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Is stainless steel magnetic?

The simple answer is... it depends. It depends on what other elements have been alloyed to create the steel.

Basic stainless steel consists primarily of iron with approximately 11.5% chromium (by mass). This IS magnetic and is known as a "ferritic" (from iron) steel.

However, many stainless steels are known as "austenitic", and contain a greater amount of chromium and also another metal called nickel. It is the nickel which alters the steel's physical properties and makes it non-magnetic.

by Chris Taylor