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| source | https://www.reddit.com/r/DesiKitchenGear/comments/1k91ckm/how_to_actually_pick_good_stainless_steel/ |
| author | Infamous_Way7878 |
| published | 2025-04-27 |
| description |
Ok listen up, because nobody seems to want to tell you the truth without first selling you a ₹5,000 “tri-ply chef’s special” frying pan you didn’t ask for.
If you’ve ever wondered “Why did my ₹799 ‘stainless steel’ kadai rust after making rasam once?” or “Why does my tawa bend like a Prabhu Deva move after 3 months?”, it’s because not all stainless steel is the same.
Time for a no-nonsense, technically correct breakdown.
First Things First: What Even Is Stainless Steel?
At its core, stainless steel is just iron mixed with at least 10.5% chromium (to resist rust) plus some bonus stuff like nickel and molybdenum (if you’re lucky).
But here’s the dirty secret: 99% of Indian cookware brands don’t tell you which grade of stainless steel they use, because if you knew, you’d riot.
Let’s fix that.
1. Unspecified “Stainless Steel”
(a.k.a. The Mystery Metal Special)
Found in: ₹300 tawas, ₹799 kadais, “Induction Ready” sets from shady Amazon sellers.
Reality: It’s technically stainless… until you actually cook anything.
- Properties: Super thin (1–1.5mm), warps if you look at it wrong, rusts after one dosa too many, definitely not made for cooking rasam or tomato sabzis unless you enjoy eating microflakes of metal.
- Common Brands: You already know — anything under ₹1,000 per piece, especially those “Festive Combo” sets.
Verdict: Only buy if you hate yourself or need backup utensils for serving halwa at weddings.
2. 304 Stainless Steel (aka 18/8 or 18/10)
(The “Good Enough for Most Indians” Grade)
Found in: Decent tri-ply pans, pressure cookers (from proper brands), your fancier hotel buffet setups.
Reality: 18% chromium, 8–10% nickel. Solid corrosion resistance. Not perfect (salt can pit it eventually), but great if you’re not boiling Arabian Sea water daily.
- Properties: Doesn’t rust easily. Handles rasam, sambhar, chhole, lemon-based dishes without melting.
- Brands that (mostly) use this: Vinod, Bergner, Stahl (higher-end stuff), Meyer, Wonderchef tri-ply ranges (some models).
Real Talk: If you’re buying stainless steel cookware in India and it actually says “304 Grade” somewhere, BUY IT.
Don’t overthink. This is your safe, middle-class, long-term relationship material.
3. 316 Stainless Steel (“Marine Grade”)
(The “I am richer than my neighbors” Steel)
Found in: Premium Indian cookware that’s trying very hard to impress, very rare. (Look at Meyer Select, Heritage Steel imports, etc.)
Reality: 16% chromium + 10% nickel + 2–3% molybdenum. Molybdenum is the real MVP — it makes the steel laugh at salt, acids, and life in general.
- Properties: You can leave lemon pickle or rasam in it overnight, and it won’t pit, rust, or cry.
- Drawback: Costs like hell. Also slightly harder to maintain because it’s overengineered for normal home kitchens.
Verdict: Overkill for 90% of Indian households. Perfect if you’re a seafood chef, or you make too much rasam and have ₹10k burning a hole in your kurta pocket.
4. 316Ti Stainless Steel
(The “NASA-grade Steel you don’t actually need”)
Found in: Imported premium brands like Heritage Steel (₹10,000+ kadais). Rare af in India.
Reality: 316, but with titanium added. Handles temps up to 425°C without warping. Legit can survive Armageddon and still fry your poori.
- Properties: Salt? Acid? High heat? Laughs in your face.
- Cost: LOL.
Verdict: Honestly? Unless you’re cooking biryani in a fusion reactor or opening a restaurant on a battleship, not necessary. Bragging rights? Hell yes.
5. 400 Series Stainless Steel (Nickel-Free Trash)
(The “Healthy But Actually Terrible” Steel)
Found in: “Nickel-free” cookware, influencer-endorsed gimmicks, and budget tri-ply utensils.
Reality: No nickel = magnetic (good for induction). But also no corrosion resistance = pits, rusts, and basically dies if you forget to wipe after washing.
