Commercial cookware product attributes

Commercial cookware looks simple until two suppliers describe the same stock pot. One gives capacity in quarts, another in liters, and a third rounds to a size class. Wall thickness arrives as a gauge number, but aluminum and steel gauges use different scales, so "8 gauge" and "18 gauge" cannot be compared without knowing the metal. Top diameter, bottom diameter and overall height are often mixed up, and a cover is sometimes included and sometimes sold as a separate item.

Induction compatibility is a frequent source of wrong answers. A pan works on induction only if its base is magnetic, which usually means a magnetic stainless exterior or a bonded plate on an aluminum pan. Plain aluminum does not work. Coatings add another layer: nonstick chemistry, the maximum oven temperature and any PFAS disclosure should each sit in their own field so a buyer can filter on them and a compliance reviewer can find the source.

A buyer replacing pans in a working kitchen needs capacity, dimensions that fit the burner and the shelf, the heat sources the pan supports, the oven-safe limit, and which cover fits. None of that can be read from a description line like "20 qt stock pot, heavy duty".

The commercial cookware attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 10 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	SP-20-SS
GTIN-14 / UPC gtin_14_upc	Identifier	Core	10012345600200

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Nominal Capacity nominal_capacity	Number · qt	Core	20
Wall Thickness wall_thickness	Number · mm	Core	1.2 (stated as 18 ga)
Top Diameter top_diameter	Number · in	Core	12
Overall Height overall_height	Number · in	Core	10
Clad / Disc Base Thickness clad_disc_base_thickness	Number · mm	Buyer decision	5
Max Oven-Safe Temperature max_oven_safe_temperature	Number · °F	Buyer decision	500

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Cookware Type cookware_type	Controlled list	Core	Stock pot
Body Material / Alloy body_material_alloy	Controlled list	Core	18/8 (304) stainless steel
Handle Attachment handle_attachment	Controlled list	Core	Riveted
Cover Included cover_included	Controlled list	Core	No (cover sold separately)
Base Construction base_construction	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Encapsulated disc base (aluminum core, 430 stainless exterior)
Interior Surface / Coating interior_surface_coating	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Uncoated (satin stainless)

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Induction Compatible induction_compatible	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Yes

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
NSF Certification nsf_certification	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	NSF/ANSI 2
PFAS Status / Coating Chemistry pfas_status_coating_chemistry	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	No coating; no intentionally added PFAS per manufacturer statement
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• PFAS Statement and Coating Chemistry
• Induction Compatible
• Compatible Cover MPN
• Wall Thickness in mm
• NSF Listing Reference and Standard

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing commercial cookware ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Will this pot work on our induction ranges?
• Which cover fits this 20-quart pot, and is it sold separately?
• Can it go into a 500 °F oven with the handles attached?
• Is the interior coating made without intentionally added PFAS?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