Kitchen sinks buying guide
The right kitchen sink comes down to five decisions, taken in order: how big the cabinet and benchtop allow it to be, how many bowls you need, how it fits the benchtop, what it is made of, and what it comes with. Get the first three right and the last two are taste and upkeep. For most households with a stone benchtop, the practical call is a 304 stainless steel sink at least 1.2mm thick, fitted undermount, with one large bowl or a large bowl and a half bowl. The sections below say when a different choice makes more sense.
Start with the cabinet and the cut-out
A sink has to fit the cabinet under it before anything else matters. Measure the internal width, depth and height of the base cabinet, and measure the benchtop cut-out, before choosing a model. The sink should be at least 70 to 80mm narrower than the internal width of the base cabinet, which leaves room for the plumbing and the hardware around the bowl. If a splashback is going in, leave 50 to 100mm between the back of the sink and the wall.
A 600mm base cabinet takes a single bowl about 440 to 540mm wide if the sink 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. A large single bowl, or a 650mm rectangular bowl, suits an island bench on 900mm cabinetry. A typical Australian topmount cut-out is about 560 x 430mm, but undermount sinks and large single bowls vary, so confirm the opening for the model you have chosen.
How big a sink should be
Sink length runs from about 250mm to 1500mm. A length of 230 to 460mm suits a bar area or a small kitchen, 500 to 1000mm suits an average household, and 1000 to 1500mm suits a large family or a cook who entertains often. Width is typically 250 to 500mm. For compact rooms, see small sinks.
Depth is the dimension people overlook. Bowls run 150 to 250mm deep: 150 to 200mm is shallow, and 200 to 250mm is the standard range for dishes, pots and pans. A bowl that is too shallow splashes, and one that is too deep makes you lean forward and strains your back. The sinks in this collection run from about 180mm to about 255mm deep, and 200mm is the common middle. The Phoenix 4000 Series extra large single bowl is 232mm deep and holds 65 litres, and the Fienza Olivia large butler sink is 255mm deep and holds 67 litres. If you have searched for a deep kitchen sink, compare bowl depth and capacity together, because some products give an overall depth and a bowl depth separately. Very large sinks also need deeper cabinets and sometimes reinforcement, so check cabinet width and the drainage layout first.
Single, double or one and a half bowls
The bowl layout is a question about how you wash up, and the decision rules are short.
- A single bowl suits you if you use a dishwasher and rarely hand-wash a full load, if you often fill large pots and trays, or if the benchtop run is under 600mm. It gives one uninterrupted basin and simpler plumbing. See single bowl kitchen sinks.
- A double bowl suits you if you hand-wash often and want to soak in one bowl while rinsing in the other, if you prepare a lot of vegetables, or if the benchtop run is 900mm or more. The divider takes room away from large items, and two drains add plumbing. See double bowl kitchen sinks.
- A one and a half or one and three-quarter bowl gives a main bowl plus a smaller prep or rinse bowl, which suits the household that cannot decide. See 1.5 bowl kitchen sinks and 1.75 bowl kitchen sinks.
How the sink fits the benchtop
The fitting method decides what the benchtop can be, and it is the decision that is hardest to change later. Three methods are in common use. See inset sinks, drop in kitchen sinks and undermount kitchen sinks.
A topmount sink, also called inset, drop-in or overmount, sits in a cut-out with its rim resting on the benchtop. It works with almost every benchtop, including laminate, timber and solid stone, and the rim seals the edge and protects absorbent laminate or timber from water. It is simpler to fit and easier to replace. The rim can collect debris, and the silicone along it can peel and let water into the cabinet, so check it when you clean.
An undermount sink is fixed beneath the benchtop, so there is no rim. It needs a waterproof solid surface such as granite, engineered stone, marble or concrete, not laminate or timber, and it is held by heavy-duty clips and adhesive. Crumbs and liquid can be swept straight into the bowl. The join collects grime in the silicone, the exposed stone edge can chip if a large pot is knocked against it, and the sink is harder to replace. Benchtops thicker than 30mm and rebated undermounts need backside machining. An undermount is effectively glued in, so a poor installation risks a collapse and the fitting is best left to a professional.
