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The Kitchen Sink

I’m struggling with the kitchen sink decision, probably because I know that whatever sink I choose will be the sink I have for the rest of my days.

We went to Home Depot and looked at all the sinks.  I want Vince to help with the decision but you can about imagine how helpful he is. He’s looking at the cost and I figure over the life of the sink, who cares about the cost at this point.

I fell in love with a copper sink.

Copper Sink

Copper Sink

I haven’t done any research to see how well it holds up or anything else but I loved the way it looks.  Vince was frowning a bit but he said “It’s up to you!”  What that really means is . . you get what you want but if anything ever goes wrong or if you don’t like it, I’m going to remind you that YOU picked it out.

The salesman was singing the praises of the granite composite sinks so Vince said “Let’s just look at them!”  I kept saying “I just don’t like the way they look!”

Granite Composite

Granite Composite

Vince took one look and he said . . that’s what the sink is that we have now!

Kitchen

Kitchen

Well .. that’s embarrassing!  I never thought about it but it surely is.  And there’s not much I like about that sink!  When Chad was here, he looked at it and said “Is that a plastic sink?”  He pecked around at it, felt it with his fingernails, tapped on it .  . didn’t know what it was I told him it wasn’t plastic but I didn’t know what it was either.  Well, now I do!  I told Vince .. you know I’ve never thought about it but the neighbor’s sink is the same thing and the same people built both houses about the same time and she has all granite in her kitchen so it makes sense that we both have granite composite sinks.

The bottom line is . . I like stainless steel.  Granite composite is fairly new and it’s the “in” thing right now but for me, I still think stainless is a better choice.

Stainless Sink

Stainless Sink

In MO, I had a cast iron sink and for four years I begged Vince to take it out and put in a stainless sink.  The sink downstairs was stainless and every time I used it, I thought “Oh, how I wish this sink was upstairs!”

Short of something major that changes my mind, I’m going with stainless.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. What type of water do you have coming out of your well Judy? Over the years our water has turned “hard” due to the many deep wells the vineyards have sunk around us. I had a porcelain sink for years, and I would still love to have one of those Farm, I think that is what they call them, type sinks with the deep front. Last sink we put in I bought the most expensive stainless at Home Depot. Can I say how much I hate it! It alway has water spots. The only time it looks nice is right after I do the dinner dishes and I polish it with Bar Keeper, and dry-shine it with a dishtowel. I don’t know if it’s a hard water issue, or if all stainless steel sinks need so much polishing.

    • We may have a bit of hard water but we have a water softener. I’ve had cheap and expensive stainless sinks. I always wipe my sinks out at the end of the day and I’ve just never disliked stainless. I’m going to re-examine the granite composite sink that I have and see if I can learn to like it over the next five weeks . . before I have to make a decision.

  3. Judy, we are currently remodeling our kitchen as well. I’ve been doing tons of research and I’ve decided to go with stainless steel as well with a dark granite (verde peacock). I’ve ordered a 16 gauge (lower the gauge, stronger/thicker the metal) that should hold up really well with less scratching. Typical builders will install 18-20 gauge off the shelf sinks. I’ve also been sure to choose one with an insulated bottom (less clinky “cheap” metallic sound). Also, if you use a garbage disposal, be sure the drain is the standard 3.5″ or size of your already installed garbage disposal fitting.
    Our granite supplier prefers not to under mount cast iron enameled or porcelain sinks. They are just too heavy to hold up over time mounted under the granite (his opinion). And I agree with you about the “granite” composite plastic sinks. They scratch easily (even with a fingernail) so I can imagine they wouldn’t look great after I toss a few knives in to get rinsed.

    Good luck! Hope this helps a bit.

  4. Oh, one more thing, the copper sink IS beautiful, but is guaranteed to patina. Think beautiful bowl of Statue of Liberty green in minted under you countertop. Pretty, but not sure I’d have a sanitary kitchen feel after a while!?!?
    Either way…get what YOU want, not what’s in vogue. Happy wife, happy life 🙂

    • I think the patina gives it life and is beautiful.

      Also, I think you’d be surprised about the sanitary part. This is copied from coppersinksonline.com: “Interestingly enough, natural copper is more sanitary than most other basin materials and actually has antibacterial properties. Scientific data shows that bacteria can live for days on stainless steel surfaces. On copper surfaces however, bacteria die in just a few hours. These days the commercial food preparation industry is rethinking the value of copper regarding this very issue.”

  5. The only caution with stainless steel: make sure you get a sink which is deep enough. Mine is shallow, and getting replaced. This will become my garden sink.

    • I think it’s that way with any sink. I saw some more shallow granite composite sinks at Home Depot, along with the deeper ones. With all the places we’ve lived, we’ve had quite a few different size sinks and my rule is to always get the biggest, deepest that will fit.

