Three compartment sinks are sinks used in food service to clean, rinse and sanitize dishes, pots, pans and utensils. They are a health requirement for both commercial food establishments and beverage establishments, like bars. In the majority of the US it is a requirement to have a three compartment sink present in the commercial kitchen, even if there is a dishwasher also on site. You may be wondering why? The answer is: There has to be a backup way of manually sanitizing and cleaning dishes in case the dishwasher were ever to go out of service.
As you begin the process of looking at numerous sink models you may notice that some three compartment sinks are called “Utility Sinks” while others are simply called Three Compartment Sinks.
Utility sinks are made with either one, two, or three compartments. The ones with three compartments have wide and deep bowls just like regular three compartment sinks. Utility sinks can be used for various things, most of which are not food related. They can be used for food service applications but you have to be careful. Check first to see if the utility sink is NSF approved. If it is not NSF approved, see if there is an option to modify the unit so that it can be made NSF approved. Many manufacturers will do this for an additional cost.
Important Note: Why is NSF important? NSF certified sinks are approved for use in food service applications. They have rounded corners which prevent food particles and bacteria from accumulating. Also the bottoms of the unit are designed with a slope to prevent water from collecting in one spot and possibly becoming stagnated.
If you are in the market for a three compartment sink there are other things that you should also consider:
Models will vary in bowl dimensions and therefore overall dimensions. Often times customers start their search by looking first for the dimensions of the sink bowl compartments. Making sure that the overall width and depth of the unit fits your space is even more important and a better place to start. In general, these sinks have large footprints.
Another factor in your decision should be the type and gauge of stainless steel the sink is made of. Sinks will typically be made in 18, 16 or 14 gauge. The smaller the gauge number the better the quality. 430 type stainless steel is average quality; 304 is the best. If you plan on putting your sink through heavy usage, opt for the better type and the better gauge to prevent rusting and denting.
Important Note: Contrary to popular belief stainless steel can rust, especially if it exposed to corrosive cleaning agents or salt.
Faucets and drains are essential to sinks. Typically, these sinks do not come standard with faucets, instead customers have a large selection from which they can choose from. Pre-rinse faucets are very popular with customers. They feature spray shower jets that power away food debris. Another faucet you should consider is the gooseneck faucet. It looks like a regular spout but it goes down more. It looks like an upside down U. It resembles the neck of a goose, hence the name. These can be selected in various lengths. The deeper the sink bowl, the longer your gooseneck should be. Drains are also an important selection. There is the typical crumb basket style drain which is ideal for trapping food debris. There is also the twist/lever style drain which allows you to accumulate water in the bowl compartment for soaking.
Last thing to consider should be a food/waste disposer. Disposers can be added to certain sink models. The disposers are not provided by the sink manufacturers, however, there are great brands like InSinkerator that design disposers for food service sinks. Just make sure to read the specs or ask one of our consultants for assistance.
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