If you can afford to pick up Williams Sonoma dishes --they do very well. I have a couple of sets of everyday dishes. One set is a blend of whites. Some from Denby (real Denby really holds up well in the microwave and dishwasher. It freezes and bakes as well) and you can get it at Macy's quite often on good sale days. I just pick pieces up as I need them when they're on sale. The Williams Sonoma white dishes are equally good, but you have to go online and keep checking in at the stores to get sales. I've had trouble with Pottery Barn pieces crazing and going bad in the dishwasher. My Johnson Brothers set does well also. I've never had a problem with them either.
I would stay away from knock offs, unless you want to replace often.

I love my Denby. It is expensive but it really holds up great and looks good too. A joy to use. I've had mine for nearly 14 years.

Be careful about stoneware that says it is microwave safe- some of it is, but only at low temperatures, not at the 'hi' setting that most people employ. Be sure that it is stoneware, not earthenware, which will not stand up to microwaving well.

You might check out Penney's selection. They have lots of choices, and I believe free shipping at the moment.

Restaurant quality is awesome, the price is higher, but they last long imo.

I didn't know to read the labels carefully - had a pretty set in my hands, saw the words, 'earthenware' and put the set back!

Any thoughts on Portmeirion? I saw a pattern, Sofie Coran or something like that - weird shaped bowls, but supposed super tough (freezer to oven to table). They also carry a fun pattern, Crazy Daisy. Not quite as tough, I don't think, but still freezer to oven to table (just not 500 degree oven!)

I have some current Denby, which I was reserving for 'good' china (actually, the pattern is a bit ho-hum, maybe that's why I've kept it aside) - if I can find it admist all of our boxes (we're moving), I will toss it in the microwave and set if it becomes piping hot (while the soup is not!).

I've also learnt, on the web, to not let my dishes stand in water. Interesting!

Thanks for the post and responses! I was online last night looking for exact same thing. I'll try some of the suggestions. Tired of getting burned fingers with cold contents.

Like other posters, I love white dishes for my everyday china. I finally gave what was left of my original set of Mikasa to Goodwill - the pattern had been discontinued, and most of the dinner plates had chipped or broken. I searched for a long time to find another pattern that was true white (not grey or cream) with a traditional design. I also wanted pieces that were thin enough to be stacked in my limited cabinet space. (Some dishes are so thick that they took up too much space when stacked.) I finally decided on another Mikasa pattern called Antique White. It is freezer and microwave safe and is holding up beautifully after two years of daily use. I bought mine at Macy's, but I think you can find it on Amazon, too. Have fun with your search!

I need very lightweight dishes for everyday. I've had Corelle plain white for about 10 years now and it's held up just fine.

I did my self a huge favor a few months ago. When we remodeled the kitchen in 02, I bought 3 sets of new stoneware dishes that were better suited for my new kitchen. I've struggled with those heavy things for 6.5 years. They were heavy, took up too much space in the dishwasher and too much space in the cabinets. They all had chips in them from hitting them on the edges of the granite counter, not to mention the ones I'd broke. In Nov, I moved all that out of the kitchen and bought 12 of everything in the white Corelle line. Purchased them separately because I didn't want the cups and saucers. Soooooo much happier. I can get more in the dw and can unload it faster and the entire set fits on two rows of my cabinet.
Monica

I've also been looking for new everyday dishes... I have had Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose for approx 14 yrs.. I know there are mixed reviews on Pflatzgraff but except for a few dinner plates that have chipped, it has served us well.. I really like that you can replace pieces easily and there are so many accessory pieces available.. I was just looking on their website and I am thinking about the pattern 'Weir in you kitchen'.. I'll add the link below... it does say 'freezer, oven (up to 325degrees), microwave and dishwasher safe'.. and it comes in 4 different trim colors... have fun with your search!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Weir In Your Kitchen

I have had Corelle for 36+ years - I think 3 or 4 different sets. After searching and searching, I purchased the Mikasa Antique White. It just arrived and is still in the box. Gilmoregal, I am so glad that you like it! I want it for everyday. I am just tired of Corelle after all of these years. I hope to accessorize with different colors - probably many shopping trips!!
I will probably still keep a few pieces of Corelle around. It cannot be beat for durability, stacking, etc. It is the best! -- I am just tired of it and need a change.

A few years back I searched hard for some white dinnerware that was just a medium thickness and would be versatile and hold up well. I chose Mikasa English Countryside. It's white and has a raised basketweave, floral, and grape design around the edges. 8 or so years later I still love them and we use them daily in the microwave and dishwasher. They've held up very well.

