Caroma kitchen sinks buying guide
Caroma kitchen sinks here are stainless steel sinks in four ranges, and the range tells you what the sink is for. Urbane II suits the everyday family kitchen, and Luna is a plain stainless sink in single, double, round and drainer layouts. Compass Alfresco is for outdoor kitchens, and Evolution Care is for accessible kitchens. This guide goes through each range with the sizes, bowl volumes, mounting, tap holes and box contents the listings state, then covers how to choose a layout, fit a sink to a cabinet, match a tap and look after the finish. For a standard family kitchen, the practical call is an Urbane II single, double or 1.5 bowl in stainless steel, fitted undermount under a stone benchtop. The other ranges are the right choice when the job is different. Facts are attributed to their source as they appear.
Urbane II: the everyday family sink
Urbane II is the largest Caroma range here, in stainless steel and in two PVD finishes. The stainless steel sinks are 304 grade, and the listings give the sizes you can measure a cabinet against.
- Single bowl: 400mm long, 460mm wide and 209mm deep, with a 340 x 400 x 209mm bowl and a 20 litre capacity.
- Double bowl: 770 x 460 x 209mm, with two 340 x 400 x 209mm bowls of 20 litres each.
- 1.5 bowl: 1020 x 490 x 217mm, with a 21 litre main bowl and a 9 litre half bowl, available in a left hand or right hand bowl configuration.
- 1.75 bowl: 1120 x 490 x 217mm, with a 21 litre main bowl and an 18 litre three-quarter bowl.
The stainless listings include the wastes: a basket waste with the single, two with the double and the 1.5 and 1.75 bowls. They are listed as inset (drop-in) or undermount, and the Urbane II listings say to use only the templates provided with the packaging for accurate cut-out sizes. The kitchen series is described as a complete work station with integrated stainless steel and bamboo accessories, and the listings say optional accessories are available.
The PVD versions are in Brushed Brass and Gunmetal, as a single and a double. Their listings describe a PVD finish on premium 304 stainless steel, with colour-matched sink protectors and basket wastes in the box, for undermount or overmount fitting. A sink protector is a grid that keeps pots off the bowl floor, which matters more on a coloured finish than on plain steel. The listings give a 26 litre capacity for the PVD bowls, and because their dimension lines do not match the stainless listings, check the size on the specification sheet before you plan a cabinet around a PVD sink. See brass kitchen sinks and gunmetal kitchen sinks for the finishes.
Luna: plain stainless in more layouts
The Luna listings describe stainless steel sinks, sold as round, single, double and 1.75 bowl sinks. The round bowl listing describes a classic round shape suited to smaller kitchens, bar areas or butler's pantries, installed as overmount or undermount. The single and double listings say the same product can be fitted overmount or undermount, and the double is stated as 304 grade stainless steel. The 1.75 bowl has double bowls and a side drainer in a left or right hand configuration. All of them include an integrated stainless steel basket waste. The Luna sinks have their own collection, Luna sink range, which holds the range in one place. The listings do not state dimensions in the text, so use the specification sheet to confirm the length against the cabinet.
Compass Alfresco: for outdoor kitchens
Compass Alfresco is the outdoor range. The listings describe premium 316 marine grade stainless steel for corrosion resistance outdoors, for overmount or undermount benchtop installation, as a single bowl or a double bowl. In the box are a bamboo chopping board, a stainless steel multibowl, a barbecue tray and a basket waste, so the sink arrives as a food preparation zone, and the tap is sold separately. Grade is what separates this range from the others. A supplier guide says 316 adds molybdenum, which gives more resistance to chlorides, and suits exposure to salt, chlorides, harsh cleaning chemicals or acidic and high-moisture conditions. A retailer guide puts coastal use at within about a kilometre or two of salt air. If the sink is for an outdoor kitchen or a coastal home, this is the range to look at first; for a standard indoor kitchen, 304 is the usual grade.
Evolution Care: for accessible kitchens
The Evolution Care sinks are designed for home care installations, and the listings describe the features that make them accessible. A side tapware landing lets the tap be mounted within 300mm of the front edge of the bench, which brings it within easier reach. The sink has dual tap landings, one for a sink mixer and one for an instant boiled or chilled drinking water appliance, and a reversible overmount configuration. The listings state 304 grade stainless steel, 1 or 0 tap hole options and a stainless steel basket waste included. They come as a single bowl and a single end bowl. See assisted living kitchen sinks for the wider range of accessible sinks.
A Clark sink in the collection
The collection also holds the Clark Polar 1.5 bowl, which sits alongside the Caroma sinks because Clark is one of the brands the Caroma website lists. The listing gives 695 x 475mm overall in its overmount version and 695 x 455mm undermount, with a 26 litre large bowl and a 16 litre small bowl, a left or right hand bowl, and 0 or 1 tap hole. For the full Clark range, see Clark kitchen sinks.
Choosing the bowl layout
The layout is a question about how you wash up. The rules are the same for any sink. A single bowl suits you if you use a dishwasher and rarely hand-wash a full load, or if the benchtop run is under 600mm. A double bowl suits you if you hand-wash often and want to soak in one bowl while rinsing in the other, or if the run is 900mm or more. A 1.5 or 1.75 bowl gives a main bowl and a smaller prep bowl. A guide adds that a double bowl divider limits large items, so baking sheets and roasting trays often will not lie flat in either bowl. In this collection, the Urbane II single and the Luna single suit the first case, the Urbane II and Luna doubles the second, and the Urbane II 1.5 and 1.75 and the Luna 1.75 the third. See single bowl kitchen sinks, double bowl kitchen sinks, 1.5 bowl kitchen sinks and 1.75 bowl kitchen sinks.
