What is stainless steel?

All steels have the same basic iron and carbon composition, but stainless steel also contains a healthy dose of chromium—the alloy that gives stainless steel its famous corrosion resistance.

There are multiple grades called stainless steel, each with slightly different alloy composition, and therefore slightly different physical characteristics.

Stainless steel must contain at least 10.5 percent chromium. Depending on the grade, it may contain much higher chromium levels, and additional alloying ingredients like molybdenum, nickel, titanium, aluminum, copper, nitrogen, phosphorous or selenium.