The kitchen sink is the heart and crown of any kitchen, just ask the infamous Kitchen Fitters London. A sink in a kitchen works like a command center of a battleground. Before buying a sink, we need to know about types and features, and it will help us to choose the best sink for us. Today, we are going to delve deeper into the types of kitchen sinks.
Types of kitchen sinks:
1. Undermount:
The name specifies the architectural pattern of this sink. It is usually installed at the bottom of the counter and provides a seamless appearance. Undermount sinks are well acquainted with most of the kitchen layout, thanks to their versatility. This sink will give you a sleek look and requires less effort to clean it up. Smooth sweeping of countertop water and collecting the debris never been simple without these sinks. It is a rimless sink, and this is why no dirt and water clumps aggregate in the corners, thereby providing sustainable and long-lasting shines. Design-wise, the undermount kitchen sink edge over the top-mount sink because it offers ample workspace and a simple cleaning process. Undermount Kitchen Sinks are pricier than other types of kitchen sinks. One drawback of this sink is its waste-collecting basket. If you are not using filtrate water, then after a few years, the waste-collecting bucket will get rusted and passes larges derbies towards the flow pipe.
2. Flush Mount:
This type of kitchen sink can be installed seamlessly with the same flow of countertop. In a few flush mount kitchen sinks, you will find the front end design the same as the Farmhouse Kitchen sink, but the main difference is with seamless finishing with the countertop. Flush mount kitchen sinks can provide a gorgeous look to your kitchen as it perfectly matches the color tone of the countertop and offers ample space for swiping water and cleaning dirt. In general, flush mount kitchen sinks come with two washing chambers, one is relatively more extensive, and the other is smaller. You can use these chambers as per your needs. For example, in the smaller house, you can store used kitchenware and tableware, and on the right side of the counter, you can keep the washed glassware.
3. Farmhouse:
The farmhouse kitchen sink or apron sink extends towards you from the counter and has a variety of installation patterns with the desk. You can install it as you like, for example, it can be installed parallel to the bench, neck up corners from the counter, and neck down position from the surface of the desk. This tub offers a single bowl and double bowl, and if you have already liked the design, you have the freedom to choose one for these. The style of this sink gives a rustic look, and if you are a fan of rustic style kitchens, then it is the best kitchen for you. The most popular feature of this sink is its giant bowl; you can easily wash larger fry pans, baking pans, and other big casseroles. Sometimes the farmhouse kitchen sink is prone to water dripping as the barrier is very narrow between the counter area of the tub and the floor. The price is also a bit higher than other types of kitchen sinks.
4. Self-Rimming:
This kitchen sink has collar-up shoulder corners, and all corners fit above the counter. The entire weight of the sink is carried by the neck rim. As the sink corner itself creates a rim, that’s why it is named the self-rimming kitchen sink. In general, there are two bowls in the sink cabinet, which gives you ample washing and storage space for tableware. In most of the self-rimming kitchen sinks, the barrier between these two bowls is short. You can find this feature handy while transferring glassware from one section to another. The self-rimming pan is effortless to install, as you can affix the tub to the floor by using cement or glue. The price of this sink is relatively lower, and one drawback is, that it is difficult to sweep the counter debris into the sink because of the rim.
5. Quartz:
Quartz is a very specially designed sink. Commonly this kitchen sink is used for the large countertop. In some instances, you will find a built-in quartz sink with a prefabricated countertop. The design of the quartz kitchen sink is excellent, and the floor has marble finishing, which is attractive and provides a sleek look. Your kitchen will get a royal look if you install it.
Moreover, if you buy a prefabricated quartz sink with a countertop, then you can easily save your installation cost. The nonporous finishing of the floor is effortless to clean and mop. There is zero possibility of oily stains, and another important issue we always forget while selecting sinks is hygiene. This sink can provide you excellent hygiene bowl, and it is safe for our health, as there is no residual effect.
6. Prep Sink:
The name prep sink explains everything about its function. This kitchen sink is commonly used in a preliminary step of food preparation, especially when you will need draining. If you are boiling pasta and you need to remove the unnecessary water, then what are your options? Go to the main sink or use a smaller one. The main sink can be overcrowded with other kinds of stuff, so to solve this problem, the prep sink has evolved. A prep sink is small in size and very easy to install. Typically, the prep sink can be used in two cases, one, to cut out the sink budget, and secondly, it is used in professional and restaurant kitchens. This sink is great to use, easy to clean, and also very durable. If you are looking for a budget-friendly, long-lasting kitchen sink, then you can choose a prep sink as your main sink.
