Can stainless fitting attract a magnet a little?

[Weekend_Warrior]

I just purchased a stainless steel fitting off Amazon. When I put a magnet against it, there is some pull. Not like against a piece of steel. But, there is a lot more pull than when I put the magnet against a stainless steel stove. Does this mean I have a fitting that is not stainless? It wasn’t cheap!

Thanks for your help.

[Pauly V]

Cheaper grade stainless. Most stainless steel grills sold at Big Box stores will attract a magnet.

[82cabby]

Low or no nickel contet will do it. Steel plus chromium and carbon is stainless and still mostly magnetic. Think kitchen knife. Add nickel and not so much...

[Daryl]

300 series SS will not be magnetic. The 400 series is magnetic.

[DJ Lasell]

I work in a business manufacturing medical equipment for use in the MRI suite of the hospital.
Our equipment will be used next to a giant (3T) magnet, and must be resistant to magnetic pull.
we use a lot of stainless steel, mostly 316L.
We have found that most 316L SS starts out good, but can develop an attraction (like ferrous metals) when reshaped (cold worked) through a reaction called Martensitic.
Therefore, most shaped parts, can have a slight attraction to a magnet....
Although we have never had a problem with corrosion, when we get a batch of parts (screws, bolts, brackets, whatever) we have to check each one with a magnet to determine it it can be used in the MRI suite without being sucked into the magnet. We sometimes reject 50 to 75 % of the batch.
Summary:
Fittings that are attracted to magnet are not necessarily prone to corrosion.
But if you go into the hardware store with a magnet and find some that are not attracted to a magnet.... then you are pretty much guaranteed.