Stainless steel is a corrosion-resistant alloy made of iron, chromium, nickel and other metals.
Stainless steel is a “green material” as it is fully recyclable. It is environmentally friendly and durable for years and years.
In addition to being a green material, stainless steel is also beautiful to look at with its shiny finish, extremely hygienic, easy to maintain and has many more advantages over other materials. As a result, stainless steel is one of the most common materials used in everyday objects as well as kitchenware. Stainless steel is preferred over steel as it doesn’t tarnish or rust easily.
Let’s take a look at the significant factors that make stainless steel the most loved material for cookware!
- It is durable. Durability is the first and foremost factor why stainless steel is loved so much! You can scratch it, rub it, bang it, and it still works the same!
- It is aesthetically pleasing. It has a shiny, lustrous polished surface which makes it beautiful to look at.
- Easy to maintain. Stainless steel is the easiest commonly used cookware material to maintain. It doesn’t need that much care, and even if it looks dull or gets some stains on it, here’s a guide for you to take care of it in the easiest ways possible How To Clean Kadai At Home In 7 Easy Ways. This guide will clear all your doubts about taking care of those oversized stainless steel utensils or even if they’re made of cast iron.
- Non-reactive. The best part about stainless steel is that it is non-reactive as it is inert compared to other cookware materials. It won’t react with food and won’t make the food harmful, keeping you and your food healthy.
- It is versatile. From boiling water to frying or sauteing, you can do about anything in a stainless steel utensil.
- Excellent value for money. With all the benefits it provides, Stainless steel is generally very affordable. The durability and health benefits which come with it at that affordable price is an excellent pro of stainless steel.
- Very safe to use. As we already mentioned above, it won’t react with your food, won’t stain so much and it is very hygienic, providing you with a safe and healthy option.
Buying The Suitable Stainless Steel Cookware For You
The main factors that you need to keep in mind when you go to buy a stainless steel cookware set are its grade, the material of the core, and the weight of the vessel.
- The grade of stainless steel
The standard used in good quality stainless steel cookware are 18/8 and 18/10, so you have to look for these stamped at the bottom of the vessel or written on the box itself. Sometimes these might not be stated anywhere, so you can use the other factors stated below.
- The material used in the core
The core is the disk at the bottom of the vessel. One thing about Stainless steel is that it is a poor conductor of heat. So make sure you get your hands on a set that has copper or aluminium cladding. Cladding is a complete layer which goes along the base and sides of the utensil. This aluminium or copper cladding will provide good heat conductivity that stainless steel lacks and also give the benefits of stainless steel material.
- The weight of the vessel
Without going deep into technical aspects of what a good thickness of stainless steel utensil should be, a good quality cookware will have a certain ‘heft’ to it when you lift it. A heavier vessel will be costlier as it will have more material used in it and the quality will be high. It will be sturdy and food will cook evenly in it as it won’t have ‘hot spots’. A heavier pan is also more resistant to dents. So, if a pan is heavy but costs a bit more, know that it will be value for money!