7. Island:
This is a unique type of kitchen sink. It comes with a kitchen island. Very purposefully and efficiently designed sink, which can be installed right in the middle of your kitchen. This design is very robust and help house chef to perform and multitask effortlessly. The countertop is also widespread, and you can easily handle the heavy load of glassware and kitchenware. You will need an extra counter table to install the island sink, and that will require more money. The main issue with this kitchen sink is the space requirement. You will need a large size kitchen to install this island kitchen sink. Also, water dripping can be an issue in the long run, but overall, if you count its positive features, then it will beat all the other types of kitchen sinks.
Materials Used:
1. Stainless Steel:
The majority of the sinks are made of stainless steel, nowadays. Stainless steel offers durability, and longer shines on the kitchen sinks. After five to eight years of use, you will get minimal scratches. Importantly, there are several grades of stainless steel, and different sink manufacturers produce sinks with different classes of stainless steel. For example, stainless steel grade 304 is way better than stainless steel grade 201. The price of stainless steel sink can be varied according to its thickness and grade. The thicker and higher-grade stainless steel-made sinks will cost more than thinner pans.
2. Cast Iron:
It is an incredibly versatile material widely used by sink manufacturing industries. Cast iron-made kitchen sinks are durable, non-stick, temperature resistant, and long-lasting. Non-stickiness will help you in cleaning the sink efficiently and also retain the glaze for a more extended period. This sturdy material will help you to serve different massive sink tusks, and the heaviness of cast iron will cost you much more as you need support from underneath to hold the sink up. Cast iron is vulnerable to rusting and has weak tensile strength. As it is cumbersome, therefore there are chances of breakdown now and then.
3. Composite:
The term composite stands for an amalgam of two or more materials to retain more efficient features like durability, temperature sensitivity, and maintain inevitable stress. The use of composite material can be different according to its intended purpose. For the kitchen sink, a blend of granite and quartz is commonly used. You will like composite-made sinks because of their heavy-duty nature. Most of the time, we miss an important issue while trying to choose material for our sink. It is the original Non-Reactive material. Commonly, all materials used in sinks are non-reactive, but when we drain vinegar and saltwater together, what would happen? We are not chemists, and we don’t know. That’s why we need to choose non-reactive material for our sinks.
4. Fireclay:
Ceramic clay materials are commonly used to produce fireclay sinks. After melting the ceramic clay at a very high temperature, it has been molded to give the required shape. It can hold much pressure but is not much efficient for reactive chemicals.
5. Bamboo:
It is not commonly used in the kitchen sink, but using Bamboo as sink material will provide your kitchen with a classic look. A series of sheets are used to make it impregnable to water molecules and specks of dirt. These material-made sinks are not very easy to clean and also require much attention to maintain them properly.
Configuration:
1. Single Bowl:
The single-bowl kitchen has one bowl only.
2. Double Bowl:
Generally, the double bowl kitchen sink has two separate bowls, and these two separate bowls have two different drain lines are there
3. Double-Offset:
In double-offset kitchen sinks, there are two bowls. One bowl is more substantial than another, and both have separate drain lines.
Friendly Asked Question:
1. How to rank non-reactive materials for kitchen sinks?
Answer: I will make it easy for you. Let’s make a rank according to less non-reactivity to higher reactivity
Composite < Cast Iron < Stainless Steel < Fireclay < Bamboo.
So, Composite material is less reactive to chemical agents (food chemicals), and Bamboo is very prone to food chemicals.
2. What type of kitchen would be best for households?
Answer: There is no specific answer to this question, as it depends on several issues like kitchen size, kitchen orientation or layout, and budget. If you have a larger kitchen and a handsome budget, you should go for a fancy farmhouse kitchen sink, on the other hand, if you have limited space, you may consider the single bowl sinks.
3. After how many years a sink needs to be replaced? What if I want to replace my sink?
Answer: It depends on the condition of the sink. If you are an owner of the stainless steel-made sink, then you may expect it to serve you for 5 to 8 years. If you are planning to remodel your kitchen, according to Home by Tom, then you must keep in mind the compatibility of the new sink with the previous one. It would not be wise to install a heavier sink if you are currently using a light sink. If you like to replace it with a heavier sink, then take help from a qualified plumber and ensure proper support to the sink base.
4. How vital is sink hygiene?
Answer: It is super important. Easy-to-clean sinks play a pivotal role in maintaining proper hygiene. Food residue can be a source of food for microorganisms as well.
5. Which type of sink has much resell value?
Answer: Depending on the material, you will get the resell value. For example, Cast iron-made has a higher resell value than stainless steel-made prep sink. But, one has to keep in mind that resell value is solely not dependent on the core material of the sink. It also depends on its physical appearance and existing strength.
Conclusion:
I hope this article has provided you with enough information on kitchen sinks. Now, you are well-versed and well-trained in selecting the best kitchen sinks from you from the marketplace. Don’t forget to share this information with your peers, who knows they might also be craving this information.