How to choose a sink for the kitchen

Sink - a necessary attribute of any kitchen. Without such a simple and banal thing, we could neither cook food nor wash dishes or food. Even just typing water in a kettle would be a serious problem. Realizing the importance of such a simple thing as a sink, manufacturers rushed to make it as convenient and functional as possible. It is not surprising to get confused after learning how many models, brands and modifications of this kitchen interior item exist.

So, if you choose a sink for the kitchen, and you want to choose the highest quality, practical, beautiful and durable, then let's look at the existing diversity together.

First of all, of course, you should pay attention to such important things as functionality, size and material.

Kitchen sinks can be with one bowl, with two or more. The most convenient and popular option for a family of three or more people is a sink consisting of two bowls.One is for dishes, the second is for washing vegetables or fruits, defrosting meat with fish, or leaning on a colander.

Models with a large number of bowls (there are options from three to five) suggest even greater freedom of action, even simultaneous. But such sinks require a very laborious and expensive installation, and at the same time take up a lot of space, which is important for our tiny kitchens.

Modern models are equipped with such convenient things as a compartment for a cleaning agent or a built-in chopping board, a colander and many other additional attributes. All these accessories can ease your everyday worries, it’s not worth buying everything at once. Determine what you really use often. Overloaded washing instead of joy will bring inconvenience.

Certainly convenient when the sink is large. However, choosing a model for your kitchen, do not forget to take into account the size of the room.

A small model can significantly save space in the kitchen. But when making a choice in favor of free space, consider alsohow many people will use it, and how often you agree to wash the dishes.

The size of the sink affects its depth. The optimum is 15–20 cm. A deeper model is more likely to be inconvenient to use; water may overflow and splash out from less deep when washing dishes. For a small kitchen it is better to take a small, but deep sink.

Modern models are made of stainless steel, earthenware, porcelain, natural stone or composite material. Each has its pros and cons.

Stainless steel - lightweight, durable, eco-friendly material. Shells of high quality, durable and inexpensive. There are three types of outer coating - matte, glossy or anti-graphic. The latter is most resistant to chemicals. Not only scratches are visible on it, but also stains from water. The glossy surface over time is often broken by cracks and scratches.

Sink from stainless steel is unpretentious in the course, capable to maintain high temperatures and can have the most different modifications. The only serious drawback of it is too loud hum under running water.To reduce noise, special sound-absorbing pads are used during installation.

To avoid corrosion, in an alloy to a stainless steel add nickel and chrome. It is very simple to check the quality of such a sink - it is enough to bring a magnet to it. Good stainless steel does not attract the magnet.

Stainless steel models are made different in thickness. You should not choose too thin - it will quickly become worthless, and it will be more noisy. The optimum thickness is 2-3 mm, which is especially important if you have a heavy mixer.

In addition, the sink can be solid or welded. Integral, as the name implies, is made of one whole sheet of metal. It is more practical and durable. Welded has a seam, and, accordingly, quickly becomes useless.

It can be marble, onyx and even granite. Such sinks are impact resistant, reliable, durable and very beautiful. However, they are very expensive, heavy and need special care, so they are installed quite rarely.

Porcelain and faience models are very beautiful. It is completely unpretentious in the care and, due to the fact that they are covered with special enamel, resistant to scratches or high temperatures. They can be of various colors and almost any shape.

Nevertheless, such products are difficult to install, and they are very fragile, the fall of any heavy object can result in a chip, or even a crack. It is worth noting that porcelain is much more expensive than earthenware, but also much more durable.

Composite material for 80 percent consists of stone chips or acrylic, and 20 percent - from a special polymer composition that holds it together. Models of this material is even stronger than natural stone. They almost do not need care, absorb the noise of falling water and will delight you for more than a decade.

If the composition of the composite sinter is a natural stone (granite, quartz sand), then the model will be stronger and more durable. They are resistant to temperature extremes, falling objects, they do not remain stains from water or detergent. The surface of artificial stone has no pores, so it does not absorb odors or dirt. Naturally, the price of such products is very high.

Acrylic composite is quite capricious and easily scratched, although, it is recognized, it is also easily restored by experts. Nevertheless, acrylic can be damaged by contact with a surface that is too hot (pan, pan), and is also afraid of coloring matter (for example, beets), especially if the material is not initially of very high quality. Therefore, if you still decide to purchase a model of acrylic, buy only from a trusted manufacturer.

