But given the wide array of shapes, sizes, and styles that are available, why wouldn’t you stop to consider what kind of sink you’ll be using? From the trendy farmhouse sinks to a copper basin that will age gracefully with your kitchen journey, an excellent sink can complete the look of your kitchen and prove invaluable to everyday life. As you’ll see with our top pick, the BLANCO Diamond Silgranit Super Single Undermount Kitchen Sink, sinks can come with a lot of surprising features you didn’t know you wanted—like scratch-resistance. If you chose one that doesn’t fit in with your life, your sink will stick out like a sore thumb. So, if the world of sinks feels infinitely confusing—what’s the difference between undermount and top-mount, anyway?—we have you covered. Here, we’ve rounded up the best sinks in different styles and finishes for a range of kitchen needs. What We Don’t Love: Single-bowl sinks are not for everyone This 80 percent solid granite sink has a lot going for it. It’s heat-resistant up to 536 degrees, looks sleek in the kitchen, and can resist everything from scratches to stains to household acids. The full sink measures 33.5 x 18.5 x 9.5 inches, a substantial basin that offers plenty of space for soaking, washing, and even straining. Those dimensions mean you’ll need a minimum cabinet size of 36 inches. The Blanco also comes in a choice of nine different colors, meaning you can customize it to match your kitchen. A floating dish rack, sold separately, is a useful accessory addition. The model does come with a limited lifetime warranty should any part of it fail. All in all, this sleek, durable sink is a winner in just about any type of kitchen. Price at time of publish: $490 Mount Type: Undermount | Left-to-Right Length: 33.5 inches | Bowl Depth: 9.5 inches What We Don’t Love: Utilitarian looks Double basin sinks are chosen for multitasking in the kitchen if that is your kind of thing (which for many today is the only option!). They make simple things, like straining your pasta away from your dirty dishes, possible. Made from premium 18-gauge stainless steel, this double-basin sink is resistant to scratches, stains, and even corrosion. You won’t have to hit up the hardware store for a basket strainer since it comes with the sink, as does the mounting hardware. This is a top-mount sink that measures 33 x 22 x 9 inches, and the basin is a 60/40 split. With a drop-in style, self-rimming edge, and no need to secure it inside your cabinet, this sink is fairly easy to install. It’s simple to keep clean and is affordable for those who don’t want to invest in a top-of-the-line sink. Because it’s stainless steel, it can conform to just about any kitchen’s aesthetic. Price at time of publish: $200 Mount Type: Top mount | Left-to-Right Length: 33 inches | Bowl Depth: 9 inches What We Don’t Love: Prone to scratches This industrial-grade sink is both functional and attractive. While the 50/50 basin is the most functional in our opinion, Zuhne offers a similar 60/40 basin and a 60/40 low divide basin option. All three versions amount to the same size: 32 x 19 x 10 inches. We love that the deep bowls of the 50/50 basin can contain stacks of pans and dirty dishes (should you happen to have them). The stainless steel walls are about 25 percent thicker than comparable sinks and stave off dents, corrosion, and even scratches. Drain holes on both basins are positioned at the back, offering more space in the bottom of the sink. The Zuhne models come with two grids, so that dishes float above the bottom guarding against further scratching. Basket strainers are also included. Price at time of publish: $329 Mount Type: Undermount | Left-to-Right Length: 32 inches | Bowl Depth: 10 inches What We Don’t Love: Scratches easily The Simply Recipes team are big fans of deep double-wide farmhouse sinks. “I love that I can submerge a whole pan or skillet in the sink to clean it and have plenty of room to splash around without getting the whole kitchen wet,” says Emma Christensen, our Editor in Chief. “I can’t live with anything else anymore!” In addition to deep basins, this double farmhouse-style sink has lots of bells and whistles. There’s an included dishwasher-safe cutting board and a roll-up dish drying rack that can sit above the sink to give you more prep space in the kitchen. There are also double protective grids and double strainers. It’s a sleek, modern take on the traditional farmhouse, with rounded edges in the front and a wide apron. The technology is billed as sound-dampening and is also resistant to corrosion and heat. Since the workstation is built into this 33 x 20.5 x 10-inch sink, it’s particularly useful for small kitchens, where counter space is of a premium. Another bonus is it also only needs 33 inches of cabinet space for installation. Price at time of publish: $552 Mount Type: Undermount | Left-to-Right Length: 33 inches | Bowl Depth: 10 inches What We Don’t Love: On the smaller side Double sinks are an efficient way to maximize kitchen space since you can separate and wash dishes at the same time. This sink is made from premium 16-gauge stainless steel and measures 30 x 19 x 10 inches, a medium-sized sink that offers 50/50 construction, with both sides equal. A 29-inch version with a 60/40 split is also available. Included with this affordable sink are two rinse grids, mounting brackets, two basket strainers, and a cut-out template for installation. The bottom of the sink is slightly slanted and designed with groves to help water channel towards the drain. The whole basin of the sink has a brushed satin finish, including the rim. All in all, this sink really has everything you need in a double. Price at time of publish: $359 Mount Type: Undermount | Left-to-Right Length: 30 inches | Bowl Depth: 10 inches What We Don’t Love: On the small side For the classically minded, porcelain is still king. This particular porcelain undermount sink is available in eight different colors, including a vibrant navy and a