Which sink to choose for the kitchen - made of artificial stone or stainless steel?

There is a kitchen sink in any kitchen. Without it, it is impossible to cook, wash dishes and products. Of course, first of all, the sink should be convenient and functional, but any housewife also wants it to be beautiful and inexpensive. Today there is a huge selection of sinks from different manufacturers that produce sinks for every taste, color and size. However, among such a variety, it is rather difficult to make the right choice. So which sink is better to choose for the kitchen - made of artificial stone, or stainless steel, any other material would be better to meet all the requirements of a housewife? There are several criteria by which they usually make their choice. We will dwell on them in detail in this article.

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The shape and size of the washing bowl

It all depends on the size of the kitchen:

• If the kitchen is small, then the corner sink will save precious space, but at the same time create a sufficient work surface.
• If the size of the kitchen allows you to set a traditional sink size 50 to 60 cm, then experts recommend placing it near the window.
• If you already have a kitchen cabinet in which you plan to install the sink, then when going to the store, carry the dimensions of the cabinet so as not to make a mistake with the size.

Bowl depth is also an important factor:

• if you choose a very deep one, your back will tire of frequent bending;
• if the bowl is not deep, water will be sprayed around.

Now on sale there are sinks with bowls of a wide variety of shapes: square, rectangular, round, and even designer irregular shapes. The choice of the shape of the bowl is affected, first of all, by such a factor as convenience, and, of course, the size of the kitchen.

Important! Round sinks are more spacious than others of the same volume. But then another interior in the kitchen should have rounded shapes so that the bowl looks organically.

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Installation method

There are several ways to install a sink, and here you also have to decide which sink is best to choose for a kitchen.

Overhead sink

The overhead sink is mounted on a freestanding kitchen cabinet. Such a sink is easy to install with your own hands, but during use, water can get into the junction of the cabinet and sink.

Integrated sink

This installation method is rarely used, since it requires significant costs. The sink crashes into the material, representing a single whole with it.

Important! Such sinks in combination with countertops are made of stone, plastic, but tabletops made of wood and chipboard are not suitable for such purposes.

Mortise sink

The mortise sink is installed in the space prepared for it, as if “crashes” into the countertop. The sink can be in three positions:

• above a common countertop
• at the countertop level
• below tabletop

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Number of bowls and design

When it comes to the question of which sink is better for the kitchen, the design of the sink should also be considered. There are several options:

• The most popular are single-bowl sinks that take up little space. They are usually not equipped with any additional devices.
• There are sinks with two, three bowls. They can be arranged in a row, or can be a complex structure.
• Two bowls of different sizes are used if it is not possible to connect two full-sized bowls.
• Corner sinks are popular, which often come with a corner set. Especially suitable for small rooms. They can be with one or two bowls.
• A sink with a wing or two wings, which serve as an additional workspace.

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Types of materials

When choosing a kitchen sink, an important factor is the material from which it is made. The most popular materials are.

Stainless steel

This material is the most common. For the manufacture of such sinks, steel is used, as well as in small amounts of chromium and nickel.

Important! Steel sinks come in a glossy or dull finish. Glossy can be decorated with a beautiful textured pattern.

To understand which sink to choose for the kitchen - made of artificial stone, or stainless steel will be better, you need to correlate the pros and cons of each option.

Steel have the following advantages:

• affordable cost;
• attractive appearance;
• resistance to high temperatures, acid and corrosion;
• easy care, when cleaning, you can use any product and the appearance will not be affected;
• durability;
• large selection of sizes and shapes;
• the ability to do it yourself;
• Suitable for any style;
• environmental friendliness.

Among the minuses, we can only single out the noise that occurs when a jet of water hits its surface.

Important! The quality of the sink can be checked with a magnet - high-quality steel will not be magnetized.

A natural stone

This is the most expensive type of kitchen sinks, it is used relatively rarely. Such products are made of granite, onyx, marble.

The advantages include:

• beauty
• durability;
• impact resistance;
• A wide selection of colors, materials and designs.

Important! But there are also disadvantages: in addition to the high cost, this is a lot of weight and the need for special care.

Ceramics

Ceramic sinks look beautiful and unusual. They have several advantages:

• wide selection of colors;
• scratch resistance;
• ease in leaving;
• resistance to high temperatures and aggressive detergents.

Their disadvantages include:

• heavy weight;
• fragility - cracks may appear when a heavy object falls into the shell;
• complexity of self-installation.

Composite material or artificial stone

An artificial stone is a material that includes several components:

• stone chips, as a rule, it is granite, marble or quartz;
• polymer for gluing crumbs;
• dyes in a small amount.

This composition is partly natural, but the acrylic stone is completely artificial, since there is no such stone in nature. It is made from acrylic resins with aluminum hydroxide and other additives.

Important! The strength of the sink depends on the composition of the stone. The optimum ratio of stone chips and polymer is 80 to 20. The most durable shells are obtained from granite and quartz chips, they are more resistant to scratches. Marble sinks are more moody, they quickly appear scratches and chips.

Consider their advantages in order to finally determine which sink to choose for the kitchen - made of artificial stone or stainless steel will be the best model:

• perfectly absorb the sound of flowing water;
• there is a large selection of colors;
• not afraid of high temperatures;
• resistant to aggressive detergents;
• moisture resistance;
• environmentally friendly material;
• with proper care, they are very durable and retain their original appearance, the color does not lose brightness during prolonged use;
• with the formation of mechanical damage amenable to repair.

But, of course, there are disadvantages:

• high price;
• products are heavy;
• sinks combined with a countertop can crack, and then everything will have to be changed - both the sink and the countertop.

Important! To choose the best sink for your kitchen you need to not only study the entire market and manufacturers, but also read reviews.

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Stock footage

We hope that now the situation with a variety of kitchen sinks has become clearer for you, and you could quickly decide for yourself which sink to choose for the kitchen - made of artificial stone, stainless steel, natural stone, ceramics, and what shape, size. And you need to do this in any case, so that all work in the kitchen is carried out quickly and easily.