what are these made of?

[ilyaz]

I picked up a bunch of plates and pots from garage sale leftovers and now am trying to figure out what they are made of. The magnet test was negative for all of them.

-- The one on the top left is a pressure cooker. I think those are made of either aluminum or stainless steel, but how do I tell which it is?
-- The two pieces on the bottom left have the word "silverplated" stamped on the back plus some other indistinguishable markers
-- The one on the top right is very light.

Thanks

 

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[diggummup]

Silverplate is usually over copper or sometimes brass, the others look like aluminum to me.

 

[savant365]

There should be a stamp on the bottom of the pressure cooker unless it is worn off. I would guess aluminum or stainless steel.

 

[dumpdigger]

Run a file across them or drill a hole. Stainless is tough and you probably won't hardly get a scratch or get a hole in them. Aluminum is soft and you will easly get a hole in it or a scratch. I have recycled a lot of kitchen items since my wife helps in a large kitchen. I am guessing the two large lids are stainless steel since it turns dark when it is over heated. The one with the two handles with the dark ring looks like aluminum that has got hot and not washed well over time. I'm sure there not copper plated.

 

[Frank1960]

don't forget to take handles off and any other metalic items like the screws or rivets that hold the handles on.

 

[cdltpx]

That pressure cooker sells for $60 wal mart if you have the lid the gasket is not too expensive you can ebay that thing and get far more than scrap for it. If anything you can use it a few times cooking roast and get your money back that way. Cook a roast where you can pull apart with a fork in an hour. I cook spaghetti sauce one hour taste like you cooked it all day. Don't know what you are missing if you never tried to cook with one of them.

 

[theirratonalist]

To tell the difference between aluminum and non-magnetic stainless steel, you need to run a grinder of some sort across the metal to see if it sparks. If it sparks, then it is stainless. Also, steel is 3 times heavier than aluminum.... so if you pick it up, and it seems rather light, then it is probably aluminum.

 

[ilyaz]

Also, steel is 3 times heavier than aluminum.... so if you pick it up, and it seems rather light, then it is probably aluminum.

Yes, the dull pieces seem to be aluminum: I scratched them with a s'driver and that left marks.