Sinks Buying Guide

Everything begins and ends with the sink. When speaking of the home kitchen anyway, food preparation begins with the sink and when the meal is done, cleanup requires the kitchen sink. Generally speaking, a sink will last indefinitely, that is to say if there is no major damage and the appearance of wear and tear is tolerable. With any good sink, a functional faucet will follow. A faucet will probably not last as long as a sink but depending on everyday use, your mileage may vary.

Typically, in every home we have a kitchen sink and a bathroom sink and they usually serve one major function: the disposal and draining of liquids (Please do not dispose of hazardous liquids down the drain). Other than being a good source for a drain, the highest ranking factor in determining a purchase for a new sink would be form. Nowadays, sinks are being offered in a variety of sizes and shapes to support any practical function, as well as, satisfying any desired decor.

Faucets provide one main function: the dispensing of water, sometimes cold, sometimes hot and usually both. Through certain design and technological innovations, the faucet gained some attributes to make everyday chores easier. Some new faucets contain LED lights to indicate hot or cold water and some faucets are able to extend for ease of use.

Kitchen Sink

Budget: Buying sinks can range anywhere from $200 to $800. For a simpler and straightforward design expect to be on the low spectrum and with more features, such as, dual sinks or nicer finishes then expect the cost in the higher end of the spectrum.

Size: The size of your sink should fit in relation to the size of your kitchen, bathroom or living space. As long as counter height can accommodate, a kitchen sink can measure as wide and as deep as desired.

Type: The most popular version of a kitchen sink is a single basin but double basin kitchen sinks provide for more productivity.

Single Basin: A single basin sink is most likely the original type of design for sinks and will provide sufficient drain utility for most folks.

Double Basin: An obvious upgrade over a single basin, the double basin sink can accommodate more work required of a sink. For example, when hand washing dishes, one basin can be used to soak and wash and the other basin can be used to rinse and drain.

Triple Basin: At first, this may seem like overkill and unnecessary but triple basin sinks provide its own intended practical use as, usually, a third basin provides use with a garbage disposal.

Materials

The choice for sinks in building material is limited to the capability to withstand damage from daily use and other factors such as heat. As long as the materials for a sink can take the desired shape, there are many different finishes for sinks but here are some of the most popular finishes.

Stainless Steel An ubiquitous design and commonly found in most homes. Stainless steel sinks are highly durable and are easy to clean.

Copper Copper kitchen sinks are the old school item in your kitchen which make it more authentic and luxurious. They come in both light and dark shades of copper. You can match these sinks with the countertops made of the same material or with white and crme countertops and cabinets.

Granite Granite sinks add a beautiful note of style to your kitchen. A solid granite design makes the sink scratch and chip resistant, it can also withstand high temperatures which is important for people who don’t have a dishwasher in the kitchen.

Fireclay Depending on the manufacturing process, fireclay sinks are believed to be stronger than cast iron. Ceramic clay is molded into a desired shape and then dried at a high temperature. Once dried, porcelain enamel is applied at extremely high temperatures for 20 hours creating a sturdy and durable sink.

Cast Iron Even before the prevalence of stainless steel, cast iron sinks have been around longer and offer the same durability as stainless steel. However, cast iron sinks afford the aesthetics of color with different shades of porcelain coating or enameling, typically in the color white. This type of sink is very heavy and requires adequate support underneath depending on type of mount.

Vitreous china Copper kitchen sinks are the old school item in your kitchen which make it more authentic and luxurious. They come in both light and dark shades of copper. You can match these sinks with the countertops made of the same material or with white and crme countertops and cabinets.

Acrylic A more economical option as this type of sink is molded plastic and reinforced in fiberglass. This material is not very resistant to high heat.

Composite This type of material for sinks combines crushed stone containing such minerals similar to granite or quartz and mixes in a resin to form its shape. This material is more resistant to high heat.

💡 QUICK TIP - the type of material is important to consider when buying a kitchen sink because you need to match it with the design of your kitchen, it’s also important when you are thinking about how frequently you want to clean it up and also whether you have a dishwasher or not.

Kitchen Sink Mounting Options

Besides the material of the sink, it’s very important to take into your consideration the type of mounting. There are a few mounting options for kitchen sinks to appease any desired visual effect.

Undermount This type of mount provides for a more seamless and hidden look. Certain precaution should be considered to provide an adequate amount of seal around the sink to prevent leaks. Also, heavier sinks will need more support from underneath.

Topmount This type of mount, also known as an over mount, will usually have some overhanging material around the perimeter to position on top of a counter.

Drop In One of the most elementary types of mounting, drop in kitchen sinks are placed within the open countertop spot. The edges of the kitchen sink are located on the countertop.

