Commercial Kitchen Sinks: Sizes, Configurations and Compliance

Most wash-up bottlenecks trace back to a sink chosen by width alone: a bowl too shallow for stock pots, or a drainer on the wrong side of the dishwasher. Choosing a commercial kitchen sink properly means matching bowl size, bowl count and handing to the work your team actually does, then checking the plumbing before the bench arrives. Browse the current range of commercial stainless steel sinks at Commercial Kitchen Appliances.

This guide covers configurations, bowl sizing for gastronorm pans, hand wash basins, mop sinks and dishwasher layout. For the 304 versus 316 stainless steel question and other materials, see our guide to stainless steel versus other sink materials.

Types of commercial kitchen sinks

A working kitchen rarely runs on one sink. Most fit-outs combine several fixtures, each with one essential task:

• Sink benches combine one or two bowls with a flat work surface, a splashback and usually a pot undershelf. They are the everyday food preparation and wash station.
• Deep pot sinks trade bench space for depth, so large pots and trays can be fully submerged.
• Dishwasher inlet benches put a pre-rinse bowl directly in front of the machine, with an outlet bench on the clean side.
• Hand wash basins are compact, often wall mounted, and used for washing hands only.
• Mop and cleaner's sinks handle buckets and dirty water, so cleaning never happens in a food sink.

Triple bowl layouts are used in some venues to separate washing, rinsing and sanitising by hand. Where a dishwasher handles sanitising, a two-bowl bench plus an inlet bench usually covers the same ground in less space.

Single bowl vs double bowl: do you need a double sink?

A single bowl stainless steel sink suits cafes, bars and small prep kitchens where the dishwasher does the heavy lifting and the sink is mainly for rinsing produce and filling containers. The shorter bench leaves more workspace. The 1200 mm Modular Systems SSB6 single sink bench, for example, pairs one 400 x 400 x 300 mm bowl with a flat work area, a 150 mm splashback and a pot undershelf in a 600 mm-deep footprint.

A double bowl earns its place when staff wash by hand. One bowl holds hot soapy water while the other rinses, or one soaks burnt-on trays while the other keeps working, so prep and pot washing run at the same time. Two-bowl benches in the current range come in 1500 mm and 1800 mm widths, with bowls positioned left, right or centre.

Ask how many pots and trays come back per service, whether large items always go by hand, and whether there is room for another 300 to 600 mm of bench. If the answers point to heavy manual washing, the extra bowl is the practical option.

How to size a sink bowl for GN pans and pots

Size the bowl for the largest item you wash every day, not the average one. In most kitchens that is a gastronorm pan or a stock pot. A full-size GN 1/1 pan measures 530 x 325 mm, so it will not lie flat in a 400 x 400 mm bowl. GN 1/2 pans and smaller will, which is why standard sink benches suit prep and light wash-up rather than heavy pot washing.

If GN 1/1 pans, sheet trays or large pots come through every service, look at a 610 x 400 mm bowl. Depth matters as much as length:

• 250 mm deep is enough to stand a gastronorm pan upright while keeping a comfortable reach.
• 300 mm deep is the common depth on sink benches and inlet benches, and suits plates, utensils and small pans.
• 450 mm deep pot sinks let stock pots and deep trays soak fully submerged.

Deeper is not automatically better. A very deep bowl at a 900 mm working height means more bending for staff washing small items all shift,. The benches in the current range use a 90 mm drain hole, which clears water quickly between loads.

Sink benches: drainer side, splashback and depth

Once the bowl is right, the bench around it decides how well the station works.

Left or right handing

Handing describes where the bowl sits as you face the bench. A left sink bench has the bowl on the left and the flat drainer or work area on the right. Choose the side that lets dirty items arrive, get washed and move on without crossing another station, so the workflow runs one way. Centre-bowl benches suit a station worked from both ends.

Splashback height

Splashbacks protect the wall and stop water running behind the bench. In the current range they run from 100 mm on pot sinks to 150 mm on most sink benches, with 40 mm thick enclosed, bevelled splashbacks on the SSB6 and DSB6 series. A fully enclosed splashback is easier to keep clean because there is no open edge where grime and bacteria collect.

Bench depth and height

Sink benches are commonly 600 mm deep, while dishwasher benches run 700 mm deep to line up with the machine, and 900 mm is the standard working height. Adjustable feet matter more than they seem: most kitchen floors are not level, and a bench that rocks will not stay sturdy. Welded bowls in a smooth, non-porous 1.2 mm SUS304 top withstand daily detergents with no seam for soil to sit in. For matching work benches, see our stainless steel bench buying guide or browse stainless steel benches.

Hand wash basins: why food premises need a separate one

Every food premises needs somewhere to wash hands that is not a food or equipment sink. Under the Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment requires hand washing facilities that are easily accessible to food handlers, used for washing hands only, and supplied with warm running potable water. Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices then requires staff to use them. Both are published by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, and our overview of FSANZ food safety standards in Australia explains how they apply.

The key word is dedicated. A basin that doubles as a prep sink, or one blocked by a trolley, is a common inspection finding. Place it near the prep line and the pass. Councils apply these requirements locally, and some set expectations for tapware, dispensers or basin numbers, so confirm the specifics with your local council before you finalise the layout.

Tap choice matters here. A wrist-action or hands-free tap means washed hands are not re-contaminated on the handle. The Sunmixer T20111 in our commercial tap sets has a wrist-action handle, a WELS 5-star rating and WaterMark certification. Our current hand basin range is a single model, so if you need a larger or knee-operated unit, talk to the team before you order.

