In any kitchen, fire risks are high—but in a commercial kitchen, the danger is even greater. With hot oil, grease, and constantly operating appliances, one accident can quickly escalate. That’s why Class K fire extinguishers are specifically designed for these environments.
What Is a Class K Fire?
Class K fires involve cooking oils, fats, and grease. These substances burn at extremely high temperatures and are difficult to extinguish with water or standard extinguishers. In fact, using water can make the situation worse by spreading flaming oil.
How Class K Extinguishers Work
Class K extinguishers use a wet chemical agent (usually potassium acetate). When discharged, the agent:
- Cools the fire quickly.
- Forms a soapy foam barrier through a process called saponification, which prevents reignition.
Where They’re Required
Class K extinguishers are not just recommended—they’re often required by fire codes and safety regulations in:
- Restaurants and fast-food kitchens
- Cafeterias and catering businesses
- Food trucks and mobile kitchens
- Institutional kitchens (schools, hospitals, retirement homes)
Benefits of Class K Extinguishers
- Specifically engineered for grease fires.
- Safe and effective in high-temperature cooking environments.
- Prevents reignition, a common problem with oil fires.
- Meets NFPA and code compliance requirements for commercial kitchens.
Why Not Just Use an ABC Extinguisher?
While an ABC extinguisher is useful for many fire types, it is not effective against hot oil and grease fires. Grease can reignite even after being doused with dry chemical powder. For true kitchen safety, Class K extinguishers are the only reliable choice.
Final Thoughts
If you operate any type of commercial kitchen, a Class K fire extinguisher is a must-have. It’s the only extinguisher specifically designed to handle the unique fire risks that come with cooking oils and grease. Pairing them with hood suppression systems provides the highest level of protection.