How Good is Fiestaware? All About Fiesta Durability

Vintage Fiestaware Juice Set - Disc Pitcher and Tumblers from TheSellersCabinet on Etsy - $165
Vintage Fiestaware Juice Set – Disc Pitcher and Tumblers from TheSellersCabinet on Etsy – $165

If you’re looking for a good set of dishes that’s colorful and fun, then Fiestaware might be just the thing you’re looking for. Fiestaware dishes come in a huge variety of colors and sizes, and they can make a great addition to just about any household. However, before you invest, you’ll want to make certain these dishes are just as durable as you need them to be.

Fiestaware is very durable and long-lasting. According to thousands of customers, Fiestaware dish sets are heavy-duty and capable of lasting for dozens of years despite wear and tear and hard knocks. These dishes are even microwave, dishwasher, and oven-safe up to 500°F.

There are numerous benefits to having Fiestaware as your first choice of dish, durability being the number one reason. Here are a few others that you might want to know about!

Fiestaware: Toughness Level

Is Fiestaware durable?

According to several Fiestaware owners, Fiestaware can be dropped on the floor, put in the oven, used for kids, washed in the dishwasher, and experience all sorts of wear and tear and still come out on top. You should still be careful with your Fiestaware dishes, of course, because even they can still break. However, they’re much tougher than a lot of other ceramic dishes.

Are Fiesta dishes heavy?

Fiestaware is pretty heavy, but then again, so are a lot of ceramic dishes out there. This can make it somewhat difficult for little kids to use Fiestaware dishes without dropping them or knocking them around. However, this weight almost reinforces the fact that they’re tough, heavy-duty dishes that don’t need to be handled like your grandma’s best china. Be careful when you let your little ones use your Fiestaware, but don’t worry if they get dropped because they’re not likely to break that easily.

Does Fiestaware last?

When most people think of ceramic dishes, they don’t think of them as durable and long-lasting because they’re so easily broken. Not Fiestaware! Fiestaware plates have been reported to last for over 12 years! One user said that they have used Fiestaware plates that are 8 years old or so and they still look as good as new. If you take good care of them, they are likely to last for as long as you need them to.

Fiesta Sapphire Blue Limited Edition 5 piece place setting Fiestaware from JessiesVintageDishes on Etsy - $150
Fiesta Sapphire Blue Limited Edition 5 piece place setting Fiestaware from JessiesVintageDishes on Etsy – $150

Is Fiestaware a good brand?

All these things considered, it’s a safe answer to say that yes, Fiestaware is a good brand, now more than ever. Back between 1936-1972, Fiesta used uranium oxide in their dish glazes. That resulted in a lot of plates becoming radioactive and some even emitting gamma rays (in very small amounts, of course). Since then, they have stopped using uranium oxide and there are no longer radioactive Fiestaware dishes.

Between those manufacturing upgrades and their durability, Fiestaware has created an excellent name for itself in the world of ceramic dishes. They come in a thousand different colors and can add a fun, bright tone to any home kitchen. It is definitely a common opinion that Fiestaware is a great brand of dishes.

Fiestaware Repair and War Wounds

Does Fiestaware scratch easily?

No manmade object/product is immortal, and while Fiestaware dishes are pretty tough, even they won’t last forever. Over time, as they are used and worn out, Fiestaware dishes might come down with a few divots and scrapes that might give the impression of a scratch. However, even if your Fiestaware does get scratched (which isn’t highly likely) it won’t affect the dish in a way that will make it unsuitable for use. It’ll just look a little more worn out than usual.

Medium Green Fiestaware Salad Bowls - Retired Rare Fiesta - from retrOKC on Etsy  $125 Each
Medium Green Fiestaware Salad Bowls – Retired Rare Fiesta – from retrOKC on Etsy $125 Each

How do you get scratches out of Fiestaware?

Scratches won’t always buff out, but you can try treating your dishes with a good porcelain/ceramic treater or even taking them to a repair shop. If scratches bother you, you may just want to invest in a new set of plates and bowls. However, the few scratches that might occur will hopefully not be that easy to see anyway. It comes down to what you’re willing to put up with.

Does Fiestaware shatter/break/chip?

Any dish can break, shatter, or chip, including Fiestaware. However, it’s a lot harder to break Fiestaware than it is to break a lot of other dishes. Again, don’t get the idea that Fiestaware is completely invincible, because it’s not. If you handle it roughly enough, you will likely have cracked and chipped dishes on your hands. This is more likely to happen the older the dishes get, so just keep that in mind.

One of the nice things about this is that a lot of new Fiestaware sets have a 5-year (or more) chip warranty on them. This means that if you have chipped dishes less than 5 years after purchase, you can get new ones at reduced or no cost. This should bring you at least a little peace of mind.

Vintage Fiestaware Teacup and Saucers
Vintage Fiestaware Teacup and Saucers from TheSellersCabinet on Etsy – $15-$26 each

Can Fiestaware be repaired?

When that dreaded day comes that you start to break your ceramic dishes, the question of whether or not they can be repaired will surely arise. There are several china and crystal repair shops that specialize in repairing ceramics and other delicate dishes. You can take your Fiestaware to several of these shops and have them fixed. One such shop is called Crystal and China Repair, and they specialize in repairing Fiestaware.

How do you get rid of gray marks on Fiestaware?

According to Fiesta’s Blog, gray marks might appear when the glaze of a dish comes into contact with something harder than itself. This could be metal, a knife, or even another ceramic dish. Thankfully, none of those gray marks are actual damage spots, and you should be able to remedy those with little difficulty.

If you need to get rid of gray marks, you can use just about any kind of porcelain or ceramic cleaner. Give your dishes a good scrub with water, soap, and a little bit of Bar Keepers Friend, and your dishes should look as shiny and new as the first day you bought them!

Classic vs. Bistro Fiestaware

Both the Classic and Bistro three-piece dinnerware sets include a dinner plate, a salad plate, and a bowl. While the sets contain the same pieces, their designs are different. 

The Bistro set is a spin on the Classic dinnerware set. Bistro dishes have a larger center surface area and are often deeper than Classic dishes. For example, the medium Classic bowl has a height of 1 and 7/8 inches. Meanwhile, the small Bistro bowl has a height of 2 and 3/4 inches. That is a significant height difference. 

In other words, if you’re looking for dishes that will fit more food, the Bistro Fiestaware collection is the right choice.

The Bistro collection also features unique pieces not offered in the Classic Fiestaware collection. While there are 41 variations of the Classic Fiestaware mug, there’s only 1 Bistro Latte Mug. 

Another unique Bistro piece is the Bistro Buffet plate. This plate is smaller than both the Bistro and Classic dinner plate. While the dinner plates have a 10.5-inch diameter, the Bistro buffet plate only has a 9-inch diameter. This smaller diameter is likely to limit the amount of food your guests eat per trip.

When comparing the Bistro and the Classic dinner plate, you’ll notice slightly different edges. While the Classic dinner plate has tapered edges, the Bistros are shorter and more abrupt. As mentioned earlier, this is to provide you with more room for food. Both the Classic and the Bistro dinner plate can be purchased for around $14.

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