[stainless]
Oneida's most popular selection, 18/8 Stainless is made from the finest stainless steel - a durable alloy consisting of 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel. Chromium gives the steel its incredible hardness and resistance to heat, stains and corrosion, while nickel gives Oneida its soft silver-like lustre.

[silverplate]
The look of sterling at reasonable prices, Silverplate gives a soft luminous glow. Silverplate is the result of a process that bonds pure silver to a strong base metal. Quality Silverplate is made of Brass, Nickel and Silver. All Oneida Silverplate silverware has a brass base and then is Nickel plated and then Silver plated.

[sterling]
A prized and beautiful possession, Sterling silver lasts for generations and is made of a precious metal consisting of over 92.5% pure silver and a smaller percentage of an alloy, usually copper. Copper alloy adds durability without sacrificing the natural beauty.

[gold accents]
Gold Accents Flatware is made of chromium and nickel but also has certain parts of the utensil that are accented with 24K gold electroplate for a more formal look.

[satin finish]
A fabulous look for today's styles. Satin Finish features a beautiful frosted look, usually in conjunction with fine stainless. The two-tone image is breathless and leaves your table looking fresh and clean

what does 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0 mean?
These percentages represent the amount of chrome and nickel in the steel alloy that we use to make our products. Chrome is added to aid the steel in corrosion resistance and the nickel is added for a soft, silver-like luster. 18/10 means that the metal has 18% chrome and 10% nickel.  18/8 stainless has 18% and 8% nickel. 18/0 has 18% chrome and 0% nickel.  .

why did my stainless steel knife blades pit?
Sterling silver and 18/8 stainless steel are both resistant to most foods or chemicals commonly used in the home. However, both of these alloys are quite soft and would not provide satisfactory edge-holding ability for a knife blade because there is no method of heat treatment that would bring hardness into the proper range.

It is common practice in the industry to use a hardenable grade of stainless steel for cutlery blades. To get the hardenability it is current practice to use a straight chromium grade of stainless to provide the best combination of hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance. However , this grade of stainless, while it is resistant to most foods or chemicals in the home, is subject to pitting under certain conditions. The conditions that most commonly cause pitting are long contact with chloride-containing foods such as salt, salad dressing etc. or soaking in water.

Prolonged soaking, (i.e. overnight) in water must be avoided especially where several pieces may be in close contact during the soaking period. The "rinse and hold" cycle on an automatic dishwasher is particularly hard on cutlery because the pieces are warm and wet for an extended period of time. Best care for your cutlery is to wash and dry as soon as practical after using.

why do stains occur on some stainless?
It is stainless ... not stain proof. Discoloration can be caused by ingredients found in tea, coffee, salad dressing, vinegar and salt. Pitting or spotting are usually caused by hard water or from foods with high salt content.

how do I remove stains?
Use a good quality stainless cleaner (we recommend Oneida's own stainless cleaner) to remove the "build up" caused by minerals.

is Oneida stainless dishwasher safe?
Yes! Your Oneida stainless flatware is meant to be used and enjoyed. We suggest that you rinse your flatware after use before placing in the dishwasher. Any scented detergent (i.e. lemon or orange) is not suggested.

how should flatware be put in the dishwasher? Load the dishwasher with handles of the spoons and forks facing down and the handles of the knives up.

how should I care for sterling, silverplate, or gold-plated flatware?
When not in use, keep these types of flatware in a closed drawer or chest lined with tarnish-resistant cloth. We do not recommend any of these three metals to be put in the dishwasher. If you choose to place them in a dishwasher, ensure that you do not mix metals in the same load. Remove flatware before the drying cycle and hand dry. Also, many automatic dishwashing detergents contain bleach that may remove the oxidation that was used to highlight pattern detail. Sterling and Silverplate do require periodic polishing with high-quality silver polish.

What is the difference between a butter knife and a butter spreader?

A butter spreader has a round end (so it won't poke a hole in the bread). It is used at each place setting with the bread and butter plate for formal dinners. A butter knife has a pointed end (so it can get the hard butter from the butter plate to the bread plate).

Some pattersn have large forks and spoons. Why is this?
Some patterns have been designed using a "modified" continental styling, which is larger and similar to the sizes used in Europe. In designing flatware, Oneida designers will choose a style that suits the particular pattern.

Baby forks are used for serving food to babies or very small children who are able to hold and use their own utensils.

Baby spoons are used in combination with baby forks. The size enables a small child to hold his or her own utensils.

Berry/casserole spoons are used for scooping and serving berries and casseroles. Often, this piece is larger than the tablespoon. Many berry and casserole spoons come with a shell shaped bowl.

Bonbon scoops are used for scooping and serving bonbons. Bonbons are candies, generally made of chocolate, that are rolled into small balls.

Bouillon spoons are great for eating soups that are made from thin broth. They are smaller than both the gumbo and cream soup spoons. Like cream and gumbo spoons, these pieces generally have round shallow bowls.

Bread knives generally have long blades with sharp serrated edges. The piece is used for slicing various breads.

Cake knives are large serving pieces that are used for cutting cake.

Cake servers are used to serve slices of cake. They can double as pie servers and are used to cut and lift the piece that is being served.

