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. Each source is named in the text.
Start with the cabinet and the cut-out
A sink has to fit the cabinet under it before anything else matters. Retailer guides agree on the starting instruction: measure the internal width, depth and height of the base cabinet, and measure the benchtop cut-out, before choosing a model. Another guide adds a margin. 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.
The same guide gives a rule of thumb for matching sink to cabinet. 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.
Two practical points save rework. Confirm the cut-out size before the benchtop is templated, because stone fabricators often charge to re-cut an opening. And use the paper template in the box where one is supplied: the Caroma Urbane II listings say to use only the templates provided for accurate cut-out sizes. The Otti Boston butler sink listing allows a size tolerance of 1 to 2 percent either way, and recommends having the sink on site before the cabinetry is built and the benchtop is cut. A retailer guide also advises choosing the sink before the plumber, cabinet maker and benchtop installer start, so all three work to the same dimensions.
How big a sink should be
One retailer guide breaks sink sizes into bands. Overall length runs from about 250mm to 1500mm: 230 to 460mm suits bar areas and small kitchens, 500 to 1000mm an average household, and 1000 to 1500mm large families or frequent entertaining. Width is typically 250 to 500mm. For compact rooms, see small sinks.
Depth is the dimension people overlook. The same guide puts depth at 150 to 250mm, with 150 to 200mm counted as shallow and 200 to 250mm as standard for dishes, pots and pans. A bowl that is too shallow splashes, and one that is too deep makes you lean forward, which a buying guide says strains posture. The listings 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 listings 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. A retailer guide sets out the case for each, and the rules are consistent across the guides.
- 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.
If a double bowl feels cramped, one guide suggests an asymmetrical layout or a single oversized bowl. The listings show how the half bowl is sized. On the Caroma Urbane II 1.5 bowl the main bowl is 340 x 400 x 217mm and the half bowl is 210 x 340 x 197mm, in a left hand or right hand configuration. The Clark Prism 1.5 bowl has a 400 x 400 x 200mm large bowl and a 200 x 400 x 180mm small bowl.
A sink with a drainboard adds width and is usually handed, left or right, so check which side suits your kitchen. A buying guide warns against flat or shallow drainboards that pool water and says to look for deep grooves and a good slope. The Turner Hastings Cuisine 116 x 50 double bowl in fine fireclay is a worked example: 1160mm across, 500mm front to back, two 185mm deep bowls of 25.5 litres each, drainer to the right.
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. One retailer guide says it works with almost every benchtop, including laminate, timber and solid stone, and that the rim seals the edge and protects absorbent laminate or timber from water. It is simpler to fit and easier to replace. The trade-off is the rim, which can collect debris, and the silicone along it, which can peel and let water into the cabinet.
An undermount sink is fixed beneath the benchtop, so there is no rim. A mounting guide says it needs a waterproof solid surface such as granite, engineered stone, marble or concrete, not laminate or timber, and that it is held by heavy-duty clips and adhesive. Crumbs and liquid can be swept straight into the bowl. The costs are a join that collects grime in the silicone, an exposed stone edge that can chip if a large pot is knocked against it, and a sink that is harder to replace. One guide says benchtops thicker than 30mm and rebated undermounts need backside machining, and another notes that a do-it-yourself undermount is effectively glued in, so a poor installation risks a collapse.
A flushmount sink sits level with the benchtop. The same mounting guide gives it the same benchtop limits as undermount and calls it the most demanding to fit, with the highest standard of sealing. The Oliveri Spectra single bowl is listed for topmount, undermount or flushmount, and the Phoenix 4000 Series for undermount and overmount.
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. A guide to the topic adds one maintenance note that applies to both. Caulking needs replacing every three to five years, so check the sealant along the edge when you clean.
Butler and apron-front sinks are a separate case, because the front is exposed. A buying guide says they are heavy, need cabinetry built around them, often sit slightly lower than a standard sink, and that the exposed front can wear, especially in fireclay. The Fienza Olivia butler listing states permanent support shelving is required. See butler and apron sinks.
Which material suits which kitchen
Material changes how a sink sounds, how it takes heat and how it ages. The guides describe the same four families.
Choosing stainless steel: grade, thickness and sound
Stainless steel is light, resists rust, heat and stains, and has a little give, so a dropped glass is less likely to chip. It scratches over time and shows water spots. A satin finish hides scratches and water marks better than a mirror polish, and wiping the bowl dry after use prevents most of the spotting. See stainless steel sinks.
Three things separate a good steel sink from a poor one: grade, thickness and damping. A material guide says 304 contains about 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel and resists corrosion, but is not completely rust-proof. It says 201 uses less nickel and gives less margin in demanding conditions, and that 316 adds molybdenum for chloride resistance and suits coastal exposure, which another guide puts at within a kilometre or two of salt air. On thickness, one guide says 1.2mm (about 18 gauge) is the quality benchmark and imports at the thin end often use 0.8mm, which dents more easily and is noisier. The Fienza Hana and Phoenix 4000 Series listings give 1.2mm 304 stainless steel, and the Meir PVD single bowl listing states 1.5mm.
The third point is sound. A thin bowl drums when a tap runs into it. Look for sound pads or a rubberised undercoating, which reduce noise and also limit condensation on the underside. The Fienza Hana listing describes sound and vibration dampening panels and an anti-condensation coating underneath, plus a nano treatment on the surface for scratch resistance.
