Choosing the right kitchen sink may not seem to be a very important task, but it is a very significant part of setting up your kitchen. And it is definitely something which should never be done without proper planning. The kitchen sink may not be the most glamorous part of your kitchen but it is the station where a lot of your cooking and cleaning tasks are done.
If you visit a store or a shop to buy the sink you will see a variety of options with different shapes, sizes, designs, materials, etc. The choices are endless and hence choosing the right one may seem even tougher. But you need to choose the right sink that fits in properly with your various requirements, along with the perfect size, shape, and looks you need a sink that can handle the daily wear and tear.
The sink has to endure a lot of pain during your daily kitchen activities. You should make sure that the sink that you are planning to buy is able to withstand some tough tests. The sink should be able to withstand stains, scrubbing, scouring, scratching, heat, soaps, detergents, and whatnot.
It is also very important to choose the right kitchen sink type before starting the construction of kitchen cabinets and furniture. This is because the cabinets have to be designed as per the sink space layout, also whether you wish to have a top mount sink or an under-mount sink has to be decided beforehand. So as we said before, getting a sink isn’t the most glamorous purchase, but choosing the right one can make your kitchen jobs a lot easier.
Types of Kitchen Sinks
On the basis of the bowls and the usage of the sink, the kitchen sink can be broadly divided into three different types. Let us have a look at these three different types of kitchen sinks.
Single Bowl Sink
As the name suggests the single bowl kitchen sink has only one bowl and it is considered ideal for a small family. In other words, it can be said that this sink serves the purpose of a single cook family quite well. It is a compact size sink and hence it is quite easy to clean.
The single bowl kitchen sink comes in two main sizes which are 22 inches by 16 inches and 24 inches by 18 inches, although there are other sizes available too these two sizes are the most common ones available in the market. The depth of this type of sink is about 8 to 10 inches.
Double Bowl Sink
Again, as the name suggests this sink consists of two different bowls, which gives the cook more space. It is preferred by the households which have more than one cook, as there are two separate bowls, it gives the users an option to share the tasks.
This sink is also available in various sizes starting from 32 inches by 16 inches to 48 inches by 18 inches depending upon the requirement of the kitchen. The depth of the double bowl sink is also generally about 10 inches.
Sink With Drainboard
This type of kitchen sink is also nowadays quite popular, it has either a single sink or double sink with a drainboard on the side to allow the utensils or other kitchen stuff to dry off properly. This type of sink takes up a good amount of the kitchen counter, as such, it shall be placed in the kitchens which have a sufficient amount of space.
The size of the sink with drainboard generally starts from 45 inches by 18 inches and it can be further obtained in longer size options as per the requirement of your area.
Kitchen Sink Material Types
When it comes to buying the kitchen sink there are three basic types of materials that are used for making these sinks.
Metal Sinks
The first type of materials that are used for making kitchen sinks are metals like steel, copper, and cast iron.
Porcelain Sinks
Porcelains are the second type of materials that are used for making kitchen sinks, like a porcelain-enameled cast-iron sink or a fire clay sink.
Composite Stone Materials
The third type of materials for making these sinks are composite stone materials. They are a newer type of material that is being used for making sinks, these materials are composite stone, composite granite, composite quartz, etc.
Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink
The stainless steel sink has become a trendy choice for many households and the main reason for this is that people nowadays want a sink that looks good and serves their purpose like a professional sink. The stainless steel kitchen sinks are a good and affordable choice because they do not crack or chip easily, they do not fade, they do not leak, and they do not rust.
Stainless steel sinks can be easily upgraded or improved, they last for a long period of time, they are not very noisy, they are not pervious, and they have a beautiful finish. It is also very easy to clean a stainless steel sink because almost no material sticks to the stainless steel.
The few drawbacks with stainless steel sink are that it will have scratches with time, it will have water spots, and as such, it is quite important to take good care of it. The bottom line is stainless steel is a good and affordable material for your sink but it requires proper maintenance.
