The Kitchen Sink

[sequim]

Excuse me for being late to this thread and getting alittle OT, but why is stainless so unanimous? Is it all about practicality? They're rather industrial looking.... Just trying to make a decision in replacing my own sink/faucet.

[Nick]

Excuse me for being late to this thread and getting alittle OT, but why is stainless so unanimous?  Is it all about practicality?  They're rather industrial looking....  Just trying to make a decision in replacing my own sink/faucet.

I had/have an old (made in 1946) Kohler large, shallow, enamal single bowl that I almost used. It's beautiful, but it wasn't going to go with the black range as well as stainless - and faucet mounting was going to be difficult. The old Kohler really is a beautiful sink. If any one has the right setting for it, it's theirs if they pick it up.

[Boris_A]

Is it all about practicality? They're rather industrial looking....

Another adavantage was mentioned already by Fat Guy:

indeed one thing that's nice about stainless sinks is that they have a little "give" to them, so when you knock a glass into the edge it doesn't shatter like it would if you knocked it against an enameled cast-iron sink.

OTOH, I've seen some very primitive arrangements tith enamel, wood and so on. Sort of camping style. But looking definitely better than about 50% of new commercial kitchens.

[MobyP]

My two cents: my father has a fantastically big, and very deep sink, which completely messes with your back after a large clean up. You don't want to be bending down in an awkward position to be lifting heavy pots filled with water.

[Boris_A]

and very deep sink, which completely messes with your back after a large clean up.

Excellent point, Moby!

I found no solution for this true dilemma. I lifted my countertop height a bit ( now 95cm, 39"), so the base of the sink (12" deep) is not soooo low. But admittedly it's not ideal and not everyone will be prepared to have such a high countertop.

Kitchen design is always a rotten (?) compromise.

[Nick]

That's one reason I chose a 7" deep sink. So far its "shallowness" hasn't been a problem, especially since the Moen faucet I got is 14" from the sink bottom. I was at a friend's once where he'd put the countertop in at around 39-40" because of the deep sink - but the counter itself was hard to work on for someone as short as I am.

[therese]

Just finished a kitchen remodel and really like our set up. The sink is an old-fashioned fireclay, big single basin. Undermount with granite counters, apron front visible. Enormous things fit into it, absolutely great. The dishwasher is raised 12" above the usual, so minimal bending.

The faucet's a wall mount. The advantage to this (a huge advantage from my point of view) is that water can't pool at the base of the faucet, so there's no possibility of mold, etc. The main disadvantage is that you basically can't have a spray nozzle that's part of the faucet (or maybe you could but it would be a big deal to get it). As the faucet neck swivels, though, I can direct water in to most of the sink, so spraying it down isn't much of an issue. I'd have loved to get a foot pedal, but my husband veto'd that.