So you are in the midst of designing and deciding what kitchen you want and the time comes to figure out what type of sink will go best with your design and you become slightly overwhelmed with the choices on offer and don’t know what the pros and cons of each are? Well worry no more as I am here to help you out of your sink quagmire with my easy and simple guide to sinks and the pros and cons of each so you can decide which one best suits your lifestyle.
How to choose a kitchen sink - What type of sink?
Stainless Steel
This is probably the most popular choice for kitchen sinks and its not hard to see why when you look at its main attributes:
Heat resistant - Stainless steel is extremely heat resistant and you can safely place a searingly hot pan directly onto the surface of the stainless steel and not suffer any consequences
Impact resistant - This is perfect for those of us who are slightly clumsy and find your self dropping things in the sink as stainless steel is the most forgiving of all the sink materials on impact and its the least likely to damage your glass or china and whilst remaining relatively unscathed also.
Hygienic - There is a reason stainless steel is the top choice of materials of work surfaces and sinks for professional chefs as its a totally non porous surface that is easy to keep clean and is therefore the most hygienic. Its non porous characteristic also means that its the least likely to stain if you spill anything
Cleaning- As a general rule neat bleach shouldn’t be used when cleaning a kitchen sink as the corrosive effect of the bleach can eventually damage the sink, being water soluble though if rinsed away immediately after you have cleaned the sink there shouldn’t be too much issue.
Scratches - Stainless steel will scratch but eventually these will eventually blend together into the overall finish of the sink
Plastic Washing up bowls - Its never really advisable to use a plastic washing up bowl in the sink as they can pick up grit and particles and the bottom of the bowl can act like sandpaper on the steel surface and leave an area of tiny scratches.
CERAMIC
One of the more traditional styles of sinks in the form of Belfast this style sink can look great in both modern and traditional kitchens.
Heat Resistant - ceramic is heat resistant up to 1200 degree centigrade so you can rest easy if you place your hot sink/pan straight into its surface
Hygienic - Non-porous, the smooth surface is one of the most hygienic sinks and is easy to keep clean.
Hardness - Extremely resistant to impact (if you have ever dropped a glass into one of these sinks you will know it comes off second best!) its so hard cutlery won’t scratch the surface through ‘normal’ every day use.
Care
Cleaning - Avoid abrasive cleaners as this will dull the surface. A dilute solution of bleach will maintain the shiny surface and keep it looking spotless.
GRANITE SINKS
Made up of natural quartz sand and an acrylic resin the granite sink has been specifically designed to cope with the demands of modern kitchen. This style sink lends itself to a more modern sleek style and as its man made can come in a variety of different colours.
Heat and Impact Resistant- Can withstand extremely high temperatures
Dirt/odour and stain repellant - A massive pro for the granite sink is the coating that is applied to the sink that means the it is dirt repellant and the sort simply runs off, this coating also means odour don’t line and is completely stain resistant.
Cleaning - Avoid abrasive cleaners as this can eat away at the coating on the sink making it less resistant to stains. A dilute solution of bleach will be enough to keep it clean but it must be rinsed off to make sure no bleach is left on the surface.
By all means this list isn’t exhaustive and there are many ways other sink materials such as copper, corian, marble but without a doubt these are the 3 most popular and readily available sink materials that are on the market at the minute.
If you have any questions relating to your own kitchen design then please get in touch
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