Apron Front Apron Front kitchen sinks or Farmhouse sinks are gaining popularity and you can find the largest assortment here at AppliancesConnection. These are also known as apron front sinks.

💡 QUICK TIP - this is not only about the style and design, it’s also about the matching of the mounting type with your current set up.

Sink Configuration

DESCRIPTION - Sinks typically have between zero and five holes, or tappings, but five holes are not so popular, so we don't include them to our list. The holes are located on the deck behind the bowls for accessories like faucets, soap dispensers, spray hoses, hot filtered water dispensers and more.

• The sink you choose should be able to accommodate the number and configuration of items you want.
• The standard configuration for most sinks is four holes but you can purchase a sink with five or six holes, depending on the manufacturer.
• If the sink you want has more holes than are needed, decorative covers are available to conceal them. Refer to the examples below for how the holes can be configured for your sink fixtures and accessories.

0-Hole Sinks

1-Hole Sinks

2-Hole Sinks

3-Hole Sinks

4-Hole Sinks

Purchasing a New Kitchen Sink

Here are some stylish new kitchen sinks for your consideration.

Single: RVH8010 Overmount 16 Gauge 25" Kitchen Sink Single Bowl from Ruvati is a sleek and easy to install option for a stainless steel single basin sink.

Double: 440184 Blanco Diamond Equal Double Bowl Silgranit Ii (Um) - Anthracite is a stylish and practical composite double basin sink providing an adequate amount of space.

Triple: ELUH3920 Elkay Lustertone Triple Bowl Undermount Sink is a comprehensive and complete triple basin sink setup.

Appliances Connection has hundreds of Kitchen Sinks to choose from all of the top brands. Sign up for our newsletter for the heads up on deals and upcoming sales!

Bathroom Sink

Bathroom sinks are generally more straightforward in designed when compared to kitchen sinks as double basin designs or other features wouldn’t prove practical inside a bathroom.

Budget: A functional bathroom sink can cost as low as $100 but some high end sinks can range upwards of thousands of dollars. Depending on material and design, expect to pay more for higher quality preferred.

Size: The amount of space required for a bathroom sink are usually meager and appropriate to the amount of space available.

Type: Generally, the bathroom would only contain one sink and it would only feature one basin but some high end bathrooms afford the luxury of two sinks side by side.

Material: Bathroom sinks are similar to kitchen sinks in using the same type of materials with vitreous china and enameled cast-iron being two of the most popular materials. However, the bathroom sink can afford more stylistic appeal with using materials such as tempered glass.

Bathroom Sink Mounting Options

A bathroom sink simple in features can afford a few varied mounting options to achieve a desired aesthetic. Here are some of the more popular mounting options for bathroom sinks.

Countertop Simply put, a counter top or self-rimming mount is the mounting option available to place over a counter. The best feature of this mount is the added storage space available under the sink with an appropriate cabinet.

Pedestal This mount is a straight forward design with a column where the drain pipe would be and affords no cabinet storage space underneath the sink.

Wall mount Similar to the pedestal mount, the wall mount bathroom sink eliminates the column underneath the basin and installs into the wall and provides no cabinet storage space underneath as well.

Console This bathroom sink mount is similar to the wall mount but with added legs underneath the sink and sometimes a shelf, as well for storage capacity.

Purchasing a New Bathroom Sink

Eago Ba138 White Tear Drop Ceramic Above Mount Bath Vessel Sink is an attractive alternative to traditional bathroom sinks.

CUT31WT 31 in. Vitreous China Top with Integrated Bowl (8 Holes) from Avanity is a more traditional take but with a modern flair.

TRN2416-OF - 23.5 Inch X 15.5 Inch Hand Hammered Brass Rectangle Undermount Bathroom Sink, Nickel Plated Finish With Overflow from Nantucket is a premium sink option with a very fashionable finish.

Appliances Connection offers many more design choices in Bathroom Sinks with great deals and rebates everyday.

Qualifications

ADA Compliant The Sinks meet the requirements set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Commercial Sinks made for commercial buildings requiring fixtures that can handle high volume of traffic.

Made in the USA These Sinks have been made here in the US and meet all high standards that means a high quality of the products.

Some Practical Advice

Plumbing: Sometimes with older brass metal pipe installations, users tend to not really pay attention to the natural corrosion of wear and tear from draining liquids over time. PVC piping is actually a more durable than brass as it is not as susceptible to corrosion from draining liquids.

Design: Sinks nowadays are more exuberant in livelier designs than kitchen or bath sinks of yesteryear. A sink with a very extravagant design may be very appealing for any home dcor and certainly there is nothing wrong with that but a well-designed sink should always be the one that provides the best function.