives and tell you for sure what the difference is.

I did see dishes that sure look just like our new ones online at crate & barrell that were much less than ours. Don't know how they compare either but that was disappointing.

 

[darlinclem]

I did see dishes that sure look just like our new ones online at crate & barrell that were much less than ours. Don't know how they compare either but that was disappointing.

I have never been to a Crate & Barrel but one of my clustermate's first comments was that they were just like theirs.

 

[Chefgirl2]

As someone that LOVED the SA when it first came out I am thrilled with the new line. I sent a plate and a bowl in over 2 years ago so they could see that my white dishes were almost grey. I mentioned that the bowls I got from World Market a few years earlier had no marks and I really didn't think the SA were up to PC standards.

I don't mind that the dishes look like other styles. We need to be selling dishes of some kind to be competing in the Bridal Registy market. Selling crap that mars wasn't something I was comfortable doing. Every person that has purchased SA from me in the last few years was given my honest opinion. I liked the lighter feel, the fact that it should be sturdier and most of all that it won't mar. I really liked the sizes of the new bowls and plates, too.

I'll miss the dot colors a lot, but I think that will open us up to being able to match more homes and be a better long term investment for future couples...not something trendy.

Now, if we could only get some silverware...and get rid of the pane linens...

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

I love the new SA line. I held back from the current dots collection because, well, I can't stand the colored dots! They seem so juvenile to me. I won the oval platter in drawing #3 at SL and I LOVE it! I am, however thrilled about the frosted dots. They seem more grown up.My biggest gripe is that I didn't get the opportunity to get my hands on all of the products. I had someone (an employee) yelling at us to KEEP THE LINE MOVING! We weren't moving that slow in my opinion, but geesh!

 

[raebates]

Wow, we didn't have people rushing the line. Then again, we didn't hit even 80% attendance.

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

Wow, we didn't have people rushing the line. Then again, we didn't hit even 80% attendance.

We had 100% attendance in St. Louis. I waited until after I ate and did the suggested activities so I'm guessing it was because we were at the end of our lunch break that I was rushed. I just know that I was chatting with other consultants in what they would do with the products and having someone constantly yelling at us to "move, move, move!"

 

[Chefgirl2]

We had areas with lines on both sides of table...but only product per area. So, we had to keep passing products back and forth...oops...I think this thread could be on the verge of being highjacked!

 

[raebates]

Back to topic, I like the look and feel of the new SA. I'll need to use it in my kitchen to know for sure, but there have been few PC products that I've not really liked.

 

[lt1jane]

I HATED the dots!!! Too expensive and too trendy. I may buy some of these. They're very nice.

 

[esavvymom]

I will get a set when I can get the samples- just so I can get them as cheap as possible (besides free, which I've never earned THAT much on my own show . ) But I don't think I'll pull them out yet- my kids are still young and rather clumsy at times. With my 15-20 yr old Correlle, it takes a BEATING and almost never breaks!! But seeing them at SL, I did like them, and I like that they got rid of the dots for the main pieces. I like my dots for accent pieces (bowls/platters), but not the MAIN stuff. And I was really happy to hear they will not mar up...which was another reason I didn't invest in SA before.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I've been wanting white porcelain dishes so I think I'll like them. I've been looking at Williams Sonoma. I'll be interested to see how these compare.

 

[heather223]

After seeing them and handling them...that's still my thought. I was NOT impressed.

The mugs especially - one reason why I LOVE our mugs so much is because they are so thick and keep drinks hot for longer. The new ones are very thin. As are the rest of the pieces. Plain white, and round. Something you could get ANYWHERE and for cheaper. There is nothing about these that says "OH WOW! I need these!"
Thankfully, I can use bamboo as my serving pieces.

I agree with you Becky. I like that the new ones are ligthweight, thinner, and more importantly, less marring. I think I like the old style just a little better (except for the marring issue). Also, I think it would have been great if they were maybe square or had some color on them. Even the dots pattern would have been nice! To me these really just don't stand out! And just my opinion, we are going to have a hard time selling them and if that is the case I am not sure they will be in the catalog very long.

With that being said, once I use them in my kitchen I may change my mind.

 

[Jennie50]

I did see dishes that sure look just like our new ones online at crate & barrell that were much less than ours. Don't know how they compare either but that was disappointing.

I have several Crate and Barrel serving pieces, and they mar REALLY badly...the gray lines that look like they're cracked beneath the surface. Sooo, if our new ones do not mar, that may justify the price difference.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Pottery Barn has similar dishes on special right now and they are all on back order. Maybe they will be good sellers. I personally like them much better then the dots. You can use white for everyday and dress it up for every occassion. Just think how pretty they would look with a silver or gold charger under them. I got some Easter salad plates at Williams Sonoma last year these will go perfect with as well. The Pottery Barn's are better priced then ours, but I think if someone wants a set, they will have a show.

