#Best brand stainless steel kitchen sink install

These undermount sinks are also easy to clean since there’s no lip to catch debris.ĭrain cleaner, nail-polish remover, and other tough staining agents didn’t leave a mark on our tempered glass sinks.

#Best brand stainless steel kitchen sink install

You can also install the sink beneath the countertop for a sleek look that emphasizes the countertop. Some of these new materials can cost about the same as standard porcelain, known as vitreous china, and several materials were better at resisting spills, scrapes, and other mishaps. You’ll find them in glass, stainless steel, and other materials. Vessel sinks, a modern twist on the original bowl and pitcher, sit on top of a counter or cabinet. Glass and even stainless steel are among the choice of materials that are changing the style and shape of bathroom sinks. Remember that undermounted sinks will be up to 1 ½ inches lower than a top-mounted. The deeper ones reduce splashes, but depending on your height you may find it uncomfortable to reach the bottom of a very deep sink.

Sinks that are rectangular shaped are standard D-bowls have a curved back and offer more space, front to back.īowls are usually 6 to 12 inches deep. Just be sure that at least one of the bowls is wide enough to fit large pots or roasters.

In our tests high heat and dropping a sharp, light object, similar to a knife, damaged solid surfacing.ĭouble-bowl sinks let you soak a pot in one bowl while you rinse in the other. These sinks can be paired with counters made of the same material for a seamless look. Acrylic sinks might look like enamel but they scratch more easily and heat can be damaging-our hot pot melted the surface. Damaged enamel can cause the metal underneath to rust. Enamel-on-cast iron chipped when we dropped a sharp, light object, similar to a knife, on them. Our hot pot test didn’t damage them, but when we dropped a 5-pound weight, similar to dropping a heavy pot, enamel-on-steel sinks chipped or cracked.

These sinks, sold in two versions (enamel-on-cast iron or lighter, less expensive enamel-on-steel), are available in many colors and are easy to clean. We found the gauge had little to do with performance and sinks with sound-absorbing pads, placed on the exterior’s bottom and sides, were quieter than those with a spray coating. We also listened to the noise made by running water and dropped weights. We tested 18-to-23-gauge sinks the lower the gauge, the thicker the steel. More people buy stainless-steel kitchen sinks than any other type. You may not cook every day, but is there ever a day when you don’t use your sink? We subjected more than 20 double-bowl sinks from major manufacturers to a barrage of hot pots, scouring pads, dropped weights, and stains. But if you have a problem, the manufacturer will give you just the replacement part. Most kitchen and bathroom faucets come with a lifetime warranty that covers leaks and stains. Replacing a faucet and sink together is easier because the faucet can be mounted in the sink or counter before the sink is put in place. You can install a baseplate to cover an extra hole in the sink or countertop, but don’t try to drill additional holes in an existing sink or countertop. If you’re buying a new faucet for an existing sink or vice versa, you’ll need to match the hardware to the number and spacing of the holes in the sink. Most kitchen and bathroom sinks come with mounting holes drilled for faucets. Similar materials performed similarly across brands, so we based our evaluations of sinks entirely on materials.Ĭount the holes. Our tests showed that the material is more important than the manufacturer. We also found that the manufacturer isn’t as important as the material.įocus on the material. What do you get when you pay top dollar for a kitchen or bathroom sink? Despite the hype sink prices have little to do with performance.