Grades of stainless steel - classification, interpretation. Food grade stainless steel Stainless steel 18 10 specifications

Steel, which has anti-corrosion properties, is actively used in many fields of activity; it gained such high popularity because it has qualities that are unattainable for many other metal alloys. The first grades of stainless steel appeared in 1913, when Harry Brearley invented an alloy with exceptional resistance to the formation and development of corrosion. It is from this moment, which became a milestone in the development of the metallurgical and many other industries around the world, that the history of stainless steel, actively and successfully used by man for more than 100 years, begins.

What do we know about stainless steel?

Corrosion-resistant steel or stainless steel is an alloy consisting of iron and carbon, additionally enriched with special elements that give it high resistance to negative environmental factors. The main of these elements is chromium. It contains at least 10.5%. Chromium, in addition to anti-corrosion properties, gives such alloys a number of positive characteristics:

• good workability by cold forming;
• exceptional strength;
• the ability to obtain reliable connections by welding;
• the possibility of long-term operation without loss of its characteristics;
• attractive appearance.

Various grades (types) of stainless steel, and there are more than 250 of them created today, contain in their chemical composition both chromium and a number of other alloying additives, the most common of which are nickel, titanium, molybdenum, niobium and cobalt. Naturally, steels with different proportions of alloying elements in their composition differ different characteristics and areas of application.

As with any other type of alloy, carbon is an essential ingredient in stainless steel. It is this element that gives the resulting metal alloy hardness and strength.

Today, almost no industry can be imagined without the use of stainless steel. Grades of this alloy, all of which are distinguished by the ability to successfully operate even in the most aggressive environments, are used for the production of cutlery and medical instruments, containers for food liquids and products, pipes for transporting aggressive media, household appliances, as well as much more.

Types and classification of stainless steel

Grades (types) of stainless steel are divided into several categories, each of which is characterized by a certain chemical composition and internal structure of the material. Each of these categories of steels is distinguished by certain technical and operational characteristics, which determine the areas of their use. In modern industry, corrosion-resistant steels of the following categories are used.

Such alloys, which contain a fairly large amount of chromium (about 20%), are mainly used in heavy industry and for the production of elements of heating systems. They are distinguished not only by exceptional corrosion resistance, but also good ability to magnetization. In terms of demand, these steels are comparable to alloys with an austenitic structure, but at the same time they are much cheaper.

Such alloys, which contain up to 33% chromium and nickel, are the most used types of stainless steels worldwide (70%). They are distinguished by both exceptional corrosion resistance and high strength properties.

They are characterized by an acicular carbon structure, which makes them the strongest of all types of stainless alloys. In addition, stainless steels in this category are very resistant to wear and can be operated at high temperatures. In their composition, which is also important, contains a minimum amount of harmful impurities.

Such steels, which can have an austenitic-ferritic or austenitic-martensitic structure, are the product of innovative technologies and optimally combine all the advantages of other types of alloys.

Knowing the structure of a certain brand of stainless steel, which forms its main characteristics, is important in order to optimally select it for solving the required tasks.

Deciphering stainless steel grades

In order to choose the right grade of stainless steel for the implementation of certain purposes, it is most convenient to use special reference books. They provide information about all options designations of such alloys in various countries of the world. Among the huge variety of brands, one can single out those that are most widely used among specialists in many countries of the world. These include the following grades of stainless steels with austenitic structure.

• 10X13H17M3T, 10X13H17M2T: these grades are distinguished, in addition to exceptional corrosion and thermal stability, by a good ability to form welded joints. Thanks to such qualities, products made from alloys of these grades can be successfully operated at elevated temperatures and come into contact even with very aggressive media. The constituent elements of such alloys, which determine their unique characteristics, are: chromium (16-18%), molybdenum (2-3%), nickel (12-14%), carbon (0.1%), silicon (0. 8%), copper (0.3%), titanium (0.7%), manganese (2%), sulfur (0.02%), phosphorus (0.035%). In other countries, these grades are designated differently, in particular: in China - OCr18Ni12Mo2Ti, in Japan - SUS316Ti, in the USA - 316Ti, in France - Z6CNDT17-12.
• 08X18H10, 08X18H9: data is used for the production of pipes of various sections, elements of furnace equipment, at chemical industry enterprises. The composition of such steels includes: chromium (17-19%), titanium (0.5%), nickel (8-10%), carbon (0.8%).

• 10X23H18: stainless steels of this brand belong to the category of heat-resistant. When using them, it should be borne in mind that when they are tempered, they can become brittle. The composition of steels of this grade includes: chromium (22-25%), nickel (17-20%), manganese (2%), silicon (1%).
• 08X18H10T: stainless steel products of this brand weld well even without preheating and do not lose their corrosion resistance even at high temperatures. The insufficiently high strength that steels of this grade differ in is easily improved by their heat treatment, which GOST 5632-72 also recommends.
• 06KhN28MDT: a unique steel grade, welded structures of which are able to successfully operate even in very aggressive environments. The composition of this grade of corrosion-resistant steel includes: chromium (22-25%), nickel (26-29%), copper (2.5-3.5%).
• 12X18H10T: products made from this steel grade, which is characterized by high thermal stability and exceptional impact strength, are mainly used in oil refineries, in the chemical, pulp and paper industries, as well as in construction.

What is the difference between different grades of stainless steel (304, 430, 220, etc.)? What do the different marking numbers mean (18/8, 18/10, 18/0, etc.)? We are often asked about this, so we decided to write a short article on food grade stainless steel.

The "grade" of stainless steel determines its quality, durability and heat resistance. Marking 18/8, 18/10, etc. denotes the composition of stainless steel, namely, the ratio of chromium and nickel in it.

Food grade stainless steel marking

18/8 and 18/10 are the two most common grades of stainless steel used for:

These varieties are also known as 304 ( AISI 304) and are part of the 300 grade series. The first number, 18, indicates the proportion of chromium and the second, nickel. For example, 18/8 stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel.

304 stainless steel also contains no more than 0.8% carbon and no less than 50% iron. Chromium binds oxygen on the surface of the product, forming a film that protects iron from oxidation (rust). Nickel also improves the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. Therefore, the higher the nickel content, the more resistant stainless steel is to corrosion. steel grade AISI 304- this is austenitic steel (steel alloyed with chromium, nickel and manganese, which, when cooled to room temperature and below, retains the structure of a solid molten solution - austenite) with a low carbon content. The steel of this grade is the most widely used of all steel grades, and its characteristics make it universal in use. This steel and its analogue - steel grade 08X18H10 used for the manufacture of equipment for chemical and food enterprises and public catering enterprises, equipment for the production, storage and transportation of milk, beer, wine and other drinks, as well as chemicals, kitchen and tableware.

Steel 18/0 contains a small amount of nickel (0.75%) and therefore has a reduced corrosion resistance - it is more susceptible to it compared to grades 18/8 or 18/10. However, it is steel High Quality. Food grade 18/0 steel is also known as 430 steel and is part of the 400 stainless steel series which, unlike the 300 series, is magnetic.

200 series food grade stainless steels are often used for cookware, kitchen utensils, cutlery and containers. These steels, as a rule, are significantly cheaper than steel 304 - in the 200 series, expensive nickel is partially replaced by manganese. Although 200 steel products are just as safe, they are not as corrosion resistant as 304 steel.

You can order any neutral stainless steel furniture from us.

Use of food grade stainless steel for cutlery

It is sometimes believed that 18/10 steel is heavier, therefore less suitable for. In fact, there is no difference between the weight of 18/8 and 18/10 steel cutlery. Nickel in 18/10 steel cutlery provides extra strength - for example, forks made of such steel do not bend well. Cutlery made of 18/10 steel also has a shinier surface.

Use of food grade stainless steel for cookware

Stainless steel is a great alternative to Teflon-coated aluminum cookware. However, on a stovetop, stainless steel fryer or hob, on their own, they do not provide optimal heat conduction, so pots and other utensils are usually made of a three-layer material. For example, in a stainless steel pan, a layer of aluminum is sandwiched between two layers of 18/10 steel, allowing the heat to be evenly distributed throughout the pan. In these pans, aluminum does not come into contact with food.

How safe is stainless steel?

Stainless steel is one of the most common materials used in kitchens today. It is used for cutlery, dishes, work surfaces of various thermal equipment. It is a durable, easily sanitized and disinfected material that is resistant to corrosion and various aggressive acids found in meat, milk, fruits and vegetables. Equally important, stainless steel has no chemical substances, which can migrate into foods and drinks.

We believe that stainless steel, glass, cast iron, wood, lead-free enamelled ceramics are the safest materials to use in the kitchen. Our company offers a wide range of stainless steel products.

Many surely know that stainless steel is one of the most the best materials for the manufacture of cutlery and crockery. Indeed, this material is very reliable, practical and durable. But in addition to stainless steel, we often hear such definitions as “medical” steel, “surgical” or even “space”. Agree, such phrases attract our attention very much, and this is what manufacturers of kitchen utensils use, who like to operate with loud names. But what kind of miracle alloy do sellers offer us? Is it really used to make scalpels and other surgical instruments? And what does he represent? An ordinary buyer is unlikely to be able to answer these questions, which is why now we will try to find answers together.

This type of chromium-nickel alloy is produced under the marking 18/10, in fact it is an ordinary stainless steel alloy with a high content of chromium and nickel. The numbers that we see in the marking just indicate the percentage of these metals in steel, respectively 18% chromium, 10% nickel, plus some additives, for example, 0.12% carbon. The difference between this alloy and traditional steel is the increased content of the already mentioned chromium and nickel, however, in a conventional alloy, these metals are also present only in smaller quantities.

18/10 steel alloy is actually used in the manufacture of surgical instruments, although this is not the only area of ​​its application. It is a very popular alloy that is often used to make watches, scissors, office supplies, and more, so calling it purely medical or surgical would be a misnomer. Another distinguishing feature of 18/10 steel is its high density, approximately 7.8 g/cu. see Due to this, the surface of the metal product practically does not contain micropores, which means that dirt and microbes simply have nowhere to accumulate. In addition, such steel is very hard and resistant to mechanical damage: no scratches, chips and other defects, no corrosion, rust and oxidative reactions.

