A new kitchen sink

[theelfqueen]

So you can buy a new kitchen sink today. Pretend installation isnt a deciding factor. What kind of sink would you love? Single basin? Multiple basin? What split in sizes? What materials? Undermount? Over mount? Apron front/farmhouse? What would make you decide? 

[happi duck]

If I had a dishwasher I'd like a single basin farmhouse sink.

Since I hand wash everything I like my double basin with equal sized sides.

[Bootsie]

I had a sink with a 2/3 split in a previous house which I really liked.  It gave enough room for soaking, doing dishes but there was another drain available.  It was undermount that I loved.  

I never knew I could dislike a sink as much as I dislike my current one.  It is double basin; the center divider is very wide and the sides slant so much that I cannot sit a bowl flat on the bottom of the sink   My pots either don't fit, or rock around the bottom of the bowl, not sitting flat, as I try to wash them.  It is also noisy--I didn't understand ads for "quiet" sinks until I had this sink.  

I am dreaming of the undermount workstation sinks that have cutting boards that fit directly in the mounting area so that you can have a counter flat work surface and can cut items directly over the sink  

[Ann.without.an.e]

2 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

I never knew I could dislike a sink as much as I dislike my current one.  It is double basin; the center divider is very wide and the sides slant so much that I cannot sit a bowl flat on the bottom of the sink   My pots either don't fit, or rock around the bottom of the bowl, not sitting flat, as I try to wash them.  It is also noisy--I didn't understand ads for "quiet" sinks until I had this sink.  

 

I could’ve written this. DH is talking of a kitchen overhaul in the next year or so and that sink has to go. Like it’s non negotiable for me. It must go 😂

Edited April 30, 2022 by Ann.without.an.e

[prairiewindmomma]

Under mount 70/30 or 60/40 in stainless steel….

I have had white cast iron and black granite sinks in the string of houses I have owned…they were both high maintenance compared to the steel ones.

[Ali in OR]

Our faucet broke and dh wanted to put in a new sink at the same time as a new faucet but I said no, we have to wait until we do the counters too. Because my ideal is an undermount sink. I like our 2/3 split but the garbage disposal is linked to the small side and I'd rather have it on the big side so I'll change that if I can. We have laminate countertops now but hope to do a bit of a kitchen makeover in a couple of years--leaning toward some quartz type counter with an undermount sink.

[Katy]

Our current house has one of those black granite composite sinks that feels like plastic. I hate it. To properly sanitize it you use scouring powder or soft scrub with bleach like normal but then the cleanser is really difficult to rinse off and leaves it looking dirty and dull. To make it look clean you’re then supposed to oil it. Which does make it look new but I hate the complex process and that it’s so dark it’s hard to see if it’s dirty or if there are bugs (we’ve never had bugs here but being raised in Florida imaginary roaches still creep me out). Also I’ve heard stories of pouring hot pasta water making them crack. Give me stainless or cast iron over this any day. 

[livetoread]

Love my large, single basin, stainless steel, undermount sink. If we have dishes to hand wash, I just pull out another big bowl, put it in the sink, and use that for my suds.

[HomeAgain]

I have a double basin stainless steel sink and I almost love it.  It has one large, one smaller side, so I end up using the smaller side to rinse fruits and veggies, the larger for dishes that don't go in the machine.  The one thing I do want is a draining board built in on the one side.  We dry things on the counter all the time and I don't want a rack.

[Selkie]

I have a white double basin farmhouse sink. I spend a lot of time at the sink washing and peeling produce, and this sink is perfect for that. I also do dishes by hand fairly often, although we have a dishwasher.

In our mudroom, we have the same sink but single basin. I wash my horses’ grain buckets there, so the big single basin is right for the job.

[athena1277]

I would get a double sink, stainless steel, and under mounted.  We have a big single basin and I hate it.  I want 2 sink workspaces. 

[Halftime Hope]

I have a 60/40 SS.  If I didn't have a big laundry sink fairly close, I'd want it to be a single large basin.  I do like thawing things in medium-hot water in the small side, so I'm glad for the two sinks that allow me a fair degree of flexibility.  

When we move to a smaller home, I want to *above mount* a large specialty farmhouse-style sink -- so the bottom of the sink is a couple of inches higher -- that will spare our backs for the dishes we wash by hand.  Ours now is a standard flush mount sink, and cabinets are standard height.  Hubby can't stand bent over and wash dishes, and I'm beginnning to feel it, too. An undermount would never work for us.  

