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A commercial stainless steel colander drains pasta, vegetables and seafood, and holds food in the sink or on the bench while you get on with the next job. Commercial stainless steel colanders cost more than aluminium and weigh more, and in exchange they take acidic food, survive being dropped, and still look presentable after years of machine washing.
304 stainless steel is the food-safety grade used in Australian commercial kitchens, it is inert, and it does not react with tomato, citrus or vinegar. That means food can sit in it while you do something else, which aluminium does not allow.
The lighter alternative is aluminium colanders, and both sit under commercial colanders. The same steel runs through the stainless steel cookware range.
Sizing colanders for one prep section or three? The price guide lists diameters and base types with the aluminium equivalents beside them.
These are the top FAQs for Commercial Stainless Steel Colanders
Is stainless worth the extra over aluminium?
If the colander holds food rather than just draining it, yes. Anything acidic, anything that sits, and anything that goes out front is a stainless job.
If it drains pasta and goes straight back on the shelf, aluminium does the same work for less money and less weight. Plenty of kitchens own both for exactly that reason.
What does the steel grade actually mean here?
It describes the alloy's corrosion resistance. 304 is the standard food-grade stainless in Australian commercial kitchens and is what you want for a vessel that is constantly wet and sometimes holding acidic food.
Lower grades will rust at the welds and around the perforations. Check the grade stated on the product page rather than assuming all stainless is equivalent.
Why do some stainless colanders still mark?
Almost always from something else, not from the steel. Chlorine-based cleaners, salt left sitting, and contact with a rusting item on the same shelf all leave marks on stainless that look like rust in the steel itself.
Rinse after using any chlorine product and store it away from cast iron. The marks usually clean off with a proprietary stainless cleaner from the surface cleaners range.
How do I judge build quality before buying?
Look at the handle fixing and the rim. Welded or heavily riveted handles and a rolled or reinforced rim are what hold the shape under a full load; a pressed handle in thin sheet is the weak point.
A footed base is the other mark of a properly made commercial unit, because it keeps the perforations clear when the colander is standing in a sink.
Can it go through every wash cycle?
Yes. This is the main practical advantage: stainless takes high-temperature commercial cycles indefinitely without dulling, so it can go through the commercial dishwasher as a matter of routine.
The perforations still need checking. Starch and small food particles set in the holes and a quick rinse before the rack saves a reload.
Is it heavy enough to be a problem?
Full of wet pasta, a large stainless colander is a two-handed lift and it is noticeably heavier than aluminium. For a section that drains constantly, that is a real consideration.
The usual answer is stainless in the mid and small sizes and aluminium for the largest. Kitchen mitts help with the heat but not with the weight.
What else should be stainless in a prep section?
Anything that holds acidic or salted food — mixing bowls, gastronorm pans and stainless steel kitchen accessories generally. Those are the places where a cheaper material shows up in the food.
Prep surfaces are the exception: a stainless bench is right, but cutting belongs on a chopping board, not on steel, for the sake of the knives.