Steel 18/10 is not affected by acids, alkalis, and even more so detergents. In terms of environmental friendliness, this inert metal deserves all the praise. You can even store food in it and wash it with detergents (except for abrasives). Pans made of such steel are safe and do not change the taste of food, while aluminum utensils form harmful compounds on their surface upon contact with food.

This alloy is also used for the manufacture of knives, however, although such knives do not rust, they do not differ in high quality. This is due to the fact that they quickly wear down and the age of their service is very short, although the price for them is not very high. There are other analogues of alloys, from which cutlery is also made, including knives, but each of them has its pros and cons. Knives are made of spring steel, it cuts very well, but immediately rusts; from mild steel 40 X 12: this alloy is an absolute favorite for the production of cheap Russian knives; from an alloy 95 X 18, which shows good results in sharpening; from steel 50 X 14 MF, which is used mainly for the manufacture of super-strong and reliable knives and blades. As you can see, each material has its drawbacks, so knives made of 18/10 steel also have a place to be and are a perfectly acceptable option.

Now it is quite clear why cookware manufacturers turned to this alloy. But, despite all the advantages, it is still incorrect to pass off this alloy as a miracle metal. Skillful PR has helped utensil companies to publicize it, thanks to which they now sell their products at fabulous, but often unjustified and inflated prices. In fact, although this metal is not bad, it has more affordable counterparts. For example, in Russia it is classic stainless steel cookware, which is marked 04X18H10. Of course, it is somewhat inferior in quality to our alloy, but it also costs less.

If we talk about imported analogues, then the leadership is held by "Chinese" 420th steel (AISI 420), products from it literally flooded the Russian market. Recognizing “Chinese” steel is quite simple: as a rule, “Inox”, “Stainless” or “Stainless Steel” is written on the metal surface. There is also 440 steel - harder and more reliable, but this alloy is not very resistant to corrosion. But another option - steel alloy AUS10, perhaps, is the most optimal metal for the production of knives - it almost does not rust and is hard enough to withstand the load.

As you can see, 18/10 steel really has a number of advantages, but its properties may not always be useful to us in everyday life, therefore it’s not worth overpaying once again, proceed from your needs.

This dish is the most hygienic. Stainless steel, an alloy of iron with chromium and nickel, has high anti-corrosion properties, is resistant to acids and alkalis, does not change the taste and color of food and is completely harmless. Individual items and whole alloy sets are now especially popular on the market.<хром-никель 18-10>. These numbers indicate only the percentage of chromium (18%) and nickel (10%) in the alloy, and there is nothing unique in such an alloy - in fact, any stainless steel contains exactly that much chromium and nickel. It's just that science has established for quite a long time (at the beginning of the century) the excellent properties of alloys of this composition. Therefore, it is completely in vain that the company<Цептер>assures the gullible consumer that her cookware brand<18-10>made from special<медицинской>steel for surgical instruments and cuvettes for storing organs. Yes, chromium-nickel stainless steel is so inert that it does not have any effect on human and animal tissue, but it is also used to make, for example, watch cases, fountain pens, door handles and even banal paper clips. No<медицинской>steel doesn't exist, like no and<утюгового>cast iron. But the pots, pans and cutlery themselves are alloy<18-10>really wonderful. You can cook and store any food in them for a long time, the dishes are easy to wash with detergents (you should not just scratch and therefore use abrasive powders and pastes).

The range of stainless steel utensils is very large, some companies even offer glasses for wine and drinks. This seems absurd to me, champagne should be drunk from crystal glasses, and not from steel opaque containers. When buying, pay attention to the presence of a stamp<18-10>, on the quality of surface treatment (a good frying pan can be used as a mirror and combed) and of course the price. Virtually no different from other sets of the same<Цептера>cost 10-20 times more. If you're lucky, you can buy very inexpensive domestic products of quite decent quality (manufactured, for example, by a plant in the city of Ashe, Chelyabinsk Region).

Stainless steel cookware is so good that they began to equip it with various additional bells and whistles. For example, they began to make a thick bottom, which allows you to distribute the heat flow. Pots and pans with a multi-layered bottom appeared, and often the layers are made of different metals. For example, between layers of stainless steel there is a thick layer of aluminum, which conducts heat worse and accumulates it. The logic here is this: the pan turns into something like a thermos, in which the food is no longer boiled or fried, but stewed (languished). Methods for cooking buckwheat porridge in a pan wrapped in a blanket, or in a real thermos with a wide mouth, have long been known, but, alas, this is still not possible in a pan with a triple bottom. Sometimes it is proposed to put such a pot of food on the fire, heat it up, remove it from the heat and set it aside. Allegedly, at the same time, the pan itself<доготовит>food (due to the heat accumulated by the thick bottom) and you will save on heating. However, we pay a fixed price for gas, regardless of its consumption, and only a very small number of families cook with electricity in Russia. But the most important thing is that we cannot extract any additional heat from the pan, otherwise there would be a violation of the law of conservation of energy, which operates even at our latitudes. I myself measured the cooling rate of various pots with hot food and I can say with confidence that cooling does not depend on the material of the pan, but only on the tightness of its closure (most of the heat is carried away by steam from under the lid).

Regarding dishes with a bottom made of various materials, another concern arises. The thermal expansion coefficients of different metals are different, and there is no complete certainty that after a while the bottom will not<поведет>and the pan will not lose shape. It is better to use dishes with a thick bottom made of the same stainless steel, without inserts from other metals. It's also cheaper.

Further, stainless steel cookware is now supplied with very tight-fitting lids. Manufacturers believe that it is possible to cook vegetables without adding water, simply due to the moisture in the vegetables themselves. Yes, you can, although often potatoes and other products turn out to be undercooked and have an unusual taste (in my opinion, they are just tasteless). And in general, what did the water prevent them from? It is said that vitamins and other things go into the water useful material. But harmful substances, the same notorious nitrates, also go into the water! And vitamin C should be obtained from fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables. Other vitamins do not dissolve in water. As for the lid material, I think transparent lids made of heat-resistant glass are the most convenient and aesthetic. The benefits are literally obvious.

The option of frying without oil is also offered (manufacturers stupidly write<без жира>) - also due to the moisture present in the piece of meat and good heat distribution. This method is also possible, but again it does not turn out to be roast beef with a delicious crust (which Woland offered to the barman<Варьете>on a sword, watering lemon juice). Excess consumption of butter, especially butter, is really harmful - it contains cholesterol. I offer a simpler alternative - fry on vegetable, but I repeat: you can use stainless steel dishes this way. Although Teflon-coated dishes are much more suitable for this purpose (more on that later).

More about the lid. Some firms (for the first time we have the same<Цептер>) place a thermometer on it, which is sometimes proudly called a thermal controller and even a thermal computer. All this is nonsense, a simple bimetallic thermometer is installed on the cover, there is no feedback here - namely, feedback is a sign of the controller. In other words, the cooking temperature cannot be set in advance, you can only measure and turn off the gas at the right time. Feedback, therefore, is carried out by the culinary himself. And if the cook leaves the kitchen to watch TV, the food will simply burn and the controller will not help. The most dangerous thing is that the notorious thermometer made in a plastic case can burn or burst! Firms recommend not to overheat food (I completely agree) and turn off the fire when the green zone on the thermometer reaches the supposedly 90 ° C. But the difference between 90 and 100 ° C in terms of the preservation of vitamins and<других полезных веществ>(which ones are not mentioned) is quite small - vitamin C has long since died, and it is not necessary to get it from hot food. And the usual 100 ° C have a visible advantage - the water boils, you can turn it off. So I consider the installation of a thermometer an unnecessary and even harmful fad. By the way, a thermometer turns an ordinary pan into a kind of device that requires special maintenance, handling and even training. Wow bought a saucepan!

ABOUT<пожизненной>guarantees
There is nothing unique in the durability of iron utensils; many have preserved and use utensils from the last century. Iron, even non-corrosive, can last a very long time (swords and chain mail from 500 years ago are on display in museums). But the most interesting thing is that the promised guarantee does not say something! In fact, firms promise lifelong safety of only the body of a pot or pan, the warranty does not cover plastic handles and thermometers! And the handles will deteriorate first of all, they will definitely burn someday. In addition, somehow I can’t believe that newlyweds who bought a set of dishes for a housewarming party, in 40 years will be able to find a manufacturer and exchange something ...

So, if you want to have stainless steel cookware, then my advice to buy:

a) well polished, with a thick but not bimetallic steel bottom<18-10>, preferably without gilding and cheaper;

b) with a transparent glass cover made of heat-resistant glass without any thermometers;

c) if there is an additional charge for<пожизненную>guarantee for the opportunity to save thermal energy or cook<без жира и воды>- do not buy;

d) as a rule, there are a lot of unnecessary dishes in sets, think about what you really need in the kitchen and buy separate items.

02-05-2012

D For the next assessment of the quality of stainless steel utensils, this time we selected four samples that fall into the middle class in their price category, and one from the economy segment. There is an opinion that stainless steel utensils cannot be cheap by definition. So far, our experience confirms this thesis. However, another thing is also true - there is no direct relationship between the price of a product and its quality. For quite a significant amount, the buyer is often offered dishes of rather dubious quality. Moreover, manufacturers and importers rarely bother to provide detailed information about specifications ah products that define quality, even when they really have something to be proud of.

Let's start our story with pots Gourmet Classic production of the Russian enterprise "VSMPO-Posuda". The product has a volume of 1.5 liters, stainless steel handles and a lid. The price in the network of branded stores "Gurman" - 1179 rubles. for a share (without a share - 1300 rubles). Initial inspection did not reveal any defects in the internal or external surface.

Carbon (C), % - 0.05
Manganese (Mn),% - 1.2
Phosphorus (P),% - 0.034
Sulfur (S), % - 0.008
Chrome (Cr). % - 18.1
Nickel (Ni), % - 8.0
Molybdenum (Mo),% - 0.27
Silicon (Si),% - 0.66
Copper (Cu). % - 0.35
Titanium (Ti),% -

The case of the product, therefore, is made of AISI 304 steel (according to Russian GOST 12X18H9). On the packaging of the pan there is information that the dishes are made of 18/10 steel, however, as we can see, this is not entirely true - from a formal point of view, it would be correct to indicate 18/8.