Mop sinks and cleaner's sinks

Cleaning water should never go down a food sink. A dedicated mop sink keeps floor chemicals and grit away from prep areas and saves cleaners lifting full buckets onto a bench. The current mop sink and cleaner's sink range covers three formats:

• Floor mop sinks such as the Modular Systems FMS-H, a low 570 x 570 x 300 mm basin in 304 grade stainless steel with a central floor drain. Tapware is not included.
• Freestanding mop sinks such as the SMS-H, with a fully welded 1.2 mm SUS304 bowl and a 90 mm drain in a 520 x 515 x 800 mm footprint that fits standard 20 L mop buckets.
• Compact cleaner's sinks such as the 584 mm-wide SKBEN01-1818N, with an integrated splashback and adjustable legs for tight cleaner's cupboards.

Positioning the sink with the dishwasher and pre-rinse tap

In a high-volume wash-up line the sink is part of the dishwasher operation, not an extra beside it. The layout should run one way: dirty ware lands, is scraped and pre-rinsed, goes through the machine and comes out onto a clean bench. That is what dishwasher inlet sinks and outlet benches are built for.

• Inlet benches carry one or two 450 x 450 x 300 mm bowls and feed racks straight into a pass-through or hood-type machine, in widths from 1200 mm to 1800 mm.
• Outlet benches receive clean racks, from 600 mm up to 1800 mm wide, all 700 mm deep and 900 mm high.

Handing is critical. Left inlet means the sink and dishwasher inlet sit on the left as you face the bench, and the right-inlet version is a separate model. Check which side your machine loads from, and keep clean and dirty sides apart.

A pre-rinse spray tap above the inlet bowl does most of the scraping. The Sunmixer pre-rinse spray taps run from mini units with a 180 mm riser and 560 mm hose to heavy-duty units with a 510 mm riser and 1118 mm hose, with add-on faucets for filling pots. They are WaterMark certified, WELS 3-star rated and fitted with a check valve to prevent cross-flow. For general sinks, a kitchen mixer such as the Modular Systems HD4257, with a DR brass body and a 330 mm high spout, clears large pots with ease.

Installation checks before your sink arrives

A sink is plumbing as much as equipment, so plan the install before you order:

• Use a licensed plumber. Water and waste connections should be done by a licensed plumber, and plumbed fittings should carry WaterMark certification.
• Ask about trade waste. Many water authorities require food premises to hold a trade waste agreement, and a grease arrestor is a common requirement where wash-up water carries fats and oils. Requirements vary, so confirm them with your plumber, water authority and council.
• Measure the run. Confirm width, depth, handing and the position of waste and water points. An 1800 mm bench will not fit a 1500 mm gap.
• Plan for assembly. Most units in the range ship flat-packed with tools and instructions, and adjust on site for level.

Once installed, stainless steel stays hygienic with the right care. Our stainless steel cleaning tips cover rust marks, scratches and daily cleaning.

Warranty, finance and support

All equipment is manufacturer-backed, with warranty terms that vary by product and brand. See our warranty information page for details.

Finance is available through SilverChef, with approvals up to around $65,000 typically completed in about five minutes. We also back our range with a lowest price guarantee.

Commercial Kitchen Appliances ships nationally from our Sydney headquarters in Granville, with partner warehouses in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

Ready to choose your commercial kitchen sink?

Size the bowl for the largest item you wash every day, then choose single or double bowl based on how much washing happens by hand. Set the handing to suit the flow toward the dishwasher, add a dedicated hand wash basin and a mop sink, and have your plumber confirm trade waste and council requirements before the bench arrives.

When you are ready to compare sizes and configurations, browse the full range of commercial stainless steel sinks.

Frequently asked questions

What are the standard sizes for commercial kitchen sinks?

There is no single standard, but common bowl sizes are 400 x 400 x 300 mm on general sink benches, 450 x 450 x 300 mm on dishwasher inlet benches and 610 x 400 mm on pot sinks, with pot sink depths up to 450 mm. Sink benches typically come 1200, 1500 or 1800 mm wide, 600 or 700 mm deep and 900 mm high.

Do you need a double sink in a commercial kitchen?

Not always. A single bowl suits a small cafe or bar where a commercial dishwasher does the washing and sanitising. A double bowl earns its space where staff soak, wash and rinse by hand, or where prep and pot washing happen at the same station. The deciding factor is how much manual washing your dish load creates.

What are the regulations for commercial sinks in Australia?

The Food Standards Code, in particular Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment, sets outcomes such as dedicated hand washing facilities, adequate warm and cold potable water and surfaces that can be cleaned effectively. Plumbed fittings should be WaterMark certified and installed by a licensed plumber. Councils and water authorities apply these rules locally, so confirm the specifics with your council before you finalise a fit-out.

Can a hand wash basin be used for rinsing food or equipment?

No. A hand wash basin should be used for washing hands only. Rinsing produce or washing utensils in it is a common inspection finding. Keep food and equipment washing in the sink bench or pot sink, and cleaning water in a dedicated mop or cleaner's sink, so each bowl has one clear job.

What does left hand or right hand mean on a sink bench?

Handing describes where the bowl sits as you face the bench. A left sink bench has the bowl on the left and the flat drainer or work area on the right, and a right sink bench is the reverse. On dishwasher inlet benches, handing describes the side the machine connects to. Check handing against your floor plan before ordering.