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Steam Tables

Commercial Steam Tables in Toronto & Canada

Hold hot food at a safe serving temperature through a lunch rush, buffet, or banquet line with our Steam Tables collection, covering 2 to 8-well hot tables from Phoenix, Alpha, and Atosa. Our own Phoenix CST Series, like the Phoenix CST-4, runs a traditional water well under each pan for gentle, even heat and adds a full stainless cabinet underneath for storage; the Phoenix CST-4E economy line uses the same water-well heating with an open base instead, at a lower price. Alpha and Atosa build their hot tables, such as the Alpha AHT-3 and Atosa CSTEA-3C, to run dry by default — no water bath to fill or drain — while still accepting a water pan for steam heat if you want it. The Alpha AHS-45 brings that same dry operation to a compact counter top format for a shorter service line. Add a sneeze guard — Alpha's AHT-Series glass guard or Atosa's MROS overshelf — or a caster kit for catering setups. Serving Vaughan and the wider GTA — including Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, and Hamilton — Phoenix Food Equipment ships steam tables nationwide across Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions we hear from operators.

How many wells do I need for a steam table?

Well count comes down to how many dishes you want holding hot at once, not overall size. A 2 or 3-well table, like the Phoenix CST-3 or Atosa CSTEA-3C, suits a small cafeteria or catering setup with a handful of options, a 4 or 5-well table covers most buffet lines and banquet halls, and our largest, the Phoenix CST-8, holds eight full-size pans for a high-volume operation running a full spread. Measure your buffet line's counter space first, then count how many separate dishes need to stay at serving temperature at once.

Do I need water for a steam table, or can it run dry?

Both styles work, and which one you need comes down to how you want to maintain and clean the table. Our Phoenix CST Series runs a traditional water well under each pan, which spreads heat more gently and evenly but needs filling, draining, and occasional descaling. The Alpha AHT-3 and Atosa CSTEA-3C run dry by default — the heating element sits right under the pan with no water bath to maintain — while both still accept a water pan if you'd rather run them wet. We carry both styles, so you can pick based on how much maintenance you want to take on.

What's the difference between a standard and an economy steam table?

The difference is the base, not the heating. Our Phoenix CST Series, like the Phoenix CST-4, adds a full stainless steel cabinet underneath each table for enclosed storage, while the Phoenix CST-4E economy line uses the same water-well heating and well count in an open-base frame instead, which cuts the price without changing how the table holds food. Pick the standard cabinet line if you want enclosed storage for pans, foil, or supplies underneath, or the economy line if you don't need it.