430 vs 304: What's the Difference in a Commercial Kitchen?

What Makes One Grade Different From the Other?

Stainless steel isn't a single material — it's a family of iron alloys that contain chromium, which is what gives it that corrosion-resistant surface and characteristic shine. The difference between grades largely comes down to what else is mixed in.

Grade 430 is made primarily from iron and chromium (typically around 16–18% chromium). It contains little to no nickel, which is why it's classed as a "ferritic" grade. It's magnetic, cost-effective, and performs very well in the right environments.

Grade 304 contains the same chromium content but adds a significant amount of nickel — typically 8–10%. That nickel content is the key distinction. It places 304 in the "austenitic" category, and it's what gives the steel its enhanced resistance to corrosion, acids, and moisture. It's also non-magnetic.

In practical terms: 304 is the more corrosion-resistant of the two, and 430 is the more economical option. Neither is inherently "better" — it depends entirely on where and how the steel is being used.

How Does That Translate to a Commercial Kitchen?

In a commercial kitchen, different pieces of equipment face very different conditions.

A prep table or work bench in the middle of your kitchen is largely a dry surface. Yes, it gets wiped down, it may have water splashed on it during food prep, and it needs to withstand cleaning chemicals — but it's not submerged in water or exposed to prolonged moisture. For applications like these, Grade 430 performs perfectly well. It provides excellent resistance to everyday kitchen conditions, it's easy to clean and maintain, and it meets the hygiene standards required in commercial food environments. It's the practical, industry-standard choice for high-volume fabrication of prep tables, shelving, equipment stands, and splashbacks.

A sink, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Sinks are in near-constant contact with water, cleaning chemicals, food acids, and grease. The steel is being challenged every single hour of the working day. In high-demand, wet environments like this — or anywhere moisture is persistent — Grade 304 offers a meaningful upgrade in resistance to rust, pitting, and staining over time. For similar reasons, 304 is commonly specified for dishwasher surrounds, sluice hoppers, and wet area fabrications in healthcare and food production settings.

Quick Comparison

Does Grade Matter for Hygiene and Food Safety?

Both grades are widely used in commercial food environments and are considered hygienic, non-porous materials when properly maintained. Neither grade harbours bacteria in the way that porous materials like wood can. The grade choice is really about longevity and suitability for the environment — not about one being more food-safe than the other.

That said, many healthcare environments and some food production specifications will call out 304 as a minimum requirement, so it's always worth checking any relevant standards if you're fitting out a regulated environment such as a hospital kitchen, care home, or food processing facility.

What Does Commercial Sinks Use?

Our fabricated products — including our stainless steel tables, shelving, and prep benches — are manufactured in Grade 430 as standard, which is the appropriate and widely accepted grade for those applications. Where a product is designed for sustained water contact or a higher-specification environment, we use or can supply Grade 304.