I bought the Icarus set at Bed Bath and Beyond after falling in love with my mom's couple year old set. While I love the looks and especially the weight of the pieces, I'm extremely disappointed.
First thing I noticed out of the box was like some other reports, some of the handles were actually sharp on the back edges. Secondly, on several pieces, the curve between the fork and handle and spoon and handle is very rough almost as rough as the inner portion of the fork tines. I figured that I could live with it since I loved the set otherwise.
Less than a month of use later (including being washed promptly in the dishwasher with regular non citrus/no bleach Cascade) I noticed that not only were the inner fork tines rusting, but several of the knife blades were as well. Closer inspection revealed that nearly all of the pieces with rough surface (spoons, knives and forks) had rust on the rough spots and half of the knives had a spot of rust on the handle in the exactly same spot just underneath the place/date of manufacture stamp.
So why can a 3 week old set be rusting when a couple of years old set look brand new? I realized that beyond the fact that the factory in China that produced my set in June of 08 apparently didn't know what "quality control" meant, the set my mom had was different from mine and others that have had problems.
I asked my mom to see if her set had a date stamp it didn't, but WAS stamped 18/10 Oneida China. I'd assumed (you know what they say about that) that mine was 18/10 and couldn't remember even noting if the box said 18/10 or not, but my set has no 18/10 stamp on the pieces and according to the Oneida US site, the Icarus is now 18/0. Oneida UK still lists the 18/10 Icarus.
While the 18/0 may account for the rust, the other issues are just related to absolutely no quality control and corners being cut in manufacturing. I'm really disappointed in Oneida they used to be a decent brand.
Much has been said about the lack of quality control in this pattern. Complaints have ranged from rough edges to rust. Such complaints weren't limited to Amazon's Web site. To Oneida's credit, the complaints are even more extensive on their Web site. They also stop after February of 2010.
I purchased two, 8 service sets of Icarus from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. The complaints stress the cheap, Chinese manufacture, and the change from using the relatively more expensive 18-10 stainless to the cheaper 18-0. The two numbers refer to the percentage of other metals combined with steel. The first number refers to chromium, the second to nickel. People attribute the rust to the lack of nickel.
I have put my flatware through about 6 bouts in the dishwasher, using Finish Quantum tablets. There is no rust, anywhere. Properly made 18-0 shouldn't rust. I have been watching the fork tines especially like a hawk (and will keep on watching them). Written on the box and imprinted on the flatware itself is the country of origin: Vietnam, not China.
Update 16 December 2010: Flatware has been washed repeatedly with Finish Quantum and Cascade Complete tablets, and there is still no rust or discoloration.
The finish is a smooth polish, with no rough edges. No, it's not mirror smooth, but it's pretty good. The exception is the inside of the fork tines. They are merely ground smooth.
In short, it looks like Oneida had outsourcing trouble, and changed factories.
Here are some comments on the individual items:
Knives: These are a fairly standard size and weight, which makes them seem rather light compared to the forks and spoons. The serrations are more pronounced than any other set I saw. In other words, you could probably cut steak with these.
Large spoons: These are slightly wider than what they replaced, and much deeper. These are true soup spoons. They weigh more than double (99 grams) what they replaced (45 grams). These are thick, strong beasts that will not bend at all if you abuse them. Their ends may have trouble fitting small slots in a dishwasher's silverware basket.
Small spoons: These are a little narrower than what they replaced. They fit a large number of narrow containers. They may be narrow, but they are deep. They are also built solid. You can still scoop hard frozen ice cream with these.
Forks: Big, and massive, like the spoons. They have relatively short, thick tines. They, too, may have trouble fitting the smaller slots of the dishwasher silverware basket.
Salad forks: Petite versions of the dinner fork, but with even more shortened tines. They are still surprisingly heavy, and won't bend.
I like the simple lines and curves of this set, but you will never mistake this stuff for formal dinner ware. This is good quality, virtually indestructible, daily beater ware.
Buy Oneida Icarus 45-Piece Set, Service for 8 Now
I purchased this flatware after an exhaustive search for new everyday stainless. Many of the reviews posted referred to the nice weight and simple styling of the design. All true. However, I should have paid more attention to the couple of reviews discussing rust spots. After the very first wash every grooved piece (forks and knives) were covered in ugly orange rust spots. These were washed in a two year old Fisher & Paykel dishwasher with powder detergent arranged as specified in the manufacturer's care instructions. I spent over an hour using stainless polish to try to remove the spots (it is impossible to remove them completely) and then rewashed only to have the exact same result. These went back pronto! It was a real disappointment from a brand like Oneida. It is clear that there was a defect in the manufacturing process.
Read Best Reviews of Oneida Icarus 45-Piece Set, Service for 8 Here
My fiance and I had a hard time looking for flatware that we both liked. We wanted something simple, elegant, and classic. That's what we found with the Oneida Icarus pattern.
This pattern goes with everything. Given this is our first complete set of flatware, we wanted something that would go with everything. In the future, we can buy a set with more design or one that we want specifically for a table setting (holidays, etc.)
The flatware is a bit larger and heavier than most other sets; it doesn't feel cheap or bendable. This pattern is available at a number of retailers so I would suggest taking a trip to the store to hold, feel, and examine this flatware.
Dishwasher safe, though we've had some problems with spotting but that is probably due to the dishwasher we have. No tarnishing or other marks to speak of.
The set we received as a gift was not from Amazon. Ours included a five piece bonus serving set of two large serving spoons, one large slotted serving spoon, a large serving fork, and a sugar spoon. I do not believe this one contains the same it would be a good idea to contact Amazon or Macy's to find out.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this set based upon its quality and price. It's your own decision whether or not you like the pattern. :)
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I am reviewing these because I was SHOCKED by the one-star reviews. I could see some 4-stars (I will address the rust issue) but there is some real vitriol here that I don't think is warranted.
I bought this set about 1.5 years ago. It is beautiful and washes wonderfully without rust spots. I should note that they will get rust spots (like all other stainless steel utensils and pots and pans and knives) if you use lemon detergent, use too much detergent, and/or pack the silver too tightly. I try to only pack 2-3 pieces per compartment and haven't gotten rust spots. I also like to use the "heated" drying cycle on the dishwasher and it seems to work. Also, don't wash them in a "heavy duty" cycle.
I love the design, it's modern, no hard edges (I agree with the other poster, she MUST have gotten fakes), and it's symmetrical (I'm a lefty, so "righty" (anything unsymmetrical) utensils are awkward). I've received compliments from multiple guests because they feel quite expensive (heavier utensils are a sign of quality--go to a diner if you want paperweight forks). The handles themselves are well-balanced and easy to use if you hold a fork properly. If they fall off of your plate, I suggest re-positioning them closer to the center of the plate.
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I'm a sushi chef and thought I would give this knife a try. It arrived sharp as a razor blade and holds it's edge like other cutlery that I have spent 4 times as much on. For the money, you cant beat it. I will be trying other products made by Mercer.
