Mar. 31, 2025
Mechanical Parts & Fabrication Services
Here’s something you probably didn’t know: stainless steel was first discovered in by a metallurgist in.. get this.. a WEAPON EXPERIMENT. He was trying to produce a stronger material for weapons.
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Stainless steel is everywhere: in cookware, flatware, appliances, building construction, implants, weapons…the list goes on.
But if you are in the market for a stainless steel set, or just wondering about the pans you already own, you might have questions about stainless steel. Like:
Is it easy to use?
Is it easy to clean?
Why on earth does stainless steel cookware stick?
And most importantly: Is stainless steel cookware safe?
You’d be surprised to know that the answer to that last question is not as simple as it appears. Here’s an exhaustive guide to Stainless Steel Cookware. Hopefully, it will answer ALL the questions you have. Read on….
Back when I didn’t know any better, I used to think that steel was just another element – like oxygen, carbon, aluminum etc. But obviously, I know better now, that it is not.
Steel is an alloy (which means mixture) of mostly iron, combined with up to 1.7% by weight of carbon.
Steel is much stronger that plain iron but it can rust and corrode. In order to make it resistant to rust and corrosion, it is combined with chromium and other elements to form stainless steel.
Stainless steel, in it simplest form, is an alloy of steel with 10.5% or more of chromium by weight. Chromium makes stainless steel ‘‘passive’ (i.e. non-reactive) by combining with oxygen and immediately forming a layer of chromium oxide which prevents the oxidation (i.e. rusting) of the iron present in the stainless steel. The higher the chromium content, the higher the corrosion resistance of stainless steel.
The amount of chromium in stainless steel varies according to what it will be used for, e.g. cookware, pipework, industrial uses, medical equipment etc. For food contact, it is mandated by the NSF International Standard for Food Equipment Material that stainless steel must contain at least 16% chromium by weight.
It is chromium that gives stainless steel its characteristic luster and mirror-like finish.
Stainless steel gets its name from the fact that it doesn’t stain, tarnish or rust like steel.
Other elements are also added into stainless steel such as molybdenum, nickel and nitrogen.
Most food grade stainless steel contains nickel. Nickel makes stainless steel stronger and improves its resistance to oxidization and corrosion, particularly in the presence of acidic materials. It also adds a ‘silver-like’ shine to the metal.
So, to sum it up:
Steel = (mostly) Iron + (a little bit of) Carbon
Stainless Steel = Steel + (at least 10.5%) Chromium + Other optional elements like Nickel, Molybdenum, Nitrogen, Titanium etc.
There are literally thousands of different formulations for stainless steel, but for our purposes, we will focus only on food grade stainless steel.
According to the NSF International Standard for Food Equipment Material, stainless steel used in food equipment has to be of a type in the (AISI) 200 series, 300 series, or 400 series.
Let’s have a more detailed look at what these series mean.
300 series
304 stainless steel
By far the most common type of stainless steel used in cookware. The two most popular types of stainless steel are 18/10 and 18/8 which form part of the 304 series. You might have seen these numbers stamped on stainless steel cookware and wondered what those are. Let’s explain what these mean.
The first number refers to the amount of chromium present and the second represents the amount of nickel. For example, 18/10 stainless steel is made of 18% chromium and 10% nickel.
Likewise, 18/8 stainless steel has 18% chromium and 8% nickel.
In terms of performance, there is negligible difference between 18/10 and 18/8 and if a manufacturer claims otherwise, it is just a marketing ploy.
304 stainless steel is known as an ‘austenitic’ type of stainless steel and is non-magnetic.
316 stainless steel
Less common that 304 stainless steel, the 316 type of stainless steel is a high-end version of stainless steel that contains a small percentage of molybdenum. The chemical composition is approximately 16–18% chromium, and 10–14% nickel and 2% molybdenum. This grade of stainless steel is even more resistant to corrosion but is also more expensive.
