Bar Sinks

Commercial Bar Sinks: What You Need to Know

Bar sinks, sometimes called dump sinks, come in various sizes, styles, and designs. Larger units are made to help with significant dishwashing procedures, while smaller bar dump sinks can give your servers a place to dispose of finished drinks or rinse out a glass before a guest changes beers. Because these units need to fit into the cramped confines of a bar, underbar hand sinks are designed to be smaller than regular commercial sinks.

Sinks are necessary for almost every foodservice establishment, as they provide a source of water, a place to clean dishes, and an aperture for disposing of unwanted liquids. Dump sinks provide the same service in a compact model that'll fit almost anywhere, even in the narrow confines of a bar.

Common Questions About Bar Sinks

Does my sink need to be NSF certified?

NSF certification is a way to show your customers – and the local health inspector – that you're serious about providing the best possible food safety. Depending on your local regulations, you may or may not need NSF certification on your foodservice equipment, but NSF-certified pieces have many features that eliminate potential foodservice hazards. NSF pieces must be made of high-quality material that is nonporous, meaning it doesn't have gaps where bacteria could collect. NSF standards also mandate a certain level of cleanability, ensuring that there aren't any crevices where disease can grow unnoticed and infect your customers.

Subject to your local regulations, NSF certification may or may not be necessary, but having an independent agency verify the safety of your bar sink is certainly going to help. Almost all of the dump sinks KaTom sells are NSF certified. If NSF certification is important to you, consult the product specifications page for the sink you're interested in before making a purchase.

Should I get a sink with adjustable feet?

Adjustable feet can be a lifesaver if your floor isn't perfectly flat. Bar sinks are always going to have liquids in, around, and on them, so having an uneven surface is a recipe for spills. Glasses could slide downhill, leading to broken glass, extra work, and a giant mess. Adjustable feet enable you to level out the sink on uneven floors, giving operators a stable work area and lessening the likelihood of spills.

What's the difference between splash-mount and deck-mount faucets?

Splash-mount faucets are attached to the sink on the vertical backsplash behind the sink, while deck-mount faucets are mounted on a horizontal section of the deck on the same plane as the sink. Deck-mount faucets can be more convenient to install as you can run pipes up from beneath the sink, which is already accessible. Splash-mount faucets must have water connections brought through the wall at the appropriate height, which might require drilling holes through the wall. However, both types will likely require a professional plumber to install them, which means the cost to install wouldn't be too different. Splash-mount faucets don't take up any of the horizontal plane, meaning you can get a longer sink well for the same spatial footprint.