The sink and the faucet are basic kitchen essentials. They are found at the heart of all the commotion and together are the main duo of the most frequently used workstation in the house. It makes sense to say that choosing the kitchen sink and faucet with care is crucial.
Do you consider this a major task – something you need to extensively discuss with your kitchen remodeling contractor? You are absolutely right. And do you know why? Because the sink must be strong and resistant when you place hot pots and when a pan is accidentally dropped and when you spill hot water or oil. And how about the faucet? Can you count how many times it’s used daily? Sinks are not easy to replace. Dripping faucets will cost you money. Yes, spending an extra hour to see what would be the best kitchen faucet and sink for you is totally worth it. Should we give you an idea of what things to consider before you talk with your kitchen renovation contractor?
How to choose the ideal kitchen sink for your home
In order to decide on the kitchen sink material, style, and size, you need to
consider where it’ll be placed. Will this be the kitchen counter? The kitchen island? And how much space is there? So, which are the major things to consider?
The kitchen sink type
The most common sink types are two: drop-in and undermount sinks. The former ones drop into the countertop while the upper edge of the sink sits on the counter. For this reason, it’s also known as a top mount sink. Undermount sinks are placed in the counter’s hole entirely, having no edge resting on the top of the counter.
With some materials, you can also get an integrated sink – this means that the counter and the sink are both made of granite or marble, for example, and so it’s often – not always, a seamless design.
There are single, double, and triple bowl sinks. Single bowl sinks allow you to use them as demanded at any given moment and easily fit large pots. Double bowl sinks allow you to separate your tasks or keep the hand-washed dishes intact. If there’s a third – usually small, bowl, it’s often between the two large bowls and serves for sponges.
The sink material
Selecting the right sink material is essential. While the aesthetic part is very important, you should focus on function first. You want a material that can stand the heat and is resistant to scratches. What you should remember is that natural materials – like granite or marble, are susceptible and expensive. It’s best if you get engineered granite that would have some acrylic resins that would make it stronger and more resistant. In terms of strength and durability, granite and quartz – both engineered, are the best choices – though, costly. Before you make up your mind about the sink, consider how easily they stain, if they absorb noise, how easy are to clean, and if they are antimicrobial. For example, stainless steel sinks are popular due to their affordability and modern looks but they are noisy.
The sink’s size and shape
The shape and the size of the sink depend on how much counter space is available. You need a pretty large sink but without sacrificing much counter space. The size is also subject to whether you get a single or dual bowl sink. The shape differs if we are talking about a corner sink. Now, if you get a large sink, you need to be extra careful when you choose the faucet.
How to select the right faucet
Assuming you also get a new sink, you need to consider the sink’s size to see if a pull-down faucet is a must-have – otherwise, what do you need the big sink for?
Whether you get a faucet for a new sink or the existing sink, you need to consider how many drilled holes there are – assuming this is a top-mount sink. This will help you decide whether you need a faucet with two or three pieces or a single-handled faucet.
Tall faucets are impressive and always helpful. But too tall the faucet and you may end up with water splashes all around or on the floor too. Also, particularly tall faucets may not be installed perfectly and consequently, they may swing a tad shortly – this depends on the sink’s material and the installation too.
To avoid dripping sooner than later, prefer faucets with ceramic valves. About the faucet finish, chrome is very durable and easy to clean. Bronze faucets look great but they may get scratched or affected by hard water. Black faucets and nickel finishes are great too but it’s hard to remove the water stains after a while.
Don’t worry too much about the kitchen faucet or sink style. The truth is that most products today are stylish and elegant. Whatever you choose, it will surely be good-looking. Just make sure it blends nicely with your kitchen design and is durable.
