Am I mad to consider one big sink instead of a smaller 1.5?

[jamaisjedors]

We currently have a standard 1.5 or even perhaps you would call it a 1.25 sink with a drainer. (Like this: www.aprilskitchen.co.uk/ovw_main.asp?xREC=1093&NewId=1&PTYP=Sink )

We can't go bigger than 60cm on the base unit.

Would it be totally stupid to go for a farmhouse sink like:

www.aprilskitchen.co.uk/prodpics/RAK_GOSINK14.jpg

I'm thinking that one big sink could be easier to use than that fiddly one, but we do use the little sink to drain stuff or to prop (precariously) colanders of veg etc.

We always use a bowl to wash up or wash veg ( slatterns on sink cleaning ) so I'm thinking we could still wash one lot of veg and strain the other? (we grow a lot of our own vegetables and DH blanches and freezes big quantities).

You could go for an IKEA DOmsjo which comes with a strainer you can rest on top (and a chopping board too)

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S69897227/

plus accessories here
www.ikea.com/gb/en/search/?query=domsjo

You'd have to use a basin within the big sink otherwise it will drive you mad. I'd go for the 1.5, myself.

Thanks. I looked at the Domsjo and it was what gave us the idea of a single big basin, but we can't undermount it because of the way it's designed - the edges are raised up.

yes.

where will you tip the tealeaves when washing up? Where will you put the potato peelings? how will you rinse plates? where will you strain the cabbage?

Completely mad. We moved into a rented house while ours was being renovated. It had a single sink and drover me demented for all the reasons pigletjohn says.

We don't drink tea (or use tea leaves).

We peel potatoes into the compost bucket. We can't rinse plates in the 0.5 sink currently, it's too high and small.

Straining the cabbage (or pasta) is the only issue, but if the sink is big, and we use a washing up bowl (as I said, we always do, the plug doesn't work), we can strain down the other side can't we?

We would have more sink space than currently...

We could get something like this:

www.aprilskitchen.co.uk/ovw_main.asp?xREC=1715&NewId=1&PTYP=Sink

But DH doesn't think the rear bowl will be any use because it will be too close to the wall.

We went for one large sink rather than 1.5 and haven'[t regretted it. I found that the 0.5 bit used to get mucky and stinky really quickly with my old sink and the main part of the sink wasn't big enough to get oven shelves/baking trays in to clean. We have a dishwasher so don't do much washing up anyway and there have only been a handful of occasions when I've needed to throw something down the sink at the same time as washing up. On those occasions I've just chucked it in the dishwasher which drains before the start of each cycle anyway, so the biggie.

In catering kitchens rather than a plug you sometimes get a sort of tube that goes into the plug hole and this means that dregs can be poured down the tube yet the full sink volume be used for washing up. It's really useful and an option if they are available in normal sink plug sizes.

Would you be going for a ceramic sink? I chipped a lot of plates by knocking them on the side (but I'm a clutz!). I've chipped much less stuff now we have a stainless steel sink.

Also, I often ended up draining partly into the washing up bowl, as any overlap went over the bowl, as there was no draining. If you do one big sink, get a draining board that is angled into the sink (like in your picture).

Also, look at how low the bottom of the sink is -it was lower than a 1.5 sink, and made it awkward for me, but then I'm taller than average.

I think you shoudl be fine given your tea and compost habits.
I like the sink you linked to with the little drain section.
Btw the Domsjo sink isnt meant to be inset/undermounted, its a sit on, just like the one in your last link.
The reason I suggested it is that it has the small strainer you can rest on top for rinsing veg, though sounds like you dont really need it.

Thanks. We might get the IKEA drainer thingy anyway, it might be useful (the rest of the kitchen will be IKEA).

We already have a ceramic sink and are used to it now. We did consider stainless steel but we have very hard water and they always look dirty whereas the ceramic is ok. I HAVE chipped a few glasses though - but mostly on the draining board not the actual sink.

I will check about how low down it is - you are right - DH suggested this type of sink as going with our (slate) worktops but he is tall and so it might not be ideal - will make sure it's not too deep.

Never had one so I'd say you're not mad!

Hard isn't it. I have the worst of all worlds at the moment - a small, shallow, single sink! I have looked into what will fit when we re-do the kitchen and it will be a choice similar to yours - either a decent sized sink or a small sink and a half sink. I really miss the .5 sink, but I also miss being able to wash baking trays, large dishes etc without flooding the bloody kitchen... but unless I win the Euro, it will be a while before I can change it, so it's not worth too much thinking about for me, but I think I will go with the 'decent size' sink and it sounds like it would suit you even more than me.

I never realised there were a billion minute choices to be made in designing a kitchen!

Next one will be the tap (spray or not?) and then the colour of the walls (getting there...).

Our fitter is coming on July 13th so I need to get on and finalise and order everything.

You can get double butler sinks - one big one small one. My parents have one a bit like this . We had 2 sinks then chenged it to one huge one - have to admit we regret our decision - the sink is so large it takes ages to fill it when needed and it's far practical if given the choice to have a double one.

Yes, that one is lovely but unfortunately we just don't have the space.

As I said, we never ever fill the sink with water so that wouldn't be an issue - we fill bowls.

Having never had one, I've never worked out what those silly little sinks are for. Except stopping you getting your biggest tins and pastry board in the sink to wash it.

Surely spuds get cooked in their skins (or are peeled over a bowl) and tea bags go in the sink!