by Alex

In most homes the kitchen is the centre of activity. That is why we’ve chosen the kitchen sink as the subject of our inaugural blog post. I’ll try to work in a roughly descending order of what I think are the eight most important considerations, then end with a few little tips that can help you to get the most out of your kitchen sink.

1. What is your kitchen lifestyle? What are your habits?

I’ve been in the kitchen industry for over a decade now and the number one tip I try to tell people choosing a kitchen sink is to think about your lifestyle, your habits in the kitchen, this is how you’ll use your sink. We can all fall into the trap of thinking that we will just change our habits, and fit our lifestyle around our fancy new product. Maybe it can work. Maybe in some cases it is a good idea to change your habits. Maybe you shouldn’t leave a pot soaking in one kitchen sink bowl all day. Maybe if your kitchen sink was only one bowl, then it would force you to not do it. But I doubt it. Habits die hard and you’ll most likely just end up frustrated and your kitchen won’t be functional.

So I want to emphasise this point:

Think about the way you currently work in your kitchen, and choose a sink that will work with you. You might think a fireclay farmhouse style sink would be fantastic, and in many situations they are, but if you haven’t had one or it doesn’t suit your habits then it might end up a long term frustration and a costly one at that!

2. What type of sink do you prefer?

Broadly there are three categories of kitchen sinks. Of course there are other options but these three cover 99% of kitchens in Australia, and in fact the vast majority are covered by just two categories. The three we will cover are: Inset, undermount, and farmhouse style (some call farmhouse style apron front). (many undermount sinks can be installed as inset or flushmount where the stainless steel rim of the sink is flush with your stone bench top).

You will probably have seen these three styles and have some idea which you prefer and if your bench top is stone or solid timber then you can have any of them. If your benchtop is laminated MDF or similar then you will be limited to an inset kitchen sink or an undermount sink installed as an inset sink.

Inset kitchen sinks drop in from above and are a good option if you have an existing hole that you need a sink to cover. You can always increase the hole size if necessary but this should never be done at your house with a composite stone bench top. The dust can cause a disease called silicosis and Australians have already died from the illness. Stone should always be cut at a factory with proper dust extraction equipment.

Kuad inset kitchen sink. Double bowl. Left hand bowl. 304 stainless steel. 15 year warranty

Undermount kitchen sinks look great, they’re really neat, and they generally have nice spacious bowls that are very functional. However there aren’t many undermount sinks with draining board so you need to be mindful of this if you are heavily reliant on your draining board.

Farmhouse style kitchen sinks have a large apron that protrudes down into the cabinetry. They are a good option for farmhouse style houses unsurprisingly. However, you have to be very careful when washing large pots that don’t fit in the dishwasher and never drop anything because most farmhouse style sinks can chip.

Tetris undermount sink. Double bowl. Made from 80% natural quartz plus high quality resins for extra resistance to heat, shock, and bacteria. Lifetime product warranty.

3. What material sink should you get?

By far the most popular material for kitchen sinks is stainless steel, however stone composites are gaining in popularity, and porcelain is another option.

The advantages of stainless steel is that it is durable, hygienic, easy to keep clean, can be polished, and can be buffed if it gets scratched, it won’t chip or break items that are dropped or thrown into the sink. The down side is that it can scratch. The most important thing when looking at stainless steel sinks is to understand that they’re not all created equal. Checking the quality of the steel itself is a must when buying a stainless steel. Why? Stainless steel is an alloy of steel, chromium, and nickel. You want it to contain higher amounts of chromium and nickel because nickel gives it strength and chromium makes it resistant to corrosion. Look for 18/10 stainless steel which is also called 304 grade stainless steel. The metal will be 18% chromium and 10% nickel so it will be strong and corrosion resistant.

Kuad undermount sink. Double bowl. 304 stainless steel.

The advantages of stone composite sinks are that they look great. They can be black or even white and not a lot looks better if you have coloured tapware than if you match it with a black sink. They also share advantages of stainless steel in that they are durable, hygienic, and easy to clean. Like the stainless steel, the most important thing is to check the quality. Make sure that the stone used is quartz and that it comprises 80% of the composite mix, make sure the resins that are used contribute heat, shock, and bacterial resistance.

Tetris inset sink. 1.5 right hand bowl. Made from 80% natural quartz plus high quality resins for extra resistance to heat, shock, and bacteria. Lifetime product warranty

The advantages of porcelain is that it is hygienic and easy to keep clean. It also looks great especially if it ties in with the overall style of the house. Unfortunately it can chip so you want to be careful in how you use it if you choose it.

4. Why does the bowl shape matter?

Firstly, the bowl shape matters because you want the shape to work aesthetically with the design of the kitchen itself and the house. For example if you have a modern house with square style features like cabinetry and tapware then it’s a good idea to get a sink with square bowls.

However, the other consideration should be cleaning and maintenance. Very square bowls are harder to clean, are you OK with that? If so, go for it! In general we recommend sinks with R12 corners. The style still matches great with modern kitchens (or classic kitchens for that matter) but they’re not a big deal to keep clean. Win-win. You may have heard of zero radius kitchen sinks which means the corners are 90 degree angles, they can look good paired with very square tapware but in general there is no great advantage considering the extra cleaning.

Kuad extra large undermount sink. The Kuad range features R12 corners.