I want porcelain because it is thinner. I currently have stoneware and it's thick and bulky. I also want the porcelain because they will be a true white. My stoneware are a little creamy color. I can't wait to get some pieces of ours.

The reviews on Pottery Barn are very good. Their salad plate dimensions are a little bigger then ours. One advantage you need to think of when selling these is replacing a piece or two without having to buy another entire set. I hate it when I break a plate to my set and can't replace it.

 

[BethCooks4U]

My director package came this morning and I compared the dinner plates and small round bowls with the corelle pieces and ours are definitely MUCH nicer. Very classy. I don't care for the square bowls though - they are a bit thin but then their use here will be more limited. I won't get the cups until they send out the January SAT stuff but I didn't care for them at SL. But looking over the pieces I have makes me more excited about the change! ...now I need to find a home for all those dots dishes.

On another note I wish they would have left out the BBQ basting brush from the SAT packages and esp the director package - I got two of those LAST time too and it wasn't that long ago.

 

[vanscootin]

I just use a majic eraser on my dots dinnerware and they come right off.

 

[Chefgirl2]

I just use a majic eraser on my dots dinnerware and they come right off.

We've had ours since they came out in 2003. I've tried every type of cleaner out there and even sent pieces of my SA in to HO to see if they could get it clean. I'm thrilled with the new dishes and plan on getting the 16pc set to have 8 sets. I was down to 4 large plates...so $62 isn't bad. Less than $4 a piece!

I see a great booking tool...for everyone. It's cheap enough to replaced mismatched or dated dishes

 

[BethCooks4U]

I just use a majic eraser on my dots dinnerware and they come right off.

I just tried that and it didn't work at all so while I had them out of the cupboard I just went ahead and used the stainless cleaner on them. Now they all look pretty new.

 

[KateInTheKitchen]

My sample package arrived today, and I must say – I'm impressed! I don't need a lot of dinnerware (it may or may not be my "thing" and I may or may not have more than is ever reasonable), but I'd like to have a few plain white things around and these are nice!

 

[Rosechef]

I have never purchased any of the SA peices, except for the large square bowl and large round platter. I've seen them at my director's house and saw the mars on them and said no way...I'll stick with my corelle. I'm glad they made something that is more in the standard for PC. I will likely purchase some pieces, but not the entire set, until my corelle just gets yucky (they do chip on the sides after a while) or I just get sick of them.

 

[jjaastef]

Can anyone tell me where the new dishes are made? Also, can anyone confirm that these are non-marring? Oh, and did anyone get the pasta bowls? Do they seem too small since they are a cup smaller then the old ones? Thanks!

 

[esavvymom]

Can anyone tell me where the new dishes are made? Also, can anyone confirm that these are non-marring? Oh, and did anyone get the pasta bowls? Do they seem too small since they are a cup smaller then the old ones? Thanks!

I just pulled out one I got yesterday (round serving bowl) and it says made in China.

PC did say they are non-marring, so we hopefully will not see the scratches. It really reminds me of my Corelle, so maybe it is made similar to those. Hope so. I my love corelle, especially with kids!

 

[Jules711]

I tried the Small Bowl in the Caddy and they don't fit!! They are a little too big. This is unacceptable since the Caddy is still in the catalog.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I've been using mine every day and there are no marks on them at all. The pasta bowls are smaller than the dots were but often the dots were bigger than we needed. They are a perfect size for a salad. HO is aware of the issue with the small bowl caddy and are redoing it. If you earned or purchased it they will be sending you a new resized caddy. That was in an email a week or so ago.

 

[Jules711]

I don't see an email stating that. So...if someone already owns the caddy, they'll have to buy another identical (almost) one for these bowls? That doesn't make sense. Plus, I don't need another one either in order to show these bowls with the caddy.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Most people who already have the caddy have the old bowls and probably wouldn't need to buy the new ones. Those who buy the new bowls would get the new caddy.I have two sets of the new bowls and both sets fit in my old caddy so it won't be an issue for all anyway. I'll try to find the communication that said we'd get a new caddy and post it.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Send via email on February 23,2012:

SUBJECT: Important Product Update: New Small Square Bowls

Dear Consultant,

We're so excited about the new season and fabulous new products!

We wanted you to know that we’ve learned that there may be an issue with our existing Small Bowl Caddy (item #1946) where the dimensions are slightly smaller than our design called for. The new Small Square Bowls (item #3078) are larger than the previous bowls and therefore have a tighter fit. We want to make sure this is not an issue for you.