The cut of the product showed that the bottom has a three-layer structure (stainless steel - aluminum - stainless steel). The total thickness of the bottom was 6.5 mm along the edges and 6.3 mm - in the center, the thickness of the heat-distributing layer was 5.2 and 5 mm, respectively. The pan is made using diffuse welding technology, which ensures complete filling of the bottom capsule with aluminum and contributes to better heat distribution properties. The outer layer of the bottom has magnetic properties, which makes it possible to use the product on induction cookers. The thickness of the steel from which the case is made is 0.7 mm.

All the above indicators exceed the requirements of the Russian GOST 27002-86 “Cookware made of corrosion-resistant steel. General technical conditions".

Overall score. According to its quality characteristics, the "Gourmet Classic" pan can be attributed to the premium class. The product has a thick heat-distributing bottom and a massive body. The design is discreet, pleases with the additional possibility of attaching the cover to the handle in the open position. Contact welding, with which the fittings are attached, facilitates the care of the product. In terms of price, the pan fits into the middle class. The value for money is very good. For the money to find a similar product of the same level is quite difficult.

The next product saucepan "Amet Classic-Prima" also produced in Russia by the Ashinsky Metallurgical Plant. The saucepan has a volume - 1l, stainless steel handles and a lid. Price - 869 rubles. in the Domovoy chain of stores. Primary examination revealed a minor defect of the inner surface - two black dots with a diameter of tenths of a millimeter.

Spectral analysis gave the following results regarding chemical composition steel from which the body of the pan is made:

Carbon (C), % - 0.05
Manganese (Mn), % - 1.30
Phosphorus (P),% - 0.029
Sulfur (S), % - 0.006
Chrome (Cr). % - 18.6
Nickel (Ni),% - 8.8
Molybdenum (Mo),% - 0.19
Silicon (Si),% - 0.55
Vanadium (V),% - 0.09
Copper (Cu). % - 0.09
Titanium (Ti),% -

As we can see, the pan is made of AISI 304 steel (according to Russian GOST 12X18H9). The packaging of the product indicates that the pan is made of stainless steel in accordance with GOST 27002-86, which is true.

The cut of the product showed that the bottom has a three-layer structure (stainless steel - aluminum - stainless steel). The total thickness of the bottom was 4.3 mm, the thickness of the heat-distributing layer was 3 mm. The pan is made using soldering technology, which can be seen from the voids along the edges of the inner bottom capsule. The outer layer of the bottom is not magnetic, so this product cannot be used on induction cooker. The thickness of the steel from which the body is made was 0.8 mm.

All of the above indicators comply with the requirements of Russian GOST 27002-86 “Cookware made of corrosion-resistant steel. General technical conditions".

Overall score. According to its quality characteristics, the "Amet Classic-Prima" pan can be attributed to the middle class. Appearance is unobtrusive. Contact welding, with which the fittings are attached, facilitates the care of the product. In terms of price, the pan fits into the middle class. The value for money is good.

The third sample - Bucket Tescoma Presto without cover. The product has a volume of 0.5 liters and a bakelite handle. Price - 699 rubles in the network of hypermarkets "Domovoy". Initial inspection did not reveal any defects in the internal or external surface.

Carbon (C), % - 0.05
Manganese (Mn),% - 1.2
Phosphorus (P),% - 0.026
Sulfur (S), % - 0.006
Chrome (Cr). % - 18.2
Nickel (Ni),% - 8.2
Molybdenum (Mo), % - Silicon (Si), % - 0.46
Copper (Cu). % - 0.20
Titanium (Ti),% -

It follows from the data that the bucket is made of AISI 304 steel (according to Russian GOST 12X18H9). The packaging of the product indicates that the pan is made of stainless steel in accordance with GOST 27002-86, which is true. The marking on the packaging and on the body of the product "stainless steel" is true.

The cut of the product showed that the bottom has a three-layer structure (stainless steel - aluminum - stainless steel). The total thickness of the bottom was 3.5mm at the edges, 2.9mm in the center. The thickness of the heat-distributing layer - 2.5 - at the edges, 1.9 - in the center. The pan is made using diffuse welding technology. The outer layer of the bottom has magnetic properties and the product can be operated on an induction cooker. The thickness of the steel from which the body is made was 0.5 mm.

Overall score. According to its quality characteristics, the "Tescoma Presto" bucket does not meet the requirements of GOST in terms of wall thickness (at least 0.6 mm) and the thickness of the heat-distributing bottom (at least 3 mm). The design is modern, the bucket has recesses on both sides for easy draining of the liquid. Contact welding, with which the fittings are attached, facilitates the care of the product. The value for money is satisfactory.

The fourth sample Casserole Taller Candy. The product has a volume of 1.5 liters and stainless steel handles with heat-insulating silicone pads. Initial inspection did not reveal any defects in the internal or external surface. Price - 979 rubles. in the network of hypermarkets "Maksidom".

Spectral analysis gave the following results regarding the chemical composition of the steel from which the bucket body is made:

Carbon (C), % - 0.06
Manganese (Mn),% - 1.10
Phosphorus (P),% - 0.032
Sulfur (S),% - 0.009
Chrome (Cr). % - 18.4
Nickel (Ni),% - 8.2
Molybdenum (Mo),% - 0.12
Silicon (Si),% - 0.38
Copper (Cu). % - 0.33
Titanium (Ti),% -

The analysis shows that the Taller Candy pan is made of AISI 304 steel (according to Russian GOST 12X18H9). The product packaging states that the pan is made of 18/10 stainless steel, which is a slight exaggeration. It would be correct to indicate 18/8.

The cut of the product showed that the bottom has a three-layer structure (stainless steel - aluminum - stainless steel). The total thickness of the bottom was 2.7 mm, the thickness of the heat-distributing layer was 1.6 mm. The pan is made using soldering technology, which can be seen from the voids along the edges of the inner bottom capsule. The outer layer of the bottom has magnetic properties and the product can be operated on an induction cooker. The thickness of the steel from which the body is made was 0.6 mm.

Overall score. According to its quality characteristics, the "Taller Candy" pan meets the minimum requirements of GOST for wall thickness, but the thickness of the heat-distributing bottom is almost two times less than the standard. The pot handles are attached with rivets, which makes it difficult to care for the product. The value for money is satisfactory.

Last sample - Home Club saucepan (private brand of the Lenta grocery store chain). The product has a volume of 1.3 liters, stainless steel handles and a glass lid. Price - 328.23 rubles. (without a promotion - 658 rubles).

Spectral analysis gave the following results regarding the chemical composition of the steel from which the bucket body is made:

Carbon (C), % - 0.10
Manganese (Mn),% - 10.2
Phosphorus (P), % - 0.030
Sulfur (S), % - 0.010
Chrome (Cr). % - 15.0
Nickel (Ni), % - 1.25
Molybdenum (Mo), % - Silicon (Si), % - 0.38
Vanadium (V),% - 0.12
Copper (Cu). % - 1.55
Titanium (Ti),% -

Steel grade - 10X15G10NDF (AISI 201)

Unlike previous products, the Home Club pan is made of AISI 201 chromium-manganese stainless steel (the most similar grade according to Russian GOST is 10X15G10NDF), which is a cheaper substitute for chromium-nickel alloys. On the packaging of the product, it is indicated that the pan is made of "high quality stainless steel", which is some exaggeration, since AISI 201 steel is cheaper and in some properties worse than AISI 304 steel.

The cut of the product showed that the bottom has a three-layer structure (stainless steel - aluminum - stainless steel). The total thickness of the bottom was 2.5 mm, the thickness of the heat-distributing layer was 1.4 mm. The pan is made using soldering technology, which can be seen from the voids along the edges of the inner bottom capsule. The outer layer of the bottom has magnetic properties and the product can be operated on an induction cooker. The thickness of the steel from which the body is made was 0.6 mm.

Overall score. According to its quality characteristics, the "Home Club" pan meets the minimum requirements of GOST for wall thickness, but the thickness of the heat-distributing bottom is almost two times less than the standard. The pot handles are attached with rivets, which makes it difficult to care for the product. The ratio of price and quality can be considered satisfactory only if we consider the price of the action in the Lenta hypermarket chain. The regular price seems overpriced.

*data on the thickness of the walls and bottom of all samples may contain an error of less than 0.1 mm

We would like to thank Ilya N. Petunov, the director of the Belpromservice-plus company, for help in preparing the materials.

Comments

1. When describing the "Gourmet" cookware, you noted that the manufacturer indicates the steel grade 18/10 on the packaging. This is not true. There is no indication of the steel grade on the packaging. We produce dishes in Russia, we are obliged to comply with the requirements of GOST 27002-86. Therefore, there is an obligatory "stainless" on the bottom of the dishes, and nowhere is there any 18/10. So GOST requires. I ask you to re-examine our products carefully, make sure that there are no signs 18/10 and bring to the attention of your readers that "a mistake has come out."

2. In principle, about marking 18/10. Here the discussion can be long. There is not a single official document (standard) where any steel grade had such a name.
The lion's share of all cookware in the world (we mean the body of cookware for cooking food) is made of AISI 304 steel. It is also EN 1.4301 or DIN 1.4301. But the Gostovsky tabular analogue 12x18n9 is essentially not an analogue, because it is very, very difficult to make a deep drawing of the body of dishes from this brand. But something had to be written in the table, so they wrote the closest similar one. Like an apple to a banana .... So, the nickel content for AISI 304 steel according to ASTM A240 should be from 8.0 to 10.5 percent! So, if someone labels 18/10 with 8-9 percent nickel, this is not a violation. Just because the standard is observed in all respects, and what is 18/10, and according to what standard it is, there are no regulatory documents anywhere.

Alexey Smakhtin.

Alexey, the inscription 18/10 is present on the package. In order not to go far, you can look at your website - http://www.salda.ru/imgitem/Duet_steklo_new.jpg - it is quite clearly visible there.

As for the discussion about what 18/10 is, this issue is debatable only for manufacturers and brand owners. In fact, this number indicates the ratio of chromium and nickel. And mark 18/10 steel, where 18% chromium and 8% nickel - this pure water craftiness.

