What is 18-10 stainless steel?
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The 18-10 refers to the proportion of chromium to nickel in the stainless steel alloy. To be clbuttified as stainless steel, an iron base alloy must contain at least 10.5 % of chromium. The presence of chromium enables the steel to form an invisible layer of oxide that protects it against corrosion.
If this layer is damaged, a new one forms immediately due to the oxygen content of the air. Increasing the chromium content to 18% has further increased this protection. The addition of nickel to the alloy increased its corrosion resistance while adding a bright polished appearance, hardness, and exceptional resistance to all temperatures. As the nickel level is increased, the quality of the stainless steel is increased. The ãtop of the lineä boast 10% nickel content, the highest quality available in stainless steel.
Stainless steel is available in two qualities: 18-0 or 18-10 (there is also 18-8 but this is similar in properties to 18-10) The '18' refers to 18% chromium which is added to the steel mix to give it stainless properties. The '10' refers to nickel which adds to those properties and also gives a silvery sheen. 18-0 is much less expensive than 18-10 and most cutlery sold today is made from this material. 18-10 gives greater protection against corrosion and has a softer shine: most contemporary patterns are made from this top grade stainless steel. 18-0 and 18-10 are both fully dishwasher-safe
