Royal Doulton Review

About Royal Doulton

Dinnerware, drinkware, a Gordon Ramsay collection, cute bunny illustrations, and ceramic figurines are all things you can find at Royal Doulton. This iconic English brand has become international because of their premium ceramics.

First off, Royal Doulton has celebs like Ellen DeGeneres on board for their own inspired cookware collections. The company has also been featured in a range of mainstream media, including Forbes, ELLE, Glamour, CNN, Delish, and many more. 

They’re not exactly slacking on socials either: 59k followers on Facebook and 26k on Instagram is nothing to scoff at.

The Royal Doulton Company has earned their regal name since their fine china products have rewarded them with two Royal Warrants. Way before Ellen DeGeneres was endorsing the brand, it was Queen Victoria handing out the praise.

This Royal Doulton review will look at the history of the brand, pros and cons, best-seller products, customer reviews, shipping and returns, and other FAQs to help you decide if their fine ceramics are worth the buy.

Overview of Royal Doulton

This brand is well-established and old — like, two-centuries-ago old. Royal Doulton was founded in 1815 in London. It was, at the time, just one guy trying to make a living with ceramics.

John Doulton is the founder of his self-titled brand. To start his pottery business in Lambeth, London, he invested into it his life savings of £100 (which, if you’re curious, would equal about £9,105 or $12,281 today).

Fun fact: it wasn’t until King Edward VII awarded the brand with a Royal Warrant that they were allowed to use the word “Royal” in their name.

They have a long, impressive history, but today, the brand values sustainability, as they make an effort to use packaging that’s friendlier to Mother Earth. Royal Doulton products are designed in the homeland of England, but they do most of their manufacturing in Indonesia.

Now onto the meatier parts of this Royal Doulton review, starting with a few highlights:

Highlights

• Offers a variety of fine ceramic dinnerware, drinkware, figurines, and gifts
• Positive customer reviews about reliable, solid product quality
• Competitive prices for premium quality
• Strong reputation with celeb collections
• International sites available
• Sustainable packaging
• Established brand with 200 years in the industry

So, that’s basically the highlight reel of the rest of this Royal Doulton review. First, let’s get into the products. We’ll look at a few categories and pick out best-sellers so you can see what the brand supposedly does best.

Royal Doulton Figurines Review

Besides ceramic dinnerware and drinkware, the brand also makes Royal Doulton figurines. These are delicately crafted and it shows in how pretty, yet sturdy, they turn out. Below, this is one example for you to peek at.

Royal Doulton Lucy 2021 Petite of the Year Review

Did you know Royal Doulton has an actual Collectibles collection you can collect? The Lucy, 2021 Petite of the Year is the year’s annual limited-edition figurine.

Little Lucy here is handmade with fine bone china, making it durable without sacrificing appearance. She still looks pretty as ever in a blue, flowy strapless dress. She’s carrying lilac flowers on her arm to match the flowers on her brunette, ponytailed hair.

If you’re thinking of getting Lucy, 2021 Petite of the Year, act while you still can. It’s on sale now for $84, with the regular price of $112.

Royal Doulton Mugs Review

It’s a go-to gift you can always count on: Royal Doulton Mugs. They are just lovable. We don’t know about you, but the urge to buy every cute mug spotted around can be strong…

We had to include this category in this Royal Doulton review since their mugs are no exception. There is plenty to tempt you, but this one customer favorite should hopefully do the trick of showing you what they’re like.

Royal Doulton Joy Mug Review

The Ellen DeGeneres Joy Mug is part of the celeb’s collection. It’s simple, but it’s kind: it’s a white, 16 oz mug with the word “joy” written in black lowercase cursive letters. A grey-and-white polka dot pattern on the bottom half of the cup completes the design.

Made of porcelain, the Joy Mug is easy. It’s dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, and oven-safe up to 212°F. The symbolic message rings clear: joy should not be a high-maintenance task.

If you’re an Ellen fan, you’re in luck with this mug. The design is fairly simple, so it probably matches your kitchen nicely, and it’s also inspired by Ellen’s style and heart.

On sale now for $10, the Ellen DeGeneres Joy Mug typically costs $13.

Royal Doulton Bunnykins Review

The Royal Doulton Bunnykins collection is one of their most iconic, and for good reason: they are undeniably cute and give you a warm and fuzzy, homey feeling. Take a look at this next one to see what we mean.

Royal Doulton Childrens Set Review

The Royal Doulton ​​Childrens Set contains 3 pieces: a plate, bowl, and mug.

Each is adorned with an adorable illustration of bunnies living wholesome domestic lives, with scenes of a bunny family in the kitchen, backyard, and having a picnic.

However, these are just the pieces shown on the site, because each set is unique. Who knows what these bunnies will get up to in your set? Anyway, it’s really quite precious, and the pieces also have little bunnies circling around the edges for an extra touch.

