Picking kitchen sinks-tips on what to choose
When picking a kitchen sink these days you have a choice of materials:
- Stainless steel
- Cast iron
- Granite
- Porcelain
While all these are great aesthetic choices, only two of the above substances are really practical for the kosher kitchen; stainless steel and granite. Of those I think there is one clear winner: stainless steel.
Stainless steel is my preferred choice of material over granite because it is easily available in a range of price points and styles and is super easy to kasher.
Granite sinks are handsome but can be quite pricey. I don’t think they are as aesthetically pleasing but that is just my personal opinion.
Another thing to think about when picking sinks is the depth of the sink. For ergonomic reasons, It is better to have a larger, shallower sink than a deep sink as you won’t be straining your back by bending over as much to reach things in the depth of the sink.
Style
Sinks are available in different styles including:
- farmhouse
- undermount
- drop in
Generally, the most economical choice will be a drop in sink as there is less customization of the countertops needed. Otherwise though, it is really just personal preference.
It’s also good to think about what type of sink you want, single basin, double basin or triple basin.
A single basin is a good choice if you are able to have separate sinks for dairy and meat. It’s nice to be able to have a large basin for washing dishes. If space is at a premium, a double sink with 2 basins can be a convenient option. There are also sinks with 3 basins available, which means 2 large sinks with a small middle sink. The middle sink is great to use when rinsing dishes as kitchen waste debris is kept separate from the dishes you are washing. If you get a triple basin sink, it’s so helpful to put a garbage disposal in the small middle sink to help you keep everything clean and kosher. (You can rinse dishes in the middle sink and have the scraps go down the garbage disposal.)
I think this is a great time to give a shoutout to one of the greatest sink inventions of all time, the garbage disposal! I know many people are not used to them in the eastern United States but I highly recommend getting one put in when you get a sink. It is so nice to be able to rinse plates and put the scraps down the garbage disposal. It is also good for the environment, less garbage to throw out.