It's either that or I continue shrinking in height...but I'm not sure I can live with hubby never doing a dish as we age. 😉 

[Pawz4me]

I've always had 50/50 split stainless steel deep(ish) sinks and have always liked them and found them very functional for my needs. I like having a "clean" side for dish washing and a "dirty" side for washing hands, rinsing veggies, pet bowls, etc. But I'm starting to see the appeal of single basins. I think I'd kind of like a single basin and that I'd use a dish pan for sudsy water when needed. But I don't know, maybe I'd get tired of fooling with a dish pan? 

I definitely prefer SS and under mounted.

[Innisfree]

I was just admiring a sink like the one below in a real estate listing. It had a skirt in front, making it less industrial in appearance. I love the built-in back and drain boards with a rim, because I always manage to splash a lot of water around, and this looks like it would contain the water effectively.

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/advance-tabco-fe-1-1620-18rl-one-compartment-stainless-steel-commercial-sink-with-two-drainboards-52/109FE11620RL.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvLOTBhCJARIsACVldV13reYirFMVWzdSzlplKvpgEQM8ApDye3Knx8IH4bPfZPv2JrrYiSIaAgxhEALw_wcB

In general, I like at least one side of a sink to be wide enough to handle large platters and so forth easily. If it has a second side that’s fine, but not important. I also prefer stainless steel, because it seems safer for washing good glass or china. Ceramic or enameled cast iron are beautiful, but make me worry more about a soapy dish slipping and breaking.

[KungFuPanda]

I think all of the other sinks are prettier than stainless, but I need stainless. I don’t want to be careful. I don’t want to keep that metal thing in there to protect a surface and have to clean under it. 
 

I also love the look of those sinks with all the accessories but they don’t seem practical. There’s nothing I need to do at the sink that makes it worth blocking the sink. I have one of those giant colanders that spans the sink, so I get that these things are somewhat functional, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have cutting boards and dish drainers on top of your sink all the time. 
 

Sometimes I think a deeper sink would be nice, but I don’t want to bend over to use it. I kind of wonder when we’re going to get adjustable height kitchen counters. Standard height is a few inches too tall for me and it’s annoying. 

[Zoo Keeper]

Stainless steel all the way, baby. 🙂  When we moved into our current home it had a white ceramic sink that looked so nice--for a time.  It stained easily, and was impossible to truly get fresh and clean looking.  I think I tried every cleaner and every hack out there (dishwasher tabs, bleach, overnight soaks, etc.).  One of my children also burned a hot pan ring into the bottom that was never coming out.  So pretty. 😞

When we finally needed to replace the sink I couldn't choose stainless steel fast enough. Takes a licking and keeps on ticking... and scrubs up beautifully with just a little Bar Keeper's Friend on the dishcloth.

 

[Estea]

Stainless! I love the farmhouse porcelain apron front sinks, but I cook a lot and all my research indicated it just wouldn’t last. We installed a Create Good Sinks brand. It is a stainless workstation and I love it!!! I looked at stainless apron front sinks, but several salespeople said the apron part scratched easily. Our counter person recommended this company. I called and the guy spent close to an hour and a half answering my questions. I was a little nervous because I had never had a single bowl sink before, but it is wonderful! In my dream kitchen, I want their huge sink! 🙂

[Brittany1116]

5 hours ago, Katy said:

Our current house has one of those black granite composite sinks that feels like plastic. I hate it. To properly sanitize it you use scouring powder or soft scrub with bleach like normal but then the cleanser is really difficult to rinse off and leaves it looking dirty and dull. To make it look clean you’re then supposed to oil it. Which does make it look new but I hate the complex process and that it’s so dark it’s hard to see if it’s dirty or if there are bugs (we’ve never had bugs here but being raised in Florida imaginary roaches still creep me out). Also I’ve heard stories of pouring hot pasta water making them crack. Give me stainless or cast iron over this any day. 

Exactly the same. Didn't pick it. Don't love it at all. Would never recommend.

[Ting Tang]

We purchased a Kohler undermount stainless steel sink.  There are two separate basins of equal size that are very deep.  I also got a beautiful farmhouse style faucet, but there is a ton of splash.  We got the good quality steel/guage, and it still got scratches.  I bought some rubbermaid mats for it.  Unfortunately, I am having a problem with mold in one spot, too, but maybe it was just the way the guy did the caulking (I've tried to get rid of it, but it is stubborn). We've had it for about 7 months now.   Despite the few issues, I like it much better than the white porcelain sink we had before.  I'd never ever get one of those again. 

[Amethyst]

Single basin, for sure. I hope I never have a split sink ever again. 
 