I love Casafina....my favorite is the Vintage Port line. not only can it go into the microwave..but also freezer to oven and of course the dishwasher. I enjoy mixing the square and round shapes.

mimi, I had English Countryside for several years, and the dinner plates chipped like crazy. I finally bought Villeroy and Boch Audun. I have had no chipping, and it sems fine in the microwave.

mom2girls, I love the Weir pattern! I hadn't thought of Pfatzgraf in years until I happened to see the Pistoulet teapot last month, and fell in love. I ordered the large one from Amazon. They sent the small one by mistake, and when I called them, they shipped the large and told me not to bother shipping the small one back. So now I have both.

I love the look of the Weir too! I reminds me of a set of mixing bowls that my mum used to have. I especially like the tabs/handles on the soup bowl. I may be looking at a winner - thanks!

I've been very happy with my Portmeirion dishes. I have the Botanic Garden pattern.

I'm with several of the other posters - white Corelle!

I had Pfaltzgraff when I first got married but it was so heavy and thick and chipped over the years. My MIL had these plain white Corelle dishes that were so easy to unload from the dishwasher and stacked so nice - and were so inexpensive!

I had two little ones at the time and didn't want expensive dishes. Fast forward 15+ years and I have the same dishes. I found an outlet store that carries all the different sizes and have all kinds of differnt sized bowls for serving dishes, they also are great for when I have a large salad for lunch.

Basically the variety of sizes that corelle white comes in has kept me from buying a different set. I like the little bowls for small servings, the large bowls for salads, the cereal bowls are perfect for ice cream. They're just not real exciting.

Does anyone know of another line of dishes that offers a large variety of dish sizes? Most I've seen only have the dinner plate, a cereal bowl, a salad plate, a bread plate and a cup and saucer.

I do love the Villeroy and Boch sets and the Portmeirion, but I'm going to wait until my boys are all gone before I spend that much on dinnerware.

About four years ago I purchased for my daughter American Atelier's Athena dinnerware. Just last evening I saw that they can be purchased at "O". These proved very dissappointing. Even though they're touted as ironstone, I always thought ironstone to be hard and durable, but this was not the case. They chipped easily and once while microwaving, one dish cracked. They are also oversized to an unwildly proportion. Since, she's replaced them with Canopy from Target. The Canopy line is normally sized and because they're high fired there's a greater resistance to chipping. They're unadorned, but a much more practical choice.

Crumb! the Weir soup bowls in Fennel don't seem to be available.

Interestingly, my DH managed to break one of my parents' Portmeirion dishes, when he dropped it on their vinyl floor. I was surprised at the replacement cost ($$). And at our place, we have tile. Hmm. I'm also concerned about new dishes and my new enamel sink - I'd prefer neither to get chipped!

Chloesmom-
I had a set of portmeirion for 8 years and they were fabulous. They held up well in the microwave, and the gratin dishes were great for oven to table. I absolutely loved them, however my DH hated them because they were yellow wit purple leaves and somehow he felt his manliness was compromised by eating off such feminine dishes. I was tired of hearing him so I sold them on ebay. Now I have a very inexpensive set from JC Penney's, plain white basketweave, a knock off of Wedgewood basketweave. I've had them for 1 year and so far they have held up surprisingly well, especially for the price!

You all made me go check and see what my set is. We have had it 25 years, Noritake Painted Desert stoneware. When we got married I really didn't want stoneware, I grew up with corelle. But after 25 years we have only lost a few pieces.

After just looking it up, discontinued in 1992, it is considered 'heriloom'. I didn't realize!

I love dishes, have had zillions of sets from estate sales, inheritance, thrift stores, etc. I get bored easily, I guess.
I bought a nice set of French pottery from Anthropologie for about $2.00 a plate--the type that look like they might advertise some bistro someplace. And I have Emile Henry, which coordinates, and is a tich heavy, but very rugged, nice looking and comes in a lot of variations.

Life is too short to eat off dishes that don't inspire you. I had Corelle right out of college, and it's the polyester of plates for me.

I have fallen in love and ordered Villeroy and Boch's My Garden - 8 dinner plates, 8 salad plates, 8 (rice bowls, I think - very cute shape) and 8 of the mugs. I am hoping to intersperse it with the Pfaltzgraff Weir (in Fennel) for serveware and for other fun pieces, like the ramekins etc.

I showed my DH the photo of the Villeroy and Boch on-line. He seemed highly unimpressed. I responded with ideefixe's point about life being too short to eat off of dishes that don't inspire, and also pointed out that he had said, only yesterday, who cares what our everyday dishes look like, only we see them. That sealed it for me.

Here's a link to the pattern that I chose:

Here is a link that might be useful: Villeroy and Boch My Garden

My personal favorite is Longaberger pottery. In fact, it's the reason I signed up to be a consultant--so I could get the dishes at a discount. (I'm not advertising here...just being honest.) I have had my pottery for 12 years and do not have a single chip. I did break a plate once--but it was when I was coming home from doing a show and it dropped on my garage floor! It goes from freezer, microwave, oven and dishwasher safe. And...it cleans up like a dream! A new line of pottery has joined the line as well. It's simply stunning!