Choosing the Best Sink for Your Kitchen

Excerpt: If you’re thinking of replacing a kitchen sink, don’t let the plethora of style and material choices overwhelm you. Read this guide for help sorting trough your many sink replacement options.

With dishwashers doing the bulk of the heavy lifting these days, kitchen sinks don’t face the same demands as they used to. That doesn’t mean you should sacrifice substance for style with your next sink installation, however. Here are a few tips to help guide your next new sink purchase.

Get the Look You Want

With so many styles and materials available, choosing a sink style can be difficult.
To get started, think about what look you are trying to achieve with your kitchen. For a classic look, porcelain or enamel over cast iron farmhouse sinks are an increasingly popular option. These materials tend to wear down and scratch over time, so keeping up regular maintenance is especially important. For more modern kitchen designs, stainless steel sinks are a great choice. Their wide popularity stems from their style flexibility and low price—plus, they’re highly durable.

If you’re thinking outside the box, a host of other materials are available. Copper sinks give an old-fashioned feel, but they come with special maintenance requirements. Granite varieties are highly durable and attractive, and come with the added advantage of being heat resistant. As far as faucet materials go, you can choose from a full range of materials and appearances, from chrome to brass and polished nickel.

Consider Water Efficiency

According to the EPA, faucets account for more than 15 percent of a home’s water use. If you’re replacing an old faucet, it only makes sense to find a water-saving option. High-efficiency faucets are able to reduce a sink’s water output by as much as 30 percent. Considered as part of an overall water reduction plan, that’s a significant dent in your monthly water bills. Even if your new faucet isn’t the most efficient variety, you can still install accessories such as aerators to decrease the flow of water without sacrificing performance.

Think About the Demands on Your Sink

Before you choose a sink, take a moment and consider what you’ll be using it for. Do you wash a lot of pots and pans? Do you need an area to wash fruits and vegetables? How many times a day do you anticipate using your sink? Having a clear idea of the demands on your sink will help you to choose the best materials and style. If you’d like to use your sink for food preparation, a double-bowl variety with one large bowl and one smaller bowl for washing food could be a good choice. If you use your sink for little more than washing your hands and cleaning big pots and pans, one large single bowl will likely do.

To learn more about the plumbing components that supply a kitchen sink, check out our diagram on our sinks, drains, and faucets page. Head to our residential services page to get informed on how Cape Fear plumbers perform home installations.