Dollar Tree's $1.50 Porcelain Plates Are An Affordable Pottery Barn Alternative

While many associate Dollar Tree with snacks and novelty items, consumers are increasingly awakening to the retailer's homeware gems. Whether it's an elegant holiday tray, wholesome personalized sign, or adjustable paper towel holder, Dollar Tree's full of affordable kitchen decor finds to make your space more stylish and functional. And such cheerful yet cost-effective treasures even include tableware, too.

For only $1.50 a pop, you can grab a Blue Porcelain Plate, which is 7.5 inches in diameter and features a truly eye-catching iris-like pattern. The design's strongly reminiscent of a nearly identical 8-inch salad plate, which comes in Pottery Barn's Nico Stoneware Reactive Glaze 12-Piece Dinnerware Set. The latter's coloring is a tad more striking, with intricate interior patterns. However, Dollar Tree's plate would still look fantastic on a dining table — especially when accounting for Pottery Barn's much steeper $129 price tag.

Both plates are 1 inch thick and have a lightly curved edge, making them functional for lightly saucy foods. By way of their diameter, they're not quite big enough for an entree, instead delineated into the salad plate category. However, you can certainly serve appetizers, light meals, and desserts on them, too — making these plates quite a versatile purchase.

With the Pottery Barn plate being several times more expensive than Dollar Tree's version, it's natural some characteristics set it apart from the more budget-friendly find. So to manage your expectations, consider the distinctions. For starters, Pottery Barn's Nico Stoneware plate offerings only come as a 12-piece set: You get four dinner plates, bowls, and salad plates. Meanwhile, Dollar Tree also sells a Blue Porcelain Bowl as well as a Royal Norfolk Blue Burst Dinner Plate standalone, letting you build out your dishware needs on your own accord.

Furthermore, the two plates differ in material. In contrast to Dollar Tree's porcelain design, the Pottery Barn plates are stoneware. Such an extra rigid composition benefits with added durability — and a smaller risk of chipping — but porcelain fares well with sturdiness, too. When carefully handled, you can still expect Dollar Tree's plates to be scratch resistant. The two distinct materials also lead to a slightly varied feel. Porcelain's lighter in weight, and comes with a glassy finish. Meanwhile, the Pottery Barn plates' glaze still imbues shininess, but the material lends a heftier feel. With either purchase, you won't be disappointed — but Dollar Tree's price tag certainly entices.