A kitchen sink is one of the least expensive items you can get for your kitchen. Even though the sink may receive a lot of wear and tear, it is easy and inexpensive to replace. There is such a wide variety of sinks to choose from in every style, shape and material you can imagine. Since a sink is such a long lasting feature of your kitchen, you want to make sure you pick a style that you will enjoy for a long time.



Sinks are available in single or double basin models. There are some triple basin models available, but they are very unusual. Your kitchen sinks basin size will vary in both the width and the depth, and how you use your sink most of the time will determine the size of the basins you will want, and whether you need a single or double basin.

Many times the size of your kitchen will dictate the size of the sink. If you have a smaller kitchen, you may not have room in the counter top for a double sink. Double sinks are convenient, if you have the room for them, since you can be washing or soaking dishes while you are still preparing foods in the other sink.

The most popular material for kitchen sinks is stainless steel. Stainless steel is lightweight, easy to install and is easy to keep clean. The quality of stainless is determined by the gauge and the percentage of chromium and nickel in the steel. The lower the number gauge the steel is, the better the quality, and the higher percentage of chromium and nickel in it, the better the quality.

Porcelain is considered a more attractive option by many, and suits kitchens with a country or traditional decor. There are also a lot of colors to choose from in porcelain sinks.

Custom counter tops frequently come with solid surface sinks built right in. These kinds of composite materials are typically found in expensive kitchen remodels but they offer a durable surface that is stain and scratch resistant and very easy to clean and maintain.

A less expensive material for sinks than any of the above is enamel. Enamel offers a wide range of colors; however, enamel is not as durable as porcelain, stainless steel and solid surface. It chips and scratches easily, so cleaning is more difficult since you cannot use any of the traditional abrasive cleaners on it.

While you are choosing your sink, you have to decide on how many holes you will need in the sink deck. These accommodate faucets and extra items such as spray nozzles or soap dispensers or extra faucets.

You should choose the faucet you want at the same time you choose the sink, so you can be sure that they will look good with each other and work with each other functionally. You will need a long neck faucet if you have a double basin, and it will have to swivel between both basins.