When you hear, talk, or read about “stainless steel”, you often think of it in industrial, building, or automotive terms. But there is a huge percentage of this kind of alloy used in kitchens around the world, from homes to businesses in the food industry to food preparations in sterile environments such as hospitals and clinics.
It’s Not Just Pretty
A kitchen island, a countertop, a sink, or an appliance made with stainless steel looks marvelous in any light, but the reasons for using this steel in kitchens everywhere go beyond the aesthetic.
If you are thinking about using steel for kitchen purposes, you already know that it’s strong, so it can resist chips, cracks, and dents for a long time. However, steel rusts over time, even if it’s top quality. Stainless steel, which is a metal alloy that contains a percentage of chromium, can resist rusting. It is strong enough to last for years even in the most punishing kitchens, and it maintains much of its original look albeit with some scratching.
Formica may look great in your kitchen, but you have to be ready for when it starts to chip or fade. With stainless steel, you don’t have to worry about such weaknesses.
It’s Safe For Food Preps
A wooden chopping board may be sturdy enough to last a long time doing its job, but are you sure yours doesn’t harbor millions of bacteria? Wood is porous and it will sustain small chips and cuts every time you use it.
For your carvery, stainless steel is the obvious choice. It is non-porous, so moisture from water and other liquids will not stay on it, serving as a home for disease-causing bacteria. As a matter of fact, with evenly leveled stainless counters and carveries, you don’t have to worry about food contamination even if on one side you’re carving the steak and on the other you’re prepping the vegetables.
This resistance to corrosion, viruses, and bacteria is also the reason medical facilities use stainless steel. You may find operating tables, sinks, or a stainless steel tube, among many other features in a hospital or a laboratory. If it’s safe enough for a medical facility, it should be safe enough for a kitchen.
It’s Great For Cooking
It’s not just great for food preparation and serving; you can use stainless steel for cooking. It may be heavier than most, and perhaps cost more than your non-stick pans, but it doesn’t require a lot of heat and with proper cleaning, it can last a lifetime. It doesn’t leach anything into your food, unlike other cookware, so your food stays clean and uncontaminated and the low heat may even help preserve the vitamins.
Cleaning Is A Breeze
