Lincat BS3 Dry Heat Bain Marie with Round Pots

The Lincat BS3 is a countertop dry heat bain marie supplied with two stainless steel round pots. Rather than using a heated water well, it uses radiant heat beneath the pots to maintain a consistent holding temperature throughout service. An adjustable heat control allows operators to set an appropriate level for different preparations, and the unit is entirely self-contained with no plumbing or specialist installation required.

Dry heat holding suits a practical range of preparations well. Sauces, gravies and soups hold reliably during a busy service period, and the format is a sensible choice where simplicity and speed of setup are priorities. The BS3 is commonly found in smaller restaurant kitchens, pub serveries, café counters and front-of-house hot holds where a compact, no-fuss unit is more appropriate than a larger built-in installation.

Compared to wet well units, the dry heat format carries some useful day-to-day advantages:

• No water to fill, monitor or drain — faster setup and end-of-service breakdown
• No risk of spillage when repositioning the unit
• No limescale or mineral build-up to manage during cleaning
• Generally lower energy consumption relative to the holding capacity

It is worth being straightforward about the limitations. Dry heat is less forgiving for preparations that skin or dry out quickly — dense soups and sauces tend to hold well, but more delicate items may need more frequent attention during service. Operations holding a wider variety of preparations at the same time, or running higher service volumes, may find a larger multi-pot unit or a wet well format a better fit.

The BS3 connects to a standard electrical supply and needs no specialist installation, making it accessible for most catering settings without additional infrastructure investment.

If you are weighing up dry heat versus wet well holding for your operation, we are happy to talk it through.