Yes, not everywhere cleaned out, you are right. Before writing my previous comment, I checked several products in the warehouse - everything is in order there, but the warehouses are not only in Verkhnyaya Salda, and on some standard sizes of products that are packed in boxes bought a long time ago, there is 18/10... Let's fix it. We will eradicate the marking alien to the Russian manufacturer everywhere, on the website too :)

It’s immediately obvious that you, Alexey, were late with visiting the website resource because everything has been clear to everyone with the marking 18/10 for a long time. It's just NOT STANDARD AISI (EN 1.4301) grade 304 designation. and according to DIN, this is X5CrNI18-10, by the way :), used by many Russian vendors and importers. To be more precise, the closest analogue of grade 304 according to AISI is grade 08X18H10 according to GOST. But even the 12X18H9 brand you mentioned "stretches" just as well. What is written in the ASTM standard is known not only to you :) that's why it is the standard. Just NOT STANDARD. The 18/10 marking, invented by marketers and implementers of MLM and direct sale companies, directly indicates the content of chromium / nickel in the steel. And in Chinese steel, the nickel content is usually minimal (8-8.5%), so the marking 18/10 is by no means true, here Konstantin is absolutely right. Now, if there was a link to the ASTM standard in the marking, then yes, the AISI 304 marking, for example, and to the manufacturer (venor) - no questions. And if VSMPO produces GOURMAND dishes in Russia according to the GOST 26002-86 standard, then no 18/10 in the marking, incl. it should not be on the box (you correctly noted this) because this is a violation of the technical requirements of the GOST 27002-86 standard regarding product labeling. AMET has already received an official warning for this at the time. GOST 27002-86 is of course old and obsolete, but the current one and like any other law should not be discussed, but executed until another newer and more perfect regulatory document is put into effect. Well, in general, you should not divide buyers into "your" and "not yours", especially since there are not so many "your" buyers within the statistical error of 1% of the total number of stainless steel dishes sold in Russia. Anyone who understands the quality of dishes respects your company, the expertise noted this in particular, so appreciate it, but, alas, and this is a fact, it is far from shaping the current real situation in the Russian market...

No, Ilya, marked 18/10, nothing is clear. You write "It's just NOT STANDARD AISI 304 designation". But the well-known ASTM A240 standard for AISI 304 prescribes a run-up for chromium of 17.5 - 19.5%, for nickel 8.0 - 10.5%. (http://rostfrei.ru/edelstahl.nsf/pages/tablestandarts - this is information for those who are not very familiar with the standards)
If you follow your logic and the logic of the Editor, the manufacturer of AISI 304 cookware should mark the ACTUAL content of chromium and nickel. So? So. And if in fact chromium is 19% and nickel is 9%, then it is necessary to mark 19/9? Have you ever seen such markings on the dishes? Or a more complicated example: Chrome 17.52%, Nickel 9.49, integer percentage values ​​- this is a rarity after all .... How to mark in this case? Round off math? But then these are no longer actual values, and 18/10 in this case is a little not true ... or false information, but just a little ...

By steel producers: Over the past 3 years, we have purchased AISI 304 steel produced in Spain, Brazil, Finland, Korea. During this time, none of the producers had nickel higher than 8.5%. It used to be, but now 304 steel is made with the minimum nickel standard.

As for yours "But even the 12X18H9 brand you mentioned" stretches "nearly worse", then I won't even argue with you, since it's immediately clear that you are not a practitioner in DEEP drawing of stainless steel. This is no offense to you, it’s just that in the post-space of the USSR you can count such practitioners on the fingers, unfortunately.

And I appreciate your expert opinion, thanks for the objectivity.

So after all, you yourself, Alexei, mentioned that the domestic standard GOST 27002-86 does not oblige you to mark products with a specific steel grade. The product must bear only the SS marking. Besides, in modern products at least 3 different grades of stainless steel are used, and even on VSMPO and AMET products they are all imported and made either according to EN, AISI or SUS, and not according to GOST. I personally believe that the next regulatory document, which will replace the obsolete GOST 27002-86, should establish a requirement for the mandatory indication of the grades of all steels used, if this is not even done at the bottom of the product itself, then at least this should be clearly indicated in technical description (instructions) for the dishes. Moreover, it should be specifically stipulated how and according to what system of standards this can be indicated. That's when all these 18/10 and 17/0 will die off by themselves. We must adhere to standards, and not be guided by the inventions of marketers. Specifying a specific brand according to a specific standard will remove all the nuances that you write about. Therefore, let's erase all this "non-normative" scribbling from the packages and bring the information on them in full compliance with the current ND. economy. Both the COST of steel and how it "stretches" directly depend on the% nickel content. So it makes no sense to discuss something that, in principle, should not be (I'm talking about the symbols 18/10, which have not denoted anything for a long time, because they mark all and sundry any austenitic stainless steel). I am really not a specialist in deep drawing, as well as VSMPO engineers, because, as you can see from the range produced for your enterprise, a container with a diameter of 24cm. and 13.5 cm high. with a base case thickness of 0.7 mm, while it is the limit of technical capabilities. Here even AMET can boast of great achievements, not to mention foreign manufacturers. In addition, as the site’s examination showed, in the South Korean steel produced by POSCO, which AMET uses in its production, there is more chromium and nickel than in the one that VSMPO now uses, and the AMET cases are 0.1 mm thicker. This is me to the fact that the degree of drawing of stainless steel does not always only depend on its brand ... So there really is nothing to argue about, especially since I indicated above which brand, in my opinion, according to GOST should be considered the closest analogue of the brand 304 by AISI. Well, no offense to you personally, I would note that the design of VSMPO cookware, unchanged for many years, limited the lineup and a rather poor set of fittings, hardly can be attributed to its merits. Although, for the sake of objectivity, it should also be noted that the impact bottom of VSMPO cookware is much better in terms of TRS uniformity and bottom deflection than even some well-known imported brands. In order to successfully compete with imported tableware, in the current conditions, it is necessary to strain financially and finally make something new original in terms of design and construction, while continuing to work on quality.

Thank you, Konstantin, for the solidarity of views. We do not go to the "average minus" and below, since the competition there is very high. We plan to expand in our segment and beyond.
VSMPO-POSUDA ​​specialists highly appreciated the professionalism of your site regarding stainless steel cookware. Need our opinion, help - we are at your service.
Good luck. Alexey Smakhtin.

Yes, Ilya, finally, I absolutely agree with the first part of your post, moreover, we have long indicated steel grades in our technical documentation. I think a change in GOST is not far off.
As for deep drawing - if you consider yourself not an expert in this area - that's up to you. Do not touch my specialists. It is very interesting - did Belarus have its own criteria for "deep drawing"? Then it is very interesting, with what coefficient does deep drawing start in Belarus?
Concerning design - the consumer here chooses. We are barely able to meet his needs now. Got free money? Welcome. We really need an investor. Expand it is necessary, Here in this you are right.

Actually, I, Alexei, explained in sufficient detail that I had in mind the current very limited technical and technological capabilities of your production. But you somehow modestly kept silent about the request to confirm the figure I voiced of your current production volumes, which Konstantin doubted. Is this a military secret? If we talk only about GOURMAND dishes, then the buyer has no choice. Either a direct container - or just another utensil. As for the needs, imagine, we have the same problem - consumers complain that they cannot buy our dishes - they want, but they are not in stores. So your rhetorical question about free money is certainly not for us :) Although, of course, I understand that Edelstar left you, and the new owner of this brand has slightly different plans for the prospects for its development :) Of course, you need to expand, the more there are on the market there will be high-quality utensils, so less space will remain for Chinese bullshit, which is dragged here by stupid and greedy importers. So let's not take offense, I'm ready to cooperate with you in all areas :)

Marking 18/10 is used not only by MLM companies. Almost all European manufacturers label their products in this way. I have met only de BUYER and KUHN RIKON products not marked in this way. Europeans also use other markings: 18/8, 18/0, 18/1, etc. Cutlery is marked 18/10 and INOX (if the steel is nickel-free). Marked so for a long time, regardless of the country of origin. And no matter what we discuss here, they do it for themselves there. After all, this marking is not for professionals, but for buyers. The buyer, for the most part, does not know steel grades and does not want to know. He doesn't need it. 18/10 for the buyer is a symbol of the high quality of the metal.
Have you ever heard a dialogue like this:
What material are these pots?
- Stainless steel.
- A ... Just from stainless steel. And in that store steel 18/10.
- Our cookware is made of chromium-nickel steel.
- ????????? How many layers on the bottom?
- An aluminum layer between two layers of steel for better heat distribution.
- And in that store the bottom is five-layer (six-layer, seven-layer).
This happens to me every day. As a result, the buyer concludes that VITESSE, GIPFEL or BERGHOFF is better than ZWILLING J.A. Henckels, FISSLER, BARAZZONI. After all, GIPFEL is also Germany, only cheaper. And in these expensive ones there is a big overpayment for the brand. And try to convince the buyer of this, if he was told so at the market, and the neighbor Aunt Masha confirmed it, because she has such a saucepan. Yes, and sometimes you hear this from the sellers of Soviet-style department stores. It’s just a shame to stand next to you, what nonsense they are talking about.
Russian firms, inventing their brands, copied from Europe both beautiful legends and labeling - everything except quality and true information about this quality. The people are already accustomed to such marking, and try to accustom them to the new one. It is necessary to introduce mandatory labeling for all dishes, including imported ones, at the level of the law, which is unrealistic. It’s good to indicate brands somewhere, but it’s more needed for us, sellers. The buyer needs something simpler and more informative. For example, "stainless steel of the highest category" or something else simpler.
It is clear that domestic manufacturers label according to GOST, but it's time to change everything. On a subconscious level, the pronunciation "stainless", as if cutting with a knife. Here we scold marketers, and in marketing there is a lot of efficient and scientifically grounded. If the marketer has a choice, he will not put “stainless” on the product. Just "stainless steel" is perceived easier. You lose many customers only because of the labeling.

