To wonder how people choose a sink. All types appear to be s***t!

[Candl3Mak3r]

Admittedly new to the new kitchen game but had no idea sinks needed so much thought.😳

From my research:

• enamel chips and breaks things
• white stains
• black shows up water marks and looks awful
• stainless steel gets scratches and is no longer in

😫

Large white ceramic undermount sink with an insinkerator, a tap with a sprayer, and a rack in the bottom. I've had that combination in two houses and you'd have to work hard to convince me to do something else.

The large sink fits big pots and pans. The insinkerator means you never have to reach in and pull out the basket to drain it, and between that and compost, we almost never end up with food waste in the bin. The rack in the bottom saves the sink from chipping and the crockery from breaking. The ceramic needs a swish with bleach maybe once a month but otherwise cleans perfectly with some washing up liquid.

I don't bother with draining grooves in the worktop. We hand wash pots and delicate glassware, everything else in the dishwasher. For those things just a couple tea towels on the worktop seems to work fine.

There are cheaper racks out there, but this is the general idea
https://www.britishbathroomcompany.co.uk/shaws-belfast-sink-grid-type-1?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwiaa2BhAiEiwAQBgyHsED6-E2MiUtnfcEFUPJaEsw2W1iU5QD8YKO3geUg7a-KkFlHs-tdhoCVUwQAvD_BwE

Editing to add- I second @HotCrossBunplease. Water softeners are a game changer in hard water areas.

I love our insinkerator too @nojudge

Sink of dreams!

I feel your pain!

What worktop are you getting?
If laminate then you can't have an under mounted sink.
If granite/quartz/solid wood then you can get grooves cut into the worktop.
We had a ceramic sink and it didn't chip and breaking things wasn't a problem either (obviously if you drop something it will but same as dropping onto the worktop). Now have a stainless steel one in a different house and I definitely prefer the look of the ceramic one.
Also think about taps - SS will be fine if you are getting chrome taps but if you want brass or gold then ceramic would look a lot better.

Something like this?

https://www.empiresuppliesonline.co.uk/collections/double-bowl-sinks/products/combisteel-stainless-steel-sink-double-left-hand-bowl-1600mm-wide-73330850-185504-p

in the right kitchen this would look great.

I'm not a fan of that look, but I'd guess that's just a commercial kitchen sink. You could probably put that together very cheaply

Sadly wouldn’t fit in our space even if a pantry cupboard wasn’t back in the running!😂

And yes I think you need a lot of space to make something industrial like that blend in.

Oh work top is a whole other conundrum I’m going round the houses with. 😫Would like white but terrified of turmeric etc and teenagers forgetting the surface isn’t completely heatproof. So want something that is super hardy and easy to clean but no idea what.

You're overthinking. Just get stainless steel. The work in all the ways they need to

Quartzite (not quartz) is very nice and pretty bombproof.

Likely the sound of the word bombproof!

This is mine, its a composite in grey with silver flecks. I've had no issues with it, I put the washing up liquid so you can see how deep it is as I hate shallow sinks! It was from B and Q as was the tap which I love! Hope this helps

Always had a ceramic sink. No issues and looks great.

On “not completely heatproof” I have quartz and I have to admit I did not realise this until you said it now. It’s never been an issue, but then DH and I would never put a hot pan straight from the hob or oven on to the worktop so I suppose it’s never been tested. I have put hot-ish things down in it with no issue though. Are the teens really so absent-minded if you drum it into them that scalding hot things must only go on the cooker top?

Are you having gas or induction? If you have induction you have a nice flat surface to use for serving up etc so less need to move a hot pan to the worktop.

@Feelingleftoutagain Your sink looks the same as ours which is a Rangemaster brand from Wayfair, ours hasn't got the small sink just one large one, we bought ours so DH could replace the old very damaged sink and it was the right size for the hole cut out and its nice and big and deep. I have been very pleased with it apart from where DH throws tea dregs in it and it has stained a bit.

Just bought a large undermount stainless steel kitchen sink for £250iah. Franke and guaranteed for 50 years. Also bought a Franke hot water tap. Both from sinks.co.uk which seemed decent. Very pleased with it as you don't really notice it. Was given a Franke ceramic butlers sink (very similar to my stainless steel one but am clumsy so not worth the risk). Previously had composite which was dreadful for us, stained and looked grubby, and would never have again.

Also we have white mirror quartz worktop which seems almost indestructible (touch wood) and was cheapest option as most popular. We tested it with various staining agents over days and all washed off with water only. But cif is apparently the best fall back if not.

I've got a composite worktop (like granite but more hard wearing) with a built in drainage area. Then I have a drying rack over the drainage area. My sink is 1.5 stainless steel undermounted. Been going strong about 14 years.

Yid be mad to buy a black one. It will look tatty quickly.

Df just got a lovely expensive gold tap. I know full well its going to wear and look awful. I've not said anything.

Get a washing up bowl, ffs.

I've owned a lot of kitchen sinks over the years and undermount stainless steel is the way to go.

Edited. I thought this was in the home decoration section!

Agree with this. I have a large deep undermounted s/s sink and it’s brilliant. Franke make.

I bought a kind of mesh mat thing from Amazon that goes in the bottom. It has tiny feet on it so it doesn’t rest on the bottom of the sink