Pressed and handmade bowls look different. A pressed bowl is formed from one sheet, so its corners are broad and rounded, and it wipes clean quickly. A handmade bowl is cut and welded, with straighter walls, sharper geometry and smaller corner radii, which need more attention when cleaning. The same guide cautions that a well-made pressed sink can outperform a poorly welded handmade one. The listings state their radius: Seima Tetra Pro and Seima Oros use 10mm corners, and Turner Hastings Cuisine fireclay uses R12.
Granite composite and solid surface materials
Granite composite sinks are crushed granite bound with acrylic resin. A retailer guide puts the granite share at roughly 80 percent. The material is hard, resists scratches and chips, is non-porous, and is quieter than steel. A guide to sink styles points out that the hard surface can break dropped glassware, and that it does not develop a patina. Composite is also heavier than steel, so it may need cabinet support, and a buying guide advises checking the benchtop's heat tolerance before placing a hot pot beside it.
Colour matters more here than with steel. A retailer guide says white composite can mark from coffee, tea and red wine, and that black is more forgiving under heavy daily cooking. The Oliveri Santorini range is moulded granite, 80 percent granite and quartz bound with 20 percent acrylic, made in Italy, and heat resistant to 280 degrees Celsius. Its listing still recommends a surface protector for hot pots. See granite and stone composite sinks and solid surface kitchen sinks.
Fireclay and ceramic materials
Fireclay is non-porous and resists scratches, stains and odours. A buying guide notes it is heavy, fragile during installation, and that a chip often means replacing the sink. Handmade variation in size and finish is normal, so measure twice. A style guide says the basin is generally quite deep, which suits large pots, and that a white surface shows stains and needs frequent cleaning. The Turner Hastings Cuisine listings describe fine fireclay as stronger and less brittle than standard ceramic. See ceramic kitchen sinks.
Brass and copper materials
Brass and copper develop a patina, and a buying guide describes them as naturally antimicrobial. They tarnish with acidic foods, harsh cleaners and fingerprints, and they are softer, so they dent more easily and suit lower-impact use. A hammered finish hides stains better than a smooth one, and hot pans and acids should stay off the surface. See brass kitchen sinks.
Finish and colour
Colour is where a sink starts to match the room. Black coordinates with stone, concrete and dark joinery, white suits a light or farmhouse kitchen, and gunmetal, brass and brushed nickel tie to the tapware and handles. A retailer guide suggests a black granite sink with a gunmetal or matte black mixer, stainless with brushed stainless or chrome, and a PVD sink with a matching PVD mixer. Pair by finish, not only by name, because the same name can mean different coatings on different products.
Browse the finishes: black kitchen sinks, white sinks, gunmetal kitchen sinks, brushed nickel kitchen sinks, bronze and gold kitchen sinks and coloured kitchen sinks.
One listing detail is worth knowing about coated finishes. The Meir PVD sink listing says that, because of the nature of the finish, it is not recommended for a laundry installation due to the chemicals that may be present there. If the sink is going into a laundry, read the listing's own line first. For laundry-specific choices, see laundry 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, and a retailer guide says to check the count against the tap before ordering. Many listings here state zero tap holes, which means the tap mounts elsewhere, on the benchtop or the wall. Some listings state 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.
The bowl depth and the spout height have to agree. A deep sink generally suits a taller mixer or a pull-out, and a compact sink may suit a standard mixer. Check that the spout clears the rim and the widest part of the bowl. See kitchen taps, sink mixers, pull out sink mixers and gooseneck sink mixers.
Waste, overflow and what is in the box
Listings differ more on what is included than on anything else, so read the box contents. The Turner Hastings Cuisine 116 x 50 comes with two 90 x 50mm stainless steel basket wastes, and the Phoenix 4000 Series with a basket waste and cover in a matching finish. Other sinks are sold without a waste. The Otti Boston butler listing states that its 90mm waste is not included, and the Fienza Olivia butler listing says it requires a basket waste sold separately. For those sinks, see sink wastes.
Overflow is the other line to check. Some listings state an overflow included, some state no overflow. On the Turner Hastings Cuisine 116 x 50 the overflow sits on the side of the sink, clear of the tap and the cabinetry. If the listing does not say, ask before ordering rather than assuming.
Accessories that earn their place
A sink works harder with a few additions. A grid protector sits just above the bowl floor, which protects the finish from scratches and helps drainage. A clip-in colander, a portable drainboard and an over-sink rack extend the working area. Clark and Meir both list matching accessories, and the Oliveri Spectra listing includes a bowl protector, a bamboo board and a drainer tray in the box.
Browse chopping boards, sink mats and grids, kitchen accessories and Clark kitchen accessories. If someone in the household needs a sink that suits reduced reach or mobility, see assisted living kitchen sinks.
Caring for a kitchen sink
Care depends on the material, but the routine is short. A buying guide recommends rinsing with warm water after use, then wiping 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.
The same guide lists what to avoid: abrasive powders, bleach, ammonia cleaners and steel wool. A baking soda paste is a gentle alternative when something sticks.
Once a month, look under the sink for leaks, moisture or mould, and check the sealant along the rim, reapplying waterproof caulk if it has lifted. On undermount and farmhouse sinks, also check the mounting clips and screws.
Installing a kitchen sink
One retailer guide notes a professional is advised for cutting a topmount opening, because a mismeasured cut may mean a new benchtop and an unnoticed error can leave a leak. It also says connecting the water supply and tap needs a licensed plumber in every Australian state and territory, and that unlicensed work can attract fines.
For a new kitchen, choose the sink and tap together, give the dimensions and cut-out template to the benchtop fabricator, and have the plumber connect the waste and supply once the benchtop is down. For a replacement, compare the existing cut-out with the new sink's listing dimensions before ordering.
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.
