What does 18/10 stainless steel mean and does it matter for flatware?

The numbers refer to the percentage of chromium (18) and nickel (10) in the steel. Across specialist-community threads on r/BuyItForLife, the consensus is that 18/10 (or 18/8) resists rust and corrosion far better than 18/0, which is why most reviewers recommend looking for it. Note that some sets advertised generally as stainless use 18/0 steel on the knife blades specifically, which several reviewers tie to rust spots.