After finishing the hard work for the day, some of us love to get engaged in the kitchen. In the kitchen, you can unleash your inner chef and cook up delicious meals with mouthwatering aromas for your family. That said, you’d probably want to provide yourself with a functional kitchen, equipped only with the best kitchen utensils, appliances and fittings, to make cooking an easy and fun experience.
When buying a kitchen, most people make the mistake of equipping the kitchen with the most expensive appliances, countertops and cabinets, leaving the kitchen sink in the dark, by spending the last few bucks on it. So, before you go for a cheap, low-quality sink for kitchen, have in mind that the sink is the place you’ll clean and soak all the vegetables and fruit, and scrub the dishes after the dining fun is over. Except for a high-quality, durable option, the experts recommend a few other things to consider, before you hit the store to buy a kitchen sink.
The Material the Sink Is Made Of Will Determine Its Durability
After you’re done with washing the dishes, you probably don’t want to spend some additional time scrubbing the sticky, dirty kitchen basin every day. To prevent that, have in mind that the material the sink is made of plays a big role. That being said, it’s recommended to get one of the stainless steel or granite kitchen basin sinks if you want to save yourself from scrubbing every day.
Stainless steel kitchen basins have been the most popular option for years. This is due to the fact that stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and abrasions. As a result, the sinks made of this material are long-lasting, hygienic and easier to keep clean. Plus nowadays, the stainless steel kitchen basins are additionally upgraded with the 16-gauge technology, which makes the steel thicker, and less noisy at the same time, unlike the sinks of the past.
In addition to being noiseless, this technology supports the cushion crystal, fine china and everyday glassware when they accidentally slip from your hands and prevents them from cracking and breaking. This makes the stainless steel kitchen basins the most durable, sanitary and lifetime investment for your kitchen.
As mentioned, the granite sinks for kitchen are another option you can check out. The composition of 80% quartz granite, and 20% acrylic resin makes them ultimately stainless, scratch-resistant and gives them the ability to support heats up to 280°C without their colour fading. The granite kitchen basin sinks are also perfect for hard water areas, since they don’t show water spots at all, unlike some other materials, such as porcelain. In addition to all these advantages, granite kitchen sinks are available in matte finishes, which makes for a super stylish, contemporary kitchen sink that will perfectly blend with your ultra-modern kitchen design.
In addition to the stainless steel and granite sinks, there are plenty of other materials you can choose from, such as copper, cast iron or marble. However, these are usually more suited for bathrooms than for kitchens.
Pick the Shape and Size That Most Suits You
Another thing you have to consider when you’re about to purchase a kitchen sink is its shape and size. The most common sink shapes are rectangles and squares, because of their straight sides that give you more room to place the dirty dishes. If the square corners make you feel anxious about the cleaning accessibility, go for a round or oval kitchen sink, but have in mind that the circle-shaped sinks tend to be smaller and shallow. If you still want a wide kitchen sink that is easy to clean, a square-shaped kitchen sink with round corners is the ideal solution.
The size also plays a big role in the functionality of your kitchen sink. If your spacious kitchen allows having a larger kitchen sink, then choosing a double bowl sink will save you from the frustration of finding the sink loaded with a huge pile of dirty dishes and having no space to do food prep. It’s also a time-saving investment since you’ll be able to multitask – wash the dishes in the large bowl while the vegetables are being soaked in the smaller one, or soap the dirty dishes in the larger and then rinse them in the smaller bowl.
If your kitchen is not that spacious, then a smaller one-bowl sink is ideal for you. Don’t worry about the working space, because nowadays the one-bowl sinks are enough wide and deep to wash even the largest pot into your kitchen.
Place the Sink at a Spot That Will Make It Easier to Use
Having the most durable, high-quality sink won’t have any value if it’s not adjusted properly to your kitchen. Ideally, the kitchen sink should be placed next to the dishwasher, so you don’t have to shift across the kitchen and stain the kitchen floor while transferring the rinsed dishes into the dishwasher. Sometimes, this can be a problem, since the plumbing isn’t always placed ideally to fit the kitchen layout you made. But don’t worry, there are a lot of kitchen design specialists that can make your kitchen layout perfectly functional without changing the plumbing.
Another popular option for spacious kitchens is fitting the kitchen sink into the kitchen island. Have in mind that as much as this is a great visual solution that frees up your counters, it’s not that practical and budget-friendly, since it requires installing extra pipes and plumbing, and will also make your kitchen messy and stained when transferring the dishes.
If you’re blessed with having a gorgeous view from your kitchen window, you can use it to your advantage and place the sink by the window. This traditional approach of placing the kitchen sink will give you the ability to enjoy the view while standing at the kitchen sink, plus the natural lighting will also boost your mood instantly and provide you with better visibility so no stain on the dishes can get away.
Other Important Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping
Aside from the material, shape, size, and placing the sink properly, there are some other features that might seem small and irrelevant, but which unless you get them right, can make the dishwashing process your worst nightmare. In addition to being functionally placed to fit the kitchen layout, the sink should also be adjusted to your height to prevent bending over it and save yourself from back pain. You might also want to have a deep bowl kitchen sink with a flat bottom, so you can easily wash bigger pots without them slipping and falling over.
Another thing that should be considered wisely is the installation of the sink. If you consider a drop-in sink with an exposed “apron” in the front as a small detail that will support your vintage-styled kitchen, then the traditional farmhouse sinks are a great choice. But, be careful with these types of sinks since they tend to be made of heavy materials, such as porcelains and fireclays, and require heavier cabinetry that will support their weight without cracking up.
In some cases, less is more, and a lightweight, under-mount sink can prevent overloading the cabinetry where the kitchen sink is mounted. Since the under-mount sinks are attached to the countertops, you’ll avoid the raised lip as an area where food and debris get stuck and make it dirty and stained, which makes the under-mount sinks easier to clean and maintain. Another great feature of the under-mount kitchen basin sinks is that they lay smoothly on the countertop, which gives them a contemporary look and makes them the perfect fit for minimalist modern kitchens.
Consider Upgrading It with Mountable Accessories
As much as the kitchen sink accessories might seem a bit extra, they can be very useful for saving time and easing the dishwashing process. For instance, a mountable stainless steel drainer tray will let your cups and dishes quickly drip dry before you store them back in the cupboards. There are also rollable types of drainer trays that can be rolled on the top of your sink, to prevent the dishes and cups from dripping everywhere and making your kitchen area messy.
Another convenient add-on for your sink is a mountable set of chopping board and strainer, which allows you to easily bring the chopped vegetables and goods from the chopping board straight to the strainer for rinsing and draining, without half of the pieces slipping down in the sink. If you’re clumsier than the smart strainer, you can use a waste set of a basket and plug that will prevent the slipped food from getting into the plumbing, and is also very convenient for soaking bins and other vegetables.
If your sink is spacious enough, you can consider some other useful accessories, such as soap dispensers, sponge caddies and dish racks that will additionally ease the dishwashing process.
