Any housewife dreams that the kitchen in her house was perfect. After all, she spends quite a lot of time on it, creating various culinary masterpieces. Therefore, in this room it is necessary to create all conditions for a comfortable stay. It is unlikely that someone is happy with such a routine daily activity as washing dishes. However, if you choose the right convenient sink, you can greatly facilitate this process. The model of this product, as well as the material from which it is made, depends on many factors. How to choose a stainless steel kitchen sink? Let's try to consider this issue in more detail.
Selection criteria
What should I rely on when choosing stainless steel sinks for the kitchen under the countertop? Here it is important to consider the size of the room, the style of the interior, as well as the number of people living in the house. A kitchen sink should be attractive and functional. From the characteristics of thisproducts will depend on the comfort of the person working in the kitchen.
The built-in stainless steel sink not only looks spectacular. It can also be used as a hot plate. Such a sink is very durable and of high quality, it will serve faithfully for many years.
Today there is a wide range of sinks for sale for every taste and color. They come with one or more bowls, and also have a square, round or oval shape. Fastening can be done in different ways.
Benefits of a stainless steel sink
Built-in stainless steel kitchen sink has a number of positive aspects. Here are just a few:
- It fits well with any interior.
- Affordable cost: absolutely everyone can afford such a sink.
- Practical: Stainless steel sinks are easy to care for. You can wash it with any household means.
- Stainless steel sink has a perfectly smooth surface. This ensures the product is hygienic.
- A wide range of models: stainless steel sinks can be made of any design and shape. You can easily choose a product for a specific style.
- Environment friendly and corrosion resistant. For the manufacture of sinks of this type, an alloy of chromium and nickel is used. It doesn't get rusty. The sink stays shiny and smooth for a long time.
- Stainless steel is resistant to high temperatures. You can put a hot frying pan in such a sink. She is not afraidboiling water and hot steam.
- Durable: A stainless steel sink will last for years without losing its performance.
Flaws
Unfortunately, even good stainless steel kitchen sinks have their downsides. These include:
- Small thickness: weights can bend the shell.
- If the sink is located near household electrical appliances, it will need to be grounded.
- The sink gets pretty noisy. When washing dishes, a strong roar will occur. This disadvantage is not observed in special low noise models.
- Depth of washing: usually less than 15 cm. This applies to products made by stamping.
- A modest choice of colors: stainless steel sinks come in just one color - silver.
Types of sinks
Let's take a closer look at them. Built-in stainless steel kitchen sink can have different mounting methods:
- Inset sink: very popular among housewives. A model of this type is easy to install with your own hands, without the help of a wizard. It is very easy to use this product. It can be mounted in furniture of any size and shape. Over time, stainless steel does not stain or tarnish, which allows the sink to always look spectacular. Products may vary in size and number of bowls. The main features of this option include ease of use, significant savingsspace, versatility and wide configuration options. Additional details are expected to be added to the main structure. This includes: a dish drying rack, cutting board, or colander.
- Sink: to install this model, you need a separate kitchen cabinet. This product can replace a countertop. You can install it yourself, but this process requires certain skills. Sizes of overhead stainless steel kitchen sinks can be different. They are mounted on the principle of a cover. This solution is ideal for modular furniture. If the structure was not mounted correctly, over time, a space may appear between the cabinet and the sink in which water will accumulate. This design is perfect for any kitchen. It is relatively inexpensive, but it looks very attractive.
Number of bowls
What do you need to know about the design features of stainless steel kitchen models? Built-in sink can be equipped with several types of containers. The most compact and simple solution is the one-cup model. This is the most basic option. It is perfect for a headset with a small work surface. A built-in stainless steel kitchen sink with one bowl is usually rectangular in shape with rounded edges. Even with a fairly compact size, this design is quite roomy and comfortable. The distance from the sides of the recess to the wall, sidewalls of the cabinet and the edge of the tabletop shouldbe at least 5 cm. As a rule, single-bowl round-shaped sinks are installed in compact kitchens.
Double stainless steel kitchen sink is a convenient and functional design. Usually, the bowls in it are placed in one line. There are also models that are installed at an angle to the crane. A two-bowl sink is only suitable for fairly spacious rooms. With the double bowl model, you can wash vegetables and defrost meat at the same time.
Round sink
What is her speci alty? Every housewife has to spend some part of her time cooking. An impractical and inconvenient kitchen sink can make staying in the kitchen a real challenge. Therefore, it is extremely important to choose the most suitable sink option.
Round kitchen sinks (including stainless steel) have become popular relatively recently. Today they are purchased no less than square and rectangular products. Washing round sinks is more convenient because they have no corners. The gain is also obtained through the efficient use of space. The circle has a deeper capacity. Typically, these sinks are produced with a depth of 20 cm, which ensures ease of use. Unlike rectangular designs, a round sink is technically more advanced. It has a compact size and is great for installation in small kitchens.
