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What is 18/10 Stainless Steel, and What Is Its Benefit When Purchasing Cookware?
by
Norma Rickman
When you are looking to purchase quality cookware, you will see the term 18/10 stainless steel come up often. What exactly is 18/10 stainless steel, and what is the benefit of its use in cookware? Here are some answers for you.
Steel is an alloy, or mixture of different metals. Steel is composed primarily of iron, which corrodes, rusts and pits–not at all what you would want to be cooking in! By adding some other metals, chromium and nickel, to the steel alloy, stainless steel is created. “18/10” refers to the percentages of chromium and nickel in the stainless steel alloy–18% chromium and 10% nickel. You might also see 18/10 stainless steel refered to by another designation, 316 grade stainless steel, which is a more modern term. In addition to chromium and nickel, this grade of steel also contains molybdenum, which adds to its corrosion-resistant properties.
Chromium forms a protective layer over the steel by means of a chemical reaction with air, which guards against the corrosion typically present in untreated steel. To be called stainless steel in the first place, there must be a minimum percentage of 10.5 percent chromium present in the alloy. The higher the percentage of chromium present in the stainless steel, the higher resistance to corrosion, pitting and staining there will be in the cookware.
The beautiful gleam that stainless steel is known for comes from the nickel present in its alloy. Nickel further strengthens the protective layer formed by chromium and adds to the smooth surface of stainless steel, making it easier to clean and makes the metal non-reactive to acidic foods such as citrus and tomatoes.
Only top quality cookware contains 18/10 stainless steel. When you are selecting and purchasing stainless steel cookware, look for this grade for the best performance and corrosion resistance possible.
When your cooking skills have reached a higher level, you deserve to use a higher level of cookware. Quality cookware prevents frustration over sticking, hot spots and other kitchen horrors. To learn more about the benefits of quality cookware, and to take your cooking to a higher level,
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What is 18/10 Stainless Steel, and What Is Its Benefit When Purchasing Cookware?
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