Not all kitchen sinks are created equal. When it comes to selecting a sink one of the most important considerations is the type of material it is made from. Falk Plumbing Supply deals with four types of kitchen sink material: Stainless Steel, Quartz Composite, Cast Iron and Copper. Other determining factors for your kitchen sink may be style and aesthetics, utility and configuration. Many times, the color of appliances, countertops or cabinets will influence the color and style of the sink.
Cast Iron Sinks
One of the oldest materials used for kitchen sinks is cast iron. As a product, it has been made almost the same way since it was first used around 500 BC in China. The premier manufacturer of cast iron sinks is Kohler. They use a minimum of 80% recycled product when producing their sinks, reflecting their commitment to help preserve the environment.
Cast iron offers incredible durability. It has a lustrous color that can be maintained with minimal care. In fact, harsh cleaners will wear down the finish and leave the sink dull, but still usable. Many people are concerned about chipping and cracking of cast iron sinks. Falk Plumbing Supply has been selling them since 1990 and we have seen less than half a dozen replaced as defective. Kohler’s warranty for their cast iron sinks is a Limited Lifetime Warranty which reflects their confidence in their sinks.
Stainless Steel Sinks
Stainless steel sinks offer another good option for the kitchen. Stainless steel was first used to make sinks in the 1930s and they have a great track record, too. The characteristics of stainless steel can make it confusing when it comes time to purchase one. First, it is important to determine if the sink is type 304 stainless. This should be easy to find on the manufacturer’s website. That is the type all major manufactures use.
Then comes the gauge of the sink: 16, 18, 20, or 22. This indicates the thickness of the stainless steel, with a lower gauge meaning a better, thicker material. At Falk, we do not sell anything but 16-gauge and 18-gauge sinks for residential applications. The stainless-steel sink manufacturers we work with are Elkay and Kohler. Both vendors offer a limited lifetime warranty on their sinks.
Stainless steel is easy to clean. Elkay recommends using Comet and a Scotch Brite scouring pad. Good quality stainless sinks that are maintained by regular cleaning can hold up well for decades.
Quartz Composite Sinks
The newer entry into the kitchen sink market is the quartz composite sink. Blanco pioneered the new material in 2002. It is crushed quartz (about 80%) mixed with resin and then molded into one of many handy shapes. It allows another way to have color in your kitchen without using cast iron. Due to the nature of the material, it can be used to form sinks into a more granite looking appearance or in solid colors.
Recommended cleaning for quartz composite sinks is an aggressive use of Bar Keeper’s Friend and a Scotch Brite pad. The sinks have a high heat tolerance of 536°F. The material tends to be more forgiving on dropping dishes in it, while it remains an outstanding structural integrity.
Kohler, Elkay and Blanco all make a range of quartz sinks, offering a good variety of sizes, colors and configurations.
Copper Sinks
Finally, we have specialty sinks like Copper or Brass. We do not generally recommend them for the kitchen. The determining factor will be your cleaning habits. Sinks like copper are going to patina over time. If you leave a glass in the sink overnight, it will leave a ring. However, in a couple of days the sink will “self-heal” and return to its previous appearance.
Cleaning would only be a soft cleaner, or dish soap or hand soap, and with a soft cloth. If you like the idea of a sink that will take on different patinas over time, then this may be the material for you. In effect your kitchen sink becomes a metallic work of art. Falk works with Barclay and Thompson Traders on copper and brass sinks.
All of these sink styles come in different configurations, may offer accessories like cutting boards or bottom base grids, or work center configurations. All of them offer installations in drop-in (of self-rimming), or undermount. Undermount is by far the most popular due to the proliferation of stone tops today.
If you are looking for a new kitchen sink and you have questions we would love to talk to you. Just contact us and we’ll help you find the right sink for you!