I'm getting ready to order an 18" square plateau, but I am confused about which metal is best choice between silver plated or nickel plated over brass (silver shiny look), or an aluminum plateau. I would prefer not to polish it! Also, I am concerned about it withstanding the weight of heavy cakes. I want one that looks like silver but will last for a while. Would one type be stronger than the others, so that the feet won't buckle under heavy cakes?

I have 2 plateaus. One is a silver plated square one, the other is a round aluminum one. You can see both of them in my gallery. the square one is used on a 2 tier blue cake with a little gumpaste figure on top, the other is for a wedding cake. Anyway...i love the look of the silver plated one, but there is the issue of keeping it polished and if you get stray icing on it, cleaning it off without it looking streaky. The aluminum one is nice and lightweight and seems to be really strong. I haven't had any issues with it strength wise, and that was a pretty heavy 4 tier cake sitting on it. I know what you mean about worrying if those little feet might break off. I actually saw that happen on one of those cake shows, but it was a really big cake too. I do like the ease of the aluminum, even though i actually like the look of the silver one a little better. But when it's used on a big wedding cake, it's only secondary anyway....just adding to the effect. People aren't really studying the plateau. They are too busy looking at your cake.[/list]

I have a silver-plated one. It does tarnish. I polish it with toothpaste. It doesn't take much to get the job done.

The one I have is 18" round with three feet. It buckles under the weight of heavy cakes. I have a piece of wood cut to the exact height it needs to support it, and painted silver. That goes under the middle of it before the cake goes on. It doesn't show. A cake dummy wrapped with foil would probably work just as well for support underneath the plateau.

Hope that helps

oooooohhhhh....i like your idea of a support under it Texas-Rose!! I'll have to do that!

Thanks for the info CFPeoples and TExas-Rose. Great info.
Does anyone know anything about the nickel plated ones?