Tired of sacrificing style for practicality when it comes to outdoor dining? Ditch the red Solo cups and those flimsy plastic plates that crack at the slightest touch. There’s a world of beautiful and durable dishware waiting to elevate your next patio or garden party. We’ve rounded up 9 options that are virtually impossible to break, so you can relax and enjoy your gathering without worrying about shattered plates or chipped cups.
1. Melamine Dinnerware Set with a Ceramic Look (Amazon)
This 12-piece set includes everything you need for a full dinner service, featuring four dinner plates, four dessert plates, and four bowls. Made from shatter-resistant melamine, it boasts a charming, timeworn ceramic finish. While not oven or microwave safe, it’s top-shelf dishwasher safe and can be easily hand-washed. One reviewer raved about the “rustic look of the ‘crackle’” and promised to buy more from this line.
2. Multicolored Unbreakable Party Cups (Amazon)
These vibrant drinking cups are perfect for parties or everyday use. Made of BPA-free material, they are guaranteed to be unbreakable. Despite their durability, they feel just like glass and are even top-rack dishwasher safe. Ideal for keeping the party going without the fear of broken glassware.
3. Mix-and-Match Bowls with Distressed Stripe Design (Target)
These cute 12-ounce melamine bowls from Target’s Hearth & Hand imprint are a charming addition to any table. Made from BPA-free bamboo and melamine, they are perfect for serving snacks, sides, or soups. The set of four cream-colored bowls features two with distressed green stripes and two with distressed blue stripes, adding a touch of rustic charm. These bowls are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
4. Enamelware Salad Plates (Anthropologie)
Enamelware is a hidden gem for aesthetically pleasing outdoor dining. Crow Canyon is renowned for its beautiful enamelware, and these salad plates are a prime example. Available in several tricolor patterns, these porcelain enamel and steel plates are both dishwasher safe and shatterproof. Their unique vintage style will elevate any outdoor meal.
5. Enamelware Tumblers (Anthropologie)
Another stunning Crow Canyon find, these tricolor patterned tumblers are equally gorgeous and exceptionally difficult to break. These are the perfect shatterproof cups for guests to sip from all day long, far more stylish than red Solo cups. They can also be found on Amazon, offering a different group of more classic colorways.
6. Iridescent Acrylic Tumbler (Target)
This acrylic tumbler boasts a shimmering iridescent gloss, adding a subtle touch of color to your outdoor tablescape. It has a generous 21-ounce capacity and is approved by Target reviewers for its durability and stylish design.
7. Melamine Dinner Plates with a Red Accent (Target)
This set of four melamine dinner plates from Target offers a classic and elevated plate design at an affordable price. Made of melamine and bamboo, these durable plates are shatterproof and dishwasher safe, although not microwave-safe. Perfect for everyday meals and summer parties in your backyard, these plates will be a staple in your outdoor dining collection.
8. Acrylic Glass-Effect Serving Bowl (Sur La Table)
This elegant light blue serving bowl is so beautiful you’ll forget it’s not made of delicate, breakable glass. Ideal for salads, pastas, and more, it’s designed to resemble sea glass, but with the added benefit of being shatter-proof. This dishwasher-safe bowl also pairs well with other pieces from Sur La Table’s El Mar collection.
9. Fluted Acrylic Drinking Glasses (West Elm)
You’d never guess these drinking glasses are made of plastic! BPA-free and available individually or in sets of 4 or 8, these glasses are made of heavyweight, break-resistant fluted acrylic. They are also stackable for easy storage and dishwasher safe. Just remember, they are not intended for hot liquids and are not microwave-safe.
