What Are Advantages And Disadvantages Of Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is used immensely for the material properties that make it corrosion resistant. Also, it is well-known in the industrial approaches for its resistance to magnets.  

Usually, it is an excellent choice over other steels for its usefulness. One should know the disadvantages of stainless steel before using it.

Accordingly, it becomes very important for you to have proper knowledge about the pros and cons of stainless steel, especially the disadvantages that can cause serious problems.

This article elaborates on the matter to resolve all your queries.

Let’s start.

First of all, before moving to the pros and cons, let us have an overview of the uses of stainless steel.

Most common uses of stainless steel

Stainless steel has some very good characteristics such as durability, corrosion resistance, magnet resistance, etc. This leads us to the further question, what is stainless steel used for?

Well, stainless steel is not only used for manufacturing purposes but also in day-to-day products or other uses. Let’s see the typical services of stainless steel.

Cooking Uses

You will find many kitchenware, cookware, and other similar stainless steel products. In addition, stainless steel knife with sharp edges is the most used in the kitchen.

Also, stainless steel is used for making good quality cookers, sinks, grills, and saucepans that are an inevitable part of your kitchen.

Surgical Equipment

Stainless steels are used vastly for making surgical tools as it gives an infection-free and corrosion-free quality. Likewise, stainless steel is used for medical equipment like hemostats, surgical implants, etc.

Sports Equipments

This type of steel is used to make helmets, bicycles, golf accessories, etc., for its strength. Adding to this, you will find stainless steel used to make quality gym equipment.

Structural uses

Nowadays, it is a very common scenario for architects to design and implement beam structures of stainless steel. Moreover, it gives the building more strength and corrosion resistance.

Again, window frames, grinders, and railings of stainless steel are now a common picture in structural projects. Not to mention, your bathroom fittings are made of stainless steel for their aesthetic appearance and rust resistance.

Read More: Difference Between Mild Steel Vs Stainless Steel

Industry and Laboratory Application

You will be amazed to know that stainless steel is now a commonly used metal for 3D printing purposes. Similarly, there are a massive number of industries that uses this material for their manufacturing processes, including fertilizer and pharmaceutical companies.

Engineering Uses

Stainless steel is a very good heat exchanger. Thus, it is used for engineering purposes in various industries and for research by engineers.

Correspondingly, you will also find stainless steel used for nail making. Besides, stainless steel is vital in the aerospace and automobile industries for making cars, framing cars, aircraft, rails, etc. 

Disadvantages of Stainless steel

There are disadvantages of stainless steel which cannot be overlooked. The major demerits of Stainless steel are described below-

• Stainless steels are very expensive to manufacture. This is why stainless steel is a costly purchase.

• The equipment made of stainless steel should be maintained properly. You need to clean the products regularly to maintain their quality.

• It is very important to use professionals when installing stainless products. If you try to do so, it may malfunction and become an imperfection in the adjustments.

• Stainless rings can dent due to their toughness. 

• A crucial disadvantage is that stainless steel cannot be welded or fabricated easily due to its high strength and toughness.

• Stainless steel is not energy efficient in the case of machines. You will see stainless steel machines consume a lot of energy. Furthermore, the product cannot be recycled easily and takes plenty of power to produce the finished product.

The primary factor that discourages using stainless steel in manufacturing industries is the costly procedure of making them. Along with this, it is not easily weldable, leading to greater costs in the finished products.

Advantages of stainless steel

Apart from disadvantages, you will find several advantages of using stainless steel uses. We have already discussed the different applications. 

Above all, stainless steel product gives more significant health benefits than most other steel materials.  Let’s observe this fact in detail.

Health benefits of stainless steel

Stainless steel products are the most environmentally sustainable. Adding to this, it also has some health benefits. 

• Stainless steel blades do not rust or corrode. This is why it is mainly used for dental and medical purposes without harming the patient.

• Stainless steel does not release toxin or reacts with other ingredients that can make it contagious to health. This makes stainless steel products the safest option for your household uses.

• It is the best choice for ensuring healthy dehydration. It is non-toxic and completely free of toxic elements like zinc, lead, etc., that link with cancer, endocrine, or other health disaster issues. 

The advantages of using stainless steel in the kitchen

In general, stainless steel is the best choice for day-to-day products in the kitchen. The advantages of using stainless steel cookware are given below –

• Highly durable for use.
• The cookwares are easy to wash and clean
• Very low maintenance required
• It is not reactive with foods in high temperature
• Lightweight, easy to use

By the same token, you will be greatly relieved with a sink made of stainless steel in your kitchen, for it will not create rust or corrosion. Additionally, to maintain a good environment in your kitchen, you should use stainless steel home appliances and kitchen products.

Benefits of using stainless steel 

Along with the corrosion-free quality, stainless steel will give you other benefits, including-

• Extremely hygienic type of material
• Brutal in strength and highly durable
• It provides an aesthetic appearance 
• Sustainable in nature

There are so many positive aspects of stainless steel that will delight you to choose to use stainless steel products. It is usual for you to become overwhelmed with such material that gives you so many advantages. But, before having a final conclusion, you need to see the other side of the story. Indeed, stainless steels have some disadvantages that cannot be overlooked.

Read More: MIG Welding Stainless Steel Exhaust – Welding Tips And Tricks

Conclusion

We cannot deny that stainless steel has made our product last long for its corrosion-free nature. On the other hand, it is a costly purchase indeed.

Stainless Steel product also has excellent health advantages. For this, it is used in medical equipment, and cookery uses. 

Overall, we have come through the disadvantages of stainless steel to conclude that it has some drawbacks despite its vast applications. Still, stainless steel products are ideal for a great variety of applications.