What Size Stainless Steel Table Do I Need for My Commercial Kitchen?
What Size Stainless Steel Table Do I Need for My Commercial Kitchen?
When choosing a stainless steel table for a commercial kitchen, bigger isn’t always better.
Your table needs to provide enough space for food preparation while still allowing staff to move comfortably and safely around the kitchen.
Choose something too small and you may quickly run out of useful preparation space. Choose something too large and you could make an already busy kitchen feel cramped.
So, what size stainless steel table do you actually need?
Let’s look at some of the different sizes available and what you should consider before choosing one.
Measure Your Commercial Kitchen First
Before deciding on a table, measure the space where you intend to position it.
Don’t measure purely from wall to wall. Think about everything surrounding the table, including:
- Doors and walkways
- Sinks
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Cooking equipment
- Existing work surfaces
- Storage
- Other catering equipment
You also need to leave enough room for members of staff to work and move around the kitchen.
Once you understand the space available, you can start narrowing down the most suitable stainless steel catering table size.
600mm x 600mm Stainless Steel Tables
A 600mm x 600mm stainless steel table is a compact option for kitchens where floor space is limited.
Its smaller footprint makes it useful for adding an extra preparation surface without introducing a particularly wide piece of furniture.
It could work well as an additional workstation or in an area where a larger catering table simply wouldn’t fit.
For cafés, takeaways and other compact commercial kitchens, making use of smaller areas can be particularly important.
750mm x 600mm Stainless Steel Tables
Moving up slightly, a 750mm x 600mm table provides some additional width while remaining relatively compact.
That extra 150mm may not sound significant, but additional worktop space can be valuable when you’re trying to maximise a smaller preparation area.
It can provide a useful middle ground when a 600mm table feels too restrictive but there isn’t enough room for one of the wider options.
900mm x 600mm Stainless Steel Tables
A 900mm x 600mm stainless steel table provides a larger preparation area while still being under one metre wide.
This makes it a versatile option for many commercial kitchens.
It provides more room for ingredients, equipment and preparation while remaining compact enough to fit into areas where a 1200mm or 1500mm table may be too large.
When planning your kitchen, think about how many people are likely to use the workstation and what tasks will regularly be carried out there.
1200mm x 600mm Stainless Steel Tables
For kitchens that need more substantial preparation space, a stainless steel table 1200 x 600mm provides a wider working surface.
The additional width can make it particularly useful as a regular food preparation station.
A 1200mm table can provide room for ingredients, preparation equipment and other everyday kitchen essentials without necessarily taking up the amount of space required by the largest tables.
This can make it a practical choice for a wide range of professional catering environments.
1500mm x 600mm Stainless Steel Tables
If you have plenty of available space and require a large preparation surface, a 1500mm x 600mm stainless steel table may be more appropriate.
At 1.5 metres wide, it provides significantly more worktop space and can be suited to busy preparation areas where a smaller table wouldn’t provide enough room.
However, it’s particularly important to measure your kitchen before choosing a table of this size.
Make sure there’s enough clearance around the table and that it won’t restrict important routes through the kitchen.
Which Stainless Steel Table Size Is Best?
There’s no universal answer because every commercial kitchen is different.
A small café may benefit more from a compact 600mm or 750mm table, while a larger restaurant kitchen could make better use of a 1200mm or 1500mm preparation surface.
Think about three things:
Available space – How much room do you realistically have?
Purpose – What will you use the table for?
Kitchen flow – Will staff still be able to move comfortably around the table?
Finding the right balance between these factors is more important than simply choosing the largest work surface available.
Don’t Just Consider the Width
Size isn’t the only specification worth considering when choosing a kitchen stainless steel table.
Think about whether the table needs a rear upstand, particularly if it will be positioned against a wall.
Storage is another consideration. Cater Kitchen’s stainless steel catering tables include adjustable lower shelving, providing useful space underneath the main preparation surface.
Individually adjustable feet also allow the table to be stabilised when positioned on uneven flooring.
Economy and Premium Table Options
Once you’ve settled on a size, you can consider the specification you require.
Cater Kitchen offers both Economy and Premium stainless steel catering tables.
The Economy range combines a food-grade stainless steel worktop with galvanised legs and an adjustable galvanised lower shelf.
The Premium range provides full 304 food-grade stainless steel construction across the tabletop, legs and lower shelf.
This gives businesses options depending on their kitchen requirements and budget.
Need Even More Storage?
Floor space can be particularly valuable in a commercial kitchen, so sometimes the answer isn’t simply choosing a larger table.
Making use of vertical space can provide additional storage without increasing the footprint of your preparation area.
For kitchens requiring this additional storage, Cater Kitchen also offers stainless steel wall tables with double over shelves, providing a work surface below with shelving positioned above.
Shop Stainless Steel Tables in a Range of Sizes
Choosing the right size stainless steel catering table can make a noticeable difference to how effectively you use your commercial kitchen.
From compact 600mm tables through to larger 1500mm preparation surfaces, Cater Kitchen offers a choice of sizes to suit different professional catering environments.
Measure your available space, consider how the table will be used and choose a size that provides the workspace you need without compromising the layout of your kitchen.
Explore Cater Kitchen’s stainless steel wall tables and find the right size for your commercial kitchen.