Let's look at the main advantages of round sinks:
- capacity;
- no corners improve product hygiene;
- The compact dimensions of the models help save space in the kitchen;
- round shell looks original.
Square model
What should be a stainless steel kitchen sink, and which one is better to choose? According to designers, the most functional products are square-shaped models. They are best suited for traditional sized worktops.
Quite compact and roomy is also a square sink-stainless steel mortise. For the kitchen, this option is also convenient because it is easy to pick up additional accessories for it, for example, a cutting board. Usually such designs are made single-cup. Square sinks are quite in demand, but still somewhat inferior to rectangular sinks. The advantages of such models should also include ease of use. The sink can easily be placed even on a worktop of non-standard depth. In addition, this design provides ample opportunities for equipping the work surface with additional elements such as wings, bowls, cutting boards and others.
What to look out for?
When ordering a certain model, the buyer first of all worries about how to choose a stainless steel kitchen sink so that the sink serves for a long time. Here it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of specialists.
So, what should you pay attention to:
- Material quality: in order for the sink to have reliable protection against corrosion, not be afraid of increased loads and temperature changes, the composition shouldchromium and nickel are present. This coating is easy to keep clean. It does not require special care, and retains its original appearance for a long time. To check the quality of steel, you can use a simple magnet. It should glide well over the surface.
- The thicker the material, the better. Of course, such a sink has a higher cost, but its service life will also be much longer.
- When choosing between a stamped and a welded product, it is better to give preference to the second. Welded shells are more durable and have a high level of sound absorption.
- Pay attention to the quality of the seams. It should be high.
- Surface finish can be polished, matte or textured. Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages.
- In order for a stainless steel sink to retain its presentable appearance for a long time, it should be wiped after each use.
- The installation method should be chosen based on the design features of the countertop. The dimensions of stainless steel kitchen sinks depend on the dimensions of the room. But the thickness of the steel sheet should be paid special attention, it should be about 1.0 mm.
- It is preferable to choose a product with noise protection. It is a special rubber pad that absorbs the sound of falling water.
- Warranty period for inexpensive sink models is 1 to 2 years.
Which is better: stainless steel or artificial stone?
Worth paying attention tothe merits of these two options. Let's see what is the advantage of a stainless steel kitchen sink under the countertop. Such models have a neat appearance and are inexpensive. Thanks to a wide selection of textures, you can easily choose the option that suits your interior design. Experts recommend taking a closer look at the sink with wings. Firstly, they provide additional protection to the countertop, and secondly, it is much more convenient to work with them. Models with wings have a very neat appearance, they are not afraid of corrosion. Installation of the product will also not cause any problems. You can do it yourself, without resorting to the services of professional craftsmen.
However, this option has its drawbacks. If drops of water enter the sink, there will be a loud noise. It is also not recommended to put a massive mixer on a stainless steel sink. The structure may warp under its weight.
An artificial stone sink will look luxurious in any interior. Its service life can reach several tens of years, while it does not lose its presentable appearance. This design does not require special care. It does not fade in the sun and does not make a lot of noise. In addition, artificial stone is not afraid of exposure to aggressive chemicals. The main disadvantage of such models is the high price.
Producers
It is important to take care to choose a durable stainless steel kitchen sink. To do this, you need to have some understanding of the manufacturers and understand which one is better to give preference to. Leaders inThe production of sinks from this material are Spanish, Italian, German and Dutch companies. All their products are of the highest quality. Hardware stores today offer a rich assortment of both traditional and original models for the kitchen.
Currently the best producers are:
- Villeroy&Boch;
- Florentina;
- Foster;
- Smeg;
- TEKA;
- Longran;
- Blanco;
- Reginox;
- Polygram;
- Ukimox;
- Alveus.
To choose a quality stainless steel sink, experts recommend taking a simple magnet with you to the store. If it is well attracted to the product, then you have a model made of low-quality non-food stainless steel. It is better to refuse the purchase in this case.
CV
In this review, we examined in detail how to choose a stainless steel kitchen sink. Today on sale you can find a wide selection of products for every taste and budget. The determining factors when choosing a sink should be the size of the room, the design of the kitchen and the functionality.
For a compact room, a round mortise model would be an excellent option. A stainless steel kitchen sink is best suited if you use modular furniture. If space permits, consider installing a double-bowl sink.
Stainless steel sink is a simple and inexpensive solution. However, she also has her shortcomings. These models make a lot of noise. You can smooth out this minus by slightly changing the design of the product. It is better not to place heavy objects in a stainless steel sink, as the product may be deformed. For the same reason, you will not be able to install a massive mixer on it.
If you have the opportunity to equip your kitchen with a quality design, then you should not save money, as your comfort depends on it!
