What is the difference between mirror polished and brushed satin stainless steel?

Visually it’s obvious that there is a difference between brushed satin and mirror-polished finishes of stainless steel. Brushed satin stainless steel has a soft sheen and looks like a ‘matt’ finish when put alongside a polished mirror finish. In contrast, mirror-polished stainless steel is a bright, highly-polished finish. In this article, we’ll answer the question, what is the difference between brushed satin and polished mirror finishes?

A brushed satin finish stainless steel is achieved by mechanically creating a directional grain on the surface. This process involves using a grit abrasive material to brush the surface in a specific direction. The result is a subtle, matte finish with a soft sheen that does not reflect light directly.

In contrast, mirror-polished finish stainless steel is achieved through a polishing process that creates a highly reflective, mirror-like surface. This process involves buffing the surface with progressively finer grit abrasive materials until the surface is entirely smooth and reflective. This finish reflects light directly, giving it a brilliant shine.

There are tiny grooves on the surface of brushed satin stainless steel. They aren’t visible to the naked eye, but trust us on this  PREVIOUS：Is Colored Stainless Steel Safe? No next