A commercial bain marie holds cooked food at serving temperature without cooking it further. Hot units are built to hold at 60°C or above and refrigerated units at 5°C or below — the temperatures Australian food safety standards set for hot and cold holding.
We stock both, from compact benchtop models for cafés and canteens through to open and glass-fronted food bars for buffet, banquet and cafeteria service, plus modular bain marie tops that lock into a cooking suite. Brands include Roband, Woodson, Thermaster, Birko, Waldorf, Zanussi and Bonvue.
Both showrooms are open to the public — Brisbane (Springwood) and Gold Coast (Bundall). Request a quote, or ask about SilverChef equipment finance. For counter display, see hot food displays.
Showing 1–16 of 97 resultsSorted by popularity
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries, Countertop Equipment
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries, Countertop Equipment
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
Bain Maries
A bain marie is the workhorse of any holding-and-serving operation — restaurant line, buffet, canteen, banquet or fast-service counter. The right configuration holds food safely, presents it well, and keeps service moving across a long window.
Hot bain maries hold at 60°C or above and run wet (water bath) or dry. They are the standard on cooking lines, banquet service and hot buffets. Refrigerated bain maries hold chilled product at 5°C or below using self-contained refrigeration with an adjustable thermostat, so they need power but no plumbing. Chocolate tempering bain maries are a purpose-built class running a much lower temperature band for coating work — useful, but not a substitute for a food-holding unit.
Australian commercial bain maries are built around Gastronorm (GN) pans, and the format is the first thing to pin down. Benchtop units and food bars commonly work in GN 1/2, so a row is counted in half pans; larger displays and modular tops are usually GN 1/1 or GN 2/1. Depth matters as much as footprint — hot units generally accept deeper pans than refrigerated ones, and modular tops built into a cooking suite are usually deeper again. Check the maximum pan depth on the specification sheet before you order pans, because pans are normally supplied separately.
Much of this range will do both on the same unit. Wet (water bath) operation surrounds the pans with heated water — gentler heat, better moisture retention, and the right choice for sauces, gravies, soups and anything prone to drying out. Dry operation comes up to temperature faster and takes daily water management out of the routine, which suits hardier items and high-throughput service. A few units are single-mode by design, so confirm it if you need the flexibility.
Glass-fronted units — curved or square glass, and often available with roller doors — present food to the customer and belong anywhere the bain marie is front of house: cafés, cafeterias, school canteens and buffet counters. Open-top units suit back-of-house line work where speed of access matters more than presentation. If the unit is customer-facing, check the serving height and which side the doors open before you fix the counter layout.
Benchtop and countertop units are typically plug-in, so allow bench depth plus clearance for heat and steam. Larger food bars and modular tops can call for a dedicated circuit — confirm the electrical requirement on the specification sheet and have it checked before delivery day, not after. Trolleys are available for countertop units if the bain marie has to move between rooms or functions.
Roband is the core of this range, covering benchtop bain maries, open and glass-fronted hot food bars, refrigerated food bars and chocolate tempering units. Woodson supplies benchtop bain maries, counter-top hot food wells and multi-bay large bain maries. Thermaster covers wet-and-dry bain marie displays in standard and premium builds. Birko supplies countertop bain maries and soup kettles at the entry end of the range. Waldorf and Zanussi supply modular bain marie tops that lock into a cooking suite. Bonvue supplies trolleys for the countertop units.
Our team has 35 years specifying bain maries into restaurants, cafeterias, schools, aged care, banquet kitchens, buffet venues and quick-service operations across Queensland and Australia. Both Brisbane and Gold Coast showrooms are open to the public — ring first on 1300 CKC 000 and we will tell you what is on the display floor, so you can check pan layout, glass style and controls before you commit. SilverChef equipment finance is available on eligible equipment, and delivery, installation arrangement and electrical connection can be quoted alongside it.
A hot bain marie holds food at 60°C or above, running wet (water-bath) or dry — essential for restaurant cooking lines and hot buffet service. A refrigerated bain marie holds chilled product using a self-contained refrigeration system; the Roband units run on R404A with an adjustable digital thermostat and temperature readout. We stock 16 refrigerated models alongside the hot range, in open, curved glass and square glass builds. There is a third, narrower class: chocolate tempering bain maries, which run a low 0–50°C band for coating work.
Australian food safety standards require hot-held food to be kept at 60°C or above to prevent bacterial growth, and cold-held food at 5°C or below. Our hot bain maries are thermostatically controlled so you can set above the 60°C mark and hold it through door openings and pan changes — the Roband units use an energy regulator with a thermometer display, and the Thermaster wet-and-dry displays run an adjustable 35–85°C band. Refrigerated bain maries hold on an adjustable digital thermostat with a temperature readout. Always verify with a calibrated thermometer; built-in displays drift over time.
Standard Australian commercial bain maries use Gastronorm (GN) pans. GN1/1 is the full size (530×325mm) and GN1/2 is half that. The format varies by range: the Roband bain maries and food bars are built around GN1/2 pans, in 1 to 6 pans across one or two rows, while the Thermaster displays take 4, 5 or 6 × GN1/1 and the Woodson benchtop units take GN1/1 or GN2/1. Depth matters as much as footprint — Roband hot units take pans up to 100mm and refrigerated units up to 65mm, Woodson GN1/1 benchtops, Thermaster and Zanussi take up to 150mm, and the Waldorf Bold uses a 160mm pan. Pans are generally not included, so budget for them.
On most of our range you do not have to choose: the Roband hot bain maries and food bars are specified for wet or dry operation, and the Thermaster displays can be run either way on the same unit. Wet (water-bath) operation provides gentler, more even heat distribution and better moisture retention — ideal for sauces, gravies, soups, and delicate items prone to drying out. Dry operation heats faster and requires no water management. A few units are single-mode by design: Woodson bain maries are built specifically for wet operation, and the Roband chocolate tempering units are wet only.
Daily: empty and clean pans, drain and refill water reservoir (water-bath units), wipe down exterior. Weekly: descale water reservoir using manufacturer-recommended cleaner, clean glass display panels, check thermostat accuracy. Annually: certified service tech inspection of heating elements and thermostats. Never use abrasive cleaners on stainless surfaces.
Yes — Commercial Kitchen Company partners with SilverChef for lease and equipment finance on eligible equipment. SilverChef offers weekly payment plans designed around hospitality cash flow. Tell us which unit you are after when you request a quote and we will confirm what applies, and quote finance alongside delivery, installation arrangement, and electrical connection in a single package.
Commercial Kitchen Company is the go-to source for high-quality hospitality supplies and equipment in Australia. As a proud, Australian-owned business, we cater to a diverse range of hospitality needs, including restaurants, cafes, catering services, and hotels in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Our extensive selection in our showrooms highlights everything from advanced commercial kitchen equipment to essential front-of-house products, all aimed at enhancing the efficiency and appeal of your business.
