A Toast to Tableware that's
Rugged and Beautiful to Behold!

It’s item number-one in every childproofing rulebook: Keep your fine crystal, breakable tableware and all things shatter-able safe from the reach of children. Who would argue?

Hosts who take pride in a beautifully set table, that’s who.

Here at KidSmartLiving, we feel that pain. While we, too, might occasionally sip our chocolate milk from an action figure-emblazoned plastic tumbler, we cringe at the thought of setting such a thing on our “company” dinner table. And we won’t banish spill-prone guests to the Siberia of a children’s table, either.

We know a better way.

Today’s easy-care plastics let you create a table equally inviting to all family members and guests, even ones with less-than-grownup dexterity. Durable tableware — from tumblers and plates to wine stems and serving bowls — instantly kid-proofs your table in shatterproof style. It even stands up to the dishwasher and microwave.

“Unbreakable dinner and drink ware is a must for any busy home. Improved plastics combine strength and style for a table that’s an instant hit any time, from everyday dining to festive entertaining — indoors and out,” says Krista Fabregas, founder of KidSmartLiving, an internet and catalog retailer bringing practical home-decorating solutions to busy families. “And we’re discovering that the special qualities of these items are winning us new friends, too.

“Campers and RV travelers love the easy care and durable strength of our glasses, plates and serving pieces. They are a favorite, too, among people with motion- or strength-limiting disabilities,” Krista says.

HIGH-TECH, EASY-CARE PLASTICS
If you haven’t shopped for plastic glasses and tableware in a while, you’ll be impressed by today’s quality and good looks. In addition to traditional acrylic and melamine, there are newer plastics on the market, such as polycarbonate and SAN (short for styrene actylonitrite) that deliver virtually unbreakable products able to withstand the dishwasher and microwave.

Acrylic and melamine are the least expensive, come in the most styles and are usually light in weight. But they are not as durable or as easy to care for as the other choices. Acrylic doesn’t shatter, but it can break if dropped. The heat of machine washing eventually crazes an acrylic surface — covering it with tiny cracks. While crazing doesn’t make a piece unusable, it does detract from its appearance.

Melamine, while dishwasher-safe and break-resistant, will warp or blister in the microwave, making it not the most family-friendly choice.

Polycarbonate, the same material as bulletproof glass, usually gives a crystal-like look and feel to glasses and tableware. It’s microwave- and dishwasher-safe, and is virtually unbreakable. Polycarbonate is more expensive than acrylic, but its durability and clarity creates good-looking products that can be enjoyed season after season.

Drink and dinnerware made of SAN is also long lasting, dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and extremely break-resistant, but it generally is lower in cost than polycarbonate, often making it an ideal alternative for everyday ware.

So which to choose? That depends.

Acrylic can be the best buy for large serving pieces and decorative items that require infrequent upkeep. Its lower cost also makes it a wise choice for everyday tableware that needs to stay nice only a short time — say, for an occasional family picnic or one summer’s extended camping trip.

For frequent use, SAN is likely to be the best choice in durability and price for everyday pieces that retain their good looks.

But for crystal-like clarity and unbreakable strength it’s hands down for polycarbonate, and well worth the extra upfront investment.

KNOW WHAT YOU’RE BUYING
Manufacturers generally don’t label pieces by type or grade of plastic, and all products come in a variety of styles, colors and finishes, from clear to tinted or frosted. So how do you know what to choose?

To justify a higher price tag, manufacturers are not subtle about letting you know a piece is polycarbonate. When you’re shopping for plastic ware, search for labels claiming the item is unbreakable and dishwasher safe. If they’re there the piece probably is polycarbonate.

SAN pieces usually carry claims of being dishwasher safe, in either the top or bottom rack, and microwave safe. But acrylic often is limited to hand washing or top-rack-only machine washing, and melamine is not recommended for microwave use.

Whichever your choice, you want to get the quality you pay for.

“KidSmartLiving works with manufacturers to offer durable, long-lasting products that stand up to a family’s hard knocks. That’s the first test,” says company president Fabregas. “But we have a second criterion that’s important, too. Every item also has to look and feel top quality. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be proud to have it in your home and we won’t put it in our inventory.”