For those who still wonder what is this steel alloy is, we will outline some general information. To begin with, let’s have a look at what this material is made of and what the numbers that usually describe it really stand for:
1. It is, in fact, a metal alloy consisting of around 10% chromium and several other metals, nickel included.
2. Chromium enhances durability and protects against rust by forming when exposed to air, a non-toxic, passive film of chromium oxide.
3. Nickel, while also helping with rust resistance, gives extra hardness and that high polishing look.
4. The balance of chromium and nickel dictates the so-called “grade” of a particular type of cookware alloy. Quality, durability, and the maximum cooking temperature are also connected to this grade, which is represented in numbers separated by a “/”. The first number indicates the percentage of chromium and the second number the one of nickel (e.g. 18/8 or 18/10).
5. These grades are divided into three main series: 200, 300, and 400.
6. The ones from the 200 series are the less expensive and also the less resistant because they have manganese instead of nickel and are more prone to corrosion.
7. The ones from the 300 series, most often labeled as 304 respectively 316, represent the high-quality range, with more resistant products – in fact, the 316 products (the high-end grade, with surgical steel) also have some titanium or molybdenum in their alloy, which increases their resistance to salt water erosion.
8. As for the 400 series, it consists of alloys even more corrosive than the 300 series, which is why are often used for the manufacturing of the inexpensive stockpots, pots and pans, kitchen utensils or mixing bowls. They are almost nickel free (with a maximum of 0.75%).
So now we know what this famous metal is made of, let’s see what it’s good for.