Hi everyone!
These two questions come up constantly, and I want to give a straight answer rather than the vague "hand wash recommended" disclaimer you see on most product pages. Here's the honest version.
Dishwasher: yes
My pieces are made from midfire stoneware fired to Cone 6, which means the clay body is vitrified and non-porous, and all my glazes are food safe. Stoneware fired that hard handles a dishwasher without any trouble. It's not going to crack or fall apart, and mine go through the dishwasher at home all the time.
You'll see "handwash recommended" on a lot of handmade pottery. The theory is that years of hot water and detergent slowly take the shine off a glaze, and other potters do recommend handwashing to keep the colours vibrant for longer. Honestly, I never handwash mine, and I can't tell the difference. If you'd rather handwash, a quick rinse in warm soapy water takes thirty seconds. If it goes in the dishwasher because life is busy, that's what it was made for.
Microwave: yes
Stoneware is fine in the microwave as long as there's no metallic element in the glaze - and none of my glazes contain anything that would cause arcing. Reheating your coffee or tea in a handmade stoneware mug is completely fine. Just avoid going straight from fridge-cold to microwave - let the piece come to room temperature first to avoid a sudden temperature difference.
Oven and grill: yes, with one rule
Yes. I cook nachos on my plates, and my pieces go in the oven and under the grill at home all the time. Stoneware fired to Cone 6 handles the heat. The one thing to be careful of is thermal shock, which is a sudden jump in temperature in either direction: don't take a piece from the fridge straight into a hot oven, and don't take it from a hot oven straight into a cold sink or the fridge. Let it warm up with the oven and cool down on the bench, and it will be fine.
The quick version
Food safe: yes. Microwave safe: yes. Dishwasher: yes. Oven and grill: yes, just avoid sudden hot-to-cold or cold-to-hot changes. That covers most handmade Australian stoneware and is a reasonable rule of thumb for the category.
Rhiannon
Frequently Asked Questions
Are handmade ceramics dishwasher safe?
Yes. Stoneware fired to Cone 6 is tough enough for the dishwasher, and mine go through ours at home all the time. Other potters recommend handwashing to keep the glaze vibrant for longer, but I never handwash mine and I can't tell the difference. Either way, it won't break.
Are handmade ceramics microwave safe?
Yes. Stoneware is microwave safe as long as there's no metallic element in the glaze - and none of my glazes have any. You can reheat food and drinks in a handmade stoneware mug or bowl without any issue. Just avoid going straight from fridge-cold to microwave - let the piece come to room temperature first.
Can you put handmade ceramics in the oven?
Yes. Stoneware fired to Cone 6 handles the oven and the grill, and I cook on my own plates at home. The only thing to watch is thermal shock, a sudden temperature change in either direction. Don't go from the fridge straight into a hot oven, and don't go from a hot oven straight into a cold sink or the fridge. Let the piece heat up with the oven and cool down on the bench.
How do you care for handmade mugs?
Use them like any other mug, with one habit worth keeping: don't fill a cold mug straight from a boiling kettle. A mug that's just come out of the fridge wants a minute on the bench first, or a splash of warm tap water to take the chill off. That sudden jump in temperature is the only thing that will ever crack a well-fired mug. Handwashing is often recommended to keep the glaze vibrant for longer, but I never handwash mine and it's never seemed to matter.
What is the healthiest dinnerware to use?
Stoneware with food-safe glazes, fired hard enough that the clay body is non-porous. That's what mine is: midfire stoneware fired to Cone 6, so it doesn't absorb anything, and all my glazes are food safe with no metallic elements. Any reputable studio potter in Australia should be using food-safe glazes. If you're ever unsure about a piece from another maker, it's completely fine to ask.