Kansa or stainless steel: which to choose for thalis and tableware
Written by Hastimal Valchand LLP from the sources listed below, every claim checked against its source · Updated
The short answer
Choose stainless steel for hard daily use: it is tough, low-care and dishwasher-safe. Choose kansa for the table: it is heavier, warm in colour and traditional, but needs hand-washing and can crack if dropped. Many kitchens cook and store in steel and serve in kansa.
From the catalogue
Serving Bowl (Donga)
Sizes: 500ml · 700ml · 1200ML
01What each is
Stainless steel is steel with at least 10.5% chromium, which forms a thin protective film on the surface. Food-grade steels usually add nickel.
Kansa is bell metal: a bronze of copper and tin. Indian kansa is traditionally described as about 78% copper and 22% tin.
02Side by side
| Compared | Kansa (bronze) | Stainless steel |
|---|---|---|
| Made of | Copper + tin | Iron + chromium (often nickel) |
| Look and feel | Pale gold, heavy, rings when struck | Silver-grey, lighter for its size |
| If dropped | Can crack | Dents |
| Care | Hand-wash, dry at once, occasional polish | Dishwasher-safe; little care |
| Sour food | Serve it; don't store it for hours | Fine for serving and storing |
| Cost | Higher: copper and tin are costly metals | Lower |
| Typical use | Traditional dining, weddings, gifts | Daily, canteen and institutional dining |
03Durability and breakage
Tin makes bronze harder but more brittle. A 2017 study of bronzes with 20–24% tin found hardness rose while tensile and impact strength fell.
In practice a kansa thali takes daily use well but can crack if dropped on stone. Marketplace buyers report cracked kansa tumblers and bowls.
Stainless steel dents but rarely breaks, which is why canteens and hostels choose it.
04Handling kansa
- Don't drop it or knock pieces together in the sink.
- Stack thalis with a cloth between them.
- Pack each piece separately for transport.
- Tap the rim before use: a dull note can mean a hairline crack.
05Daily care
Steel can go in a dishwasher. Kansa should be washed by hand with mild soap and dried straight away.
Kansa darkens with use; that is tarnish, not damage. A little tamarind, or lemon and salt, brings back the shine.
06Food and health claims
Ayurveda traditionally recommends eating from kansa. That is a traditional practice, not clinical evidence; claims that kansa cures or prevents illness are unsupported.
Both metals are used safely for eating. Sellers disagree on how long sour food can stay in kansa, so serve it and don't store it.
07Which suits your business
- Restaurants serving traditional thalis: kansa on the table, steel in the kitchen.
- Canteens, hostels and institutions: steel, for dishwashers and rough handling.
- Weddings and gifting: kansa thali and glass sets are the traditional gift.
- Retail: stock both, and state the metal plainly. Buyers who search for kansa want the real thing.
Sources
- worldstainless (ISSF), Stainless steel standards: at least 10.5% chromium
- Merriam-Webster, “bell metal”
- Wikipedia, Bell metal
- Archives of Foundry Engineering (2017), The evaluation of mechanical properties of high-tin bronzes
General information for buyers, written by HV from the sources above; not medical or legal advice. For a specific product, send us its code with your question.