Elegent table setting
Stainless steel flatware comes in many different designs and styles, and ranges from very cheap to extremely expensive. Some begin to rust or lose their shine after a short period of time, while others last forever. Understanding how it is rated will give you a better understanding of its composition and spot quality products.
How It's Rated
The quality of stainless steel flatware is rated by its composition, and the prestige of its design is determined by its manufacturer. The composition of the flatware is stainless steel mixed with nickel and chromium. The chromium composition gives the products their resistance to corrosion, and the nickel helps with this resistance by giving it a deep polished shine.
A high rating will be 18 percent chromium and 10 percent nickel; the rating will read "18/10 stainless steel." A medium rating will read "18/8 stainless steel" and contains 8 percent nickel. A low rating of stainless steel flatware will read 18 or less for chromium and zero for nickel, such as "18/0 stainless steel," indicating that there is no nickel in the product. This quality of flatware is less expensive, lighter in weight, easily susceptible to corrosion and doesn't have the deep sheen that more expensive products have.
What to Look for on the Packaging
A quality brand product will have its composition marked on the face of the package for clarity because the manufacturer wants consumers to see that it's a quality product. Lesser quality products will often have their composition listed on the back of the box, out of sight yet available if you want to find it.
The deception comes when the box is labeled as quality stainless steel and then does not state the composition anywhere on the packaging to support its claim. Consumers are led to assume that the lovely design and the mediocre price, along with seeing the product displayed with more costly flatware, means that it's automatically 18/10. The key is that if it's 18/10 stainless steel flatware, it will be labeled clearly on the packaging, and if it's not labeled, then it's not 18/10.
Are all 18/10 Products Equal?
Unfortunately, the labels for even the quality flatware can be misleading unless you understand where the products are made. This is where it's important to learn the standards of the manufacturer before you make a purchase.
Stainless steel flatware is produced all over the world, and some areas have lower standards of perfection than other areas. In some places, if the quantity of nickel is lower than 8 percent, it cannot be used in producing quality flatware and will be graded as lesser quality. However, others will accept a nickel rating of 8.3 or greater as acceptable as equivalent to the 10 percent nickel qualification of 18/10 stainless steel flatware. That difference in the nickel composition will reflect in the quality of the product.
Know the Difference
The quality of the product is determined by the manufacturer and the standards that the manufacturer follows. If you find a flatware set that is the perfect design for you and it's the quality you want and the price you accept, then do a bit of research on the manufacturer to know whether they are reputable, what their standards of quality are, and where their products are sold. For example, Oneida has earned a reputation globally for manufacturing and selling 18/10 stainless steel flatware that upholds both the standards and the superior designs of quality products.
Nickel Shortage
The high demand for nickel in stainless steel products prior to 2006 has caused a nickel shortage in 2010. Many manufacturers of flatware are using smaller quantities of nickel for their products, and they maintain that it's the chromium in the stainless product that is the key factor in producing corrosion-resistant flatware.
Manufacturers such as Gourmet Settings have declared publicly that it's the proper processing of chromium-based stainless steel that allows their products to meet the high standards of quality. They maintain that their products continue to successfully pass the corrosion resistance tests, and that it's the final step of polishing the products that gives them their shine and elegant appearance. They believe that the absence of some part of the 10 percent nickel does not change the quality or endurance of their flatware.
A Fast Way to Identify Quality
There are two quick ways to know whether the flatware is high quality. One way is to remove a couple of pieces from the packaging and hold them in your hand. Quality 18/10 stainless steel flatware will be very shiny, heavier than cheap pieces and will have the words "18/10 stainless steel" engraved on the underside of the forks and spoons. Many manufacturers will also engrave it on the sides of the knives.
The second way is to purchase your products at a specialty store so that a knowledgeable representative can give you details on the quality of the products and on the manufacturer and its quality standards.
Related posts
Dishwashers often develop spotting problems.Dishwashers make home life easier, but they can also create problems like etching on glass, lime deposits on dishes, and mottling of stainless steel fla...
How Does Stainless Steel Remove Odors?Search for "stainless steel" and "odor removal" and you'll find a lot of sources to buy objects made of stainless steel that claim to remo...
Stainless steel is essentially iron that has more than ten percent chromium. Although it is resistant to stains, it is prone to dullness and will show fingerprints or smudges. Stainless steel is k...
A stainless-steel dishwasher tub is stain-resistant.Stainless may be the mark of the classy, contemporary kitchen, and it is usually seen as indicator of quality and sturdiness too. When it is wit...
Change a Dishwasher Color From White to a Stainless Steel FinishIf you're tired of looking at the same old white dishwasher, give it a trendy new look. It is easier than you might think. All that'...
