Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Square Dinnerware Collection Review

We purchased the Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Square Dinnerware Collection so our reviewer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review. (Note: This collection was formerly available as a 16-piece set, which came with four 13-ounce mugs. The set is now a collection of pieces sold in sets of four; the mugs have been replaced with four 4-ounce dip bowls.)

I looked forward to using the Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Square Dinnerware Collection for my meals and snacks. I planned salads and soups and desserts. I readied flatware and napkins. I washed the set by hand and in the dishwasher, and I started all over again with cereal while I was snuggled on the couch. Now, let me tell you all about this dinnerware set.

Appearance: White and square

The pure white color of this collection ensures it won’t clash with any décor and allows color to be added with placemats, napkins, and serving pieces—or, it can be matched with other white accessories for a more formal look. That’s one of the things I like best about this collection: There are plenty of white serving pieces from other manufacturers that would pair easily with this dinnerware.

The dinner plates are 10.25 inches from side to side and a bit over 14 inches from corner to corner. That makes them look impressively large when, actually, they’re a normal size. The sloped rim is about 1.5 inches wide, so the plating area is about 7.5 inches wide. The smaller salad plates are 8.25 inches from side to side. 

While all-white dinnerware can be unexciting, these pieces get their edge from the square shape of the plates and bowls. When setting the table, one slight issue I had was getting them perfectly square to each other. For a family dinner, this is not likely to be an issue; however, if someone were setting a formal table, it might take some time to get them all aligned. Once they’re straight, they make a lovely presentation.

I sometimes like to take a bowl of snacks—or even some ice cream or soup—to a comfy chair when I'm dining alone. I was pleasantly surprised that the bowl shape was very easy to hold with the narrow base that fits nicely in the palm. At first, I thought the square shape might make it difficult to spoon all of my chili out of the bowl, but I had no issues. When I used the bowl for rinsing berries before I served them, I found that the corners were perfect for pouring neatly.

While the bowl looks large because of the wide rim, the bottom is actually fairly small, which makes it great for serving a single scoop of ice cream that can nestle neatly in the bottom without looking lonely. When it’s filled, it holds plenty of soup (20 ounces) for a light lunch.

The mugs are also comfy to hold, with their large loop handles that easily fit two or three fingers. I'm glad they are round instead of square, and I like the size (13 ounces), which is sensible for a cup of coffee.

All of the pieces are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning after dinner is done, and they fit neatly and stand upright without any peculiar leaning, which could lead to chipping or cracking. When I needed to reheat a bowl of soup in the microwave, the pieces performed well and didn’t get overly hot.

These aren’t oven-safe, but I don’t need to use my dinnerware in the oven often. However, I would feel confident putting them in a warm oven to gently heat some plates for serving, even though it’s not explicitly recommended.

The plates and bowls stack neatly for storage, and the mugs nest just well enough that I felt comfortable stacking two of them together. Even though these pieces appear to be delicate, they’re actually a bit heavy—not overly so, but when stacking plates, it might take a few trips to get the entire set moved from one place to another, depending on who’s doing the carrying.

Durability: Strong stuff

Porcelain is a strong material, so these plates aren’t fragile. Except for accidental dropping, I don’t expect these to chip, crack, or break.

While I wouldn’t expect to lose any pieces in normal use, one downside of buying proprietary dinnerware is that it could be discontinued at any time, and it may not be possible to buy a single piece to replace a mug or bowl that accidentally met the floor. The good news is that each of the pieces in this collection (except for the mugs, which were replaced with 4-ounce dip bowls) is currently sold in sets of four. Each is affordable, so if a setting for six or eight might be needed for dinner parties, buying extra sets won’t break the budget.

Packing: Very secure

This collection was packed securely. Each set of four plates, bowls, or mugs gets packed in its own box, with enough padding between the pieces and with a snug fit in each box to keep them from bumping each other during shipping. The collection came in two separate larger boxes, with plenty of packing materials to keep the individual boxes safe in shipping. Unless this fell off the truck, it’s hard to imagine there would be any damage in shipping, and it would probably even survive a moderate drop.

Price: Surprisingly affordable

Considering how nice this collection looks, I surprised at how affordable it is, totaling around $100. Because these dishes can be used for both casual dining and for more formal affairs, the price is even better, since there’s no need to have a formal set for occasional use.

Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Square Dinnerware Collection vs. Lina Blue Stripe 16-Piece Place Setting

While the Open Kitchen dinnerware I reviewed is sleek, white, and precise, the Lina Blue Stripe 16-Piece Place Setting (view at Havenly) is speckled and striped, with irregular shapes. I tested both, and while either set could be used for casual family dining as well as dinner parties, the Open Kitchen collection could handle more formal settings than the Lina Blue Stripe, and it’s also less expensive in total. I love the casual, handmade look of the Lina Blue Stripe just as much as I love the fun square shape of the Open Kitchen collection. Which to choose? It’s going to depend on the home’s décor and the owner’s personality.