If every aunt "Masha" who sells Chinese tins at the market or every "advanced" marketer who has no idea about such technical disciplines as metal science and standardization begins to establish their own technical terminology and labeling for dishes, then the utensil industry, already wandering in the dark of ignorance, will plunge into complete chaos. It was these same marketers who invented a whole bunch of "patented" names like Ferrinox, etc. in every possible way. for regular standard grade 304 according to AISI. And this, according to your Posate, is efficient and scientifically sound? Brad, all this is intended to further fool the buyer's brains and sell more expensive, i.e. have extra PROFIT. So no science, everything is extremely primitive - like in a market. - "Where is the watermelon from?" , "Yes, to our native Krasnodar!. Yeah, at the end of June ... And who told you that the 18/10 brand is a "quality symbol"? This is simply the most common and convenient material for the MANUFACTURER, under which there is a standard good proven metal processing technology "There are a number of corrosion-resistant stainless steels used in cookware that are superior to 304 in both corrosion resistance and mechanical strength. And cookware handles have long been made of 304 steel. And I can give many more similar examples. I like- then probably three years ago I published an article devoted to the choice of material for dishes, where I described in detail what was what and why. and there is nothing in the world. In this regard, it would not be superfluous to listen to Rene Descartes, who advised EVERYTHING TO BE DOUBTED. If humanity had not doubted the teachings of Plato, then it is possible that we would still live on a "flat" earth with edges . In information about dishes, incl. and concerning the materials from which it is made, it is necessary to separate the marketing "heresy" from the "reality given to us in sensations." Because false information about a product is contrary to the law, which gives a person the right to freely choose a product (service). By giving a person false or distorted information about a product for profit, marketers violate his inalienable right. That's it, nothing less and nothing more. The real "European" manufacturers whose products are sold in Russia can be counted on the fingers. These are literally several Italian and Spanish firms. Everything else is "German", "Belgian", French", etc. a long time ago from China. And even the KUHN RIKOH you mentioned is also from there, not to mention WMF, Fissler, ZWILLING J.A. Henckels. It's just that these brands differ from Gipfel bullshit in that their vendors value the reputation of their brands. As for the fact that the people are "accustomed" to the designation 18/10, this is a very dubious argument in favor of continuing to reproduce this chaos and mess. Because in the current situation, the marking 18/10 DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING AT ALL and does not say anything (see .. You don’t have to follow the lead and exploit the existing consumer stereotypes, it’s not ethical, you need to destroy them and educate the people, actively fight against crockery " heresy". In the end, everyone will benefit from this - both buyers and conscientious manufacturers who produce really high-quality dishes, and even sellers who do not have to tell the myths of ancient Greece about dishes.

mr. Catlery, I apparently could not express my thoughts correctly. Then in order.
The manner of naming steel by its proper name, such as Ferrinox, was copied, like dishes, from Europeans. WMF names steel after Cromargan, SILIT - Silargan. With Ferrinox, in general, everything is simple, an abbreviation for Ferro inox, Italian for stainless steel. No point but to separate yourself from a large number similar products are not named. I do not justify such names, but there is no deception in this. Now, if the Ferrinox pan rusts, then it's a hoax. They call pots by their proper names. Although why on earth, if products of different brands are made on the same line, and outwardly they differ only in handles. Kukhar pans are also very similar to some models of other brands, however, they have their own name. If we remove all superficial, not characteristic of a metalworking product, then the name of the product “K143662221 Pan "Magnolia Prestige" capacity 5.8 l metal lid" should be changed to "pot made of stainless steel type 08X18H10 with a capacity of 5.8 l art. K143662221 produced by Smorgonposuda LLC. The metal cover is encrypted in the article. The Kukhar brand itself, according to GOST, is also not required to be applied. That's just who will pay attention to such a name. Actually, this is the work of brand makers and marketers. In order to distinguish a specific manufacturer from the mass of other LLCs and a product from thousands of similar articles.
No one doubts that many European manufacturers order part of the range in China. I'll tell you more about KUHN RIKON. He has products not only "Made in China", but also "manufactured in India". If, according to you, all 100% of products are from there, then the statements of KUHN RIKON “Designed und hergestellt in der Schweiz”, “SWISS MADE”, “Made in EU” are not worth a penny. Is it possible that KUHN RIKON manufactures its famous thermos pots in Guangdong. If with ZWILLING J.A. Henckels is clear, pans are not their profile, why WMF, FISSLER, SILIT have products “made in Germany”. And when Demeyere writes "made in Belgium" and de BUYER "made in France" what do they mean.
So all these companies misinform European buyers about the place of production?
Secondly, I would like to say that in Europe, most manufacturers label stainless steel products "18/10". There are products with other markings, for example "18/8". I think you can name the producers ALZA, BARAZZONI, Frabosk, Giorinox, Montini, PINTINOX, MORINOX, SILGA, Silampos, MEPRA, Inoxpran, Becchetti, Inoxia, Fogacci. They put the sign "18/10". Only a few manufacturers use a different system. For example, Lagostina: “We use stainless steel AISI 304 (type 18/10), consisting of 18% chromium, 10% nickel and carbon not higher than 0.03%.” Immediately deciphers the brand AISI 304 more understandable to the buyer "18/10". According to the composition declared by Lagostina, the steel corresponds to the AISI 304L grade. KUHN RIKON also puts "stainless steel" instead of "18/10". For what purpose do manufacturers label their products 18/10 if it means nothing. Montini offers the same product in 18/10 and INOX versions. Products from "18/10" are 65% more expensive than from "INOX". Now let's imagine that instead of the easily understood 18/10, 18/8, 18/0, INOX, European manufacturers would write like this: EN 1.4301, EN 1.4948, EN 1.4372, EN 1.4371, EN 1.4373, EN 1.4016. To be more precise, BARAZZONI should write X3CrNi18-10, ALZA - F.3504, de BUYER - 304F00, FISSLER - X5CrNi18-10. If you focus on the place of production, then FISSLER should have X5CrNi18-10 on some pans, 0Cr19Ni9 on others, similarly for BARAZZONI X3CrNi18-10 and F.3504. But all this is not entirely true, the correct marking on the steel grade from which the product is made. The grade of steel depends on who made it. Manufacturers of cookware buy steel, guided by both economic considerations and a marketing plan. Therefore, the same pan can be made from steel AISI 304, and EN 1.4301, and EN 1.4948, and SUS304, and 2332, and 0Cr19Ni9, and 08X18H10, and that's not all. And you need to mark exactly according to the steel used, because they are only analogues among themselves. And even steels produced according to the AISI 304 standard differ in characteristics depending on the manufacturer. Imagine that manufacturers have to specify not only the grade of steel, but also the plant in which it was produced. Of course, all this is nonsense and this will never happen. And it is not necessary, first of all, to the buyer.
“The most common and MANUFACTURER-friendly material for which there is a standard well-established metal processing technology” is AISI 304 steel, produced according to the ASTM standard. From the above examples it can be seen that European manufacturers, using the designations 18/10, 18/8, 18/0, do not mean a specific steel grade made according to a certain standard, but the percentage of chromium / nickel in stainless steel. If the stainless steel used to make pots contains 8-8.5% nickel, then all of the manufacturers listed are giving false information to European buyers. However, in Europe, this seems to suit everyone. Either these designations have now been transferred to an abstract symbol meaning high-quality stainless steel. It is unlikely that a German or Italian buyer, looking at the symbol "18/10", thinks of 304 steel.
Marking 18/10 came to Russia, first of all, with European brands. But in the 90s, such dishes could be purchased only in a few major cities. The dishes were very expensive, not widely used, so few knew about them. There are substitutes. In the high-end sector, Zepter quickly occupied all large and medium-sized cities and became known for its sales methods. In the cheap sector, brands like "Happy Lady" proliferated. All of them used the 18/10 marking, similar to the European one. Later, Russian pseudo-European brands appeared, which also marked the already well-known numbers 18/10.
What did Russian manufacturers do at that time. They did not consider the manufacture of tableware to be a serious business. Factories, a legacy of the Soviet economy, needed consumer goods like a fifth wheel in a cart. In the late 90s, at one of the exhibitions, a representative of one of the brands tested here in a private conversation mentioned that their main competitor was KUMZ. Pots were also on the stand. It is clear what was the attitude of domestic manufacturers to stainless steel utensils. They modestly called their pans an analogue of Zepter! Wholesale firms then called them “Russian Zepter”. Zepter himself was at the same exhibition. Around them is a holiday, a show. They cook, they fry, they treat everyone. People are constantly crowding. Well, whose dishes will they buy after that.
I don’t remember what they wrote on domestic pots about steel grades at that time, but marketers and wholesalers called them “medical”, “surgical”, “18/10”. Representatives of manufacturers said so without the help of marketers. If the manufacturers then had intelligent layout specialists, they would not have missed the promising market, and would not have given everything to the Chinese.
It turns out that it has historically developed in Russia to call high-quality stainless steel "18/10". Probably, this is unscientific, not according to GOST. But the buyer does not need to know GOSTs and steel grades. Do you think buyers know that cast and stamped aluminum pans are made from different materials. And the mention "all products are made from high-quality food alloy AK-9pch" for the buyer is an empty phrase and does not mean anything. Detailed technical data are needed in the documentation for specialists.
It is probably necessary to streamline labeling in Russia. But for the buyer, it should be simple and understandable. Only "stainless" is again not an option. Few people now understand this abbreviation. In Soviet times, too, not everyone understood what it meant. The name should be not only understandable, but also easy to read and understand. We must not forget that information about the product is made for a simple buyer, and not for a metallurgist-buyer. That's just to set new standards will be officials. They will try to complicate and confuse everything in order to collect fines later. And what products should be labeled according to GOST - only Russian-made or all that are sold in Russia?
It is very surprising when factories that do not have time to produce products due to gigantic demand, when pots fly like hot cakes, complain about the lack of funds to increase production. If my goods were sold at such a pace, it would be possible to open a new store every three months on rented premises or once a year on our own, using our own funds without loans and investors. But, alas, for dishes, queues in stores, as in factories, do not line up. And they often buy not domestic pots, but more expensive Chinese ones standing on the next shelf. Steel grade at this time is not primarily interested.
It seems that the market is large and promising, and the prices are competitive, and we can produce, but something is missing. And it's not always just about money.