I live my porcelain undermount. So far (4 years), cleaning has not been an issue. 
 

I don’t care for the look of the front apron/farmhouse look. But that’s just my preference since I’m not a farmhouse type of gal. I think that sort of depends on your taste, furnishings, and style. But single basin, for sure. 
 

[kristin0713]

Humongous, single basin, stainless steel, with a garbage disposal. I can't wait for our house to be finished with my incredible sink.  

[sweet2ndchance]

I love my big single basin sink! The only thing that would make it better is if it were undermounted but that wasn't an option with my formica countertops.

I don't have a dishwasher and wash everything by hand and the single basin makes it a breeze for larger pots and pans. I don't tend to do dishes like most people I know though. If dh's grandma does the dishes at my house (which she sometimes does) she just puts a plastic dishpan in the sink to make it like a double basin sink. Best of both worlds.

I will say though that I wouldn't like my big single basin as much if I didn't have my pull out faucet to be able to reach everywhere in the sink with the water. I also love my built in soap dispenser that came with my sink.

 

[Annie G]

When we moved here three years ago we had a large single basin sink. Thought I’d love it. Turns out I hated it. A year later we replaced it with an under mount  stainless 2 compartment deep sink, 50/50 split.  I’m short so the deep sink isn’t an issue.  Would buy again. 
 

[barnwife]

I will never understand the appeal of single basin sinks. I've never had a split other than 50/50, so I think anything else would just irritate me at this point. Plus, the unsymmetricalness of it would bother me. I can't even put my milk in the pitcher upside down (we get milk in a bag, which then goes in a pitcher). Things must be matched/even. 

Stainless steel, because easy to clean. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

I ordered a 50/50 under-mount farmhouse in black composite for my new house. The house I’m living in has a composite sink in a different color and I really like it material-wise. Hopefully the black won’t be too hard to keep clean. I guess we’ll see. 
 

I was sold on a farmhouse partly because I’ll have a wider margin around the faucet, and partly because I can drape a dish towel over the edge. My new house doesn’t have a great place to install a towel bar. The dishwasher has one, but then it’ll be drug across the floor every time someone opens it (and I’m pretty sure my kids, though they are really good about putting dirty dishes in the machine,  won’t pull it off and re-hang each time 😁). 

Edited May 1, 2022 by Forget-Me-Not

[happi duck]

1 hour ago, sweet2ndchance said:

I love my big single basin sink! The only thing that would make it better is if it were undermounted but that wasn't an option with my formica countertops.

I don't have a dishwasher and wash everything by hand and the single basin makes it a breeze for larger pots and pans. I don't tend to do dishes like most people I know though. If dh's grandma does the dishes at my house (which she sometimes does) she just puts a plastic dishpan in the sink to make it like a double basin sink. Best of both worlds.

I will say though that I wouldn't like my big single basin as much if I didn't have my pull out faucet to be able to reach everywhere in the sink with the water. I also love my built in soap dispenser that came with my sink.

 

How do you handwash in a single basin?  We don't have a dishwasher but a single basin seems really convenient.

[Ellie]

13 hours ago, theelfqueen said:

So you can buy a new kitchen sink today. Pretend installation isnt a deciding factor. What kind of sink would you love? Single basin? Multiple basin? What split in sizes? What materials? Undermount? Over mount? Apron front/farmhouse? What would make you decide? 

I have a black granite, deep single, undermount sink, with the drain on one side instead of in the middle. I wasn't sure I would like it, but boy howdy, I do! There's some upkeep with the material, which really doesn't take any more time or work than when I kept the white porcelain sink clean; it's just different. If I had to wash dishes often, I'd use a dish pan for washing, and there would be plenty of room to rinse.

[sweet2ndchance]

7 hours ago, happi duck said:

How do you handwash in a single basin?  We don't have a dishwasher but a single basin seems really convenient.

I tend to wash as I go so rarely does anything need to soak in soapy water to get stuff off. I am also a minimalist when it comes to kitchen goods so I often have to wash cooking utensils and measuring implements immediately after I use them so I can do the next thing with them. If a pot or pan really does need a good soak, I fill it and set it on the countertop next to the sink, carefully dump the water, scrape any remaining food bits in the trash (we don't have a disposal either) and then wash as usual. I hate a pile of dishes to wash after a meal so washing as I go really works for me.

