From food preparation to daily cleaning, the kitchen sink forms one of the most crucial work zones in any kitchen. When choosing a kitchen sink, factors like shape, size, configuration, material and type of installation should be taken into consideration. Since a vast variety of kitchen sinks are available in the market, this guide will help you to make the best choice. 

Configuration 

• If you have a compact kitchen, then go for an all-purpose kitchen sink with a single bowl. 

• For a spacious cook room, consider a double bowl sink where one bowl is used for washing utensils and the other for washing vegetables and food preparation. These sinks are available with equal or unequal sized bowls in various depths.   

• A sink with a drainboard is very popular because it allows one to wash the utensils in the sink and dry them on the drainboard.  

• One can also consider a triple bowl sink with two large bowls on both sides and a narrow bowl in the centre.  

These sinks are available in numerous sizes and shapes like square, rectangular, circular and round. Take your pick.

Type 

• An under-mount sink imparts a seamless look to the kitchen as it is suspended under the countertop. This type is easy to clean because the rim of the sink is not visible and all the kitchen debris can be pushed directly into the sink.  

• A top-mount stainless steel sink is one of the most popular options where a cut-out is made within the countertop to accommodate the sink with the support of its rim. One drawback is that there are joint lines between the rim of the sink and the countertop which tend to a collect a lot of food debris and grime.  

• For a stylish and contemporary look, go for a flush mount kitchen sink where the sink and the countertop is made of the same material. An integrated unit is created which imparts a seamless look to the kitchen and can be fabricated in materials like quartz, solid surface, stone and stainless steel. 

Material 

• The kitchen sink can be customised in natural stone materials like cudappah, granite or marble as per the user’s requirements. Note that the edges of these sinks are difficult to clean and have the tendency to accumulate mould and grime.  

 • Stainless steel sinks are very popular because they are sturdy, affordable and easy to maintain. 

• Nowadays composite sinks are trending in modern Indian kitchens because they are scratch-resistant, heat-resistant, stain resistant and are available in a wide range of colours. Materials like quartz and granite are crushed and then combined with resins to manufacture composite sinks. 

•  Some of the other kitchen sink materials include cast iron, fireclay and pre-cast concrete.