5. How many bowls in a sink suits your habits?

The most popular kitchen sinks are one and a half bowl or one and three quarter bowl because they are functional but don’t take up too much bench space. Once again, you really need to think about how you use your kitchen sink. Do you only ever use one bowl? Then why get a sink with more? Or do you often have dishes in one bowl and wash veges in another? Then you should get a one and a half bowl kitchen sink. Do you have pots in two bowls at once? Then you would probably get frustrated with anything less than a full double bowl sink. What if you soak pots while washing and rinsing dishes and vegetables and want to fill up the kettle? Well, then maybe try to change your habits… Or, get more than one sink. It’s always an option to have one main sink in the kitchen bench and one “butler’s sink” in the pantry.

Some people have a couple of sinks in the kitchen, one in the bar, and one in the alfresco BBQ area or pool house! Must be nice!

Terzo inset sink. 1.5 left hand bowl. 304 stainless steel. 15 year warranty.

6. What size kitchen sink should you get?

Firstly, if the sink is going in an existing cut-out you will obviously be limited to that. Once again, you should never have composite stone cut in your house because the dust is extremely dangerous. I would never suggest a bigger sink to someone if it means they will have stone cut in their home. Stick with the size you are limited to, just talk to your local retailer and I’m sure they will be able to find something that fits. Alternatively, have your bench removed and cut in a factory with dust extraction and PPE. It’s just not worth risking your health.

Fortunately, most kitchen renovations involved getting a new bench top and so you don’t have to worry about existing cut-outs. In this case your main considerations should be the cabinetry you want to have underneath the sink and making sure the bowls will fit within one cabinet. This is not make-or-break but is worth thinking about. The other thing for you to consider is how much bench space you need. Generally more bench space is desirable, but this shouldn’t be at the expense of functional kitchen sink space.

7. What bowl orientation will suit you?

If you’re going for an inset kitchen sink the “left hand bowl” as most manufactures would say or “right hand drainer” as some like Franke would say, is the most popular orientation in Australia. Australians generally prefer to work from left-to-right, but most can cope if they have to do it the other way. Normally the draining board will go above your dishwasher and this will determine the bowl orientation. If you have options, just have it how you like to work! And make sure that the spot you have chosen will allow the bowls to fit within the cabinetry without going between cupboard or drawers, ideally.

If you’re going for an undermount sink then bowl orientation really shouldn’t be a big deal unless you have a very strong preference on which side you want the smaller bowl, or in the more unusual undermount sinks that have a draining board. Just check if the wastes (drains) for the sink you’re looking at are in the centre of the bowls or at the rear of the bowls as this will determine which way you can have it installed.

Tetris inset sink. Single left hand bowl. Made from 80% natural quartz plus high quality resins for extra resistance to heat, shock, and bacteria. Life time warranty.

8. How many tap holes do you need and where?

If you’re having a mixer then you need one hole, either in the sink if it is an inset sink, or in your bench if you are having a stone or solid timber benchtop. You will also have it in the bench if you are installing an undermount sink as an inset or flush mount sink. Keep in mind that most retailers have the equipment to punch holes in sinks. So if you want the hole in a particular spot, or you want an extra hole for a hot water tap, water filter, or soap dispenser just ask!

The other less common options are to have three holes on the sink for seperate hot and cold taps and outlet, or to have taps on the wall (just make sure there is no window that would prevent this if it’s what you want).

Those are the eight questions that you should be able to answer when deciding on a kitchen sink. Here are six bonus little tips for you to think about that might help make your sink and kitchen more suited to your lifestyle, or might save you time, cost, or stress.

1. Matching.

To match your sink with the rest of the house some people will start with the tap. They will match their kitchen tap to the other tapware in the house and then match the sink to that. For example, square tapware in the house means square sink tapware means square sink. Other people start with the sink as the centrepiece for example a farmhouse style sink means more classic looking sink tapware. Either way is fine as long as you pay some attention to how the sink will tie in aesthetically to the kitchen and the rest of your house.

2. Soundproofing.

This is something that people often don’t consider when choosing a kitchen sink. However, unless you want everyone if your house to think there is a waterfall in the kitchen, you should think about this. All of our kitchen sinks are soundproofed but if you get one from somewhere that isn’t, especially if it’s deep then definitely install a wooden board behind the bowl in the cabinet to kill the sound. In fact, it is worth installing a wooden board for this purpose anyway, the more soundproofing the better.

3. Placement.

In general follow the “triangle rule” where you can draw an imaginary triangle from the fridge, to the cooktop, to the sink. This makes for the most efficient kitchen work especially when there is more than one person in the kitchen. Essentially what it means is just don’t have these kitchen stations side-by-side where you have to shuffle past the cooktop walking between the fridge and sink.

Sometimes there may be a good reason to break the triangle rule though, so don’t see it is hard and fast.

4. Plumbing.

Think about the plumbing inside your cabinet under your kitchen sink. If you can have it at the back of the cabinet rather than the middle you end up with a lot more storage space. A simple request to the plumber can make your kitchen more efficient.

5. Accessories.

Most sinks will have accessories available such as draining trays, chopping boards, colanders etc. Just ask your retailer about them because often they aren’t advertised or only some of them are advertised. You might just find an accessory that you end up using every day!

6. Installation.

It’s best to have your sink installed by professionals and best to have plumbing work in general done by qualified and licensed plumbers. Especially for a kitchen sink installation the cost should be relatively small, it will give you peace of mind, not to mention save you a job.

Happy shopping!

Kuad inset kitchen sink. 1.75 left hand bowl.

How to choose...A Kitchen Sink