Chef Nouveau

18/10 Stainless is Often Used For Flatware

A lot of flatware is made from stainless steel which is a very good material for this type of use. Stainless steel is a metal alloy. Basically this mean it is a type of metal composed of a number of different metals and elements. 18/10 Stainless was (and still is sometimes) used for signifying the various proportions of the different elements used in making the particular steel. Stainless steel comes in a variety of types depending on what use it has. Flatware is made from various types, 18/10 or 316 being one of them.


Iron, chromium and nickel and sometimes molybdenum make up stainless steel. How much of each determines the kinds of properties the steel will have. 18/10 or 316 stainless has excellent properties for flatware. High corrosion resistance and ductility or in simple terms, “bendability” are all suited for forks, knives and spoons. The composition and the alloy itself are not the only factors that determine whether flatware will be good or not.


How thick and architecture of the flatware will also have an impact on how good it is. Thin flatware without reinforcing ridges or grooves will bend easily made from any material. As long as you are not eating under water in the dead sea then most 300 series stainless will be fine against corrosion under normal conditions. Cold working the stainless also improves its strength and hardness and so a slightly lower grade that is worked and not skimped on will make better flatware than a higher grade that sacrifices material.


There are unfortunately a lot of flatware manufactures making flatware from poor quality stainless that usually starts pitting in only a few years or less. Dishwasher detergents are actually quite harsh and can cause cheap flatware made from stainless to pit quite quickly. A good portion of Ikea’s flatware is junk from China and probably contains many impurities. Ikea of Sweden should be called Ikea of China these days.