vintage-looking mint green. The sink’s construction is a 16-gauge steel core, finished with porcelain enamel, meaning it’s lighter than traditional cast iron and incredibly durable. The enamel is double baked at almost 1500 degrees, which makes the hard surface resistant to chips, cracks, and scratches. At 30.9 x 17.3 x 9 inches, this sink is definitely on the smaller side, but if you aren’t committed to a huge basin, it might be right for you, particularly if your décor tends toward the traditional. It does have a limited 10-year warranty. Price at time of publish: $300 Mount Type: Undermount | Left-to-Right Length: 28.75 inches | Bowl Depth: 9 inches What We Don’t Love: Heavy Right up there with porcelain when it comes to sinks made of classic material is an enameled cast iron sink. If you’re going to go with an enameled cast iron sink, the brand to go with is Kohler. “When we remodeled our kitchen, I opted for a cast-iron Kohler sink which was similar to our previous sink just in a style that better reflected the updated kitchen,” says Summer Miller, Simply Recipes’ Senior Editor. “Our previous kitchen top mount sink was a 20-year-old Kohler cast iron sink, and it would’ve lasted for another 20 or more years.” This cast iron Kohler consists of two equal-sized 9.5-inch deep basins, each with a small rounded side that can snugly fit plates or cups, something you can’t get with straight-angled rectangular sinks. The cast iron’s enamel coating is guaranteed to not chip or crack, and if it does, the sink comes with a limited lifetime warranty. And if you’re looking to be sustainable, these sinks are made from 93 percent recycled and reclaimed materials. Kohler does sell stainless-steel racks in the shape of this sink, should you want them. Also, as a drop-in sink, it does have a self-rimming feature for installation. You will need a friend to help get this into your counter—this sink weighs 130 pounds. Price at time of publish: $514 Mount Type: Top mount | Left-to-Right Length: 33 inches | Bowl Depth: 9.6 inches What We Don’t Love: Harder to maintain, cannot leave dishes overnight Copper is a specific style, and if it’s what you’re looking for, this sink checks all the boxes. An apron-front, which wraps 2.5 inches on both sides, is a beautiful addition to a curated kitchen, and the hammered front helps to disguise both stains and scratches. Hand-hammered from 17-gauge pure copper, this 32 x 21.5 x 8-inch sink is a single-bowl undermount style, and it comes with its own copper strainer, as well as a bottom sink grid. Sound-dampening pads control noise from garbage disposals and dishes. Copper sinks are a little more maintenance-heavy, and you can’t leave dishes in them for too long. Still, this stunner is worth the extra work. Price at time of publish: $700 Mount Type: Undermount | Left-to-Right Length: 32 inches | Bowl Depth: 8 inches
What to Look for in a Kitchen Sink
Full-Divide vs Low-Divide
A full-divide sink features a double basin with a divide that comes to the sink’s top, while a low-divide has a separation that is a few inches below the sink’s edge. Full-divide sinks allow you to place something on top (a cutting board, dish rack, or even baking sheet), while low divides don’t offer this same stability. On the other hand, if you want a separated sink but also need room for larger items to lean into the second basin’s space—a frying pan handle, for instance—a low-divide might be for you.
Installation
Sinks can be installed in many different ways. Top mount sinks are placed into a hole in the countertop, so the installation is far easier than undermount, which are attached from below, inside your cabinet. The latter type of sink is a more seamless look. Whether or not you plan to install the sink yourself and how you want the final space to look should dictate which option you choose.
Style
Single- and double-basin sinks are a matter of preference. Some prefer the single-basin, which offers more space. This is especially useful if you often find yourself cleaning pots and pans, which can sometimes be ill-fitting in a double-basin sink. The double-basin sink, however, is particularly helpful for those who actually wash dishes, since one basin can be filled with water while the other houses the dirty plates. Basin sizes vary, but the most common configurations are 50/50 and 60/40.
Features
Some features of sinks include basin size, basin number, bottom grid (a metal sink attachment that prevents pots and plates from sitting on the actual floor of the sink), and basket strainers. You’ll also want to look at whether or not your sink comes with a cut-out and mounting brackets, both of which are used in certain types of installations.
How do you measure a kitchen sink?
To measure a kitchen sink, you’ll need the dimensions for length, width, and height. What your space can accommodate will depend on the depth of your kitchen cabinetry. Measure from the front edge of the countertop to the wall, adding in any thickness from the backsplash. This figure is the maximum width that your counters can hold for a sink.
How do you install a kitchen sink?
For drop-in sinks, place the sink in the countertop hole, attach the clips, and then connect the faucet (you may need a plumber for this part). For undermount sinks, place the sink in the cabinet below the cut-out and apply silicone along the edge. Attach the mounting brackets and wait 24 hours before installing the plumbing, so that the silicone has time to dry.
Why Trust Simply Recipes?
Hannah Selinger has written about food and drinks for local and national publications since 2015. A former sommelier, Hannah has worked for some of New York’s top restaurant groups, including Laurent Tourondel’s BLT group and David Chang’s Momofuku group. Her work has appeared in Eater, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Wine Enthusiast, and more. Hannah is also a graduate of the International Culinary Center, where she learned the importance of a sturdy sink. Read Next: The Best Water Filters
