The term cutlery refers to spoons, forks and knives used in eating, cutting and preparing food. Cutlery sets are of various types like plastic, stainless steel, silver, vintage, Japanese and professional. Plastic cutlery is both washable and disposable. It is most suitable for picnics, outdoor celebrations, journeys, etc. Stainless steel cutlery is comprised of a mixture of different steel alloys made with 11.5% chromium or nickel. The higher the nickel content, the more lasting will be its glaze. Silver cutlery is made from 65% copper, 12% nickel and 23% zinc. It is rust-proof and is considered very valuable. Vintage cutlery is old-fashioned and of a classic type. It is made from silver or with plastic design handles. Japanese cutlery is made from Japanese steel. This type of cutlery is hard and sharp and has forged instruments. The names of some Japanese knives are Santoku, Deba and Nakiri. Japanese cutlery has been made to last a lifetime which signifies their superior quality. Professional cutlery includes fish knife, utility knife, bread knife, carving knife, peeling knife, boning knife, cleaver, sharpener, etc.

Generally, a cutlery set consists of a salad fork, a dinner fork, a tablespoon and a table knife. If accessories are included in it, they consist of a sugar spoon, butter knife and serving spoons. Some cutlery sets consist only of kitchen knives. Some include a pair of kitchen shears also. The customer can add to them other knives of his choice like carving knife(used for carving and slicing meat), boning knife(for de-boning meat) and other knives belonging to the professional category. Shear knives also have different varieties. Two of the most common varieties are meat cleaver and Chinese cleaver which is also known as vegetable cleaver. Steak knives can also be included in these sets. Most of these sets are accompanied with a wooden storage block or tray.

Cutlery should be bought according to usage, quality and price. Stainless steel cutlery sets are the best choice for daily use. They are firm and hard, are unbreakable and last for a lifetime. Individual pieces of our own choice can be added to the already grouped sets. For special occasions, silver-plated or pure silver cutlery sets are ideal. When not in use, they should be stored in a good quality storage cabinet.

Cutlery can make a real difference to the enjoyment of a meal. The table looks more inviting if there is matching cutlery on it. The quality of the cutlery also contributes to the enjoyment of the food. If the knife and fork can?t cut through the meat or if the dessert spoon isn't deep enough to scoop up the thing, eating and relishing the food will become a difficult task.

The quality of the cutlery one wishes to buy depends a lot on the taste as well as the budget. Similarly, the design depends a great deal on the buyer?s lifestyle. Some people like the traditional design while some prefer the contemporary style. It is generally not wise to buy expensive cutlery because after some time, one gets bored with them and wants to buy a new set.