  6. With you on the choice of stainless! Yes – deep, heavy gauge, and insulated. I’ve had several people visit and “ooh & aah” over mine – it is undermounted with granite. Never knew there were so many things to look for, but these details are worth it!

    • Yep, I always vote for the biggest, deepest sink I can get and with stainless, the most well insulated and thickest gauge I can find. I’ll probably order my sink to be sure to get the one I want.

  7. I don’t think I will ever want one but since you have unknowingly been using one for a couple of years, what problems have you experienced? Is vinegar or any other acidy food a problem as with granite countertops? Scratching? Nicks? My niece is building a new home and the kitchen is way down her knowledge list and has asked for my help with what she should choose. She is not a cook and neither is my sister, her Mom.

  8. I love my Franke deep stainless sink. It is easy to clean, insulated and made in the USA.

  9. I have never had the privilege of going kitchen sink shopping but I am amazed when I look at the pictures as to how sharp the corners of the sinks are. Looks like it would be hard to keep those corners clean. I think I’d prefer my rounded corners.

  10. I have had a granite composite sink for 6 years now and love it. I don’t know what anyone is talking about with scratches. Mine looks brand new. No water spots, no scratches, no discoloring, nothing. I like it because it doesn’t show it is dirty (maybe this is a bad thing, but it is a good thing when a neighbor stops in and I don’t have it clean!). I also have a deep, wide white porcelain farm house sink in my pantry and I love that one, but it definitely shows pot scratches, soil, etc., until I clean it really well.

    • There must be different levels of quality in granite composite sinks. I’m like Teresa. I love mine and after 3 years with absolutely no special care, it still looks brand new. It is a beige or almond Elkay sink with a low dam. I love that! Many the benefits of a farm style sink, and many of a divided sink.

  11. We put in a granite composite sink (from Home Depot) about 3 years ago. I loved it at first, but the more it wears, it is really showing the age. I have been careful to clean it only with approved cleaners, but now it never looks clean except right after using Barkeeper’s Friend. We have a water softener, so that’s not a factor. Will be replacing it with stainless next go around!

  12. I love the copper, patina and all, and if I could have done that when we moved in here I would have. I happened on a white porcelain extra deep two sided sink on sale somewhere and fell in love with it. When we went to install it, the thing was so deep and huge we had to cut new piping and engineer the plumbing underneath to make it work. Louis said a lot of choice words that day, thank goodness he is so good with that stuff. I love it so much I told him if we ever moved again it is coming with us! I say go with what you love, the copper is beautiful and would be a fine focal point – not to mention it would wear well and last forever. If the stainless, then do that – it would be just as beautiful and wear just as well in the heavier gauge. I can’t wait to see what you pick!

  13. I have always had stainless. until this house and can’t wait to get it again. for me it is tried and true. have never had problems with one.

  14. I like stainless steel too. It’s very durable, cleans up well, and, the best part about it? If you’re cleaning fish or doing anything else that gets your hands really stinky, you can rub your hands on the stainless steel sink, and the smell goes away! You have to love that!

  15. We restored a historical home, I found an antique large copper apple butter kettle that I use for one sink and a smaller copper candy kettle for the disposal sink. They cut the handles off and cut the hole in the bottom for plumbing. My cabinet maker cut round holes for them to fit down in. My countertop was a 3 inch deep slab of antique wood. I had this kitchen for 25 years. Cleaned the sink with copper cleaner once a week. Wish I still lived in the house, but downsized. Sinks are still used by the new owners 10 yrs later.

  16. We put in a Stainless Steel sink when we redid our old house and it is still great after 35 years. Our new(er) house has SS sink and I LOVE it!! Get the best you can afford. 🙂

  17. OMG… I HATE my stainless steel sink! Every watermark shows up. My husband isn’t good about putting away the steel wool that he uses on his smoking grates and the stainless steel… well… gets rust STAINS! I am forever scrubbing it! You can have MINE and I’ll take YOURS! LOL!

  18. If you are still taking opinions….I loved my stainless sinks. The house we live in now has a composite sink and I hate it. I think it was supposed to be white but the previous owners either did something wrong or it was defective because it is a dirty yellow even after scrubbing, buffing and bleaching. If I ever get to remodel I am going with a propane stove( we have a glass top now 🙁 ) and stainless sinks.

  19. We bought our granite sink on a whim about 6 years ago. It’s black and I wondered about the hard water….sales woman didn’t think it would be a problem….wrong! I so wish I’d gone with stainless, I think this sink always looks dirty, no matter what I do. Husband has put on Armor All several time and it looks great – but not for long. I would not recommend black granite – a lighter color might be different……

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