Commercial Stainless Steel Sink Bench | Single vs Double
Single or double stainless sink bench for your kitchen? We compare configurations, sizes from 1200mm, plumbing needs and price to help you choose correctly.
Stainless Steel Sink Bench Guide: Single vs Double Sink for Commercial Kitchens
A stainless steel sink bench is one of the most specified pieces of equipment in an Australian commercial kitchen - and one of the most under-thought. Most operators know they need a sink bench. Fewer are clear on whether a single or double configuration is right for their workflow, what the difference actually means for a busy service, or what to check before they order.
This guide is written for commercial kitchen operators, food business owners and kitchen designers specifying a sink bench for the first time or replacing an existing one. We'll cover the practical difference between single and double sink benches, how to match the configuration to your kitchen's throughput and layout, what Australian food safety requirements mean for your sink setup, and what to look for in the bench itself - not just the bowl.
TL;DR - Quick Answer
A single sink bench suits lower-volume operations where one bowl handles washing, rinsing and prep tasks without creating a workflow bottleneck. A double sink bench is the correct specification for any kitchen that needs to separate tasks - typically washing in one bowl and rinsing in the other - and for operations where two people may be working at the sink simultaneously. Both configurations are available in 304-grade stainless steel in our Heavy Duty Commercial Range, built to handle the sustained wet-zone demands of a licensed commercial kitchen.
What a Stainless Steel Sink Bench Does in a Commercial Kitchen
A dedicated sink bench is not a prep bench with a basin dropped in. In a commercial kitchen, the sink bench has a specific role in the workflow: it's where equipment, utensils and food items are washed, rinsed and staged before being returned to service. Getting that role right in the kitchen layout, and specifying the right sink configuration for the volume it needs to handle, determines whether the sink bench supports the workflow or creates a bottleneck in it.
Under FSANZ Standard 3.2.3 and the Australian Standard for Construction and Fit-Out of Food Premises (AS 4674), commercial food businesses are required to have adequate facilities for washing hands, washing food, and washing equipment and utensils - and in most council interpretations, these functions need to be separated. A dedicated handwashing basin separate from the food prep and equipment washing sinks is a requirement most environmental health officers will check on inspection. The sink bench you specify for equipment and utensil washing is a separate item from your handwashing point - it's worth confirming this distinction with your local council or food inspection authority before you finalise your kitchen layout.
This is where the single vs double decision becomes a practical question rather than just a cost one. A single bowl handles one task at a time. In a low-throughput kitchen - a small cafe, a market stall prep space, a catering kitchen running smaller functions - that's often sufficient. In a higher-volume kitchen where pots, pans, trays and utensils are coming through continuously during service, a single bowl becomes the point where everything slows down while the operator drains, refills and changes tasks between washing and rinsing.
It's also worth noting that sink benches integrate a functional plumbed fixture into a stainless steel workbench - so the bench itself needs to meet the same standard as any other surface in your commercial kitchen. That means 304-grade steel, proper drainage, and a surface that handles repeated wet contact, chemical cleaning and sustained use without degrading.
How to Choose the Right Sink Bench for Your Kitchen
The configuration decision follows a logical sequence. Work through these questions in order and the right answer usually becomes clear without needing to compare every option at once.
Start with your throughput, not your floor space. The most common sink bench under-specification mistake is choosing a single bowl to save space and then finding it creates a workflow problem within the first few months of trading. Ask honestly: at your busiest service point, how many items need to move through the sink per hour, and does one bowl handle that without becoming a queue? If the answer is uncertain, specify up. A double sink bench in a space that didn't quite need it is a minor inconvenience. A single sink bench in a kitchen that needed a double is a daily operational problem.
Check your plumbing points before you choose a size. A single sink bench requires one hot and cold inlet and one drain connection. A double sink bench typically requires two drain points and may require two separate inlet connections depending on configuration and your plumber's layout. Your plumber should be involved in the sink bench specification before you order - the bench position and the plumbing rough-in need to line up, and changing that after installation is expensive.
Match the bench length to your workflow, not just the sink. A sink bench is a bench first. The prep surface on either side of the bowl - or between bowls on a double sink - is working space, not just frame. Standard lengths run from 1200mm upward, with longer configurations giving you meaningful staging space on each side of the sink for items waiting to be washed or draining after washing. If your kitchen layout allows it, a longer bench gives you a functionally better sink station than a shorter one even if the bowl configuration is identical.
Consider whether you need a tap included or specified separately. Pre-rinse taps and mixer taps are available as accessories and the right choice depends on how the sink is being used. A pre-rinse tap (with a spray head on a flexible hose) is the industry standard for a commercial equipment washing sink - it speeds up rinsing significantly compared to a standard mixer, particularly for large pots and trays. If throughput is a concern, a pre-rinse tap is worth factoring into the total specification rather than adding it as an afterthought.
