Advantages of Stainless Steel Worksurfaces
Look in the pages of any glossy magazine and you’ll spot that the latest trend in kitchen design is stainless steel. It certainly gives the look of the high-end commercial kitchen – even if you’re no great shakes in the kitchen, the stainless steel will give that professional air. The benefits of stainless steel in the kitchen don’t just stop at the appearance though.
Hygiene Benefits of Stainless Steel
Professional chefs don’t just have stainless steel in their kitchens because the surfaces look good; they choose stainless steel because it’s so easy to keep clean. Stainless steel can’t crack or chip like other surfaces, and can be scrubbed with soap and water to get it sparkling clean. The only cleaning rule is to stick to simple soap cleaning fluids as bleach can damage the surface finish. Steel doesn’t absorb stains or colour from food either, even from red wine or tomato juice which can easily stain wood, ceramic and other materials.
Heat and Cold Resistant
If you choose stainless steel worksurfaces, you can throw the cooling racks and pieces of cloth to protect the worktops in the bin. Steel won’t burn or singe, so there’s no need to worry about marks left on the surface by a hot pan, or frozen food straight from the freezer. This is clearly a useful feature in the restaurant kitchen, but can be handy at home too.
Looks Improve Over Time
If you’ve ever had a new stainless steel sink, you’ll know that scratches are inevitable. At first, the sink just looks scuffed and scratched. But give it a few weeks and the ultra-shiny surface will dull, and take on a more weathered look. Over time, the initial shininess will disappear and the industrial look of the steel will get stronger. If you’re not a keen cook who uses the kitchen regularly, then it will take longer for your surface to look its best. Stainless steel doesn’t mark in the same was as other surfaces but might dent if you drop something heavy on it. Again, if you’re the sort of person who can’t bear a scratch or dent, then steel might not be for you.
How Much Do Stainless Steel Worksurfaces Cost?
Stainless steel suitable for countertops is usually made to measure, ensuring one sheet covers the whole surface area without joins. Stainless steel suitable for this purpose is 1.2mm thick, and usually bonded onto a MDF core so the surface is the same height as a standard kitchen worksurface. Depending on the size of the space you need to cover, standard sized boards may be a better option, but you’ll need to make sure that your kitchen fitter has experience in fitting them. A standard, off the shelf metre-long worksurface will cost around £220. If you are buying made to measure steel, then you should budget around £300 per metre. This is substantially more than laminate worktops, which retail for as little as £30 per metre.