With all due respect to the work done by you, dear Posate, I have to disagree with its main conclusions. To begin with, you did not quite interpret GOST 27002-86 and the manufacturer's trademark, which is an OBLIGATORY element of product labeling. If it does not exist, then not one certifier will undertake to identify such a product. Violation of the marking rules established by the standards entails the cancellation of previously issued documents, among other things. And in general, in regulatory documents (ND) there is often a lot of things that are not very clear from a philistine point of view, such as symbol stainless steel, etc. But, the standard is the law of industry, the same as for people the criminal or administrative code. And the laws must be carefully read, enforced and NOT BREAKED. Laws and standards are not a subject for reasoning and discussion, unless you are Gosstandart or parliament. :) What an Italian or a German thinks about 18/10, imagine, I don’t really care, we would clean up our domestic mess. At the moment, the situation is such that we have GOST 27002-86 for stainless steel utensils, with various changes, additions, obsolete, not reflecting the current level of development of pot building, etc. But! this standard stipulates, although not quite correctly, those MINIMUM technical requirements that allow you to determine the boundary between junk made of some kind of stainless steel and normal dishes. The standard defines the quality criteria by which, for example, I, as an expert, can say this is a defect, and this is a quality product, and explain all this to the buyer. Without a standard and technical requirements, ANY tin can become of high quality and ANY inscription on it is completely legal. Do you feel the consequences of this?

There is a huge amount of literature about the concepts of brand and trademark and their differences. But this is not the subject of this topic. For a metallurgical enterprise that is not interested in marketing, the Smorgonposuda trademark, applied by the impact method or by electrochemical etching, would be quite natural. And "Kukhar" is already a brand. You do not have a culinary school and not an association of chefs. There is no direct correspondence between the name and the type of activity. The same brand as Apple, associated primarily with a computer, and not with an apple. If you analyze the Kukhar brand, you can see that it has been carefully designed in accordance with the marketing plan and the market segment it occupies. And this is good.
GOSTs must be met, that's right. But if you remember last years Soviet period, then some obsolete criminal and administrative articles were often ignored even by law enforcement and judicial authorities. Maybe that's why now they don't find fault with pans that do not comply with GOST. Absolutely all pans of non-Russian production do not comply with GOST. Even the best European samples would not be certified in Russia, because they do not say “stainless”. Strictly in accordance with the current law, there is only one way out: only pots made in Russia have the right to be sold in Russia. The expert, guided by GOST, must reject not only a marriage, but also a high-quality product.
The technical requirements of GOST apply to manufacturers and importers. At the store level, they no longer make sense. The store must receive goods that meet the technical requirements. A single store cannot cut a pan from each parish. The store does not have experts for each group of goods. Sellers don't know what 304 steel is and how it differs from 202 steel. Merchandising textbooks don't have steel grade matching tables, and it's unlikely they ever will. Sellers need the same simple marking and product information as for buyers.
Our reasoning here is theoretical. The opinion of a friend, neighbor or opinion on the forums is more important and more effective for most buyers than the opinion of the seller. It's called PR. In the meantime, I can't convince the majority of buyers with the help of technical knowledge that FISSLER is better than GIPFEL. And the limit of dreams for many is still Zepter.

In the discussions at http://site/node/9085, the concept of a brand is not quite correctly defined. Röndell is discussed there. Personally, I don’t like it for a number of reasons, I don’t sell it, although offers come in regularly. But, of course, Röndell is a brand. How it was created and promoted, what associations are associated with it, is another question. There is a group of buyers who prefer this brand, repeat purchases only of this brand, create public opinion regarding the merits of this brand, have certain expectations from the purchase of products of this brand. I have met such buyers. It is fundamentally wrong to consider a brand that is known to half of the target audience as a brand. Firstly, the concepts of “target audience” and “potential consumers” are often confused. Potential can be a very wide range of consumers, united, for example, by income level. It is not necessary to count on this whole circle, since the consumer, by purchasing a product, satisfies certain needs. And the higher the number of needs common to potential consumers, the narrower the target audience. And who determined the number of the target audience for the KUHAR trademark? The target audience can consist of both 100,000 and 10,000 potential consumers. On the Internet, the KUKHAR trademark is mentioned more and more often on various resources. Already often there are discussions of consumers of this brand on the forums. They began to ask questions where you can buy KUHAR dishes. Note, not dishes in general, but a specific brand. Ask those who have never seen a KUHAR pot, that is, KUHAR exists only in the minds of these people. By the way, I have not seen a single KUHAR item either, but I know about it. There are other signs that characterize the KUHAR trademark as a brand. GOST, on the other hand, will accept as a trademark on a product applied by the impact method or by the method of electrochemical etching, even the name of the enterprise "Smorgon dishes". GOST doesn't care, but the manufacturer doesn't.
The fact that the KUKHAR trademark was first produced by one enterprise, then by another, is another confirmation of belonging to the concept of a brand. In the mind of the consumer, the brand exists on its own, it is not associated with a specific manufacturer. Just as few people know the manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. known for its Panasonic, National and Technics brands.
It is impossible to compare global brands and brands known in one country or in many countries to a narrow circle of consumers in terms of the level of popularity. How many chefs in Russia know about the existence of Le Cordon Bleu, even though they are potential consumers of its services. Hardly more than one percent. This will not stop Le Cordon Bleu from being the best brand in its segment.
Domestic manufacturers do not always pay due attention to their trademarks. But in vain. VSMPO-Posuda promotes the Gurman trademark, while the name "Verkhnyaya Salda" is firmly entrenched in the minds of consumers. Most buyers ask not for Gourmet or VSMPO pans, but for Upper Salda pans, or more often just Salda. The same with the products of the Ashinsky Metallurgical Plant. Customers ask for Asha pans, not AMET. It can be concluded that Gurman and AMET are really trademarks, and Salda and Asha that exist in the minds of most consumers are real brands. Not using historically established brands is simply wasteful.

In some ways, I agree with you Posate, but not in some ways. As for Salda and Asha, the same can be said about the cutlery PZKhM, Trud, etc. There, too, geographical names have historically taken root in the minds of buyers, and not trademarks and names of enterprises. This is a characteristic defect of PR managers and marketers. Because, suddenly there is another similar enterprise (and by the way, it often happens) and the concept of the brand is blurred, and the concept, for example, "Pavlovian spoons" loses distinguishing feature and individuality. The name VSMPO, for example, could normally fit some research institute, but this is categorically not suitable for brandname dishes. The whole point here is that the Gurman trademark appeared much later than the first entry of this dishware to the market, and it is very difficult to break the prevailing stereotypes of perception, it is much easier to start with clean slate, i.e. with a new brand. The concept of a brand is really irrelevant to the name of the manufacturer, a typical example is franchising. A brand is not only a characteristic memorable name, but also a certain concept that is perceived with a certain level of trust by a group of consumers. The correct approach in this matter certainly affects a lot, but it doesn’t matter how you don’t “position yourself”, but the dishes must be made of high quality, wisely, not for beautiful trade mythology, but for consumers, for people. And you need to do it as for yourself, conscientiously ...
As for Rondell, this brand is no different in its concept from Vitesse, Vinzer, i.e. "brand" with a frankly false fictional story of origin. Those. the reputation of this brand was initially tarnished and built on an outright fake. The buyer is sold for the price that Rondell ware is worth, the myth of its German origin, although in fact this ware has nothing to do with Germany, it is made in Xingsing city of Guangdong province at the Toping factory and other factories in the same province. At the same time, if we talk about the quality of Rondell cookware, then it is quite satisfactory, although some technical characteristics and workmanship of the bottom impact are far from the best.

Elementary knowledge about the product in trade educational institutions just teaching. Unlike narrow specialists - metallurgists, the training course for merchandisers and even ordinary sellers includes all groups of goods. The seller must know textile, leather and fur, perfume and cosmetic, construction, electrical, household chemicals and many other goods. Ceramic goods include porcelain and faience dishes, bricks, and knives made of zirconium dioxide. The seller must also know glass goods, and there are not only dishes. Metal goods include not only dishes made of alloyed and non-alloyed steels, cast iron, non-ferrous metals, but also shovels, axes, chisels, wheelbarrows, nails, etc. There are also wood and plastic products.
The sellers study the production process of all goods in general terms. But, for example, only one of the varieties of porcelain - hard porcelain is made differently by each manufacturer. And even one plant can produce different types hard porcelain, depending on the purpose. The plant independently makes the slip from the feedstock according to its own recipe. The temperature and firing time for all products are different. Therefore, porcelain products from different factories differ from each other. And no manufacturer will tell you the nuances of the technology, because this is his bread. Knowing everything about everything is unrealistic and unnecessary.
The conclusion about whether it is worth or not to put the product on free sale in a particular store, the merchandiser should do based on the concept of the store, the target audience and some other criteria. Poor-quality goods from unscrupulous manufacturers should be screened out at another stage, they should not end up in the store at all. Marketing initially involves working with quality goods and services.
It is not possible to assess the quality of goods in the store according to the attached documents. Everyone involved in sales is well aware of the value of certificates, declarations, conclusions, test reports, and how they are obtained. you mr. Catlery, as an expert, knows perfectly well that all low-quality crafts, all rubbish, have the best certificates. Visually, you can only evaluate a premium product of European production. The quality of economy or medium products cannot be determined without laboratory methods.
How reliable information about the product is provided even by domestic manufacturers, we have already found out in the topic http://site/node/11220.
For the fact that KUKHAR provides complete information about his product, respect to him.
There is a lot of information on the Internet. If we analyze the information posted on the websites of manufacturers of steel products (including industrial products), then the opinions of the authors of the articles do not always coincide. Including about the properties and application of stainless steels in specific products.
It happens to talk with buyers working in the metallurgical industry. I try to get something new from them in a conversation for myself. Only one gets the impression that I know much more about metals and utensils from them than these metallurgists.