Typically, each person washes their own plate after they finish eating, scrub then rinse under the faucet and set it in the dish drainer. If I do have a lot of plates and forks and such, like if we have company (which to be honest is rare enough that we usually use paper plates because I don't have enough regular plates for more than one extra person), I wash each item with soap and then lay them in an area of the sink that I designate as the "clean dish pile" then I spray them off in batches with the pull out faucet, double check them to make sure they are clean and no food was missed. Then I put them in the dish drainer.

This is as opposed to how dh's grandma does dishes (or how I've seen other people do dishes) by filling up one side of the sink (or a dishpan at my house) with soapy water and putting all the dirty dishes in there and then pulling them out one at a time to wash and rinse. I hate sticking my hand in the dirty dish water, even with gloves. Plus like I said, we don't have a disposal so if food gets missed, I have to skim the food bits out of the water before I can drain the sink (we did used to have a double sink before we replaced it)

I've seen some people do it the other way where they scrub the dishes and drop them in a sink full of clean water to get the soap off and then put them in the drainer or hand dry in batches. I don't like that way either because, maybe it's just me, but a lot of time a little bit gets missed the first the first scrub and I feel like the clean water is now dirty if I drop it in the sink of rinse water. But I can't see the food bit that got missed with the soap on it. Like I said maybe that's just me but I prefer to wash, rinse with the faucet, individually for big things and in batches for small, and put in the drainer, no sink or dishpan full of water.

Anyway, that's how I do it at my house. 🙂 

[Tap]

I really like mine. It is white porcelain and is either a 60/40 or 70/30. But the large side is extra deep! The smaller side has the garbage disposal (has to be on this side due to clearance needed for it under the sink). I prefer white sinks and don't have a problem keeping this one clean. I would buy it again in a hot second. 

I do not like my current faucet tho. It is one of the higher crane neck styles, with a pullout faucet. That part I like, but the spray on faucet is so wide, it makes a mess everywhere.  My old one was more focused and that was nice too, for having more force coming out. So, if you are buying a faucet, consider the spray pattern!  

[73349]

I'm happy enough with a stainless dual basin, but it would be awesome if it were extra deep. I have some oversized things that are a pain to wash because they don't fit in the sink well.

[Resilient]

Undermount, good quality stainless, single basin. I have a small dishpan I put in the sink when I (rarely) need 2 basins.  

Standard depth, not extra deep. The extra deep gave me a backache; this could depend on whether you have standard or high kitchen counters and on your own height.  

This opinion is based in experience and a strong preference for ease of cleaning and big space so I don't break stemware.

[Carrie12345]

I’m a single basin girl. I use big mixing bowls, pots, skillets, and sheet pans that already do a lot of sloshing and dripping without splitting a space up!

Almost everything else goes in the dishwasher. 

[Grace Hopper]

On 4/30/2022 at 10:17 AM, prairiewindmomma said:

Under mount 70/30 or 60/40 in stainless steel….

I have had white cast iron and black granite sinks in the string of houses I have owned…they were both high maintenance compared to the steel ones.

I haven’t shopped in a while but I can’t remember seeing an undermounted stainless steel. I like ss, but I’ve also had good luck with white cast iron being easy to keep clean. Agree with the unequal split sink. I think the countertop material may be important to consider. I like the look and idea of a farmhouse sink, but I think I’d miss even a small bit of counter between me and the well, because I use that as a resting place to drain pasta/potato pots of boiling water, etc. 

I think the faucet/fixture is also important. Personally I need something tall enough to wash or fill a pot even if it sits on the divider. And I need a sprayer feature. 
 

 

[KungFuPanda]

Karran has stainless steel undermount sinks including some that can be used with laminate countertops. I looked at these and thought about it. I like the looks of an undermount sink, but I don’t want to deal with keeping water wiped off the faucet base. I’ve been told that’s a thing. Basically I use my indecision as an excuse not to upgrade anything until it falls apart. 😕

Edited May 1, 2022 by KungFuPanda

[Ausmumof3]

We have double with the right hand side smaller than the left and a draining area next to it. It’s great. The only thing I’d change is the plugs area hasn’t been done properly and sits up slightly causing gunk to build up if you don’t use the right technique when rinsing. That’s nothing to do with the sink though and everything to do with Mr Dodgy DIY who built that house.

[ktgrok]

Old house had a split stainless steel, I think it was 70/30, and the bigger side was extra deep. Could soak or whatever on that side, and still have an area to wash hands, etc. The bigger side was also big enough to wash most all my big things. 

Current house has a 50/50 split, shallow stainless steel sink. I HATE it. Neither side is big enough for big things. and it is WAY too shallow. 