Since you’ve purchased the Small Square Bowls or earned them in the Spring 2012 New Product Free-for-All, we’ll be sending you a new caddy. That way you can be sure your new bowls will fit perfectly. Rest assured that all new caddies purchased will work with the old and new bowls.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We wish you a fabulous spring selling season!

Sincerely,

Jean Jonas
Sr. Vice President, Sales


The Pampered Chef is a registered trademark used under license. Please do not reply to this email. It is not set up to accept replies. You are receiving this email because you are a Consultant with The Pampered Chef, Ltd. If you received this email in error, please send a separate email to [email protected].

 

[jjaastef]

Thanks for the answers. So, now for your opinions. Are they worth it? If it's like corelle, I'll save the money and go to Walmart.

 

[BethCooks4U]

They are not like corelle. They are made of different materials and are shaped somewhat differently. I do have some corelle in the house so the first thing I did was compare it. They are a much higher quality IMHO.

I used corelle with a green flower design for over 25 years and finally switched to other dishes a couple years before the dots came out. The dishes I got chipped badly so I bought corelle (in plain white). These new corellle pieces chipped but in shards that were dangerous. They cut you where chips just made the dishes look bad. Then I got the dots and they were perfect (not one chip in all the time I used them - on a daily basis) but they marred so there was extra care to keep them nice and DH didn't like the weight. When I saw the new PC dinnerware at SL I thought "Corelle" and was not impressed but when I got them home and compared them and started using them I found that they are much nicer and I really love them.

If you are not interested in them that is your decision. I don't use metal sheet pans. Ours are good as those things go but I don't use them. If a customer asks I am honest. I tell them that I have used a piece or two a few times and they work well but I am a stone person so it's not my thing. There are other things that I don't love so I don't talk about them but if asked I tell them my opinion (I also add but a lot of people really like it so it depends on what you like). People that want them will get them. If they hate them when they get them they have 30 days to return them with no cost to them.

 

[jjaastef]

Thank you for your opinion Beth.

 

[Jules711]

Thanks for the info on the small bowls. I did not receive the email, which is strange since I have the bowls. Mine can squeeze into the old caddy IF I try a couple of combos (they are not perfectly square), but they are still touching each other, unlike the old ones). While it is true that most will not have the old and new bowls, I think it's just strange to have two practically identical products. I'm glad they are doing something to fix it.As for the dishes themselves, I think they are fine. I'm not excited about them, but then they are white dishes (which I do like). They seem good. I like that they are lighter (easier to bring a couple to a show! Dots were cute accent pieces, but I'm loving the new frosted dots.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Thanks for the info on the small bowls. I did not receive the email, which is strange since I have the bowls. Mine can squeeze into the old caddy IF I try a couple of combos (they are not perfectly square), but they are still touching each other, unlike the old ones). While it is true that most will not have the old and new bowls, I think it's just strange to have two practically identical products. I'm glad they are doing something to fix it.As for the dishes themselves, I think they are fine. I'm not excited about them, but then they are white dishes (which I do like). They seem good. I like that they are lighter (easier to bring a couple to a show! Dots were cute accent pieces, but I'm loving the new frosted dots.

I'm loving the frosted dot glasses too but surprisingly DH says he likes the colored dots more and that the frosted ones are more feminine. Go figure.

 

[ShellBeach]

I was excited to get the new Simple Additions, but two bowls have already chipped on the rim just from normal use! I've only had them a few weeks. Very disappointing.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I was excited to get the new Simple Additions, but two bowls have already chipped on the rim just from normal use! I've only had them a few weeks. Very disappointing.

Do a replacement. That shouldn't be happening. We have used ours every day since they came out and have not had a single chip - and I am the queen of chipped dishes. I even chipped correlle but the dots and now the new PC dishes are standing up to our use. Also, not a single mark on these so no extra care needed. Love them!

 

[ashley olson]

Can anyone tell me, are these dishes smooth on the bottom? I have a customer who is interested and here is her question:Here is a questions for you about the pc plates. Have you lifted them up......are they heavy? I have the platter and it is fairly chunky (i like it alot) but for plates I would want a medium weight and I am curious as to whether you know how heavy they feel. I also need to know how smooth the base is....my table mars easily and unfinished ceramic edges would do damage.Thank you for any help!

 

[DebPC]

I love the fact they look like similar ones on the market. People can mix and match and add to other dishes they already have. To me, our older style ones looked too heavy for todays market.
Now that we've had them awhile- how is everyone liking them now?