Grade, thickness and sound
The Caroma listings state the steel grade but not the thickness. Urbane II, Evolution Care and the Luna double list 304 grade stainless steel, and Compass Alfresco lists 316 marine grade. A supplier guide describes 304 as one of the most commonly used grades for kitchens, with good corrosion resistance and a hygienic surface that is easy to clean, and says 201 has lower corrosion resistance, so ask before buying any sink that states no grade. The same guide advises asking for the actual thickness, because thickness affects dent resistance, rigidity and noise. Another guide says a heavier gauge reduces noise and denting, and that rubberised undercoating or pads reduce the drumming of running water. The Caroma listings do not describe pads or undercoating, so check the specification sheet if noise matters in your kitchen. For the full explanation of grade, thickness and finish, see stainless steel sinks.
Drainers and replacing an existing sink
The Luna 1.75 bowl has a side drainer, handed left or right, so choose the side that suits the room. A buying guide advises looking for deep grooves and a good slope on any drainer, because flat or shallow drainers let water pool. A drainer cut into the benchtop is the alternative, and it adds no length to the sink. If you are replacing an existing sink, measure the old one first. A retailer guide advises measuring the current sink before buying a new one, and a style guide notes that for a replacement the new sink must match the existing hole, while a new benchtop can be cut to fit. Compare the cut-out dimensions on the specification sheet with the opening you have, and allow for the benchtop thickness and the cabinet width.
Cabinet fit and cut-outs
Another retailer guide says the sink should be at least 70 to 80mm narrower than the internal width of the base cabinet, to leave room for plumbing and hardware, and to leave 50 to 100mm behind the sink for a splashback. Another guide matches sizes to cabinets. A 600mm cabinet takes a single bowl about 440 to 540mm wide if it is undermount. A 900mm cabinet takes a one and a half or one and three-quarter bowl with a drainer, or a double bowl about 760mm wide. On those rules the Urbane II double at 770mm and the 1.5 bowl at 1020mm need a wide run, and the single at 400mm suits a narrow one. Confirm the cut-out before the benchtop is templated, because stone fabricators often charge to re-cut an opening, and use the template supplied.
Mounting and the benchtop
Most Caroma sinks here can be fitted more than one way. The Urbane II listings say inset (drop-in) or undermount, the Luna listings overmount or undermount, and the Compass Alfresco listings overmount or undermount. A retailer guide says an overmount, or topmount, sink works with any benchtop, including laminate, and that an undermount sink needs a waterproof solid surface such as stone and is held by heavy-duty clips and adhesive. Choose overmount for laminate or timber and undermount for stone. Caulking needs replacing every three to five years, so check the sealant along the edge when you clean. See undermount kitchen sinks, inset sinks and drop in kitchen sinks.
Tap holes and Caroma mixers
Match the tap hole count to the tap. Some listings state tap hole options, such as 0 or 1 on the Evolution Care and Clark Polar sinks, and others do not, so check the specification sheet. The Caroma website pairs its sinks with the Liano II sink mixer and pull-out mixer and the Urbane II sink mixer and pull-out mixer, which are available here. A mixer with a pull-out spray makes rinsing a second bowl easier, and the reach should cover the whole bowl without overhanging the bench. See Caroma kitchen sink mixers, Caroma Liano II mixers, pull out sink mixers and kitchen taps. If you pair a PVD sink with a PVD mixer, match the finish and not only the colour name, because the same name can mean different coatings on different products.
Wastes, protectors and what is in the box
Read the box contents on each listing. The Urbane II stainless sinks include basket wastes and a fixing kit, the Urbane II PVD sinks add colour-matched protection grids, and the Luna sinks include an integrated stainless steel basket waste. The Compass Alfresco box adds a board, a multibowl and a barbecue tray. The Evolution Care listings include a stainless steel basket plug and waste. If you need a different waste or accessories, see sink wastes, sink mats and grids and chopping boards.
Keeping a Caroma sink looking good
Care is short. Clean stainless steel with mild detergent and warm water on a soft cloth, wiping along the grain, then dry the bowl to prevent water spots. Avoid steel wool, abrasive pads, bleach and harsh chemicals. For a PVD finish, retailers advise warm soapy water and a microfibre cloth, drying after each use, and avoiding scourers and acidic cleaners such as alcohol and mineral-based solvents; if the sink contacts any of them, rinse it promptly. A supplier article describes scratches on stainless steel as microscopic surface abrasions that blend into an even patina over time, so expect the bowl to age. The colour-matched protectors in the PVD listings are there to keep pots off the finish, so use them. If you are asking how to clean an undermount sink, the same routine applies, and the joint under the benchtop needs a wipe along the sealant line.
Shop kitchen sinks by range and maker
For other makers, see Clark kitchen sinks, Seima kitchen sinks, Fienza kitchen sinks and Meir kitchen sinks. For the full guide to choosing any kitchen sink, see kitchen sinks, and for stainless steel in depth, stainless steel sinks.
Putting it together
- Family kitchen with a stone benchtop: an Urbane II single, double or 1.5 bowl, undermount.
- Coloured metal scheme: an Urbane II in Brushed Brass or Gunmetal, with the protectors in the bowl.
- Compact kitchen or pantry: a Luna round bowl or single.
- Outdoor kitchen or coastal home: a Compass Alfresco in 316 marine grade.
- Accessible kitchen: an Evolution Care sink with the tap on the side landing.
Whatever you choose, read the listing's bowl dimensions, tap hole options and box contents, and confirm the cabinet width and cut-out before you order.
