New sink question

[MrsPete]

I'd like to hear your opinions on kitchen sinks. I've always had a stainless steel double-bowl equal-sides sink. I'm looking at a sink that's more of a 70/30 split, and I think I'd like it. The larger side is deeper, and the smaller side is more shallow.

Also, I've never had anything except a stainless steel sink, and I think I'm perfectly satisifed with that . . . but what are the pros and cons of other materials? I'm not willing to spend big money -- it's a sink, and I value it for practical reasons! -- but if some other material is only slightly more expensive, I'd consider it. Ease of care matters too.

What do you like (or dislike) about your sink . . . and WHY?

Thanks!

 

[Christine]

DawnCT just had a thread on a granite sink (it doesn't really look like a countertop). I bought a white granite sink a few years ago. Same price as stainless and I like it much better!

 

[Gigi22]

I have a sink that is similar in design, not finish. I have to say that the unequal sinks are more inconvenient than not. It really depends on how you use your sinks, and what items you wash in them. I have some enamelled cast iron casseroles that will not fit in the small side of the sink, a stock pot, and my large roaster doesn't fit either--none of these items fit into my dishwasher. So I wind up washing them in the large side of the sink, and spray rinsing them out afterwards.

 

[DawnCt1]

I'd like to hear your opinions on kitchen sinks. I've always had a stainless steel double-bowl equal-sides sink. I'm looking at a sink that's more of a 70/30 split, and I think I'd like it. The larger side is deeper, and the smaller side is more shallow.

Also, I've never had anything except a stainless steel sink, and I think I'm perfectly satisifed with that . . . but what are the pros and cons of other materials? I'm not willing to spend big money -- it's a sink, and I value it for practical reasons! -- but if some other material is only slightly more expensive, I'd consider it. Ease of care matters too.

What do you like (or dislike) about your sink . . . and WHY?

Thanks!

DawnCT just had a thread on a granite sink (it doesn't really look like a countertop). I bought a white granite sink a few years ago. Same price as stainless and I like it much better!

Checking in here! I am definately going to go with the 70/30 split. I need to use the garbage disposal while washing dishes. My brother's wife made a huge mistake when installing her disposal. She put it on the deep side. I don't think she thought about it. As for material? I am going with a biscuit colored granite sink. It also has the lower divide to accommodate handle on a large frying pan. Its a matt finish, doesn't scratch and is stain resistant. I am going to see a sample of the color today in the brand that the plumbing supply place carries.

 

[kidshop]

We remodeled 2 years ago and I chose a huge single bowl 16x 28 or so interior measurement and 10 inches deep. I could not love it more! It is my absolute favorite thing in the kitchen. Everything fits (cookie sheets, the high chair tray!) and if I need to wash something by hand I use a small plastic tub. I rarely wash by hand, just the water bottles or pots I fill with soapy water.

 

[Buckalew11]

I put in the kind you are looking at. SS-70-30. I love that sink. Garbage disposal def. on smaller side.
I was able to buy all my plumbing supplies at cost when we were building this house last year. I got some great deals by doing that!

Good luck!!

 

[MrsPete]

Okay, taking this all in . . .

I googled the granite sink, and I do like it. I would've assumed it was more expensive than the stainless steel. How can that be? I would've assumed that the work in creating a granite sink would've been very expensive.

As for the 70/30 split, I assumed that the larger side was for washing and the smaller side was for rinsing or soaking. I'm interested in having the larger side because so many of my large things (casserole dishes, cookie sheets) don't fit nicely in my current equal-sized sinks.

I think I like the idea of the lower divide -- I can't remember what I saw now, but I will pay attention to that detail.

No interest in a garbage disposal. I've lived all my life without one, and I need that food waste for garden compost.

How worthwhile is a deeper sink? I mean, obviously, I've been making do with a standard-depth sink all my life and never thought of it as a hinderance . . . so is the deeper sink nicer, or just another detail? I am very short. I'm wondering it it'd be problematic to reach into the deeper sink.

 

[blanq]

I have a white front apron (i.e., farmhouse) fireclay sink with a fluted front that I absolutely am in love with. It is a huge, single sink (so no divider) and I can put the biggest pot imaginable in it. Besides it's beautiful aesthetics, and how much it will hold, I love the maintenance of it. Unlike other white sinks this is not prone to black marks that pots/pans leave. I clean it with whatever is handy and it always looks new.

 

[NotUrsula]

It's not cut out of solid granite. It is a aggregate of powdered granite and a polymer, bonded under very high heat and pressure. I've had my Blanco Silgranit sink for 6 years now, and it looks just as good as the day it was put in. I don't do a darn thing to maintain it except give it a swish with the dish brush once a day.

The deep sink is fabulous, IMO. It is wonderful to be able to put really large items in to soak both the inside AND the outside, or to wash an entire watermelon. (Or a child, for that matter. We bathed DD in it for 8 months. It does have a disposal (single bowl), so for safety we put a rubber mat in, one that completely covered the bottom surface.) I'm 5"4', and I don't have any issue with reaching into the depth. The one thing that it does hinder is the size of the disposal (really high horsepower ones won't fit under a deeper sink), but as you don't want one, that isn't an issue for you.

If you really want to see cool multipurpose sinks, look at Blanco's European product line. They have some with 3 and even 4 compartments. http://www.blanco.co.uk/products/glance_sinks/all/all/all/all/
(Of course, if you want one of these you would have to special-order it from Europe, and your plumber would have to deal with the metric pipe connection that they require, but it is do-able.)

 

[pixiewings71]

I have a 70/30 sink and I love it. Mine is SS and it's so easy to clean. When we moved in the sink was just porcelain and both sides were equal, I much prefer the 70/30 size.

 

[asta]

I love my 70/30 sink. It isn't granite, I think it is greyish brown enamel. I replaced a white enamel sink and this one doesn't show stains or dirt as bad as the white one. When we changed sinks I had a hot water tap installed and I love it. You should defitely consider this if you are already having a plumber involved in any of your work. It is a separate small faucet on the sink connected to a small tank the delivers almost boiling water immediatley. Our also delivers filtered water at room temperature. We use it for tea and hot cocoa. It sounds like such a little thing but it has helped everyone in the house cut down on sodas