Yes, it is quite possible, dear Posate, that by constantly communicating with buyers you have become more aware than the importers of this same dishware. In practice, few importers are 100% aware of and know what they actually buy and sell. Items are selected based on price and appearance because buyers are deeper than the topic and do not know at all. I really know the price of certificates and declarations issued in the Russian Federation. I will give a specific example - stainless steel dishes t.m. Katun (Barnaul) has in mind very plausible documents for products, as it were, of their own production (at least the managers of this company who worked at HouseHold smartly without blinking and looking directly into their eyes confidently lied about the fact that "we do everything ourselves here" ) . If you look closely at the voluntary certificate, then the above-mentioned dishes turn out to be made according to a certain TU 1482-001-57354611-2011 (technical specifications), which, as they said in the body that carried out the certification tests, is the "intellectual property" of the manufacturer. Judging by the quality of the dishes themselves, made of 201 steel and its poor technical characteristics, the "manufacturers" from Barnaul have a specific intellect - in fact, they implemented a scheme for the legalization (Russification) of Chinese junk, which is already full of counters in our stores. Now this junk is no longer being sold as Chinese, but as our "domestic". And, mind you, all this is perfectly legal within the current legal framework. Even those who conducted the tests and issued the certificate do not know what is written in this TU, it is enough for them that they were "paid" for their "labor". Instead of a hygiene certificate issued by the health authority, the manufacturer gives everyone a certain "expert opinion" on the study of not even the dishes themselves, but some declarations and documents submitted by the manufacturer. It is interesting that this conclusion was issued in Krasnodar, and some studies were allegedly carried out in the Moscow region. Judging by such significant geographical movements, it was not so easy, and most likely expensive, to mold these documents for Mr. Chernyakov, who heads the newly-minted manufacturer OOO TD "Universal-Komplekt". The fact that this is actually a typical cheap Chinese craft can be seen even from the labeling of the product, made in violation of the current GOST.
So here you are certainly right, the merchandiser and the seller should look not only at the documents, but also at the product itself. It is precisely because such “manufacturers”, if I may say so, flood the market with low-quality and low-grade products and a negative attitude towards this type of utensils is formed in the mass consciousness of consumers, based on an unsuccessful experience of use. This kind of "commercial" activity casts a shadow on real Russian manufacturers who care about quality and strictly follow the requirements of GOST and may well be the subject of an antimonopoly investigation by the FAS.

Are you seriously ready to give each store half a pan (from each line!)? And where do you include the cost of sawn pots? How much will the price rise finished products? And if it does not change, then the main part in the price of the goods is profit. That is, the cost of a KUHAR pan is close to zero. Does the production of dishes really cost nothing? There are almost 1100 cities in Russia, to add more cities of Belarus. The number of potential partner stores will probably reach 10,000, and maybe more.

And we have nothing to hide :) We are ready to do it, you just didn’t take into account that one pan can be cut into 4 parts and 8 or more, and all these parts will give a fairly complete picture of the technical characteristics, the quality of the bottom impact and the actual thickness of the TRS. So you don’t have to worry about the cost of KUHAR dishes in advance :)

Zepter is interested mainly in illiterate, ambitious, having a certain feeling of envy for a girlfriend or neighbor, buyers. If they do not have enough funds to purchase Zepter, then usually these are clients of Gipfel, Berghoff, Vitess. And this is a significant part of the buyers. At the same time, they continue to dream of Zepter and envy the owners of this miracle. Almost all of these buyers are not even aware of the existence of the same FISSLER.
Buyers who purchase dishes of the brands listed in the post of 09/15/12 do not think about Zepter at all. There were some customers who had not even heard of this brand.

Not everything is defined by money this time. The second is that the information field has changed dramatically since the entry of Zepter cookware into the market. And thirdly, a fair amount of these direct-sale dishes a la Zepter have recently been divorced. Therefore, the influence of this brand on consumer minds is greatly exaggerated, as evidenced by the "non-fulfillment of the sales plan" in the CIS countries by domestic zepteroids over the past period. And the further, the more obvious this situation will be, you'll see.

Here's another topic. At the conference http://potrebitel.site/faq, a question was asked, which is often found on various sites, about the effect of scratches on the consumer properties of stainless steel cookware: “Micro-scratches on the bottom of the Gourmet pan 2012 Oct 30”. Manufacturers in the instructions for use do not explain the consequences of scratching to the consumer, unlike manufacturers of non-stick cookware. The question is relevant today, it is also asked in stores. It may be worth adding information about the product. Since the question was asked by the consumer of the Gourmet pan, I would like to know the opinion of VSMPO-Posuda.

Let's hope that Alexey Smakhtin will visit the pages of the site again and answer your question Posate. The buyer’s question didn’t even concern scratches, but scuffs, because scratching (i.e. digging a groove in metal) with a spoon is almost impossible, especially since the spoon is made of the same material (304 steel) as the pan, well, or from 430 steel .

I went right in! Here they are waiting for me, it turns out :) Hello, Dear!
Now I took 2 spoons - one of steel 304, the second of steel 430, the manufacturer is JSC Ural, Upper Salda, and with different efforts scratched the bottom of our pan. The scratches are visible. Of course, they are not felt, and are visible only at a certain position of the pan to the light source. We call them lights. They are more easily applied with a 430 steel spoon, but the first one also scratches with a certain effort. Of course, these scratches do not change the properties of the pan in any way (the answer to the question in the forum is quite correct), and this should be written in a memo to the buyer, which we will do. Why scratches are visible even when exposed to a 304 steel spoon, I will explain a little later, I will try today, now there is no time, unfortunately.

In general, a somewhat strange statement of the question - after all, matte polishing is concentric scratches neatly applied on a smooth surface, if they are + also disorderly, this will not affect the hygienic safety of the dishes themselves, because the chromium oxide film, which protects the metal surface from corrosion has the ability to self-regenerate. The downside is that the deeper the scratches (rougher surface roughness), the more difficult it will be to rinse and clean them of food debris, and they themselves will serve as scale deposition concentrators.

Ilya, hello again! I repeat, but I read your articles about dishes with pleasure - terminology, conclusions, description - everything is at a very good level. At the level of a person who knows what stainless steel cookware is.
But again I cannot agree with what you wrote on November 1st. And today's comment is not entirely clear to me. "Putting the question" - is it for me or Dmitry?
If to me, then I completely agree with you, but I undertook to discuss "light scratches", and your comment ( the last sentence) is valid for deep scratches, but this is another topic, you can’t apply them with a spoon ....
I will continue and answer why "light scratches" are inevitable even when exposed to a spoon made of material identical to the body of the pan (steel 304)
If you take 2 pieces of a pine board, and draw the corner of one along the flat surface of the other, you will see a trace - a scratch, although the material is the same. If you do the same with two blanks from sheet stainless steel, the result will be the same. By this I mean that identical materials are capable of inflicting (light) scratches visible to the eye.
And if we are talking about a spoon and the inner surface of the pan from the same material, then there is one big "BUT". Steel 304 as delivered (coil, strip, sheet) has certain mechanical properties, for simplicity, I will call it "soft". I will try to avoid specific metallurgical terms in the future - after all, not only we read our comments. In the process of drawing the body of the pan, the bottom part is practically not deformed and remains "soft". The operation of grinding the inner part of the case does not practically change this "softness".
Now consider the spoon. When punching a spoon blank, its edge along the entire contour is subjected to significant deformation (shear) and the metal along the contour is strengthened. In addition, JSC URAL uses the "tumbling" operation, where spoons hang in the drum for many hours, including those with balls from bearings, which also hardens the surface of the spoon. As a result, the edge of the spoon with which we draw along the inner surface of the bottom of the pan is 20 percent harder than the bottom. And there is nothing to say about a spoon made of steel 430 - this steel is initially more "hard"
Today I also scratched pans from other manufacturers. The result is identical - light scratches. But that's the way it should be. And most importantly - these scratches do not affect the consumer properties of dishes at all.

"Putting the question" is certainly not for you, Alexey. I have no doubt that you understand the mechanism of scratch formation. Everyone understands that the formation of scratches on the bottom of the pan during operation is inevitable. But Posate, when asking the question, had in mind a slightly different aspect - the hygienic consequences of the formation of such scratches, by analogy with AP-coated pans.

Yes, for the most part, the question concerns the hygienic properties of scratched dishes. But at the same time, it is wider. On one of the sites, the question was posed like this: “I read somewhere that initially an oxide (or some other) thin film forms on the surface of a stainless steel, and if it is scratched, the product will begin to fade faster, covered with a coating, etc., but at the same time, the functionality of the product is not lost. Is it true that a special protective film is initially formed on stainless dishes?"
It may be worthwhile in the instructions for the dishes to explain very briefly and in an accessible way, due to which the steel becomes corrosion-resistant. The fact that steel contains chromium and nickel is now known to many. And even about the percentage of chromium and nickel in steel. The "cherished" numbers 18/10 played their role in this enlightenment. There is still some use for them. But I'm not talking about that now.
Only metallurgists and chemists know that the corrosion resistance of steel is imparted by chromium oxide formed on the surface. Yes, I found out about this not too long ago. They still know about the oxide film on aluminum. They talk about it in high school. You can learn about stainless steel only if you purposefully search for information.
In development of the topic, I can offer the following:
1. The content of chromium in stainless steel is 18%. Maybe a little more, maybe less. That is, chromium atoms are present only on 1/5 of the surface. This means that steel protection with chromium oxide is only on 1/5 of the steel surface. What happens to uncovered areas?
2. In the instructions for the dishes, they usually write if salt is added to cold water dark spots may form on the bottom of the pan. They brought me a pan in which there were no stains. Steel corroded so that large deep shells formed.
3. Sometimes, upon acceptance of goods, stainless steel products with traces of real rust are found. This was on pots, and on cutlery, and on kitchen utensils (ladles).

Yes, Posate, you absolutely rightly raised this topic. I have been purposefully studying defects in stainless steel for several years now. Wrote several articles and methodological material for merchandisers and managers on this topic. Not everything is so simple in this topic, and I can say that there is no unequivocal opinion even among metallurgists. What can we say about importers of dishes or ordinary consumers. In general, stainless steel actually has a cluster (granular) structure and all the troubles in the form of local corrosion occur exactly along the grain boundaries. There are no specific chromium atoms, it is a solid solution of iron, chromium, nickel and carbon, along the edges of the grains it can also be chromium oxide and hexavalent chromium carbide. The main condition for steel to have corrosion-resistant properties is that the weighted average content of chromium in the solid solution of steel is more than 12%. If this condition is not met at some local area of ​​the surface, then corrosion will occur in that place. Stainless steel has the ability to self-oxidize, i.e. the surface layer of the metal containing chromium itself is covered with a transparent film of chromium oxide, which prevents further oxidation of other components of the stainless steel. If the oxide film is removed, then it regenerates itself, if there are no more active reagents than atmospheric oxygen. In addition to the % chromium content, the corrosion resistance is very much affected by the surface condition - the lower the roughness and the fewer artifacts, the better the surface resists corrosion. Sometimes unwashed technological pollution (remains of grease, polishing pastes, etc.) is taken for corrosion. Corrosion on cutlery (knives) really takes place, but there is a completely different reason and nature of the occurrence of corrosion because it has become like 40X13. Since cold-rolled steel is now widely used for the production of pans, such a phenomenon as shells is almost 100% not a problem of the source material, but a defect in the production process, especially during polishing. The fact that ordinary table salt somehow affects the process of formation of dark spots on the bottom of the pan is a very common misconception. In fact, it turns out that these are all latent (hidden) polishing defects. Importers write this in their instructions without understanding the true nature of such stains. I hope that now you, Posate, will have a better understanding of the mechanism of action of the corrosion resistance of steel.

