What Is Nice Class 21?
Nice Class 21 is the trademark classification for household and kitchen utensils, cookware, and glassware. It covers the non-electric tools of the kitchen and home: pots, pans, and cookware; dishes, plates, bowls, and serveware; glasses, mugs, and drinkware; cooking utensils; storage containers; cleaning tools like brooms and brushes; and small household articles made of glass, porcelain, and earthenware. It is the housewares-aisle class.
The defining feature of Class 21 is that it is the non-powered household class. The moment a household item has a motor or significant electronics, it usually leaves Class 21 for Class 7 (machines) or Class 11 (appliances). A manual whisk is Class 21; an electric mixer is Class 7. That powered-versus-manual line is the key to filing correctly.
What Class 21 Covers
- Cookware: pots, pans, baking dishes, and roasting trays
- Dishes, plates, bowls, and serveware
- Glassware, mugs, cups, and drinkware (including insulated tumblers and bottles)
- Non-electric kitchen utensils: spatulas, whisks, ladles, and graters
- Food-storage containers and lunch boxes
- Cleaning tools: brooms, brushes, mops, and sponges
- Combs, toothbrushes, and small personal-care implements
- Articles of glass, porcelain, and earthenware not in other classes
Exclusions: motorized appliances (blenders, food processors) are Class 7; cooking appliances and refrigerators are Class 11; furniture is Class 20; and cutlery and knives are Class 8. The same "kitchen" can span four classes depending on whether an item is powered, structural, or a blade.
Boundary note: Insulated bottles and tumblers — the category Yeti and Stanley made famous — are Class 21 drinkware. Their distinctive shapes have become valuable brand assets, which is why product-shape and trade-dress protection matters so much in this class.
Product Shape and Trade Dress
Housewares is a category where the shape of the product often carries the brand. A signature tumbler silhouette, a recognizable bottle, or a distinctive cookware design can become a source identifier in its own right. Where such a shape is non-functional and has acquired distinctiveness, it can be protected as trade dress beyond the name on the label — important in a class where copycats reproduce popular designs quickly. Our guide to trade dress protection explains how this works and what evidence it requires.
Notable Brands in Class 21
- Tupperware — food-storage containers, a brand so dominant it nearly became generic
- Pyrex — glass cookware and bakeware, a heritage Class 21 name
- OXO — kitchen utensils and tools known for distinctive ergonomic design
- Yeti and Stanley — insulated drinkware whose product shapes are core brand assets
Pairing Class 21 With Other Classes
- Class 21 + Class 20: for home brands spanning housewares and furniture. See our Class 20 guide.
- Class 21 + Class 7 / 11: for brands that sell both manual tools and powered appliances.
- Class 21 + Class 35: covers retail and e-commerce of the products.
Common Filing Mistakes
- Filing powered appliances in Class 21: anything with a motor is usually Class 7 or Class 11.
- Filing knives in Class 21: cutlery is Class 8.
- Overlooking shape protection: a signature product form may warrant trade-dress coverage.
- Descriptive names: "Best Cookware Co." and similar describe the goods and tend to be refused.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Class 21 and Class 7 for kitchen items?
Class 21 covers non-electric household and kitchen items — cookware, utensils, dishes, and glassware. Class 7 covers powered machines, including motorized kitchen appliances like blenders, food processors, and mixers. The dividing line is whether the item has a motor: a manual whisk is Class 21; an electric mixer is Class 7.
Is a water bottle or tumbler in Class 21?
Yes. Drinkware, including insulated bottles and tumblers, is in Class 21 as a household and kitchen item. Brands like Yeti and Stanley anchor their drinkware in Class 21, and the distinctive shapes of these products are often protected additionally as trade dress.
Where do knives and cutlery go?
Knives, forks, spoons used as cutlery, and bladed tools are in Class 8, not Class 21. Class 21 covers non-bladed kitchen utensils like spatulas, whisks, and ladles. A kitchenware brand selling both utensils and knives needs Class 21 and Class 8.
Can I trademark the shape of my drinkware or cookware?
Potentially, through trade dress, if the shape is non-functional and has acquired distinctiveness. In housewares the product shape often carries strong brand recognition, so distinctive forms can be protected beyond the name. The product is registered in Class 21, with the shape protected as trade dress where it qualifies.
Search Class 21 Before You File
Housewares and kitchenware names crowd quickly, and product-shape claims add a second clearance front. Use tmarkmetric to browse registered Class 21 trademarks, see which names are taken, and search the broader registry before you commit to a product line or packaging.