A drop-in three compartment sink sits in a cutout in a counter, and a freestanding one stands on its own legs against a wall. Choose drop-in when you already have a counter or bar top and only wash smallwares; choose freestanding when you wash pots and pans, need drainboards, or have no counter to cut.
Both give you the three bowls the FDA Food Code calls for when washing, rinsing and sanitizing by hand.
The drop-in sink
Our 3 compartment drop in sink measures 36 x 18.5 x 10 inches, with three bowls of 10 x 14 x 10 inches in 18 gauge stainless steel. The faucet and basket strainers are included, and it weighs 20 lbs. Check availability on the product page, since stock changes. The rim rests on the counter and the bowls hang below it.
What that means in practice:
- You need a counter at least as deep as the sink, with a cutout made to fit the actual sink.
- The counter carries the weight of the sink and the water, so it has to be solid and supported.
- The joint between the rim and the counter has to be sealed so water and food cannot get under it.
- There are no legs to clean around, and the space below can hide the plumbing behind a cabinet door.
- There are no built-in drainboards. Clean items need a rack or a clear stretch of counter to air dry.
It suits coffee bars, kiosks, concession stands, bars and food trucks, where a counter is already part of the build.
The freestanding sink
A freestanding three compartment sink is a single welded unit with a backsplash, legs and adjustable feet. It needs a wall, a water supply and a drain, and nothing else.
Sizes in our stainless line include, from the product pages:
- 36 x 19 inches with three 10 x 14 x 10 inch bowls (S3C-101410-NF).
- 47 x 22 inches with three 14 x 16 x 12 inch bowls (S3C-141612-NF).
- 56.5 x 21.5 inches with three 14 x 16 inch bowls and a drainboard on one side (XS3C-1416).
- 59 x 24 inches with three 18 x 18 x 12 inch bowls (S3C-181812-NF).
- 78 x 30 inches with three 24 x 24 x 14 inch bowls (S3C-242414-NF).
- 90 x 24 inches with 18 x 18 x 12 inch bowls, and 120 x 30 inches with 24 x 24 x 14 inch bowls, each with a drainboard on both sides.
Most of the freestanding product pages tell you to plan the faucet separately; the 36 inch S3C-101410-NF, for example, takes an 8 inch center faucet. See all three compartment sinks.
Side by side
- Bowl size: the drop-in has 10 x 14 x 10 inch bowls. Freestanding sinks go up to 24 x 24 x 14 inches.
- Drainboards: none on the drop-in. Built in on the 56.5, 90 and 120 inch freestanding models.
- Faucet: included with the drop-in. Usually ordered separately for freestanding sinks.
- Installation: the drop-in needs a counter and a cutout. The freestanding sink needs wall space.
- Cleaning: the drop-in has a sealed rim and no legs. The freestanding sink has legs to mop around and a backsplash to protect the wall.
- Moving it later: a freestanding sink can be disconnected and moved. A drop-in is tied to its counter.
What the health department looks at
Under the Food Code each compartment has to be large enough to put your largest item under water. A 10 x 14 inch bowl takes glasses, pitchers, blender jars and small pans. It will not take a full size sheet pan or a large stock pot. The code also asks for drainboards, racks or tables big enough for the dirty and clean items that pile up, so plan drying space next to a drop-in. Your local health department has the final say.
Which one to choose
- Smallwares only, counter already there: drop-in.
- Pots, pans and sheet pans: freestanding, with bowls sized to the largest item.
- Dirty and clean ware piling up: a freestanding model with drainboards, or a separate dish table.
- Leased space you may leave: freestanding, because it goes with you.
- Front of house, where looks matter: drop-in, set into the counter.
Mistakes to avoid
- Cutting the counter before the sink arrives. Measure the actual sink.
- Dropping a sink into a counter that cannot be sealed or cleaned, such as raw wood.
- Choosing by the width and not by the bowl size.
- Forgetting the hand sink. Neither type counts as one.
What to buy
- The drop-in three compartment sink above, or other bowl counts in drop-in sinks.
- A freestanding sink from the three compartment range, with a faucet from commercial sink faucets.
- A hand sink for handwashing.
- Wall shelves for storage above the sink.
Freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price, and sinks are non-powered items with a 14 day return window.