Factor in the undershelf. A solid undershelf under a sink bench gives you cleanable, compliant storage for cleaning products, spare equipment and staging items. For most commercial kitchen layouts, the undershelf is a practical inclusion rather than an optional extra.
Specify the Right Sink Bench Before the Kitchen Is Built
The two decisions worth locking in early are configuration (single or double bowl) and length, because both affect your plumbing rough-in and your kitchen layout in ways that are expensive to change after installation. If your throughput is moderate to high, specify the double sink bench. If your workflow involves large pots or gastronorm containers, factor in the deep pot configuration. And involve your plumber in the specification before you order, not after.
Browse the Heavy Duty Commercial Range for single and double sink bench configurations, or see the full range of stainless steel equipment if you're specifying a complete kitchen fit-out. For a custom size or a specific configuration, call 0403 741 781 - available seven days a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size stainless steel sink bench do I need for a commercial kitchen?
The right size depends on your throughput and available floor space, in that order. Single sink benches start from 1200mm in length and suit lower-volume operations. Double sink benches also start from 1200mm in our Economy range, making them a viable option even where floor space is limited. In general, size up rather than down - the staging space on either side of the sink is working area, not wasted bench, and a sink station that's slightly too large is a much smaller problem than one that's slightly too small for a busy service.
Do I need a single or double sink bench for my commercial kitchen in Australia?
For most licensed commercial kitchens with a reasonable service volume, a double sink bench is the more practical specification. It allows washing and rinsing to happen in separate bowls without draining and refilling between tasks, supports two people working at the sink simultaneously during busy periods, and is the configuration most environmental health officers expect to see in a full-service commercial kitchen. A single sink bench suits lower-volume operations - a small cafe, a catering prep kitchen, a bakery - where one bowl doesn't become a throughput constraint during service.
Can I use a standard prep bench with a portable basin instead of a plumbed sink bench?
For a licensed commercial kitchen, a portable basin on a prep bench is not a substitute for a properly plumbed sink installation. FSANZ Standard 3.2.3 requires food businesses to have adequate facilities for washing utensils and equipment, and in practice that means a fixed, plumbed sink connected to hot and cold water and a proper drain. A portable arrangement may not satisfy your local council's requirements - worth confirming with your local food inspection authority before you fit out. A properly plumbed stainless steel sink bench, with the appropriate number of bowls for your operation, is the correct specification.
How much does a commercial stainless steel sink bench cost in Australia?
Sink bench pricing varies with configuration - single vs double bowl, bench length, bowl depth (standard or deep pot), tap inclusions and undershelf options. As a guide, single centre sink benches start from $820 and double centre sink benches start from $1,080, inclusive of GST and metro delivery. Custom sizes are available on request. For an accurate quote on a specific configuration, call 0403 741 781 seven days a week or use the custom quote form on the site.
Single vs Double Sink Bench: Full Configuration Comparison
A note on the deep pot sink configuration: where your kitchen regularly processes large stockpots, full gastronorm containers or commercial baking trays, a standard bowl depth may not be practical for immersing and washing that equipment. The deep pot sink bench uses a deeper bowl specifically for this purpose, and it's worth factoring into your specification if large-format washing is a regular part of your operation rather than an occasional one.
Stainless Steel Sink Benches in Australian Commercial Kitchens
We supply single and double sink benches to commercial kitchens, cafes, restaurants, food processing facilities and catering operations across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra, with free metro delivery on all orders.
Cafes and small restaurants typically run a single sink bench for equipment washing alongside a separate handwashing point, with a double sink bench once volume increases to the point where one bowl creates a bottleneck during service.
Full-service restaurants and commercial catering kitchens almost universally specify a double sink bench for the equipment washing station. The separation of washing and rinsing into dedicated bowls is both a workflow efficiency and a common expectation from environmental health officers reviewing the kitchen fit-out.
Food processing and production kitchens often require multiple sink points across the facility, with deep pot configurations for large equipment. If you're fitting out a production kitchen with specific regulatory requirements, a custom quote covers configurations beyond the standard range.
All sink benches in the Heavy Duty Commercial Range are 304-grade, 1.2mm gauge, with fully welded construction appropriate for sustained wet-zone use in a licensed kitchen. For kitchens in coastal locations within about 5km of the ocean, it's worth confirming the appropriate specification with your local Food Inspection Authority before ordering - 316 is the ASSDA-recommended grade for those environments and it's not something we currently stock.
Buyers sometimes ask about NSF certification when specifying commercial sink equipment. NSF/ANSI 2 is a US food equipment certification standard - it's not an Australian certification scheme, and the relevant Australian frameworks for commercial kitchen fit-out are FSANZ Standard 3.2.3 and AS 4674. If NSF certification is a specific requirement for your operation - for example, if you're supplying to an operator with US-based compliance requirements - that's worth clarifying before you order.
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