If you are asking about tableware, and I believe you are, here is a rundown of available products in each categorie.
Plastic:
Plastic can be divided into two categories, soft plastic, and thermo-setting plastic. Soft plastics are used for drinking vessels, plates, cutlery, forks, spoons, and sporks. They are sometimes neutral and add no flavor to food and drink, while some varieties will give off a plastic flavor. A shoochild in Minnesota did a science experiment with plastics and found (with the help of some prestigeous laboratories) that soft plastics often leach harmful chemicals into foods, especially hot foods. Soft plastics also melt at fairly low temperatures. I personally avoid soft plastics made for food.
Bakelight is an example of a thermo-setting plastic, as is merimac. These platics are set, or hardened with heat. The plastic handles on most pans, especially those made through the 60's & 70's are made with bakelight. It is hard, and will withstand oven temperatures up to about 400 degrees. It is stable and doesn't give off chemicals to the foods. Its downside is that it is more brittle and can break, though it is more resistant to breakage than is glass. It also doesn't do well in the micro-wave as the radiant energy will heat the thermo-plastic beyond safe temperatures and cause it to catastrophically fail. I learned that the hard way nad have several merimac plates with chips in them. But for normal dinner use, thermoplastics are safe, rugged, cheap, and colorful.
Glass: for this post, I will divide glass into three useful categories, stoneware, tempered glass, and ceramic.
Stoneware is basically fired clay, or ceramic. Depending on the brand and manufacturing process, it can be very rugged, or pretty fragile. You get what you pay for. It works in the microwave, and is inert, that is, doesn't react with any type of food. It is often colorful and festive, and is inexpensive. But it tends to be fairly heavy.
Ceramic dinnerware can come in the form of fine china, or in the inexpensive Corell type plates. The Corningware products, including Corell, are heat tempured and very rugged, despite light weight and thin dimensions. They are colorful, inert to foods, microwave and dishwater safe, and are a great bet for everyday service.
China is delicate, fragile, is not a good choice for the microwave as it may have metal on its edges, etc. It is rich looking, and should be used for special occasions. It requires gentle care.
Metal: Metal dinnerware includes aluminum, usually used in camping cookware, and steel. The steel is usually painted, or dyed, and can give an off-taste to foods. It is stain and rust resistant and very rugged. It is also hard to find nowadays. Drinking tumblers used to be made from steel and from aluminum. I had a neighbor freind whose parents had those brightly collored tumblers. I avoided drinking water at that house as the water piced up a very metallic taste from the metal. I detested those drinking vessels.
Aluminum is quite reactive to acidic and alkaline foods, and easily gives up metallic ions in those environments. It is also soft and can be easily scratched, and dented. Save it for camping trips.
And there's my short synopsis on the pro's and cons of glass, plastic, and metal tableware. Hope it helps. Oh, and I know Michael can add to this, or help clarify, as can GB and several others who frequent DC.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
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