Hot water warming plates were made in Britain from the mid-18th century and were produced in metal, ceramic, or a combination of the two. The manufacture of ceramic warming plates increased in the 19th century as factory production and transfer-printed decoration brought affordable tableware to a mass market. In the days before electricity, hot water warming plates were a useful addition to any dining room, enabling food to be kept warm for longer than usual. The plates usually took the form of a standard-sized plate on top, with an extra wall and cavity below, into which hot water could be poured via an opening or spout. The hot water would then warm the plate and help to retain the heat of any food on top, ideal for those who could not predict when they would eat or might be late to a meal. This made warming plates particularly useful in hospitals, hotels or military barracks. In wealthy households and country houses, there was the added consideration that food needed to travel long distances from the kitchen to the dining room, so the warming plate was ideal for keeping food warm in transit. Warming plates were made by many manufacturers and were often bought to match an existing dinner service. For this reason, many recognisable and popular transfer-printed designs were applied to these more unusual object types.