316 is also called marine stainless steel since it is used in marine environments where a higher resistance to corrosion is needed due to high exposure to extreme salt water erosion. It is also called surgical stainless steel as it is used in biomedical implants.
So if you’re wondering about a Surgical Stainless Steel Cookware Set, now you know the difference: it contains molybdenum (or titanium), has a higher corrosion resistance and might cost you more.
Is 316 surgical stainless steel superior to 304 stainless steel for cooking?
Concise answer: No. In day to day cooking, you are likely NOT to notice any difference and for any thing you want to cook, a good quality 304 stainless steel set will do just fine. But it does not hurt to be offered a choice, specially if it is a choice between two quality options.
400 series
430 Stainless Steel
Now we come to 18/0, which, as we know by now, means 18% chromium and and 0% nickel.
This is part of the ‘400 series’ and is used primarily for flatware, mixing bowls and cheaper stockpots.
While some people with allergies are looking for nickel free flatware and cookware, keep in mind that flatware made with 18/0 stainless steel will not be as corrosion resistant or keep its shine over the years.
It’s also important to know that while ‘legally’ nickel-free, it does contain a negligible 0.75% of nickel.
400 series stainless steel is a ‘ferritic’ type of stainless steel and is magnetic.
200 series
In the 200 series, manufacturers replace the nickel with manganese since it is much cheaper. So the end result is a much cheaper stainless steel. This series is also considered food grade and is safe, however it is not a high quality stainless steel and can corrode or rust.
Like 304, it is also non-magnetic.
Or stated another way, what determines the quality of stainless steel cookware?
Say you’re in the market for a good stainless steel set. Now I don’t expect you to walk around with calipers to measure the thickness of the material or a weighing scale to check the weight. But here are some things to keep in mind:
1. The grade of stainless steel.
You want to make sure that the stainless steel cookware is made with 18/8 or 18/10 as these are the standard used in good quality cookware. Most cookware will have one of these numbers stamped at the bottom or stated on the box. What to do if nothing is stamped on the bottom? Look at the other criteria below.
2. The weight of the pot.
Without getting technical about the thickness of the base or the sides and what the ‘right’ thickness should be, a good quality stainless steel pot will have a certain ‘heft’ which you can feel when you lift it.
A heavier pot means more material was used to make it, which means it was more costly for the manufacturer to make it and will therefore be pricier for you to buy.
It will also be more sturdy and be less likely to have hot spots. This means food will cook more evenly.
A heavier pan also means it is less susceptible to dents and dings.
Shopping online so can’t really lift a pan before buying? No problem. Check reviews to see if someone talks about the heaviness or sturdiness of the pots.
3. The material used in the core.
Stainless steel is a poor conductor of heat. You want to look for stainless steel cookware that has an aluminum or copper core or cladding so that you get the durability of stainless steel along with the superior heat conductivity of either of the other two metals.
Core means a disc at the bottom of the pan. Cladding, also known as ‘ply’ (e.g. tri-ply) means a complete layer along the base and sides.
Keep in mind that clad cookware will always be more expensive than cookware with just a metal core. And cookware with copper will always be more expensive than cookware with aluminum.
The performance of stainless steel cookware is mainly dependent on how efficiently the pan spreads heat, with no hot spots. This is dependent on the thickness of the copper or aluminum core. The thicker the core, the better the heat distribution.
One thing to note is that an aluminum core needs to be 3 times as thick as a copper core to get the same heat distribution. This means that a pan with an aluminum core will have a thicker base than one with copper. So if you are using weight to determine the quality of a pan and comparing two sets, make sure you are comparing the same kinds of pans, i.e. copper core against copper core and aluminum core against aluminum core. (source: meyercanada.ca)
Here are the common metal combinations and options within each:
4. Reputation of the company
Last, but not least, choose a brand that has a reputation for good quality. As you can see from the options above, you can find a decent set in almost any budget.
Depends on the particular brand.
