Porcelain Enameled Plates vs. Tin Plates

Same thing right? Wrong.

Golden Rabbit’s porcelain enamel dinner and cookware is vastly superior to typical tin plates.  We use a heavy high grade of carbon steel which is first coated with a primer and then bathed in porcelain enamel frits.  It is then oven fired at between 1500° and 1800°.  This process creates a hard finish on top of the steel that is not only decorative but perfectly adapted for food service.  In contrast, typical tin plates are made from soft tin which is coated with powdered paint and baked at about 400°. Tin plates are inexpensive but are not meant for food use and can be toxic if the tin becomes exposed to the food surface.  You do not have that issue with steel enamelware.  If an enameled steel piece chips, simply clean the surface and apply cooking oil to the exposed area to reduce any rusting. 

Main benefits of using Golden Rabbit porcelain enamel over tin plated products:

     •     Heavy grade steel keeps items from warping or bending easily.

     •     Porcelain finish allows day to day use and performance similar to a ceramic plate.

     •     The high temperature firing process means they can be used for baking, stove top cooking and can even be used under the broiler.

While all of Golden Rabbit’s dinnerware and cookware is made from porcelain enamel, we have begun to produce two items from tin, specifically our pails and ornaments.  Production of porcelain enamel has become very expensive and since these two items are not used for cooking or serving food, we have switched them to tin.  The pails still remain water tight and fully functional while the ornaments no longer weigh down trees quite so much.

We often hear concerns about the chipping of enamelware.  Golden Rabbit enamelware is durable enough for everyday use and will provide years of enjoyment but, like any dinnerware, our product can chip if dropped or mishandled.  A chip in an enameled plate will not affect the usefulness of the item.  On the other hand, a ceramic bowl or plate that is dropped usually leaves you with nothing but a mess to clean up. 

Recently there have been many concerns regarding the safety of products imported from China.  All of Golden Rabbit’s enamelware is manufactured in Indonesia.  FDA lead & cadmium tests are conducted on every new product and everything we sell is regularly tested by independent U.S. labs.  Before any shipment leaves our overseas factories, samples from the shipment must pass both of these compliance tests.

Tin Plates

Damaged Tin Plates

Scratched Tin Plates

Tin Plates Scratch Easily

Tin Plates Damage with Heat

Tin Plates Damage with Heat

Share: