Sink Strainer Buying Guide: Types, Materials and Which Fits Your Sink

A basket waste is the type used in almost every current TBS kitchen sink range: a deep, cup-shaped strainer that sits inside the drain outlet, catches food scraps, and doubles as a plug when pushed down. A flat (or grid) strainer is a simple mesh disc that sits on top of the drain with no sealing function, mainly used as an add-on catcher rather than a full waste replacement. A stopper-only waste seals the drain for filling the sink but has a separate, simpler strainer basket dropped in on top.

• Basket waste (push-down to seal, pull up to drain) is the standard fitting on almost all current kitchen sinks and the only type most sinks are actually plumbed to accept.
• A flat mesh strainer sits loosely over an existing waste and only catches debris. It doesn’t seal the drain and isn’t a replacement for the sink’s actual waste fitting.
• A separate plug-and-basket combination is less common now but still available where a household wants the option to fill the sink without engaging the strainer’s seal function.

Stainless steel is the standard, durable choice for a basket waste, resisting rust and holding up to daily use without discolouring. PVD-finished brass or stainless steel (available in matte black, brushed nickel, gunmetal and brushed gold) matches the sink’s mixer tap finish, while marine-grade 316 stainless steel is worth the upgrade for an outdoor kitchen or alfresco sink exposed to salt air.

• Standard 304-grade stainless steel suits an indoor kitchen sink and is the most common, cost-effective option.
• 316 marine-grade stainless steel resists corrosion better in coastal or outdoor settings, worth specifying for an alfresco or outdoor kitchen sink.
• A PVD-coated finish in matte black, gold, gunmetal or brushed nickel matches a coloured tapware finish, where a plain stainless steel waste would otherwise stand out.

No. A basket waste has to match the sink’s drain outlet size, and 90mm is the standard Australian kitchen sink waste diameter, though some fireclay or ceramic butler sinks use a longer thread to seat properly through a thicker sink base.

• Check the sink’s own spec sheet for its waste outlet diameter, generally 90mm for standard kitchen sinks, before ordering a replacement basket waste.
• A fireclay or ceramic butler sink needs a basket waste with an extra-long thread (some run to 70mm) to seat properly through the thicker base material, compared with the shorter thread that suits a standard stainless steel or granite sink.

Trade tip: if replacing a broken basket waste rather than fitting a new sink, take the old part with you or[EP2.1] note its brand and thread length before ordering, since a mismatched thread means the new waste won’t seat flush.

A sink with an overflow channel (a small slot near the top of the bowl) needs a basket waste that’s compatible with that overflow, while a sink without one can use either type, though a plain non-overflow waste is the simpler and usually cheaper option. Fitting a strainer that doesn’t match the sink’s overflow status can block drainage or leave a gap that doesn’t seal.

• Check the sink itself for an overflow slot before ordering, since this determines compatibility more than the tap or finish does.
• Most basket wastes designed for sinks without overflow (like the Seima basket waste range) are explicitly built for that use and shouldn’t be forced onto a sink that has one.

Lifting the basket out and rinsing it under hot water after each use is the single habit that prevents both clogging and the smell that comes from trapped, decomposing food scraps. A weekly deeper clean with dish soap and a brush around the mechanism’s edge, where scraps collect out of sight, keeps it sealing properly over the long term.

• Empty and rinse the basket after washing dishes rather than leaving scraps to sit in it overnight.
• A weekly scrub with dish soap around the rim and seal keeps the push-down mechanism sealing properly and stops smell building up in the gap.
• If the basket no longer seals fully when pushed down, check for a worn rubber seal before assuming the whole waste needs replacing, since the seal alone is sometimes the actual fault.