Dinnerware Quality & Care

Yes, our dinnerware may be used in the microwave or oven, with special care. As a rule of thumb, our ceramics are best suited for serving—not cooking—but we know a little adaptability in the kitchen is important. If using in an oven or microwave, avoid shocking the temperature of your ceramics from hot to cold, or vice versa.

For oven use, place your ceramic piece in a room-temperature oven and bring it up to temperature with the oven, no higher than 350°F. Never place a ceramic piece directly into a hot, pre-heated oven or it may crack from temperature shock. Once out of the oven, allow your ceramic piece to cool gradually.

For microwave use, our dinnerware is safe for reheating food or beverages, but only for short durations—ideally 2 to 3 minutes or less. Please avoid microwaving pieces directly from the refrigerator, as sudden temperature changes can cause damage. Never microwave empty dinnerware. We do not recommend using our pieces for prolonged heating, defrosting, or cooking in the microwave, as this can cause them to get too hot, become unsafe to handle, or even break.

No. Heath dinnerware, including teapots, is not for stovetop use or use with an open flame.

Yes, with some consideration. For dishwasher use, we recommend gentle, environmentally-friendly detergents such as 7th Generation, Mrs. Meyers, Field Day, Method or Planet Dishwashing Detergent. Avoid more acidic and abrasive detergents, which can cause unnecessary wear on some of our glazes.

Additionally, we caution against using any rinse aids or finishing aids with your ceramics. There are a few gentler rinse aids such as 7th Generation and Ecover, but ultimately rinse aids may damage our glazes. If you absolutely must use a rinse aid for your glassware and flatware, we suggest splitting your ceramics into a separate dishwasher load that can be run without a rinse aid.

Finally, when loading your dishwasher, always be sure to rinse first and make sure not to overload or allow plates to touch. You may also want to wash on a gentle or China cycle for a shorter wash time, less intense pressure, and lower heat.

Staining sometimes occurs if food, especially something acidic, is stored too long in Heath products. It’s best to remember that Heath pieces are for serving—not storage.

Some of our dinnerware—like pieces in our Rim Line—boast a gorgeous edge of exposed clay, which can show oil stains when you start using your dinnerware. With normal, continued use, the patina will evolve evenly, and, as it deepens, the surface smooths out. To hasten the natural patina, you can “season” your rim by rubbing a small amount of olive oil into the exposed clay with your fingertip. Any oil staining does not affect the functionality or safety of the products.

When cleaning pieces with large areas of unglazed clay we recommend hand washing only. Avoid fully submerging these pieces and use gentle, environmentally-friendly detergents. Do not use any abrasive powder cleaners on unglazed clay. Doing so could leave a white residue that will be difficult to remove.

We think the patina that develops over years of use is one of the best parts of Heathware; read more about our philosophy on aging well here.

When it comes to flatware marks, both the quality of your flatware and the characteristics of your chosen glaze are factors.

We recommend using high-quality stainless steel flatware (grades 18/8 and 18/10) with our ceramics. Softer stainless steels (e.g., 18/0) tend to transfer more visibly. Harder stainless steels (like those typically used in knives) may be less likely to leave marks, but can scratch and/or damage glazes if used forcefully—please take caution. Sterling silver and silver-plated flatware may cause irreversible marking and are not recommended.

Glaze choice is another important factor to consider. Smooth, glossy glazes (like Tartine Teal) tend to be more resistant to visible metal residue, while textured, glossy glazes (like Opaque White) and matte glazes (like Indigo Slate) are generally more susceptible. See our guide to glaze finish and texture for more information about our ceramic finishes.

To remove or minimize flatware marks, we generally recommend a non-abrasive, pH-neutral cleaning product like Mrs. Meyer’s Baking Soda Cream Cleaner. For our Redwood glaze and vintage Heath dinnerware, we recommend a gentler product such as SoftScrub®. Please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for best results.

We warranty our first-quality ceramic products for up to one year from purchase for proven manufacturing defects. If you encounter an issue with your Heathware, please email or call Customer Service with details and we’ll help resolve the issue.

Please note that patina resulting from usage (flatware marks, food stains, etc.), chips and breakage (as a result of thermal shock, impact, etc.), and second-quality products are not covered by warranty.

Visit our Quality and Care page for more information about caring for your Heath. Visit our Product Safety page to learn about our safety standards.

We do not use lead as a glaze ingredient. Since every piece of dinnerware — from clay to kiln — is made in our factory right here in Sausalito, we know our materials and where they come from.

We use rigorous third-party testing to ensure the safety of our ceramic products. In fact, we not only meet, but exceed both US and California safety standards for food use.

To learn more about Product Safety for our ceramic products and view individual product certificates, you can read more here.

We proudly handcraft our ceramics in a way that’s uniquely Heath. Our materials and process result in natural variation from piece to piece, including irregularities in glaze color, texture, and finish — and that’s something we celebrate.

We feel that these characteristics are in no way considered flaws and only add to the one-of-a-kind beauty of our products. Each piece is carefully inspected to ensure that it lives up to our high standards of quality as well as those our customers have come to expect from Heath Ceramics.