That is, there is only one reason for the occurrence of corrosion: the uneven distribution of chromium in steel, even in microscopic areas. This unevenness can appear at different stages of production. During welding and casting of steel, during rolling, during deformation during punching and drawing, under pressure and heating during the installation of TRS, during polishing, sandblasting and satin finishing, during resistance welding, as well as mechanical damage to the surface at different stages of production, storage, transportation and operation.

Well, not quite so :) If the steel is welded normally, then chromium is distributed evenly throughout the volume of the solid solution in it, in addition, it is 18% there, and the minimum concentration is 12%. The main technological hazard is the active carbide formation of chromium, because in this case chromium binds to carbide, and the solid solution of steel becomes depleted. But there are ways to avoid this. The higher the % chromium content (within reasonable limits, of course), the lower the likelihood of corrosion. Mechanical damage and artifacts (in quantitative terms) depend on the tool, positioning of the container during grinding / polishing, steel grade and, most importantly, production culture. When punching out, nothing terrible happens; when drawing, the surface may be defective with foreign particles (dust, scale, etc.). When welding, partial burnout of chromium and carbide formation can occur. Particular care must be taken when hardening (dinner and kitchen knives made of stainless steel). Corrosion of stainless steel is very intense at the point of welding with black steel (therefore, this design is not acceptable for cookware). In my many years of practice, I have never seen a fully rusted stainless steel pan. Basically, these were hidden polishing defects or technological contamination that looked like rust. Additional grinding/polishing made it possible to completely eliminate both the cause and effect of such defects. In our work, we test (verify) products by direct simulation. That's why. actually, not everything is so scary.

Nevertheless, it turns out that the corrosion resistance of steel decreases due to deviations from the standard at different stages of production. I suspect that poorly welded steel is sold at a discount in the vast world market. Steel can be undercooked or overcooked, something was added at the wrong time or not in the right amount. The result was an uneven distribution of chromium, nickel, an excess of manganese, cobalt, sulfur, phosphorus, silicon, refractory oxides, etc. When extracting and polishing, a sterile cleanliness of the workplace must be observed. Dust particles and other contaminants must be continuously removed from the workpiece and tool. Most likely, with the help of high-tech devices. Even the floor must be sterile. A draft or a passing forklift can pick up dust from the floor, and it will settle where it should not be. Welders must be highly accurate and customized for a specific product. Even a slight violation of the technological cycle at some stage can reduce the corrosion resistance of the product. There is still a possibility that from such products an increased amount of substances unnecessary to the body will be released into the product. It follows from this that the quality of the final product depends on who cooked the steel, who rolled it, who made a pan or spoon from it. And, of course, who was the customer, what criteria he laid down in the product, whether he exercised control over production and finished products. The worst option is when all the negative factors at all stages converge in one product.

Almost everything depends on who chooses a supplier in China and how quality is controlled. Importers set themselves different goals and are guided by different criteria. The most popular price criterion today is that importers compete who is cheaper and, accordingly, will make the dishes worse. The level of education and competence, the lack of technical specialists in the staff of importing firms lead to the fact that low-grade products of dubious quality are imported. If we talk about the steels themselves, they are standardized and their chemical composition can be easily checked. Therefore, the main negative factor that determines the state of the modern Russian tableware market is the unscrupulousness, technical illiteracy and greed of domestic importers. Compared to this, the production nuances seem to be minor difficulties.

"Therefore, the main negative factor that determines the state of the modern Russian tableware market is unscrupulousness, technical illiteracy and greed of domestic importers. Compared to this, production nuances seem to be minor difficulties".

Everything is simpler - 75% of our customers are price oriented. Plus a subconscious craving for expensive goods, which is sublimated into a preference for foreign-sounding brands and goods with elements of "luxury", such as gilded fittings. If we take Europe, then there is the same picture - the quality of the dishes sold is directly related to the well-being of the population of a particular country. It is almost impossible to find cheap dishes in Germany or Scandinavia, but in the countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states - it is in bulk in the networks.

Our current buyer is guided by the price not because he does not have enough money for good-quality dishes, but because, for the most part, he does not own the selection criteria and is under the influence of product myths that accompany dishes. The state withdrew itself from this sphere completely. There is no mandatory certification, no hygienic regulation, you can import anything you want, as long as it is not radioactive. Despite the apparent abundance trademarks and offers in chain stores, there are very few normal good-quality dishes made according to the standard. Because it is "not a format" for this retail segment. Over the past 10 years, the level of income of the population has been constantly growing and, if we talk about big cities, then the middle class in Russia now lives even in places and better than in Western Europe, which is finished off by a permanent economic crisis. There, the tableware segment of the market is in stagnation, if compared with our situation. Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Baltics are not indicative in the sense that a significant part of the economically active population left to work in countries with more high level income (in Lithuania, for example, this is about 25% of the total population). Accordingly, their area of ​​consumption has moved to these countries. We are losing to the West in that we do not yet have our well-known serious tableware brands with a long history and an impeccable reputation, and the bulk of importers are only concerned with short-term profits, on the growing dynamics of the tableware market and, due to their illiteracy, are not able to supply high-quality and affordable dishes to the domestic market.

Why choose cheap dishes? This topic is very broad and out of the scope of the topic under discussion. Very briefly, it can be formulated as follows:
1. Really low-income category of buyers. If the buyer has only two thousand for everything and nowhere else to take him, no Berghof and Gipfel will help him.
2. Wealthy buyers with a low general culture. They do not see the difference between good and bad dishes, they do not understand what quality is in dishes. Most of them have a good, many with an engineering education. There are even metallurgists who, holding an expensive, serious European in their hands, do not understand how it differs from cheap stuff. The culture of food also follows from the general culture. Many people use the pan only for frying scrambled eggs, potatoes, sometimes cutlets, a pan for cooking store dumplings, sometimes for mashed potatoes. It is fashionable to buy woks, which for some reason are called cauldrons, for cooking pilaf (at the output it is ordinary rice porridge with meat). It's only on holidays. Against this background, eating sushi, rolls looks wonderful.
It is believed that ZWILLING J.A. Henckels, WMF, FISSLER, as well as SILGA, BARAZZONI buy only suckers. That prices are overpriced many times over for a cool brand. Here is BERGHOFF - good German tableware, almost like Zepter, only without overpaying for the brand, and the price of German GIPFEL dishes is even more pleasant. I have friends with Lexuses and Cruisers who consider even BERGHOFF a terrible waste. According to such people, dishes cannot be a serious commodity. Dishes should be given in addition to food. There are many of them even among the very well-to-do.
The difference in price preferences between Western and Eastern Europe is also largely tied to a common culture. It determines the need, and the level of well-being determines the opportunity.

Posate, well, you are a serious person! Even Berghoff himself never positioned himself as "German" dishes:) Well, it's like "Belgium" (see http://www.berghoff.ru/). About 5 years ago I published a photo from a Chinese factory that rivets it :) And in the certificates it is written in black and white - CHINA. We have been drinking this "German" Berghoff for a long time (see their COSMO series saucepan in the examination) like a 6-layer bottom :) A 2.5mm thick black steel plate instead of most of the aluminum. copper nickel at the bottom, wall 0.6mm. with a rolled edge - that's all the "miracles" of Berghoff. In fact, the cat did not even cry for the minimum of Russian GOST in the TRS. Their COOK & Co brand of 201 steel is generally a complete crap. And the "German" GIPFEL from the neighboring Chinese factory is no better than Kaiserhoff or APPETITE - toy dishes for Barbie dolls :) These are all brands that have passed the peak of their popularity 8-10 years ago. Now importers earn money on them due to the low quality of dishes, the so-called "economy" class. So, to the quality and technical characteristics of WMF, FISSLER, SILGA, and even more so ZEPTER, these cheap crafts are oh so far away! The price of dishes of these brands is really overpriced at times, but among these dishes there is no such city as Berghoff and Gipfel, because WMF will never make dishes of such a level and quality, the brand's reputation is much more expensive. If you, as a seller, do not already understand this difference, then where are your customers on "Lexuses" :) I would not give a penny for such home-grown "brands". The people who sculpt these dishes are zeros in pot production, playing on consumer stereotypes, using commodity mythology. Pots like good musical instrument for a musician, has value only for a person who knows how and loves to cook. In order to cook store-bought dumplings and warm up frozen pancakes, you don’t need branded utensils :) High-quality utensils, it’s like a good car, it’s known in practice, in real operation.

On the website www.berghoffworldwide.com in any language there is information that BergHOFF WorldWide is an international company headquartered in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. Neither the Belgian nor the German origin of the product is mentioned. It is likely that the origin of the goods may be a logistics center or branch. Most of the goods in Europe from Asia come to Hamburg, from there it diverges to all countries, including Russia, perhaps this somehow explains the "German" nature of some BergHOFF products. An interesting example here is VINZER. Until recently, packages had an Austrian barcode next to the Swiss address. A few years ago, VINZER had two addresses running in parallel. Some items were marked Zug, others Luzern. The fact that BergHOFF and GIPFEL stores sell both German and Belgian is absolutely certain.

Berghoff as well as GIPFEL are typical OEM products. Therefore, you can ignore the addresses that are written on the box :) VINZER is an entirely Russian brand, so the addresses on the boxes are fake. in 2009, VINZER has already received its own from the FAS for falsely informing buyers. The fact that Berghoff and GIPFEL are sold in stores as "Belgian" or "German" is a GREAT violation, this is obviously false information. Any buyer can demand a refund at any time for such a product, even if the product is of high quality, on the basis that at the time of sale it was tritely deceived according to information about the country of production (origin) of the dishes. According to international rules, the document confirming the real country of origin of goods is form A, issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Russian importers prefer not Hamburg, but Finnish Kotka as a transshipment base for goods from China.