Bed Bath & Beyond Review: China Dinnerware Stores

Bed Bath and Beyond: the name used to be synonymous with malls, frequent blue-and-white coupons in the mail, and everything you could want for your, well, bed, bath, or beyond. And now? You probably already know that they went out of business, but did you know that they were scooped up by Overstock?

Bed Bath and Beyond on the surface, Overstock underneath

That's really essential for your understanding of what you'll get when you shop for china dinnerware on the new-and-improved BB and B website: the selection is going to look like what you're used to with Overstock, and the overall shopping experience will be the same, including a lack of in-person options. (In other words, you won't be able to buy online and pick up from or make returns to a retail location - because there aren't any.)

No shortage of options for dinnerware

Now that that's out of the way, let's take a peek at what you'll have to choose from for china here. When you go to the fine china category at Bed Bath and Beyond, you'll discover upwards of 300 options. Most are sold in sets, but you'll also see plenty of one-off purchases (like a Christmas bowl or dog-themed cup and saucer pairing).

20brands to choose from

There were about 20 brands to choose from - including high-end names like Wedgwood and more budget-oriented like Mikasa - but if BB and B is going to follow the Overstock model, we'd guess that such a list could expand (or contract) at any time, depending on what the retailer has sourced recently. And, if a set is what you're looking for, we suggest using the filters to choose either "Dinnerware Sets" or "Formal Dinnerware Sets', depending on your tastes.

Complete sets and single place settings available

Within the Dinnerware Sets category, Bed Bath and Beyond has a pleasing mix of both single place settings and complete service for a specified number of people. We appreciate having that flexibility: maybe you plan on regularly serving meals to an odd number of guests, so why be forced into a big set with more than you need? The most affordable 5-piece place setting at the time of our visit was the STP Goods Morris Garden for $36.49, with four other patterns still under $40. Moving onto 3-piece china dinnerware service for 4, BB and B was offering seven different Mikasa styles (all in white or off-white) for under $90.

Luxe china dinnerware also on offer

On the luxury end of the spectrum, we found several styles by Karaca with service for 12, typically priced around $900. But, there was an exceptionally good sale on the Karaca Azure Garden Bone China Dinnerware Set of 60 for 12, discounted to just $561.92. Royal Albert, Wedgwood, and Vera Wang dishes also grace the upper echelon of BB and B's china dinnerware selection.

More details, please

While most china at Bed Bath and Beyond doesn't have customer ratings to consider, the Royal Albert Old Country Roses 12-piece Dinnerware Set had more than 50 reviews during our recent visit to the site. We like being able to see those, because the details for the dinnerware here can be a bit scant for our liking. You'll get the basics, like how many dishes are in the set and whether or not they're dishwasher-safe, but not other info like plate dimensions or cup capacity.

Some ups and downs while browsing

Some of the site design at Bed Bath and Beyond can be hit or miss when you're shopping. For example, we love that on any given china dinnerware item, you can enter your zip code to see an estimated delivery date. That's perfect if you're trying to time it just right as a wedding gift, or if you've got a big dinner coming up and want to have everything just so. On the other hand, there's a long scroll to see all of the various suggested items and other BB and B products, and there isn't a section that strictly features the complementary products to the china pattern you're considering.

Free shipping, 30-day returns

On the positive side, Bed Bath and Beyond offers free shipping on all orders in the continental US. It's not free if you need to make a return, though: you've got 30 days from the delivery date to initiate the process, the shipping cost is on you (no preprinted label and a deduction from your refund amount here), and your china has to arrive at BB and B within 45 days of when you received it.

Too soon to tell

We're a little hesitant to give Bed Bath and Beyond our most enthusiastic recommendation. If we're being completely frank, the BB and B-Overstock handoff and rebranding (after BB and B very publicly went bankrupt and closed down its brick-and-mortar presence) has us feeling a little guarded with our wallets. We really liked Overstock the way that it was, and we'd probably feel more secure after the dust has had time to settle a little further. Plus, when you look at customer feedback now, it'll be hard to tell: was it before the merger/buy-out? After? Will it trend upward or downward in the future, as everything shakes out?

You may want to wait

Could you get the china dinnerware of your dreams at Bed Bath and Beyond? Sure. Should you? The jury's still out on that one. If you spot the perfect pattern and it's not available anywhere else, go for it. Otherwise, it might be smarter for the near future to get it from a retailer whose recent past isn't quite so rocky.

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On the Bed Bath & Beyond website