Around 12 cm for sauces and nuts, 16 to 18 cm for soup and breakfast, and from 25 cm as a serving bowl for the table. Three sizes cover almost everything a kitchen does; anything beyond that is refinement rather than necessity.
Sizes and what they actually hold
| Diameter | Volume | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 10-12 cm | 150-250 ml | Sauces, dips, nuts, olives |
| 14-16 cm | 400-600 ml | Breakfast, yoghurt, side dishes |
| 18-20 cm | 700-900 ml | Soup, pasta, a full meal bowl |
| 25-30 cm | 2-3 litres | Salad and serving for four to six |
For six or more guests, two bowls of 25 cm work better than one of 35 cm: they can travel round the table in both directions and they fit in a normal cupboard.
Microwave and dishwasher
Glazed ceramic without metallic decoration works in the microwave. Anything with a gold or silver rim never does, because the metal sparks. In the dishwasher, plain glazed pieces are fine, but hand-painted bowls keep their colour longer if you wash them by hand.
Stacking without damage
Bowls from the same range stack neatly, but glaze against glaze scratches over time. A cloth or felt pad between them costs nothing and keeps a set looking new for years. Do not stack more than four deep; the weight is what causes chips at the rim.
Why yours will not match exactly
Many of our bowls are glazed by hand, so small differences in colour and sheen come with the technique. If you order more from the same range later, expect a slight variation rather than an exact match - that is the trade-off for handmade, and it is why a shelf of them looks alive rather than printed.
Combine with plates from the same range and a serving bowl or tray for the middle of the table.
By Meike van Dongen · Veem, Amsterdam · 24 August 2026