The Best Forks

Buying Guide

If you notice your silverware drawer getting emptier by the year, you aren’t alone. Over time, silverware tends to make its way to the trashcan, no matter how hard you work to protect it. In restaurants and other public dining areas, theft can be considered a culprit, but when it’s in your own kitchen, chances are, nobody’s sneaking silverware out of your house.

The good news is, you can easily replace that lost silverware. If you can find the original manufacturer, that’s ideal, but if not, you may be able to make a close match with a different brand. Since forks tend to be the most popular household utensil and therefore likelier to disappear, you’ll find plenty of sets of a dozen or more that you can use to stock your silverware drawer.

Loss isn’t the only factor shortening the life of your silverware collection. Your cutlery is exposed to plenty of wear over the months and years you use it. That includes the scratches it might endure by coming into contact with your teeth, dishes and abrasive foods. For that reason, it’s important to choose silverware that can endure all these stressors.

Stainless steel is the go-to material for cutlery. Although stainless steel isn’t perfect, continuing advancements ensure it easily withstands exposure to heat and moisture. But there are different stainless steel grades, including those that are specifically safe for coming into contact with items you’re consuming, known as food-grade stainless steel.

Certain ingredients in foods and beverages have acidic properties that can permanently damage your silverware. That’s why experts recommend always rinsing your silverware immediately after use. If you soak it, don’t leave it for long periods of time, as that can cause corrosion.

As long as you go with stainless steel, you should be safe to toss your forks and other cutlery in the dishwasher. But it’s important to check the care instructions on any silverware you choose.

• Stainless steel is the most versatile and durable silverware you’ll find, although sterling silver tends to be more popular for pricier, more formal cutlery. For everyday use, though, stainless steel dominates.
• You’ll find numbers listed with stainless steel. These are the grades of steel, and the most common in silverware is 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0. These numbers denote the percentage of chromium versus the percentage of nickel in the product you’re buying. You’ll want to stick with 18/10 and 18/8 because they have nickel, and nickel increases corrosion resistance.
• Fancier silverware has to be polished regularly to keep it in good shape. That’s another benefit of stainless steel. As long as nickel is mixed in, you’ll get years of use without having to worry about corrosion or tarnishing.
• At one time, it was popular to include plastic or wood handles on silverware. That practice is largely a thing of the past, though, as both of those features make them less durable, particularly if they’re regularly tossed in the dishwasher.
• Silverware might seem fairly straightforward in design, but you can find plenty with handles that feature ornamental designs. This small touch can give your silverware an elegance you wouldn’t get with regular-handled cutlery.
• You can buy silverware by the piece or as a set. If you buy a set that includes spoons, knives and forks, you might find that you can’t find a replacement for those that somehow disappear over the time you own the set. If you do opt for a full set, check to make sure you can find replacement pieces if necessary.
• Forks also come in different finishes. You’ll find some that have mirrored finishes that provide that extra shine. You might prefer more of a matte finish, though, or something in between those extremes.
• The weight of flatware can vary dramatically from one fork to the next. Whatever weight you choose, you’ll want to make sure that weight is balanced. If the majority of the load is on the handle, for instance, the fork can be awkward to hold and you might even drop it.