I will say, old nice sink was undermount, this one is the overmount style, and I think I prefer overmount. It seems that the undermount grew mold/mildew in the caulk around the edge MUCH worse than the overmount, just because I think it stayed damp more. The caulk on an overmount sink is far enough from the basin that it stays dry most of the time. (I'm in Florida, in less humid areas maybe this isn't an issue).

[ktgrok]

Just did some searching, and I'm not alone in my concerns that undermount sinks grow mildew and yuck more easily. 

Also, found out that there is such thing as a RAISED sink, and I may be in love with it. 

[ktgrok]

Oh, and if you are lacking in spatial awareness like I am, and have granite countertops, an undermount sink means you may end up accidentally hitting glasses and such on the edge of the counter as you take them out of the sink. Not that I broke MULTIPLE dishes/glasses that way over the years...nope....sure didn't. Okay, i did. Another reason I will stuck with overmount, lol. 

[Laura Corin]

Double, undermount, stainless steel and not completely flat bottomed - so there is a slight slope to the drain. 

[KatieJ]

On 4/30/2022 at 9:52 PM, Forget-Me-Not said:

I ordered a 50/50 under-mount farmhouse in black composite for my new house. The house I’m living in has a composite sink in a different color and I really like it material-wise. Hopefully the black won’t be too hard to keep clean. I guess we’ll see. 
 

I was sold on a farmhouse partly because I’ll have a wider margin around the faucet, and partly because I can drape a dish towel over the edge. My new house doesn’t have a great place to install a towel bar. The dishwasher has one, but then it’ll be drug across the floor every time someone opens it (and I’m pretty sure my kids, though they are really good about putting dirty dishes in the machine,  won’t pull it off and re-hang each time 😁). 

We recently solved the towel issue in our new home. My husband installed drip trays behind the panel in front of the sink. 
Rev a Shelf, tip out trays. They come with hinges. We then put cabinet handles on the panel,  two of them , and that’s where my towels are. 

We have a roll out trash cupboard, therefore we do not open the doors under the sink very often. 

[EKS]

Large, single basin, stainless steel, under mount.  Love it! 

When we chose it 22 years ago, everyone involved in building the house thought we were nuts.  Are you sure you want THAT?  Yes--and now it would appear that the world has caught up to us!

[Clemsondana]

On 4/30/2022 at 12:06 PM, livetoread said:

Love my large, single basin, stainless steel, undermount sink. If we have dishes to hand wash, I just pull out another big bowl, put it in the sink, and use that for my suds.

This is what we got when we redid our kitchen several years ago.  Ours is apron front.  I love it.  It holds my biggest cookie sheets and pans with no problem.  A 9x13 casserole fits front-to-back, so I can soak 2 of them side-by-side at the same time, or have one soaking while I use the other side for hand-washing or food prep or I can have my stock pot sitting in it to fill.  

[easypeasy]

Stainless, 50/50 split, top mount. not extra-deep, but definitely not shallow, either. I’m looking for Baby-Bear-ideal proportions, here. 😄 A garbage disposal is a must, as is a removable sprayer attachment and a built-in dish soap dispenser. 
 

I can’t with single basin sinks. They’re SO pretty, I think, but dishes just flop around all loosey-goosesy and I can’t. I need a split sink to contain the dishes. 
 

We use a dishwasher so I use one half of the sink for anything I need to hand wash. The other half stays open for washing fruit or draining pasta. 

[ktgrok]

I'll again make myself the odd one out in that I don't like the built in dish soap dispenser. Mainly because I am often/usually filling one side of the sink with soapy water, and want to be able to squirt the soak into the sink, not pump it onto a sponge. 

[theelfqueen]

I've now had two plumbers tell me not to do stainless... we are leaning toward copper. But now I'm doubting. 

[Innisfree]

1 hour ago, theelfqueen said:

I've now had two plumbers tell me not to do stainless... we are leaning toward copper. But now I'm doubting. 

Why did they say to avoid stainless?

[Matryoshka]

I love my heavy gauge stainless double-bowl sink.  One side is much bigger and deeper than the other - almost as big as most single-basins, and deeper than most.  Thus I can fit all my big pots - from my biggest stockpots to my 12" skillets - and any dishes in there.  In the smaller, normal-depth side I have a dish rack.  I don't hand-wash most dishes, but it's great for drying pots and other things that don't fit in the dishwasher, and I also use it whenever I need to rinse or empty something in a colander and the other side is full.

I'm constantly hearing that others don't like their double sinks.  I think that's because they're standard-width and depth and so each side is too small.  I designed my kitchen, so I got the sink I wanted, and I still love it after more than 25 years.