Induction cook tops work by transferring magnetic energy from the cook top to the cookware. For any cookware to work on an induction cook top, it has to be magnetic, and the easiest way to check is to stick a fridge magnet on the base.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Stainless Steel Casting.
Most stainless steel cookware is made of 304 stainless steel, (18/10 or 18/8) which is not magnetic. In order to work on induction cook tops, SS cookware has to be made of magnetic stainless steel, which, as we now know, contains no nickel (18/0 or 400 series).
In most cases, if a stainless steel cookware is induction compatible, it is made of 3 or 5 layers of metal – the non-magnetic, more corrosion resistant 18/10 stainless steel inside, the magnetic, nickel free 18/0 steel on the outside and a layer of aluminum or copper between the two layers for better heat conduction.
So if a cookware is advertised as induction ready or made with magnetic stainless steel, it generally means that just the outer layer is made with magnetic (i.e. nickel-free) stainless steel. The inside food contact surface is usually 18/10 stainless steel.
Similarly, there is a myth floating around on the web that if you can stick a magnet to the base of a stainless steel pot, it is safe and high quality. That is too simplistic as a measure and all it means is that the outer layer is nickel free. The inner layer is almost certainly 18/10 stainless steel.
I say almost certainly because traditionally, you would be hard pressed to find a good quality stainless steel cookware that is made completely of nickel-free stainless steel (and is thereby magnetic i.e. induction friendly).
However, I’ve recently been seeing nickel-free stainless steel cookware by the name of Homi Chef made with Japanese standard 21/0 stainless steel. That is, 21% Chromium and no nickel. The base has an aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of nickel-free stainless steel. The higher amount of chromium vs 18/0 stainless steel would make it more resistant to rusting and corrosion. While I would not expect it to have the same corrosion resistance of 18/10 SS, the reviews so far seem very promising and I think its a good option particularly for people who are allergic to nickel.
For a complete list of the 7 best nickel free cookware options, read our full write up here.
Bottomline: If you are looking for induction ready stainless steel, look for quality cookware that prominently displays that information in their advertising or packaging.
Yes. And No.
Confused? So was I. When I set out to answer this question, I realized there are two sides to this answer. You will have to be the best judge of which side you will go for.
So let’s break it down.
First, the Yes:
Stainless steel cookware is generally recognized as a safe material for cookware.
Any good quality stainless steel, be it 304 or 316 stainless steel, is a better choice than most of the other available materials. For example, coated aluminum pans lose their non-stick over time. Teflon-type coatings disintegrate if overheated. Glass and ceramic pans are poor conductors and break easily. Copper reacts with food and has to be lined with another metal (quite often stainless steel!). Cast iron needs to be seasoned otherwise it will rust.
Given these choices, stainless steel stands out as a low maintenance, durable and relatively inert option for cookware.
And now the No:
Stainless steel, while relatively inert compared to other metals, can leach nickel and chromium into food in low quantities. The amount leached depends on the grade of the stainless steel, the cooking time and the cookware usage.
Nickel leaching
According to Health Canada, nickel, in small quantities, is not poisonous. But for people who are allergic or have a sensitivity to nickel, it can cause a reaction, usually in the form of some skin irritation (aka dermatitis). According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 10-20% of the population is allergic to nickel.
The major source of nickel exposure for most people, according to the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information ), is food. Nickel is present in most foods and the average American consumes 69 to 162 μg of nickel per day. The tolerable limit for daily consumption is 1,000 μg per day.
Another organization, whfoods.org, says that the alloy in stainless steel cookware is much more stable than other cookware materials, which means you are less likely to have any leaching of any metal, including nickel.
So for most people, using corrosion-resistant nickel containing stainless steel cookware does not add significant amounts of nickel to the diet.
The point to stress here is ‘most people’. The 15-20% who DO have a nickel sensitivity are absolutely advised to avoid using Stainless Steel cookware and modify their diet to be low in nickel.
