304 stainless steel is the old 18/8 stainless and the most widely used stainless. It has excellant corrosion resistance.
Typical catering uses for grade 304 are vats, bowls, pipework, table tops. Other uses include dairy and brewery equipment.
316 stainless steel is more corrosion resistant than 304 and is suitable for marine and coastal applications.
Typical catering uses for grade 316 are components used with more corrosive foods, (e.g. meat/blood, foods with moderate salt content) where frequent cleaning takes place.
Other applications include pharmaceutical.
Grades of stainless steel higher than 316 are available for use in more corrosive environments such as hot brine, salty and slow moving foods.
430 stainless steel is a lower grade stainless and is suitable for indoor uses. It has good corrosion resistance.
Typical catering uses for grade 430 are splash backs, table tops, equipment cladding and panelling and moderately corrosive environments, (e.g. vegetables, fruits, drinks, dry food etc). Other uses are domestic ware and motor trim.
