Turner Hastings butler sinks buying guide
The Turner Hastings butler sinks here are fine fireclay sinks with an exposed front. They are the Novi, in single and double sizes and a narrow size for a butler's pantry, the Cove double, and the concrete look sinks. The finishes are gloss white, matte white, matte black and a concrete look. This guide explains what fine fireclay is, what each range measures and weighs, what the universal front is, how the sinks are fitted, and what to check before you order. The practical call is the same for every butler sink: decide the cabinet first and have the sink in hand before the cabinet or the benchtop is cut. Each source is named in the text. For the whole brand, see Turner Hastings sinks.
What fine fireclay is
The listings describe fine fireclay as fired at a higher temperature than standard ceramic, so the glaze is fused to the clay. They say it is stronger and less brittle than standard ceramic, with a higher hot and cold temperature tolerance, and that it is thermal shock resistant, so it can withstand fast changes in temperature such as boiling water. The listings also say it is highly stain, scratch and chemical resistant and keeps a consistent finish through the life of the sink, and that the fireclay and glazing are made in Europe. Those are the listings' statements, and a retailer that sells the brand describes the range as hand moulded fine fireclay. One retailer guide notes fireclay and ceramic resist scratches, stains and odours, and that they are heavy and fragile during installation, with chips often meaning replacement. See ceramic kitchen sinks for ceramic and fireclay from other makers.
The Novi universal front
The Novi is built with two faces. The listings describe a universal design with one ribbed face and one flat face, so you choose which face shows when the sink is fitted. The ribbed face is described as heritage and handmade in look, and the flat face as more subtle. A design guide says butler, Belfast, farmhouse and apron-front sinks are one family, so the Novi sits in the same group as the other makers' sinks. The Novi double has a ribbed front on one side and a flat front on the other, and the same facings appear on the Cove and on the concrete look sinks. Decide the face with the cabinet maker before the cabinet front is cut.
Novi sizes, weights and capacities
The listings give the sizes and the weights for the single sinks:
- Novi 61: 610 x 457 x 254mm, with a 210mm internal depth and a weight of 30kg.
- Novi 75 single: 765 x 457 x 254mm, with a 210mm internal depth, a 64 litre capacity and a weight of 40kg.
- Novi 85 double: a double bowl sink with a 34 litre capacity listed.
- Novi 50 and Novi 51: narrow sinks listed for a butler's pantry, with a 30 litre capacity on the matte black Novi 51.
The capacity of the Novi 61 is stated as 51 litres in one listing and 41 litres in another, so check the specification sheet for that size. The weights are worth planning around. A retailer's guide states a butler or farmhouse sink is heavy enough to limit the choice of benchtop and needs a cabinet reinforced for the weight, and 30kg and 40kg are the figures for the Novi 61 and the Novi 75 in the listings. A narrow sink is one way to fit a butler sink into a small run. The listings recommend matching a narrow sink with a larger Novi in the main kitchen.
The Cove double
The Cove 85 is a fine fireclay double with a ribbed front on one side and a flat front on the other. The listing gives a material thickness of 24mm and outer dimensions of 838 x 460 x 258mm, and says the waste is two 90 x 50mm basket wastes that are not included. It says the sink is suitable for use with a food waste disposer, and recommends an extended flange and a model with an anti-vibration collar. A guide notes that fireclay is typically a single bowl material, so a double is a distinct choice. See the Chester farmhouse sink collection for the Chester double.
Gloss white, matte white, matte black and concrete look
The sinks come in four finishes. Gloss white is the standard glaze. Matte white and matte black are the matte finishes, and the listings say the matte finish gives a modern look while keeping the durability of fireclay. The concrete look sinks are described as giving the look of concrete with the durability, ease of cleaning, smooth texture and other benefits of fine fireclay. Another retailer guide says white fireclay shows staining from coffee, tea and red wine more than a darker colour does, and that white fireclay needs more careful cleaning with heavy staining.
How the butler sinks are fitted
The butler listings give three mounting options. They are butler, which shows the exposed front, counter top, and under counter. The counter top option is glazed on all four sides on some sinks and not glazed on the back on others, and the under counter option needs a framework. The listings say to buy the sink before giving final measurements to the cabinet maker. The guides describe the same two methods in general. A top-mount sink sits on the benchtop and needs a cabinet built to carry it. An undermount sink is fixed beneath the benchtop and needs support, according to a design guide, which says the cabinet has to be cut away before the sink is bought and that an undermount fit is not suitable for wood or laminate benchtops. A retailer guide says an undermount sink needs a waterproof solid benchtop such as engineered stone or granite. See undermount kitchen sinks.
What a butler sink does to the cabinet
A butler sink is not a drop-in replacement for a standard sink. A retailer guide says the cabinet front needs a cut-out, the base is larger and deeper, and the cabinet needs reinforcing for the weight. It adds that doors and drawers beside the sink may need custom sizes, and that the sink should line up with the neighbouring cabinets. A design guide says an apron-front sink sits slightly proud of the cabinets, so water can run to the floor, and that sealing the edges matters. The retailer guide gives butler and farmhouse sizes as 610 to 914mm wide, 450 to 600mm front to back and 200 to 250mm high, and the Novi and Cove sizes fall within that width and depth.
