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Which sink is best for my kitchen? An honest guide.

7 September 2024
Enclosed kitchen - small scandinavian galley vinyl floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen idea in West Midlands with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, no

Sinks are usually one of the last decisions you will make when choosing a kitchen. Why? Because it does not seem important and it is not as fun as choosing colours, feeling different worktop samples and cooking on a new induction hob.


However we would argue that sinks must be thought about in detail as they can be a costly error to get wrong, and something we say to every single customer at Luxe is that "we do not want to leave you with any regrets."


First and foremost, we strongly encourage anybody looking at a new kitchen to sit down with a design professional as it the designer's job to understand and extract the different needs from each customer and formulate that into recommended solutions. That being said, the more research you as a customer can do before the kitchen has been specified then the more informed you will be. So let's talk about sinks!


We always prioritise function over aesthetic, so we first need to understand the spec of the kitchen that this is going in. The 3 main types of sink are "Inset", "Undermount" and "Belfast".


Inset - Commonly used in kitchens that have laminate worktops as they sit on top of the worktop and usually have a draining board attached onto them.


Undermount - These sit underneath the worktops which means you see the edge of the worktop which is why they cannot be used with laminate tops. Typically you will see drainer grooves routed into the top too.


Belfast/Butler - Very popular in traditional kitchens, they work very similar to undermount sinks however the front part of them is also exposed. They are usually larger than undermount sinks too.

Before you ask, both Belfast sinks and Butler sinks are referring to the same thing these days, during the Victorian times they were different sizes as the Butler sinks used in London were smaller and used to preserve water whereas Belfast (Belfast being near lots of water) sinks did not have this issue.


Integral - These sinks are usually used with acrylic worksurfaces such as Corian and Minerva however they can be done in quartz too. They are built seamlessly into the worktop so you do not have a ledge or lip once fitted.


So this would be the first question to ask, which type of sink is right for me?


Well if you have laminate worktops in your kitchen then you are exclusively looking at inset sinks as you need something that will cover up the chipboard edges when cutting the hole in the laminate worktop.


If you have a worktop with edges you can polish such as quartz, compact, acrylic or any other solid surface then you have the option of all 3, however it is rare to see an inset sink mounted onto a solid worktop so typically you are looking at an undermount or a Belfast.


Undermount sinks are the most popular sinks as they can work in any style kitchen, whether it be traditional, modern, scandi, German, Italian or anything else. There are so many different types on the market that come in different shapes and styles.


Belfast sinks are usually used in traditional shaker style kitchens, especially in-frame shaker style as they compliment the country, farmhouse theme.


Integral sinks win points both aesthetically and functionally h


So once we know what type of sink we want, how do we know what material to go for? Well let's go through the options along with the pros and cons of each material.


  • £ Stainless Steel:

Pros: Inexpensive. Temperature resistant. Will not chip. Easily cleaned. Highly stain resistant.

Cons: Can scratch. Not as aesthetic.


  • £££ Coloured Stainless Steel (Specifically PVD Coated):

Pros: Can match with tap + other aspects of the kitchen. Temperature resistant. Will not chip. Does not wear off the same way electroplated finishes do.

Cons: Cost more. Usually only used in modern kitchens. Not as much choice on the market.

  • ££ Granite Composite:

Pros: Inexpensive. Hard-wearing. Temperature resistant. Scratch resistant. Stain resistant. Different colour options. Can match with tap. Can be used in any style kitchen. Lots of choice on the market.

Cons: Some cheap versions on the market can stain easily. Coloured wastes are usually sold separately. Black granite sinks show watermarks the most.

  • £££ Ceramic:

Pros: Temperature resistant. Fits in with traditional aesthetic. Stain resistant. Easy to clean.

Cons: Can "Craze" (Form very fine cracks due to temperature changes) after a few years. Can chip and scratch due to the hard surface. As a lot are hand cast, they can be made out of level and square.


  • ££ Acrylic:


Pros: Can be formed seamlessly as an "Integral Sink". Can match worktop. Hygienic. Easy to clean. Some come with stainless steel bottoms so can be used with hot taps. Stain resistant.

Cons: Not compatible with hot taps or boiling water if they do not have a stainless steel bottom. Can scratch easily.


Once we know what material works best, the last decision is whether to go with a 1 bowl, 1.5, 1.75 or 2 bowl sink. There is no right or wrong answer here, completely down to you as to whether you need the second bowl and how large it should be, just remember that if you do choose to have the second bowl then there will be less space inside the cabinet below due to additional plumbing.


Hope this helps and if you would like to know any more information please feel free to get in touch!