Material comparison
304 vs 430 vs 201 Stainless Steel in Cutlery
A comparison of common stainless steel grades in tableware: 304, 430, and 201. How they differ in food safety, corrosion resistance, and everyday performance.
Quick answer
304 is the most common food-grade choice. 430 is magnetic and less corrosion-resistant. 201 is a lower-cost alternative. Yinshiji uses 304 for forks and spoons and 410 for its carved-set knives.
304 stainless steel
304 (18/8 or 18/10) contains 18% chromium and 8-10% nickel. It resists rust well and is the baseline for quality tableware.
Yinshiji uses 304 for fork and spoon pieces across all collections.
430 stainless steel
430 contains about 17% chromium but very little nickel. It is magnetic and less corrosion-resistant than 304. Common in lower-cost tableware.
430 is not unsafe but may not hold up as well under daily washing.
201 stainless steel
201 replaces some nickel with manganese, lowering cost but reducing long-term corrosion resistance. Used in some budget flatware.
Yinshiji does not use 201 stainless steel.
How to choose
For daily cutlery, 304 is a solid benchmark. Construction quality and care habits also matter.
Yinshiji lists the exact material by piece for each set.
Questions this page answers
Is 430 safe for eating?
Most 430 meets basic food-contact standards but is less corrosion-resistant than 304.
Does Yinshiji use 201?
No. Current Yinshiji products use 304 and 410.
Related pages
Expert sources
"201 is typical of the 200 series of stainless steels. These steels use manganese to replace nickel in austenitic stainless steels, mainly in order to make them lower cost. 201 is broadly similar to 304 for corrosion resistance but with some important differences in mechanical properties."
"Grade 430 stainless steel is magnetic. Grade 304 stainless steel is not magnetic. Grade 304 stainless steel offers more corrosion resistance than grade 430 because of its higher nickel content."
"For a stainless steel to be Food Contact Substances (FCS) approved by the FDA, NSF and ANSI, it must have minimum chromium content of 16%. Of the 400 series, 430 Grade meets the FCS standards with a chromium content of 16–18% and a nickel content of no more than 0.5%."
Key data
- 304 composition: 18–20% chromium, 8–10.5% nickel; 430 composition: 16–18% chromium, ≤0.5% nickel; 201 composition: 16–18% chromium, 3.5–5.5% nickel, 5.5–7.5% manganese Source: AZoM, "Stainless Steel – Grade 201"; ASTM A240 via Penn Stainless Products [link↗]
- 430 Brinell Hardness Number (BHN): 183; 304 BHN: 201 — 304 is harder and more corrosion-resistant due to higher nickel content Source: Kloeckner Metals, "What Is the Difference Between 430 vs 304 Stainless Steel?" [link↗]
- 201 yield strength: 350 MPa minimum (0.2% proof stress) vs 304 yield strength: 230 MPa — 201 is stronger but less corrosion-resistant in humid or chloride environments Source: British Stainless Steel Association (BSSA), "Stainless Steels to Behold – 201" [link↗]
- Global stainless steel flatware market valued at USD 7.52 billion in 2026, projected to reach USD 10.73 billion by 2033 (CAGR 5.2%) Source: Coherent Market Insights, "Stainless Steel Flatware Market Size and Share Analysis 2026–2033" [link↗]
Last updated: 2026-08-07