Chromium leaching
Health Canada states that small doses of chromium, like iron, are good for your health. Low levels of chromium are important for human health and metabolism of glucose, protein, and fat; at higher amounts it can be harmful. Most people consume 50 to 200 micrograms per day which is considered safe. The amount added to the diet from one meal cooked in stainless steel is 45 micrograms of chromium which is not enough to cause concern.
What about pitted and scratched stainless steel pots?
One thing to keep in mind is that if stainless steel cookware has been scratched and pitted by abuse and by scouring with an abrasive material like steel wool, it is more likely to leach nickel and chromium into food. It is still safe to use since the amounts are small. But it’s important to take care of your stainless steel pots and keep the surface intact.
How to minimize the reactivity of stainless steel?
Rebecca Wood at rebeccawood.com suggests 3 things to minimize the reactivity of stainless steel pots:
Conclusion:
It seems that there is no cookware material that is not declared unsafe by someone or the other. But if you are not sensitive to nickel or chromium, use a reputable brand, and use your cookware with the care prescribed above, then the consensus is that stainless steel is an excellent choice and is acceptable and safe for cookware and bakeware.
Cookware options are endless: ceramic, copper, nonstick, cast iron — they all have their place in the kitchen. But stainless steel cookware is the most prized and frequently sought-after by professional chefs and serious home cooks alike. Known for its durability and high heat retention, it can achieve an excellent sear or perfect sauté. And it can last a lifetime.
Stainless steel is an alloy, or mixture, of several metals. The primary component is iron, prized for its strength and longevity, mixed with small amounts of other metals, mainly chromium and trace amounts of carbon, manganese, copper, and nickel.
These supplementary metals are added to manipulate specific characteristics of the final product, like tensile strength, heat retention, magnetism, and protection against corrosion. The exact ratio varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and usually depends on the metal's intended use. When it comes to cookware, brands favor mixtures that increase heat retention and are as corrosion-resistant as possible. Carbon increases the strength, while chromium and nickel help protect against corrosion. Copper increases heat retention, and manganese allows the metal to be more malleable during the construction process.
For one, stainless steel is considered one of the safest materials for cookware. It’s non-porous, has no coating that can scratch or chip off, and won’t react to high-acid foods. These properties make it the most versatile material for cookware.
Rachel Klein of Miss Rachel’s Pantry, an all-vegan supper club-style fine dining restaurant in Philadelphia, often reaches for stainless steel cookware. “Stainless steel stands up to high heat cooking and requires very little maintenance,” she says.
Stainless steel can also handle ultra-high heat that nonstick and other materials simply can’t. Not only can you easily sear a steak on a blistering hot stainless pan, but you can also go from the burner to the oven. Cast iron pans can do these things, but it’s notorious for delivering uneven heat, something stainless steel isn’t guilty of.
Stainless steel is also much lighter than cast iron, making it easier and safer to maneuver. In addition, it is an extremely durable material: The steel can take a beating and doesn’t require seasoning. Unlike nonstick, it isn’t prone to chipping, and unlike copper, it doesn’t require hyper-sensitive cleaning to maintain. Stainless steel can take on markings from overheated oil, but any stains are purely cosmetic and don't interfere with its functionality. If pans do become stained, you can easily scrub them clean without worrying about the surface, something that cannot happen with coated cookware like nonstick, ceramic, or cast iron.
All stainless steel cookware is made with food-grade stainless steel, which requires a minimum of 16% chromium to ensure the highest corrosion resistance and increase the material's safety. Within food-grade stainless steel, the NSF requires manufacturers to adhere to the 200, 300, or 400 series guidelines, though 200 and 300 make up the vast majority of stainless cookware.
200 series stainless steel is the lowest grade and is usually found in cheaper, lower-quality cookware. It is also usually not induction-compatible as it is not magnetic.