- Properties: Reacts badly with salt. Warps easily.
- Bonus horror: If the 400 series cladding fails, salt pits can dig into the aluminum core… and guess what? Your ₹5,000 pan now leaks.
Verdict: Hard pass.
Nickel isn’t your enemy, bad metallurgy is. 304 > 400 every single time.
6. 200 Series Stainless Steel (Bhaiya Cheap Hai)
(The “Chalega, Boss” Steel)
Found in: Dirt cheap steel lunch boxes, bad pans, and anything “Made for Export” that somehow got rejected and landed in local markets.
- Properties: Manganese replaces nickel. Super cheap, super prone to rust.
- Real Usage: Decent for dabbas. NOT for actual cooking.
Verdict: Lunch box, thik hai.
Cookware, mat lena.
Some Cold Reality on Construction
Everyone here talks about “TRI-PLY” like it’s some magic spell. Guess what?
- Fully Clad Tri-Ply: Stainless – Aluminum – Stainless everywhere, even the sides. (Good.)
- Disc-Bottom Tri-Ply: Only the base is aluminum. Sides are useless thin steel. (Meh.)
Thickness matters too:
- 2.5–3mm = Good, solid, even heat.
- 1.5mm = Warping, hotspots, and misery.
If the pan feels light enough to do Bollywood dance moves with one hand? Return it.
The “Nickel Leaching” Panic: Indian Edition
Lots of brands shout “NICKEL FREE!” like they’re saving your soul.
Science says: Stainless steel leaches extremely tiny amounts of nickel — way below any health concern.
You know what actually hurts you more? The garbage 400-series nickel-free steel rusting into your biryani.
Verdict: Don’t be scared of nickel.
Be scared of bad cookware disguised as “healthy.”
Final Cheat Sheet: What You Should Actually Buy
| Situation | What to Buy | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Regular home use | 304 grade, tri-ply | Best balance. Good for Indian cooking. |
| Acidic/salty crazy cooking | 316 grade | If you love lemon pickle, tamarind, rasam. |
| High-end pro kitchens | 316Ti grade | Bragging rights + extreme durability. |
| Super budget | 304 grade disc-bottom (thicker side) | Compromise, but avoid mystery steel. |
| Anything else | Avoid | Save your money. Buy better steel instead of more steel. |
Final Thoughts (and a small rant)
✅ If it doesn’t clearly say 304 or 316, assume it’s trash.
✅ Weight matters. Heavy pans = better heat distribution = less crying over burnt sabzi.
✅ Nickel is your friend. Manganese is NOT.
And for the love of everything — stop buying ₹799 “stainless steel induction kadais” from Amazon flash sales expecting them to survive your rasam adventures.
Invest once, cook happy forever.
Comments
i-love-mangoes • 1 points •
Great guide 👍
track me
Critical-Constant868 • 1 points •
Loved this! Was planning to get a stainless steel fry pan , this comprehensive guide really helped me in deciding which one to buy.
Yujwa • 1 points •
Which one did you buy?
ShivankAizen • 1 points •
Hey this is super useful, thank you so much OP. Was going through a few of your recommendations in the 304 category but didn’t find it specified in the product description.
Could you/anyone please recommend a few products/brands in that category?
Effective-Rule-9000 • 1 points •
Yeah same
amluchon • 1 points •
Hey OP, which grade is good for boiling pasta?
Pink_Rabbit31 • 1 points •
Very interesting explanation… thank you
Aggressive-You-1215 • 1 points •
Amazing! Thanks OP! Did anyone of you find more brands that sell the good steels mentioned above?
Curious-Deer3491 • 1 points •
I’d bought a hard anodized small kadhai of Kent brand, rarely used this. It is pretty heavy too but everything just sticks, can’t make bhujia. Low temperatures barely do anything to veggies, medium mostly sticks, high can’t even imagine. What to do🥲
Semi_Square • 1 points •
I found this thread randomly and I have to say this is one of the most hilarious writeups I have ever come across while simultaneously being informative as well. Post saved.
quest_to_learn • 1 points •
Gosh, I love your sense of humor. Never thought a guide could be entertaining to read.