Melamine, plastic or porcelain: choosing a serving tray

The material decides where a tray can be used far more than the price does.

What a tray is doing

Carrying, presenting and clearing. Most trays do two of the three well and one badly, and knowing which is which saves buying twice.

A tray that looks beautiful and has no lip is a presenting tray, not a carrying one.

Melamine

Light, hard-wearing, dishwasher safe and available in patterns that porcelain cannot match. It is the practical choice for outdoor and family use.

It is not oven or microwave safe, and it will scratch under a knife.

Plastic and polypropylene

The workhorse. Non-slip surfaces, stackable, and cheap enough to own several. This is what actually gets used daily in a busy kitchen.

It looks like what it is, which is fine in the kitchen and less so on the table.

Porcelain and ceramic

Heavy, cool, and the best-looking option for a table setting. The weight is a genuine consideration when carrying it loaded.

Best for presenting on the table rather than carrying from a distant kitchen.

Wood

Warm and quiet, ideal for grazing and cheese. Needs oiling and hand washing, and will mark if used for anything wet for long.

Acacia is the common choice because it is dense and takes a finish well.

Handles and lips

Handles matter more than people think once a tray is loaded. A raised lip is what stops a glass leaving the tray on a turn.

For carrying drinks, non-slip surface plus a lip is the combination to look for.

Sizing to the job

A 12 by 16 tray covers most carrying tasks. Anything larger becomes awkward through a doorway once it is full.

Two medium trays are almost always more useful than one large one.

Where this sits in the shop

Varick’s Market Place groups its range into 6 sections, so it is usually quicker to start from the group than to scroll the whole shop. These are the ones with stock on the shelf right now:

Serving Trays — 7 items
Outdoor and Party — 3 items
Tiered Stands — 3 items
Decorative Trays — 3 items
Charcuterie Boards — 2 items
Lazy Susans — 1 item

If none of those is obviously right, the full shop lists everything on one page.

Four products that show the range

The least expensive way in: VCREATC Small Black Rectangular Tray, 8.1″ x 4.1″ Plastic Organizer at $7.88. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

A step up from the basics: UP Red Coral Melamine Serving Tray, 15″ Rectangular Platter for Entertaining at $18.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

A middle-of-the-range option: Gibson Home Gracious Dining 3-Tier Rectangle White & Gold Serving Set at $29.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

The most substantial option: Vercraft 40″ x 40″ Square Black HDPE Picnic Table with 8 Cup Holders at $97.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

Questions that come up with this

Are you open at unusual hours?
The counter runs Mon–Sun: 6:00 AM–12:00 AM at 80 Varick St, New York, NY 10013. Online orders can be placed at any time.

How soon does an order ship?
Within one to two business days, then two to five business days in transit inside the United States.

What is carriage?
A flat $8.49 per order, and nothing from $65.00 upward.

The FAQ page covers the rest.

What it costs

Across the 19 items currently listed, prices run from $7.88 to $97.99, with the middle of the range around $24.99. That spread is worth knowing before you start comparing, because the cheapest and dearest options here are usually not the same kind of product at all.

Shipping is a flat $7.99 per order and free once the order reaches $65.00, which is set out in full on the Shipping Policy page.

Coming in instead

Varick’s Market Place is at 80 Varick St, New York, NY 10013, open Mon–Sun: 6:00 AM–12:00 AM. If you would rather look at something before buying it, call +1 212-547-8754 and we will put it aside for you.

Anything already ordered can be followed on the order tracking page.

In short

The material decides where a tray can be used far more than the price does. If you want to talk it through rather than read about it, +1 212-547-8754 reaches the shop during opening hours, and the contact page has everything else.