What other signs do modern shells differ in?

The shape of a modern shell can be almost any. There are classic rectangular or square models, the actual round or oval, angular - triangular or polygonal shape. Of some materials, you can make a sink to order - almost according to your sketch. According to statistics, the most popular models are square and rectangular, the most capacious ones are round. Choosing a form for yourself, you should make a start from the size of the kitchen.

1. Simple with one bowl. This is the easiest and most unpretentious option.One bowl does not take up much space and does not require careful maintenance. Perfect for small families or single people.
2. Several bowls. There are already structures can vary greatly. Bowls can be the same size or different. Arranged in a single line or in a more complicated way (if there are more than two bowls).
3. Corner model. Most often used in the corner kitchen, however, it can be installed in a straight kitchen. They also come with one or more bowls arranged in a straight line or at an angle to each other.
4. Model with "wings". The so-called “wings” can be located on one side or on both sides of the sink. This is an additional space equipped with special grooves along which water flows back into the sink. It can be used for washed dishes, vegetables or fruits, you can put hot pots on it or use it in any other way. In addition, the "wings" additionally protect the tabletop from contact with water and destruction.

Depending on the design, there are several types of sinks:

1. Mortise
2. Waybill
3. Integrated

Mortise model is inserted into a special slot in the tabletop and sealed around the perimeter.This eliminates the ingress of water and is extremely convenient if you have one long solid tabletop, especially wood.

The overhead model is simply superimposed on top of a separate cabinet. It is easy to install by yourself. However, with this method of installation, water can fall on open areas and spoil the furniture.

An integrated version is a special time-consuming installation, so it is rarely found. The bottom line is that the sink is made of the same material with the table top, and cuts into it in a special way, so that there are almost no joints left. This option is ideal for composite, stone and plastic and is absolutely not suitable for wood or chipboard worktops.

For many people, this factor is almost decisive. It is understandable. But still I want to buy not only a cheap thing, but also a quality one. How to be?

Remember, the price consists of many factors - quality, shape, material, brand, number of bowls, installation method and so on.And if you can easily save money on a brand, then it’s probably not worth it on quality.

The most inexpensive sinks from stainless steel with one bowl. If you take an invoice model and install it yourself, you can purchase a sink from 1000 rubles, but the quality of such a model will be far from ideal. For 5-6 thousand, you can take quite a tolerable model that will serve you for a long time. Some companies make luxury stainless steel sinks, the price of which is from 50 000 rubles and above.

The price of bowls of artificial stone starts from 7,000 rubles, and on ceramic from 7,500 rubles. The prices for natural stone start at 10,000. Do not forget that in addition to the cost of the bowl itself, you will have to pay for the installation.

People who have already purchased and use the model you like can tell you important and interesting nuances. Quite often, during the operation, features emerge that we could not have imagined with this model. Thus, you can assess the consequences of your choice and not bite your elbows after purchase.

In addition, in the reviews of people, you can gather additional useful information on care or recommendations that you can, and in no case can you do with your car wash. So, buyers note that in no case can composite car washes be cleaned with abrasives.The surface after abrasive substances deteriorates and begins to literally absorb dirt. The stainless steel, on the contrary, is completely unpretentious and perfectly cleaned by any means.

It will be correct to first read about the features of each material. After that, choose a sink and read reviews directly about the selected model, the selected manufacturer.

Many people write that white ceramic sinks have to be constantly bleached, and sinks made of stone, on the contrary, should be taken light, because the darker shows the stains from the water. On high-quality composite car washes (not acrylic) and models of natural stone, there are no divorces at all, users say. The most enthusiastic reviews about models made of artificial granite.

Often, people write about the fact that the ceramic sink cracked, not having served even a couple of years, and the stainless steel sink completely lost its appearance. But it probably applies to unscrupulous manufacturers.

We summarize:

1. When choosing a sink, be guided by the style and size of your kitchen, as well as the price you are willing to pay.
2. The sink must withstand high temperatures and the accidental fall of objects.
3. Ease and ease of care - a pledge of a clean kitchen and your good mood.
4. Decide in advance what additional features and accessories should be. They are desirable to acquire with the sink.
5. When choosing the depth and width of the product, rely on how often you wash the dishes, and what are the dimensions of your kitchen.
6. Deep, round or corner sinks are more spacious and can significantly save space.
7. If you want to buy a really high-quality thing, make a purchase in a specialized store.