Casserole shells resemble casserole spoons. Unlike the casserole spoon, the bowl is shaped like a shell.

Casserole spoons are a lot like tablespoons. They tend to have larger bowls than the tablespoon. Casserole spoons are used to serve casseroles.

Seafood or cocktail forks are individual forks used with the five-piece place setting. Their primary purpose is for eating appetizers and shrimp dishes. Generally, this piece has three short tines.

Cream soup spoons are great for just about any soup. Cream soup spoons are smaller than a gumbo spoon and larger than a bouillon spoon. Generally, these spoons have round shallow bowls.

Demitasse spoons are used to stir strong coffees that are served in small quantities, like espresso or Turkish coffee. Generally, these spoons look like smaller versions of the teaspoon.

Dessert forks are designed to look a lot like the salad fork. This piece is placed directly above the dinner plate or charger and is used for eating cakes, pies, and pastries that follow dinner.

Dinner forks are part of the typical 5-piece place setting. Dinner forks are used for the entrée course at dinner.

Dinner knives are among the most versatile pieces in a silver service. Although it is called the "dinner" knife, it's also great for serving butter and/or spreading condiments.

Fish forks resemble salad forks and are used for the eating of fish. Generally, this piece is used with the 5-piece place setting and/or the fish knife.

Fish knives are used in addition to the fish fork. Often, the fish knife and fish fork are used in addition to the typical 5-piece place setting.

Five O'clock spoons are generally smaller than a teaspoon. They are used for gatherings before dinner, like brunch or afternoon tea. Five O'clock teaspoons can also double as a youth or children's spoon.

Butter spreaders are used for spreading butter. Generally, these are used in addition to the typical 5-piece place setting. The butter spreader is placed on each individual bread and butter plate at the table.

Fruit knives are used in addition to the fruit spoon. This knife can be used for cutting oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits.

Fruit spoons are generally the size of a regular teaspoon. The bowl of each piece is slightly pointed and some fruit spoons have bowls made with serrated edges. The fruit spoon is great for cutting into and eating grapefruits, oranges, and halved melons.

Gravy ladles are the most common ladle size. Generally, this piece is 6-8 inches in length and can be used to serve gravies or cream sauces.

Gumbo spoons are used for thick soups with large pieces of meat and vegetables. Like bouillon and cream soup spoons, these spoons generally have round shallow bowls.

Ice cream forks are often called a "sporks." The bowl of the piece is like that of a teaspoon with small tines at the tip.

Iced tea spoons are generally used to stir iced beverages that are served in tall glasses. They can also be used as dessert spoons for parfaits, sherbets, or ice cream.

Infant feeding spoons have a long handle with a small bowl. The infant feeding spoon is meant for a mom, dad, or nanny to be able to sit at a distance from a child and feed them.

Luncheon forks are slightly smaller than the dinner fork, generally feature straight tines, and are used for meals and gatherings before dinner. Also, the luncheon fork can double as a youth or children?s fork and can be used with the luncheon knife and five o?clock teaspoon.

Luncheon knives are slightly smaller than the dinner knife and are used for meals and gatherings before dinner. Also, the luncheon knife can double as a youth or children?s knife and can be used with the luncheon fork and five o?clock teaspoon.

Master butter knives are meant to sit in the middle of the table or near the butter dish. This knife is meant for the cutting and serving of pats of butter. Generally, the master butter knife is passed around the table with the butter dish.

Meat Forks are versatile serving pieces that can be used for cuts of meat, cheeses, waffles, chops, and sliced vegetables.

Pie and cake servers resemble the traditional pie server. This piece is used for the cutting and serving of pie and cake slices. Also called Servalls.

Pierced casserole spoons are like solid casserole spoons but are used to serve items that must be drained.

Pierced tablespoons are similar to regular tablespoons except that they feature a pierced bowl. The pierced tablespoon is used to serve vegetables that need to be drained before serving.

Place spoons are the most versatile piece of silver available. They can be used as serving pieces or as individual spoons. Many people call these tablespoons. These pieces are great for soups, desserts, entrees, and cereals.

Salad forks are used for the salad course served before dinner and are part of the typical 5-piece place setting. The salad fork can also be used for eating hors d'oeuvres, desserts, and other bite size foods.

Steak knives are often added to the typical 5-piece place setting. This piece can be made with a serrated or non-serrated edge and is characterized by its pointed blade.

Sugar shells are commonly used with sugar bowls. This piece resembles a teaspoon and has a shell-shaped bowl.

Sugar spoons are used for serving granulated sugar. The spoon generally resembles a teaspoon or a cream soup spoon.

Solid serving spoons, also called tablespoons, these are used for serving vegetables and other items. Although tablespoons have a shape similar to teaspoons or place spoons, they are larger and are reserved for the serving bowls in the center of the table or buffet.

Teaspoons are perfect for coffee, tea, desserts, cereal, and soups. You can never have too many of these spoons. They are considered part of the standard 5-piece place setting.

Youth forks are used by children. This piece is smaller than the regular dinner fork and is used in addition to the youth knife and five o?clock teaspoon.

Youth knives are used with the youth fork and five o'clock teaspoon. It is designed like a dinner knife, only smaller. This piece is used by small children.