300 series is the most common and includes the 304 and 316 series, also sometimes called 18/8 and 18/10, from which most of the stainless steel cookware you’ve handled is made. The ratio refers to the ratio of chromium to nickel. Functionally, these are effectively the same material. Their only difference is the small amounts of other metals added to the recipe that increase corrosion resistance. 316, or 18/10, is the highest grade with the most durability and corrosion resistance. Either type of the 300 series is an excellent choice for stainless steel cookware.
Meanwhile, other stainless steel cookware isn’t all steel. Some brands, like the chef-favorite All-Clad, have an aluminum core. This is because aluminum is a great conductor, and adding it to the layers of metal gives the steel more even heat distribution and retention. However, aluminum is a reactive metal and non-magnetic, so adding the layers of steel gives you the best of both worlds. Copper is also a common material in the “core” of stainless cookware. Like aluminum, copper is a great conductor and helps the steel heat more evenly. If your budget allows for it, cookware with aluminum or copper cores is a great investment and makes stainless cookware all the more luxurious.
Higher-end cookware often uses 3-ply or 5-ply construction, meaning there are several layers of metal: the core material and the stainless layers wrapped around it. Most clad cookware is 3-ply, but some include extra layers of the core material or feature dual cores. Both higher-quality steel and core materials can make cookware heavier. Extra layers usually mean heavier cookware, even if your core material is ultra-light aluminum.
When it comes to stainless steel, heavier generally means higher quality. Thick layers of heavy steel mean durable construction, more additives in the steel recipe to increase strength and corrosion resistance, and more layers for better heat retention.
Some cookware can be too heavy, depending on your preferences and strength. When shopping, look for the weight in the product description and compare that to the weight of cookware you already own to get an idea.
Nonstick cookware makes cooking things like eggs stress-free since there’s no worry that there’ll be a big, stuck-on mess. But did you know that your stainless steel cookware is capable of a nearly nonstick surface as well? With the proper heat control and maintenance, your stainless pan can be just as slick of an egg pan as your nonstick cookware, which requires a fraction of the high maintenance care required for nonstick cookware. Stainless steel is beloved by restaurant chefs for its ability to get ripping hot, but a pan that is too hot or cold can cause things like fish skin or eggs to adhere in a way that seems like they’re superglued to the pan.
Though stainless steel cookware is lauded for its durability, it still needs some care to ensure longevity. Klein recommends gentle cleaning: “Even though it’s called “stainless steel,” you’ll want to treat your pans with care to keep the surface nice and prevent corrosion. Instead of leaving them to soak in the sink overnight, try to clean them right away with the least abrasive scrubber you have and a mild soap.”
Even if the tag or box says it’s dishwasher-safe, the single easiest way to prolong the life of your pans is to handwash them. Always wait until they’re completely cooled; hot steel can warp if it comes into contact with cool water. Scrub with a sponge's soft or scrubby side, and avoid steel wool, as it can scratch the metal.
For stuck-on messes, briefly soak the cookware in hot, soapy water to release any cooked-on food. If you’re dealing with a really stubborn mess, reach for Bar Keepers Friend, a strong, powdered solvent that will make quick work of nearly any mess, even tarnish and mineral deposits. Using Bar Keepers Friend semi-regularly will help maintain your cookware and keep it in good shape for years to come.
Once your cookware is shiny and clean, give it a quick wipe down with a clean kitchen towel to soak up any leftover water, then set it out to dry the rest of the way before putting it away.
Carbon steel pans are often referred to as a cross between stainless steel and cast iron pans. Some stainless steel pans include carbon in their recipe, but carbon steel always has it, and in higher concentrations than you’d find in regular stainless steel. They borrow their material makeup from cast iron and, thus, share some characteristics. They both require seasoning to maintain the surface and nether like acidic ingredients as these can erode the surface. Both pans can easily be made nonstick through seasoning.
But unlike cast iron, carbon steel is light like stainless steel and shares its versatility. However, carbon steel isn’t corrosion-resistant like stainless steel, so extra care must be taken when cleaning and maintaining carbon steel cookware. While they share some similarities and differences, a well-stocked kitchen should include both stainless steel and carbon steel cookware, as they have strengths and weaknesses that complement one another.