Made of fine bone china, this set is durable. It’s designed for children and toddlers with a smaller size for smaller hands and mouths to feed. Everything is dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe, so go nuts.

Here are the dimensions of each piece in the set:

• Bowl – 5.9 in
• Plate – 7.9 in 
• One-handled mug – 8.5 oz

The Royal Doulton Childrens Set comes in at a cool $65.

Royal Doulton 1815 Signature Review

This collection is won the 2021 Tableware International Award of Excellence for Casual Dinnerware.

What makes this collection special? Well, it’s exactly that: they are special. Each piece is beautified with a hand-poured glaze that makes your plate unique from everyone else’s at the table.

Cool, huh? Award-winning and best-selling, this set is one for the books.

Royal Doulton 12 Piece Dinner Set Review

This casually colorful 12 Piece Dinner Set comes in a few getups: Coral, Pink, Blue, and Green. Take your pick, but know that all of them are white with a hand-poured color accent. 

Made from chip-resistant porcelain, these pieces won’t break on you easily. They get along with dishwashers and microwaves splendidly.

It includes four dinner plates, four salad plates, and four cereal bowls. Altogether, it’s a cohesive set that is eye-catching and something special. 

These are the pieces and dimensions of them:

• 4 dinner plates – 11 in
• 4 salad plates – 9 in
• 4 cereal bowls – 6.3 in

It’s a whole 12-Piece Dinner Set, so it’s priced at $140.

Royal Doulton Gordon Ramsay Maze Review

Ellen isn’t the only celeb to lend her style to Royal Doulton. Gordon Ramsay, the man himself, has a premium collection with the brand. And if you can’t trust Chef Ramsay to ensure the highest quality, who can you trust?

Royal Doulton Gordon Ramsay Maze Taupe 16 Piece Dinner Set Review

The Royal Doulton Gordon Ramsay Maze Taupe 16 Piece Dinner Set features contemporary ceramics that transform your kitchen table into something artful (no offense). The set is styled in taupe with a concentric circle pattern embossed on.

It comes with dinner plates, salad plates, cereal bowls, and mugs — four of each. The construction is durable so you can use them every day without treating them like extra special once-a-decade company plates.

This is only the Taupe glaze, but you can get this set in a few other colors, like White and Dark Grey. The whole set is safe for your dishwasher and your microwave, so don’t fret about that. 

These are the included products and their dimensions:

• 4 dinner plates – 11 in
• 4 salad plates – 8.8 in
• 4 cereal bowls – 7 in and 24 oz 
• 4 mugs – 14 oz

The Gordon Ramsay Maze Taupe 16 Piece Dinner Set is regularly priced at $125 but is currently on sale for only $94 — so add it to the cart ASAP if you want to avoid any Kitchen Nightmares.

Who Is Royal Doulton For? 

From our Royal Doulton review, we found that the brand is for anyone in need or want of ceramics, mostly dinnerware and drinkware. It’s also for you if you’re a fan of Gordon Ramsay or Ellen DeGeneres since they both did product collections with Royal Doulton.

The brand is international. You just have to make sure you’re on the site for your country, and you’re good to go. 

Royal Doulton Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

To elevate this Royal Doulton review and give it a truly fair shot, we have to look at customer reviews. Since there are reviews on the brand site, we will definitely look at those, but to ensure the full picture here, we’ll also head to two external sites, Amazon and Wayfair.

But first: the brand site. Overall, the reviews were pretty stellar. Across the board of categories, most people were satisfied with their Royal Doulton ceramics. 

People especially admired the quality and durability of the stunning china pieces along with the reasonable prices.

One customer speaks to the great customer service, sharing how quickly and happily they replaced a damaged product.

The Children’s Set has great reviews — many that are downright touching. The set is not only “delightful and classy” according to some folks, but it’s also a “family tradition” to pass down these cute sets of ceramics in many families. Take this review for instance:

“Babies for three generations in our family have grown up with Royal Dalton Bunnykins sets and I am so very pleased to continue the tradition for my niece. … thank you for your responsive customer service. More Bunnykins sets are in our future as the family grows.”

Other wholesome reviews like this explain how the set is widely revered:

“This is my ‘Go To’ gift for new babies of family and good friends. A wonderful keepsake that is also useful. Royal Doulton china is excellent quality. The recipients of the Bunnykins three piece china set are always thrilled!”

The consensus is that Royal Doulton china is universally loved because of the solid craftsmanship and classic designs. Here are a few star ratings from the bestsellers we featured in our Royal Doulton review:

• Childrens Set – 4.5/5 stars from 38 ratings
• Gordon Ramsay Maze Taupe 16 Piece Dinner Set – 4.8/5 stars from 5 ratings
• Ellen DeGeneres Joy Mug – 5/5 stars from 3 ratings

Moving onto other reviews on other sites, let’s start with Amazon. Happy news: customers are also very complimentary towards the brand. 

