Overview
Stainless steel has been widely used in almost all walks of life, from the home appliances, architecture, shipbuilding, papermaking to aerospace. 304 is the most popular among all the stainless steel grades. So many articles are on centered on stainless steel 304, yet few can make a difference.
The reasons can be complicated, but we figure out it pointless to introduce 304 stainless steels without a context. In this article, we will specifically focus on stainless steel applied in cookware, illustrated by two famous international brands FISSLER from Germany and CUCKOO from South Korea.
The Cult of Each Brand
Both FISSLER and CUCKOO enjoy fame and reputation for their cookware in international market. Both bands boast great sales volume and high recognition for their quality and design. We cannot introduce pressure cooker without a word of Fissler. It’s also a shame to skip CUCKOO when we try to select a rice cooker for our family.
FISSLER Pressure Cooker
Fissler Pressure Cooker is known as cooking fast, safe and odorless with different dishes together. The special design in the bottom gives even heat which makes sure the cooking food will not get sticky inside. Of course, this is also done with mindful design such as automated time control system. The material in use is medical grade 304 which contains 10Ni18Cr. This makes it quite distinguishable from traditional 304 which contains 8Ni18Cr. The material is developed and made by themselves purposely to ensure great cooking experience and also improves their product service life, earning them great reputation home and abroad.
CUCKOO Rice Cooker
CUCKOO Rice Cooker is known as cooking rice with great taste and flavor that no others can compare. As Asian countries like Japanese, South Korea and China all have daily consumption for rice, eating rice with great flavor does enhance sense of happiness. Common and affordable rice cooked by CUCKOO gives even better taste and flavor than quality and expensive rice cooked by other brands. This magic is done also through their smart choice of material and advanced industrial design. CUCKOO chooses SUS304 food grade stainless steel as partial material to enhance cooking experience and extend the product service life.
304 Other Popular Names: SUS304, AISI304, 1.4301, 8Ni18Cr
| Grade | Chemical Compositions (%) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Si | Mn | P | S | Ni | Cr | |
| 304 | ≦0.08 | ≦1.00 | ≦2.00 | ≦0.045 | ≦0.030 | 8.00~10.50 | 18.00~20.00 |
Why Nickel and Chromium Matter in 304 Stainless Steel?
Nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr) are known as the key elements in stainless steel 304, not only for their great domination in deciding the cost, but also for the great roles these two elements play in the comprehensive performance. Normally with 10.5% Cr above adding in the steel, it will be corrosion resistant. However, Ni can further enhance the corrosion resistance. For example, 300 series stainless steel is generally more corrosion resistant than 200 series and 400 series.
Besides, adding Ni to stainless steel stabilizes 304 austenite structure, improves its mechanical properties, such as weldability, formability, toughness and plasticity. As nickel is the most expensive element in 304, no one wants to add more than 8% to make it more qualified. It is saying without exaggeration that to a large extent, 304 and other 300 grades price all fluctuate in pace with nickel price volatility.
304 Stainless Steel Sheets as Cooker Material
Back to these two brands, FISSLER is excelled in pressure cooker & pans, while CUCKOO is the king of rice cooker. They both choose 304 stainless steel sheets as the material to meet their design purpose. As pressure cooker and pans are mainly used for cooking vegetables and meats with different sauces (including but not limited to salt and acid), adding more nickel (up to 10%) will undoubtedly enhance the product performance and extend service life. Rice cooker is mainly used for cooking rice, seldom with sauce included. Traditional SUS304 is superior with their combined non-sticky material.
These cookers are all made from 304 stainless steel sheets. 304 stainless steel is chosen for,
- 1) great comprehensive performance such as good corrosion resistance, easy formability, and good weldability
- 2) Multiple finishing choices
- 3) Varied Sizes for options
- 4) aesthetic value which can enhance product appeal
304 Stainless Steel Sheets at CIVMATS
If you are looking for stainless steel sheets for making kitchenware, welcome to CIVMATS. Famous brands TISCO and YONGJIN 2B stainless steel sheets are stocked in huge quantity. Finishing and sizes are both customizable at a short period of time. In-house processing for strict quality control. We welcome your consultation for free.
