Read more to find out about the advantages and disadvantages of today's sink choices and select the sink that's right for you. Stainless steel is the most popular kitchen sink style on the market and provides a complementary match to commercial-styled appliances. Today's offerings include a vast selection of shapes, styles and configurations. Overall, stainless steel sinks offer many benefits including resistance to chipping, cracking or peeling. They are available in both undermount and overmount models.
Undermount models are the most appealing to consumers as they provide a seamless transition from the countertop to the sink. When looking at stainless steel sinks, it's important to find out the thickness or gauge of the steel, as this is how quality is measured. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel and the higher the quality of the sink. So, for instance, an 18-gauge sink is more durable than a 23-gauge model.
Another feature to look for in a stainless sink is sound-deadening ability, or how loud the noise will be when something is dropped into the sink, such as a piece of silverware. Some sinks offer increased sound deadening by using under the sink spray coatings, such as Moen's SoundSHIELD™, and special sound pads underneath the bowl.
The only disadvantage of a stainless steel sink is it can be prone to scratching and water spotting. To combat this problem, choose a model with a satin finish.
"Although the 'mirror finish' may look nice in the showroom, these sinks have a hard time holding up to the normal wear and tear of a kitchen environment," says Novak. "A sink with a satin finish provides additional protection from scratching and rusting." |