Waste, grid and overflow
Most listings say a 90 x 50mm basket waste is included, and that you can upgrade the basket waste to match your tapware. The Cove does not include the wastes. A Novi stainless steel grid, sold separately, protects the base, and the listings also point to a rubber sink mat. Protector grids sit just above the basin floor, a retailer guide says, preventing scratches and helping drainage. A heavy pot can chip ceramic, according to a guide, so a mat or a grid on the bowl floor is a sensible precaution. The overflow question has two answers in the sources. A retailer page says a butler sink traditionally had the overflow. A UK retailer page says the butler had none and the Belfast had a weir overflow. A design guide describes the Belfast as deeper with an overflow and the London pattern as shallower without. The Turner Hastings listings read for this page do not describe an overflow on the butler sinks, so check the specification sheet if you need one.
Is a butler sink worth it
The guides list the trade-offs plainly, and give no figure that would settle it. One retailer guide notes a butler or farmhouse sink is limited to a single or a double bowl, has no built-in drainer, is harder to install than a standard sink, and is heavy enough to limit the choice of benchtop. The advantages named are the look, the deep bowl and less leaning over the front of the cabinet. A design guide adds that fireclay and porcelain can be noisy and unforgiving. The point of a butler sink is the deep bowl and the exposed front. If you want a drainer beside the bowl, a standard single suits better; see single bowl kitchen sinks.
The Cuisine inset sinks in this collection
The collection also shows some Turner Hastings Cuisine sinks, which are butler-style in shape but fitted inset or undermount, not with an exposed front. The Cuisine 46 x 46 is 457 x 457 x 228mm and 28 litres, and the Cuisine 68 x 48 is 680 x 480 x 254mm and 46 litres, which the listing gives as 27kg. The round Cuisine 47 holds 27 litres. See inset sinks for the inset method.
Heat, thermal shock and the glaze
The listings say the fireclay is thermal shock resistant and withstands fast temperature changes such as boiling water, and that it has a higher hot and cold temperature tolerance than standard ceramic. Those are the listings' statements, and no test is named. A maker of a different fireclay sink says to avoid placing hot objects on any surface of its sink, because they cause discolouration and marking. The two statements are not the same product, and they do not conflict, but they show that the maker's own care instructions are the ones to follow. Keep hot pans off the rim and the glazed surfaces, and rinse spills promptly, until you have read the care sheet that comes with the sink.
Benchtops for a butler sink
The guides tie the benchtop to the fitting. A design guide says an undermount butler sink needs the cabinet cut away before the sink is bought, and is not suitable for wood or laminate benchtops, and it says a top-mount sink allows more cabinet space. A retailer's guide states an undermount sink needs a waterproof solid benchtop such as engineered stone or granite. The Turner Hastings listings give the counter top option as glazed on all four sides on some sinks, which matters when the sink sits on the benchtop and the sides show. Check the listing for the sink you choose, because the glazing differs between listings.
Noise
A design guide says fireclay and porcelain can be noisy and unforgiving. A pot set down hard on a ceramic base rings and can chip, and a retailer guide says a heavy pot can chip ceramic. A rubber sink mat or a stainless grid on the base reduces both, and the listings offer a grid and point to a rubber mat. The grid sizes follow the Novi sinks, so match the grid to the sink size.
Single or double
The Novi 61, Novi 75 and the narrow Novi sinks are single bowls, and the Novi 85, the Cove 85 and the concrete look 85 are doubles. Single suits a household that runs a dishwasher and rarely hand-washes full loads, fills large pots or trays often, or has a benchtop run under 600mm, according to a retailer guide. It says to choose a double if you hand-wash often, prep vegetables or have children who need a separate bowl, and if the benchtop run is 900mm or more. A single sink needs a drainboard, a rinse basket or a mat alongside to make up for the missing second bowl. See double bowl kitchen sinks.
Replacing an existing sink
A butler sink usually means new cabinetry. Another retailer guide says the cabinet front needs a cut-out, and a second guide says to measure both the cabinet and the existing benchtop cut-out before ordering. An existing cabinet built for a drop-in sink will need work to take an exposed front, and the doors and drawers beside it may need new sizes. Ask the cabinet maker to confirm what the existing cabinet can carry, using the weights above, before you order.
Measuring before you order
The retailer guides read for this page begin in the same place: measure the cabinet inside, then the benchtop cut-out. One guide says to check the manufacturer's minimum cabinet size for the specific sink and not rely on the outer dimensions alone. Fireclay varies in size, so use the sink in hand for the cut. A retailer guide says to choose the sink early, because stone masons often charge for re-cuts, and the plumber, cabinet maker and benchtop installer can all work from the same sink.
Tap holes and taps
A design guide says typical farmhouse sinks have no tap hole, so the tap goes on the benchtop behind the sink or on the wall above it. Reach and swivel range matter, according to a retailer guide, and a deep sink may need a taller mixer or a pull-out. The kitchen taps collection covers the options, and sink wastes covers the wastes.
Cleaning
A retailer that sells apron-front sinks says to use a natural cleaner and warm water, and to avoid bleach, scourers, sharp objects and direct heat. A retailer guide recommends a pH-neutral cleaner for fireclay and says to avoid abrasive powders, bleach, ammonia cleaners and steel wool, and to check under the sink once a month for leaks, moisture and mould. The Turner Hastings listings give no care text, so follow the instructions in the box.
Related pages
This page covers the Turner Hastings butler sinks. For butler sinks from other makers, see butler and apron sinks. If you have not settled on a type, the main kitchen sinks page lists every range. A kitchen sink gets used 20 to 30 times a day, by one guide's count, so the size, the front and the cabinet are worth getting right before you order.