The call: choose undermount if the benchtop is stone or another waterproof solid surface and you want the clean line; choose topmount if the benchtop is laminate or timber, or if you may want to replace the sink without touching the bench. One maintenance note applies to both: caulking needs replacing every three to five years.
Butler and apron-front sinks are a separate case, because the front is exposed. They are heavy, need cabinetry built around them, and often sit slightly lower than a standard sink. The exposed front can wear over time, especially in fireclay. The Fienza Olivia butler sink needs permanent support shelving. See butler and apron sinks.
Which material suits which kitchen
Material changes how a sink sounds, how it takes heat and how it ages. Four families cover almost every sink in this collection.
Choosing stainless steel: grade, thickness and sound
Grade, thickness and damping separate a good steel sink from a poor one. Grade 304 contains about 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel and resists corrosion, but it is not completely rust-proof. Grade 201 uses less nickel and gives less margin in demanding conditions. Grade 316 adds molybdenum for chloride resistance and suits coastal exposure, within a kilometre or two of salt air. On thickness, 1.2mm (about 18 gauge) is the quality benchmark. Thin 0.8mm steel dents more easily and is noisier. The Fienza Hana and Phoenix 4000 Series sinks are 1.2mm 304 stainless steel, and the Meir PVD single bowl is 1.5mm.
Granite composite and solid surface materials
Granite composite sinks are crushed granite bound with acrylic resin, at roughly 80 percent granite. The material is hard, resists scratches and chips, is non-porous, and is quieter than steel. The hard surface can break dropped glassware, and it does not develop a patina. Composite is also heavier than steel, so it may need cabinet support, and the benchtop's heat tolerance should be checked before a hot pot goes down beside it.
Fireclay and ceramic materials
Fireclay is non-porous and resists scratches, stains and odours. It is heavy, fragile during installation, and a chip often means replacing the sink. Handmade variation in size and finish is normal, so measure twice. The basin is generally quite deep, which suits large pots, and a white surface shows stains and rewards frequent cleaning. Turner Hastings Cuisine sinks are fine fireclay, which is stronger and less brittle than standard ceramic. See ceramic kitchen sinks.
Finish and colour
Browse the finishes: black kitchen sinks, white sinks, gunmetal kitchen sinks, brushed nickel kitchen sinks, bronze and gold kitchen sinks and coloured kitchen sinks.
Tap holes and the tap
The sink and the tap are chosen as a pair. Most sinks have one tap hole and some have two, so check the count against the tap before ordering. Many sinks here have no tap holes, which means the tap mounts elsewhere, on the benchtop or the wall. Some have one tap hole set behind the bowls. The Turner Hastings Cuisine 116 x 50 has a single tap hole suited to a mixer tap mounted on the sink.
Caring for a kitchen sink
Care depends on the material, but the routine is short. Rinse with warm water after use, then wipe with mild dish soap and a soft cloth. On stainless steel, follow the grain. For granite composite and fireclay, use a pH-neutral cleaner. Dry the surface with a microfibre cloth to prevent water spots, which are the most common complaint with steel.
Shop kitchen sinks by brand
If you already know the manufacturer, these brand collections hold each maker's kitchen sinks. Start with the maker you know: Clark kitchen sinks, Caroma kitchen sinks, Seima kitchen sinks. Others are Fienza kitchen sinks, Oliveri kitchen sinks, Phoenix kitchen sinks, Meir kitchen sinks, Turner Hastings sinks, Modern National sinks and Otti butler sinks.
Putting it together
A short route through the decisions, with the reason for each:
- Stone benchtop: a 304 stainless steel or granite composite undermount, because the benchtop can carry it and the clean line is the point.
- Laminate or timber benchtop: a topmount sink, because the rim protects the edge from water and the sink can be replaced without disturbing the bench.
- Mostly dishwasher use: one large single bowl, because pots and trays need the space more than a second bowl does. Mostly hand washing: a double or one and a half bowl, so soaking and rinsing happen at once.
- Farmhouse or traditional kitchen: a fireclay butler sink, with the cabinet designed around it and the measurements confirmed before the benchtop is cut.
The final check is the same whatever the material: sink size against the cabinet, cut-out against the benchtop, tap hole count against the tap, and box contents against what you still need to buy.
