Like most choices, there is never a perfect option. Sinks are among the most vital part of a new Kitchen, and it all depends on which carries the greater weight for your opinion.

The first thing to consider is whether you would like an Inset or Undermount sink.

• An Inset Sink is inserted into the Worktop, with the edge sitting on-top of the surface area. Most Kitchens you see will have these.
• An Undermount Sink is mounted on the underside of the Worktop, with the Drainer Grooves routed into the Worktop.

An Undermount Sink gives the appearance of more surface space and generates a feature of the Sink area, with the Drainer Grooves embedded into the Worksurface. There will generally be 4 routed Drainer Grooves to allow for water to drain away. Although these tend to be more decorative than functional; as predominantly, the work surface is still flat and the taper for the routed grooves isn’t a great fall. This can sometimes lead to water running across the Worksurface. This is where an Inset Sink can offer more security, as there is normally a rim around the edge to stop any water run-offs.

Worksurface material is crucial to Sink Choice. If you are going for a Laminate Worktop, you can only have an Inset Sink. If you are going for a Solid Surface Worktop, such as Granite or Quartz; you could have either an Inset or an Undermount Sink.

Single Bowl and Bowl and a Half Sinks:
Single Bowl – As it says, the Single Bowl would be that plus a Drainer.
Bowl and a Half – The same sized Single Bowl with the addition of a small half-sized bowl next to it. This is usually in cost to a smaller Drainer.

Sink Material:
Stainless Steel, Porcelain, Composite. There is a fair amount of choice for such a simple everyday object.

Stainless Steel:
Stainless Steel Sinks are very hard wearing, great for hygiene, and can take knocks from thrown in pots and pans. It’s good for tolerating limescale if you have the issue with being in a hard water area. There are various grades of stainless steel – from cheap pressed sinks to your more expensive 1810 gauge welded sinks.
The main downside to Stainless Steel is that it scratches very easily. Generally after about six months, the Sink is uniformly scratched and wears it’s appearance in.

Porcelain:
While maintaining a stylish and contemporary look, they are also great for cleaning purposes due to it’s glazing manufacture; it’s also very rare to have issues with limescale because of this. The biggest issue is traditionally, the bowl is liable to chip; or it can chip or even break plates should they be dropped into this.

Composite:
A Composite Sink is made up from a mixture of materials such as Quartz, Resin and Acrylics. Very cost-effective and stylish with a number of colours to choose from. They aren’t as heat resistant compared to the latter and appear to mark easier than the rest. However, their easy maintenance and aesthetically pleasing looks out-weigh the negatives to be a top contender in a Modern Day Kitchen.