People express strong brand loyalty to Royal Doulton. Many of them have a heartwarming emotional connection to this dinnerware, attaching it to fond family memories. Awwww. Isn’t that sweet?

Besides that, people love the products just for what they are. The Pacific Accent Plates Set of 6, for example, was appreciated for being “just the right size for a muffin, small dessert, single sandwich” and other not-a-meal goodies you’d use dessert plates for.

Bonus: the plates are “light and comfortable to hold” so you’re not carrying around clunky, weighty plates just for a small snack. Customers who bought them confirmed the designs on the plates arrived as expected: “original yet classy,” tasteful but not tacky. 

Other customers focussed on complimenting the brand’s “excellent value for money,” raving about how the brand is fairly affordable considering the craftsmanship and unique designs.

Another product on Amazon is the Ellen DeGeneres Brushed Glaze Soft White 16 Piece Dinner Set, and boy is that a mouthful. But hey, 91 buyers rated it an average of 4.5/5 stars.

According to customers, the set is simple and stunning, seemingly very durable, and they strike a nice balance between good presentation and useability. This customer explains they are sturdier than you’d think:

“I was a little hesitant about their durability when I first saw them. They are much more slim/thin in appearance giving the look of possibly being fragile. I am pleased to report they have held up well over the 1st three months of use. No issues and they have been tested well.”

Overall, customers are saying these dishes exceeded expectations for, you know, dishes. 

Lastly, let’s look at reviews on Wayfair.com. Once again, most customers were satisfied or more than satisfied with the product quality, durability, and classy looks.

The Gordon Ramsay Maze 16 Piece Dinnerware Set has 1,361 reviews, averaging a 4.8/5 star rating.

Customers were very impressed with the quality of the set and the beautiful look of them when you set the table. They say the dinnerware has a surprisingly versatile theme: “The overall look is perfect for everyday but also could be dressed up for company.”

The Pacific 6 Piece Appetizer Plate Set also had 4.8/5 stars, this time from 89 reviews. One thing many customers love most about the set is its unique design of “eclectic blue patterns.” 

One testimonial swears, “We use these for every day eating and never tire of the patterns. Very pretty and sturdy.”

On all review sources we have looked at, Royal Doulton reigns and rules. Customers consistently like and love their stuff, really emphasizing the high quality and unique, beautiful designs you can’t get anywhere else (or in some cases in any other set besides yours).

Is Royal Doulton Worth It?

Now that we’re coming to the close of this Royal Doulton review, what’s to be said? We think they are worth it. 

The consistently positive customer reviews tell a promising story of high-quality, various products and kind, helpful customer service.

Buyers also really appreciate how unique, creative, and truly original the designs are. There are many to choose from, but they cover a great range from contemporary to classy, casual, kid-friendly, simple, and vibrantly colorful.

A real highlight from their inventory is the Royal Doulton 1815 Signature collection, which gives you one-of-a-kind designs with gorgeous hand-poured glazes. Plus, the celebrity dinnerware collections — who doesn’t want Chef Ramsay’s approval of their plates and bowls? Exactly.

Though it makes premium-quality ceramics, Royal Doulton still aims for reasonable prices. Since the materials are durable, we say the brand is very much worth it. Invest in nice dinnerware that you’ll keep for years and years of memories to come, we hope.

Royal Doulton Promotions & Discounts 

Care for some money-saving promos?  

• Sign up for the newsletter for 10% off Ellen Degeneres and Gordon Ramsay collections
• Spring sale on right now: 2o% off select items

That’s it for right now, but you can follow them on their socials to keep up with the latest deals.

Where to Buy Royal Doulton 

You can buy Royal Doulton from a few places:

• RoyalDoulton.com
• Amazon
• William Ashley
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Best Buy

Also, check out local stores if you want to skip the shipping times.

FAQ

Where are Royal Doulton ceramics made?

Our Royal Doulton review found that the brand makes its ceramics in Indonesia mostly but also the England headquarters.

What is Royal Doulton’s Shipping Policy?

For shipping to the US, here are the shipping times and delivery fees:

• Ups Ground (3-8 business days) – $15
• Ups 3-Day Select (3 business days) – $20
• Ups 2nd Day Air (2 business days) – $25
• Ups Next Day Air (1 business day) – $40

Royal Doulton ships all orders from Wall, New Jersey.

What is Royal Doulton’s Return Policy?

As far as returns go, you have 30 days from purchase to send it on back. You do have to pay for returns though, and shipping is non-refundable.

How to Contact Royal Doulton

Now that you’ve finished this Royal Doulton review, what if you have further questions? Customer service works Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 4:45 pm EST.

You can contact them through these methods:

• Phone 877-720-3487
• Email [email protected]
• Fill out the Contact Form on their website

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