Some stainless steel cookware has an aluminum core since aluminum has excellent heat retention. In contrast, hard anodized cookware is mostly aluminum with a thin layer of oxidization on the outside, which can be nonstick but not as slick as most dedicated nonstick or ceramic-coated cookware. While stainless sets can sometimes include aluminum encased in steel, hard anodized cookware is all aluminum with a small amount of other materials on the outside.
Compared to fully aluminum cookware sets, anodized aluminum is more durable and usually heavier because of the additional coating. Compared to stainless steel, however, anodized pans are usually much lighter, and while the coating adds an extra layer of protection, they are less durable since they can easily chip off. Like all other aluminum cookware, hard anodized pots and pans are not induction-compatible as they are not magnetic.
Stainless steel cookware is better suited for high-heat cooking, while anodized pans excel at more gentle cooking. They’re also unable to transition from the stove to the oven like stainless steel. Anodized aluminum is a much better conductor than stainless steel, so an anodized pan will provide even, consistent heat that takes a fraction of the time to heat up compared to stainless steel. Just like stainless steel and carbon steel cookware have their strengths and weaknesses, anodized does as well and has a spot in your kitchen to pick up where stainless steel leaves off.
Induction ranges use magnets to conduct the heat in the burners, so the cookware suitable for induction burners must be magnetic. Lucky for us, iron is the main ingredient in stainless steel and is known to be highly magnetic. This makes stainless steel cookware ideal for induction cooktops. The bottom of stainless steel cookware is usually always smooth, so you don't have to worry about scratching your cooktop like other pans, such as cast iron. Stainless steel also heats more evenly and will be more responsive to the slight changes in heat you can achieve with induction burners, making it much easier to control the heat in your pan.
One thing to note is that aluminum is not magnetic and, therefore, is not induction-compatible. Almost all aluminum-clad stainless steel cookware has a layer of steel on the bottom, making it induction-compatible. However, save yourself the potential headache, and before shelling out for a brand new set of aluminum-clad cookware to use on your induction cooktop, double-check that the bottoms of the pans are stainless-clad and have no exposed aluminum.
If you’re looking to overhaul your cookware and replace it with all-new stainless steel, we recommend this All-Clad set. All-Clad is a trusted brand loved by chefs. After multiple rounds of lab testing and long-term tests, we crowned this set the best overall stainless steel cookware set.
During our tests, the pots and pans from this set showed unrivaled heating ability; the temperature was consistent across the pan's surface, and each piece held the heat beautifully. The secret to All-Clad's famous heat retention is an aluminum core sandwich between ultra-durable 18/10 steel, but what sets these pans apart is the aluminum layer isn't just on the bottom; it goes all the way up the sides. This allows the heat to disburse even more evenly, giving us a perfectly seared steak in our tests.
The extra metal doesn't weigh this set down. We were pleased with how easy these were to maneuver, even when pulling them hot from the oven and full to the brim. All-Clad pans come with a hefty price tag, but we loved these pans so much during testing that we think they're more than worth the money.
Stainless steel skillets are essential cookware items. We especially like this 10-inch frying pan from Made in. The sleek, ergonomic design instantly grabbed our eye. But don't worry; this pan is form and function. During testing, we loved the thoughtful features that made this pan so easy to use: sloped sides, a handle hole for hanging storage, and a flared lip for seamless flipping and worry-free pouring.
When we measured the pan's temperature, we were thrilled with how quickly and easily it heated up and how seamlessly it held the temperature. When we adjusted the heat, we noticed this pan was particularly responsive to heat fluctuations, making it easy to control for even the most precise cooking.
We didn’t have a single complaint about this pan. We were especially impressed by its durability during testing; we put it through the wringer, and it came out nearly unscathed — this pan will last you for years to come.
For more information, please visit Aluminum Casting.
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