Consider how many times you visit your sink while you’re in the kitchen: to clean your hands, wash fruit and vegetables, wash up, soak dishes, fill pans and it becomes clear that it’s a crucial piece of the room. However, it often tumbles down the list of priorities when replacing a kitchen and can be a last-minute buy. Fitting the wrong sink can be at best impractical and a bugbear, and at worst, end up damaged or looking worn before its time.
It can be tempting to choose a similar sink to the one you had before, but there’s much to be gained from high-tech materials, extra bowls and additional features. We’ve selected the best kitchen sinks you can buy for your budget – as well as the questions to ask yourself when choosing one. Below, you’ll find our buying guide to help you find the best kitchen sink, or you can scroll on for our top picks.
Table of Contents
Best kitchen sinks: At a glance
- Best compact ceramic kitchen sink: Wickes Square 1 Bowl Sink
- Best value kitchen sink: Cooke and Lewis Lyell 1 Bowl Sink
- Best kitchen sink for large families: Abode Belfast 1 Bowl
How to choose the best kitchen sink for you
What type of kitchen sink should I choose?
There are three main types, which vary in how they’re fitted:
Inset sinks, also known as overmount, drop-in or top-mount, are the most common type of kitchen sink. This is because they’re easy to fit, dropping into a hole cut out of the worktop. The rim overlaps, sitting on top of the work surface and protecting it from water ingress. This means an inset sink can be fitted with any type of surface, including laminate and wood.
Flush-mounted sinks have a similar concept but instead, are designed to sit flush with the worktop material. Truly flush-mounted sinks need worktop templating and fabrication for a seamless fit. However, you may be able to achieve a similar look with a low-profile inset sink.
Undermounted sinks sit below your worktop, with their edges concealed by the surface. This means that the core of the worktop is exposed to water and some materials aren’t compatible, such as laminate. There are also integrated sinks, which are constructed from the same material as the worktop and seamlessly joined or welded.
What are the most popular materials for kitchen sinks?
Stainless steel continues to be a staple for kitchen sinks thanks to its durability and resistance to heat, stains and cleaning products. However, over time, it can scratch, and may look sterile in some kitchens, such as a classic country scheme. Fortunately, there are other options, including ceramic, which is generally hard-wearing but can chip if heavy pans are dropped in, and quartz or granite composites. These composites are scratch-resistant, non-porous, stain-resistant and easy to keep clean, but may be prone to limescale build-up. Look for composites with a high percentage of stone, as this will make them more durable.
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How much should I spend on a kitchen sink?
While it’s possible to find kitchen sinks for £30 or less, price tends to be a reliable indicator of quality. Thin stainless steel can bow and distort over time, while cheaper composites may sustain damage and fade more easily, so it pays to invest in a design that’s robust. Budget at least £60-140 for a stainless-steel kitchen sink, £90-200 for a composite design and £160-250 for a ceramic sink.
The best kitchen sinks you can buy
1. Abode AW5135 Belfast 1 Bowl Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink: The best kitchen sink for large families
Price: £449 | Buy now from Wickes
If the idea of a traditional Belfast or butler sink appeals but you’d like it to be ultra hard-wearing, choose this deep-bowled design. Made in a Belfast style but crafted from 1.2mm stainless steel, the contemporary take on a classic provides the best of both worlds. The capacious bowl means you can soak large trays and pans, or tackle a mountain of washing up – perfect if you’re catering for a crowd. Meanwhile, the material resists scrapes and knocks, ideal if you’re prone to dropping things while you wash.
Of course, this big sink won’t suit every kitchen design. With the front of the sink on show, you’ll have to factor in its visual impact more than one that’s concealed, plus as it’s undermounted, it’s best combined with non-porous worktops, such as quartz composite or granite. However, it offers a lot for keen cooks and busy households alike.
Key specs – Size: 69.5 x 58 x 29.5cm (WDH); Bowls: One; Material: Stainless steel; Guarantee: 10 years; Bowl size: 53 x 39.5 x 22.5cm (WDH)
Buy now from Wickes
2. Cooke and Lewis Lyell Linen Inox Stainless Steel 1 Bowl Sink and Drainer: The best value kitchen sink
Price: £137 | Buy now from B&Q
There’s a whole world of affordable stainless-steel sinks out there but quality can vary, with thin bowls distorting and marking over time. This is why a sturdy design makes a better option, such as this Lyell single bowl drop-in with a drainer. It’s guaranteed for 15 years – a good sign of its manufacturer’s faith in its quality – plus it has a linen finish, which gives it scratch resistance against the daily wear and tear.
Another plus is that the drainer is reversible, so it can be installed with it to the left or right of the bowl. The drainer itself also has slight raised sections to help the water to run away rather than puddling. Perhaps the only niggle is the depth of the bowl, which isn’t as deep as some and the waste and overflow need to be purchased separately.
