304 Kitchen Solutions

'Grade' is what we say when we're talking about the quality, temperature resistance, and durability of the stainless steel itself. The numbers associated with the grade, such as 18/8, 18 10, and 18/0, are used to identify the composition, and refer to the amounts of chromium and nickel in the product respectively. The two most commonly used are 18/10 and 18/8- also known as 300 Series, or 304 grad

e stainless steel. The first number is the amount of chromium, and the second number is the amount of nickel,
18/8 stainless is 18% chromium, and 8% nickel. 18/0 stainless has a really low amount of nickel with just 0.75%. It contains between 16 -24% chromium, up to 35% nickel, at least 50% iron and no more than 0.8% carbon. Chromium binds oxygen to the surface of the product to protect it from oxidization- or rust. The nickel also enhances the corrosion resistance of the steel- so, a higher nickel content means a higher resistance to corrosion. perfect for food prep and dining, because of its natural resistance to the various acids found in foods like fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy products. In modern kitchens today, stainless steel is a common material because of its natural ability to protect itself! That's right, stainless steel creates its own protective surface to prevent erosion! The chromium in stainless steel reacts very quickly with oxygen, just like iron- the difference is, only a very fine layer of chromium will oxidize-just a diameter of a couple molecules across! This incredibly thin, and highly durable barrier is non-reactive, meaning surfaces won't transfer or react further with other materials, and unwanted chemicals won't leech into your food. Also, it's self renewing, so if that protective layer is damaged or removed, it forms it's own new barrier from the oxygen in the air! I know, science is cool, right?