Why Stainless Steel is the Best Choice For Your Commercial Kitchen

When choosing a work/prep table, it is vital to understand the material you will work with. Depending on the activity, when carefully selected, the right worktable will make your investment worthwhile. It can be daunting when facing the decision of choosing a prep/work table for your commercial kitchen, so some considerations to have in mind are: 
 
Budget: Certain materials are more prone to damage and may require specific upkeep. Keep this in mind when budgeting your kitchen; it might make sense to choose a durable yet low-cost counter to avoid excessive maintenance. 

Porous vs. non-porous: Some materials are more likely to absorb bacteria if not cared for properly. When outfitting commercial kitchens, it is a good idea to stay away from porous materials so that you maintain compliance with health and food safety guidelines. 

Maintenance: It is necessary to know how to care for and what the maintenance requirement is for specific materials. The commercial kitchen would benefit from a low-maintenance material to not interrupt the flow of the kitchen. 

Durability: Commercial grade work tables need to withstand the demands of the kitchen. It is crucial to choose a durable table for high temperatures, corrosion, bulky equipment, sharp objects, and staff milling around. 
  

Quick Overview of Popular Countertop Materials
Granite 
Pro: heat resistant and strong 
Con: very heavy, high maintenance, hard to adjust when installed 
  
Slate 
Pro: heat and moisture resistant, and easy to clean 
Con: edges tend to be rough, high maintenance, not durable against cracks and chips 
  
Marble 
Pro: resistant to heat 
Con: porous, expensive, soft, high maintenance 
  
Quartz 
Pro: durable and non-porous, crack resistant, easy to clean 
Con: costly, heavy, not heat resistant 
  
Laminate 
Pro: easy to clean, lightweight 
Con: prone to scratching, burns, and stains, tends to peel and wear, hard to repair. 
  
Soapstone 
Pros: remains cool to the touch 
Cons: high maintenance, susceptible to chips, scratches, and cracks 
  
Concrete 
Pros: heat and stain resistant 
Cons: heavy, requires frequent maintenance, and prone to stains 
  
Butcher’s block 
Pros: cost-efficient 
Cons: requires constant maintenance, swells, and contracts due to moisture, prone to scratching 
  
Stainless steel 
Pros: stain and heat resistant, easily sanitized 
Cons: can smudge easily, can be prone to scratches 
The top choice for professional kitchens is a commercial-grade stainless steel work/prep table. 
  

Why? 
Stainless steel is a commercial kitchen's dream. It is non-porous and does not absorb bacteria from preparing meat, fish, and vegetables. It is resistant to stains and dents and best of all it holds up against corrosion and complex sanitary chemicals. Need more reason's why? Here are a few more: 
Low maintenance 
Easy to clean and sanitize 
Heat resistant 
Easy to assemble 
Cost-efficient 
  
Stainless steel allows for your kitchen staff to focus on one thing: the food. It is effortless to clean and durable to handle BOH (back of house) madness. Stainless steel takes away concerns of food safety violations, promotes kitchen flow efficiency, and gets the food to the window as fast as possible. This material is a great choice and an excellent investment for your kitchen. 
  
Not all stainless steel is considered equal 
It isn't enough to just purchase a stainless steel table. There are different grades that you need to be aware of. When shopping for commercial grade tables, you will see two descriptive numbers called gauge and type (or series). 
  
Gauge and Type                
Commercial-grade 18-gauge stainless steel work/prep tables are perfect when outfitting your kitchen while not breaking the bank for use in commercial kitchens. 18 gauge stainless steel is lighter than the other types and is great for prep and workstation needs. 
Types of stainless steel refer to the makeup of stainless steel. Out of the different kinds of stainless steel, the top choice for economic and durable commercial-grade work/prep tables is Type 430. This stainless steel contains chromium and iron, allowing it to resist corrosion while not having a high price tag. This type of table is ideal for prepping, preparing, creating, and plating your meals. 
  
Where to go? 
A great place to start is Gridmann. Their prep/work tables are all NSF certified and constructed with durable 18 gauge, 430 stainless steel at an affordable price. All their tables come with an adjustable undershelf, and you can choose packages that come with caster wheels and/or include a backsplash. The best part is free shipping on all their orders, no minimum, and a free 30-day return if you don't like their products.