What Type of Dinner Plates Hold Heat Best?

Written by Jann Seal; Updated August 22, 2015

Warming the plates before a meal is an elegant and sophisticated touch, especially if you're not plating in the kitchen but serving family style. The heated plates mean that the food stays warm and allows the cook some latitude when completing all the elements of a meal. Knowing the fabrication of your dinner service helps determine just how long the plates need to reach the optimum temperature without getting too hot -- and requiring gloves to handle.

Fine China

Fine porcelain or bone china is fired at extremely high temperatures and can withstand high heat. If your oven has a warming drawer, keep the plates toasty while preparing your meal. The temperature used to proof dough, 100 degrees Fahrenheit, is also a recommended setting when using the large cavity of the oven. The pull-out drawer under many electric ranges gets warm when the oven is on, so consider using it to warm your fine china.

Earthenware Plates

Clay gets extremely hot when heated. If you've ever heated a clay mug of coffee in the microwave, you know how hot the handles get. The same holds true of dinner plates, so avoid microwaving them before serving a meal. Put the dishes in your dishwasher and run a cycle about two hours before serving. The plates maintain the heat. Electric plate warmers set on low, using the same theory as used in a heating pad, keeps clay plates warm.

Microwave-Safe Plates

Read the bottom of the plate -- if it says it's "microwave safe," don't use the microwave to heat your plates. The microwaves won't be absorbed, and the plate will take a long time to heat. And, you can damage the appliance or the plate. Consider using a dining stone that's been preheated, or stacking the dishes in the oven, if you have room, prior to service.

Cautionary Tales

Porcelain and bone china can be safely warmed in a microwave oven, but be cautious. Examine the china for any metallic decoration. If it has a platinum edge or a gold-leaf decoration, it will damage the microwave, start a fire, and ruin the china. Regular dinnerware that's dampened before heating in the microwave will heat but needs to be wiped of any moisture before use.

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