Last updated on May 20th, 2022
Wait! Before you pick out the first nice-looking sink that you see for your new kitchen, you may want to step back and think about how you use your kitchen sink and what your family’s habits around it are.
Do you use it for washing dishes or just for rinsing them before you put them into the dishwasher? If your sink experiences heavy traffic, you might think of giving it more strength with granite composite or stainless steel. Also, do you drop heavy cookware into it? In which case, you might chip or scratch a porcelain or an enamel-coated sink.
Confused? Well, don’t be. Here’s a quick guide to the kitchen sink options available in the Indian market, and the pros and cons of using them, all chalked out clearly for you. Just skim through before you go sink-shopping!
1. Stainless Steel
This is one of the most commonly used kitchen sink materials, and for very good reason. It is durable and very easy to maintain. Just a quick wipe and you’ll find it hard to stain (but no abrasives, please). And what’s more, you can choose the finish you want, with the duller finishes more popular at the moment.
You may want to choose a sink that is 18-gauge or lower (the lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel) as the sink you choose would be stronger, less noisy, and won’t dent easily.
2. Porcelain-Coated Cast Iron
Porcelain-coated cast iron sinks have a rich, glossy appearance and are very durable. They are also available in a wide variety of colors.
But you will need to take good care of them to prevent them from getting stained, scratched, or etched. This means, no abrasive cleaners or strong acids, as that can expose the cast iron underneath and cause rusting. This also means no careless handling of heavy cookware or throwing things into the sink!
3. Enameled Steel
With an enamel coating over a steel base, these sinks can vary from being moderately priced to being quite expensive, depending on what you choose. The ones on the lower-end are thin, noisy, and might chip and begin to look worn soon. But the higher-end models that use a resin coating are thicker, quieter, and way more durable.
4. Solid Surface
Solid surface, (like Corian) is strong, durable, and beautiful. Made of resin and minerals, this is a highly non-porous and repairable sink material. Any scratches on these sinks can be easily sanded out and because of the way they’re made, chipping isn’t a concern. They are also very easy to clean and highly heat resistant, which makes them a worry-free choice for your kitchen.
5. Composites
These rather new entrants into the kitchen scenario are made from a composite of materials like acrylic and quartz. With their durability, innate resistance to chips and nicks, the wide variety of colors, shapes, and mounting options, it isn’t a wonder that they are ready to take over the kitchen sink market.
6. Copper
If you are a decor connoisseur and want the sink to enhance the décor of your kitchen, copper might be a stunningly beautiful, but rather expensive choice. But the pros with using copper sinks, far outweigh the expense incurred, because not only is it rust-proof, but also naturally antimicrobial – a great quality to have when there’s constant and close contact with food involved.
7. Stone
For lovers of beauty, stones sinks are yet another attractive luxury. These sinks, being heavy might need a special cabinet for their safe installation.