Key specs – Size: 100 x 50 x 21cm (WDH); Bowls: One; Material: Stainless steel; Guarantee: 15 years; Bowl size: 50 x 40 x 21cm (WDH)
Buy now from B&Q
3. Wickes Square 1 Bowl Ceramic Kitchen Sink in White: The best compact ceramic kitchen sink
Price: £269 | Buy now from Wickes
Thanks to a range of modern designs, plumping for a ceramic sink these days doesn’t mean factoring in a bulky butler-style bowl. This neat white square sink is the perfect example – minimal angular corners and a design that’s suitable for installation with the overflow at the rear or the side means it can suit every type of kitchen, from country to contemporary.
As a drop-in model, it’s compatible with all worktop materials, but it can also be undermounted if you prefer. There’s a lifetime guarantee and the price includes the waste and overflow. The only thing to be aware of is that it’s heavy. At 22kg, you’ll need to make sure your cabinet can hold the extra weight, or if you can add a frame for support, especially when the bowl is full of water.
Key specs – Size: 47 x 41 x 25.1cm (WDH); Bowls: One; Material: Ceramic; Guarantee: Lifetime; Bowl size: 40.8 34.7 x 22.7cm (WDH)
Buy now from Wickes
4. Franke Basis Reversible Fragranite Kitchen Sink & Drainer 1.5 Bowl Stone Grey: The best durable kitchen sink
Price: £240 | Buy now from Toolstation
Franke’s Fragranite is one of the most well-known quartz composite materials used for kitchen sinks. Launched in 1989, it’s been continually improved so that it can stand up to temperatures of 280°C, is resistant to impact and thermal shock, scratch-resistant and treated with silver ions to reduce bacteria and microbe growth. It’s also available in a range of ten colours, such as this sleek Stone Grey.
This Basis design is a great all-purpose option. Equipped with a main bowl and a smaller one, so you can easily integrate a waste disposal unit below it, the sink is reversible and is compatible with any worktop. Moreover, it comes with two basket-strainer wastes, so you can keep large pieces of debris from blocking up your pipework. Even though Fragranite is tough, it’s best to avoid using caustic cleaners, scourers or a plastic washing-up bowl in the sink – as it can slowly grind away at the surface.
Key specs – Size: 97 x 50 x 20cm (WDH); Bowls: Two; Material: Composite – 80% quartz/20% acrylic resin; Guarantee: 50yrs; Bowl size: 34 x 42 x 20cm / 15 x 29 x 9cm (WDH)
Buy now from Toolstation
5. GROHE K500 composite double sink with drainer: The best modern kitchen sink
Price: £302 | Buy now from Amazon
Few things are as unappealing as a sinkful of murky water leftover from washing up or soaking greasy pans – and worse, having to plunge your hand in to scrabble around for the plug. With this sleek sink, you won’t need to do that. It features a knob on top of the surface that twists to drain the water away. That’s not the only element that makes it ideal for a modern kitchen though. It’s also made from tough, UV-resistant quartz composite, so its colour won’t fade over time.
Other features include two identical bowls – meaning you can soak while washing hands or preparing food – a good-sized drainer and it’s reversible and top-mounted, giving it more design flexibility and compatibility with any worktop. This sink will need a little extra care, however. While its seamless design makes it easy to clean, the composite material can be damaged by bleach and abrasive cleaners, as well as hot grease and oil – although these should always be disposed of in the bin or food waste.
Key specs – Size: 116 x 500 x 20cm (WDH); Bowls: Two; Material: Composite – 80% quartz 20% acrylic resin; Bowl size: 33 x 44 x 20cm (WDH)
6. Spectra Stainless Steel Sink 1.5 bowls in Copper: The best stylish kitchen sink
Price: £430 | Buy now from Tap Warehouse
Rangemaster might be better known for its cookers but given that it’s also been making kitchen sinks for 88 years, they’re well worth adding to your wishlist. For the reliability of a stainless-steel sink but the sort of choice of finishes you’d usually find among kitchen taps, try the Spectra range. PVD (physical vapour deposition) coated in a choice of gold, graphite or copper, these sinks can be either inset or undermounted.
This 1.5-bowl version is a great choice, with a true half bowl, overflow kit, basket strainer wastes and waste covers and sound deadening pads to minimise the noise of running water. Made from thick 1mm gauge stainless steel, it’s available as either a left-hand or right-hand main bowl, and the PVD coating also provides extra protection against scratches. It’s even made in the UK, giving it fewer miles to travel.
Key specs – Size: 55.5 x 44 x 20cm (WDH); Bowls: Two; Material: Stainless steel; Guarantee: 25 years Bowl size: 34 x 40 x 20cm / 16 x 40 x 14cm (WDH)
Buy now from Tap Warehouse
Through this article, we hope to help you understand Best stainless steel kitchen sink brands
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