The center of any kitchen is the sink. And, despite the abundance of modern technology (we are talking primarily about the dishwasher), a kitchen sink is always necessary and important. In it, not only wash dishes, but also use it regularly in the process of cooking. Appearance is certainly a big deal, especially when the style of the kitchen calls for it, but reliability must not be forgotten.
Should I buy products made of artificial stone (for example, the most popular models on the Internet from the Granfest ECO line of sinks), reviews of which are so contradictory, or is it better to choose stainless steel and not be afraid of chips, scratches, cracks? Is there an alternative to expensive European manufacturers who offer their goods on the market, claiming high reliability?
Which sinks are more popular now: stainless steel or artificial stone?
Trends in the design of modern kitchens dictate the use of durable quality materials with an emphasis on naturalness. The texture, color and structure of the product should embody the creation of nature. And here it is worth noting the great popularity of countertops with “stone-like” decor and sinks.from artificial material. Of course, outwardly such products attract many consumers. They look beautiful, personify comfort and prosperity.
But in contrast, consumers are very familiar with the reliable stainless steel kitchen sink option. In almost every apartment there was or is such a sink. And almost no complaints. However, consumer demand for these models is declining every year. Today we can safely say that stone-like products have bypassed stainless steel sinks in popularity. And there are more factors here than the seemingly primitive design of the latter.
The question of which sink is better: stainless steel or artificial stone is a topic for another article. And now is the time to discuss the most popular manufacturer based on sales results for 2016-2017 in Russia. If you have not yet bought goods of this brand, get acquainted - the company "GranFest" (GranFest), reviews of sinks which made a lot of noise on all kinds of furniture forums. What's what, let's try to figure it out.
Who is the manufacturer of "Granfest" sinks?
Granfest trademark sinks are produced in Russia. The Formula Comfort company focused on elite products of domestic production, therefore, initially, at the stage of creating the factory, it purchased expensive equipment in Germany, and the main facilities were grouped in the Russian Federation.
Manufacturing technology was also borrowed from European colleagues. It was decided to make products reliable, from high-quality materials, and keep the price tag low in order to immediately winconfidence of the domestic consumer. Then enter the CIS market and develop further.
To date, the company has achieved all this. There is only one problem - the reviews about the sinks "Granfest" do not correspond to what the manufacturer claims. The quality is poor, the reliability is minimal, and the appearance of the products (curvature, bumps, wear) leaves much to be desired. What's the matter?
Why are the reviews about GranFest kitchen sinks so different?
If you look at the rating of kitchen sinks in 2017, you will find that the manufacturer "Granfest" occupies several positions at once, including the first three places of popularity among the Russian consumer.
The high share of sales in the country creates, first of all, high competition, and secondly, a high risk of fakes. Chinese products are easily passed off as products of a popular manufacturer. It is enough to stick a label with the name of the company on the box, which can be printed on any printer.
The kitchen sink manufacturer Granfest faced the same problem. Reviews of the products of this company with photos without logos on the products indicated an abundance of fakes sold in the construction markets and in furniture stores. This forced the company to make the most of the fact that Granfest sinks have a high level of protection against counterfeiting, developed in their own design bureau.
What is important to pay attention to when buying a Granfest sink
The entire range of GranFest sinks has special distinguishing features. Reviews on the Internet prove only that people oftenbuy fakes. Indeed, most often the photo clearly shows the absence of insignia.
All products of TM "GranFest" are protected by special signs. Sinks have 3 degrees of protection:
- blue silicone logo on the inside of the sink (above the overflow);
- cast stamp on the back of the product (be sure to check before buying);
- branded packaging, branded with company logos directly on cardboard, indicating the FKM manufacturer.
In addition, the manufacturer advises following five rules when buying:
- Purchase products only from official representatives and their partners (kitchen salons).
- After purchase, special attention should be paid to fit to the countertop. It must be perfect. No distortion of the product is allowed. The perfection of molding is checked by multi-stage Quality Control Department.
- There should be no scratches, cracks, chips, small bubbles and bumps on the sink. The box must not be wrinkled or damaged.
- The work surface of the sink must be smooth. This is a sign that at the factory it was covered with a special compound - gelcoat.
- The box should contain a technical data sheet containing recommendations for use.
Acceptable price for domestic goods in no way indicates low quality. A curved product cannot be created on high-precision equipment and from high-qualitymaterials. Granfest products are truly distinguished by their reliability, durability and high quality. And this is confirmed by consumers who have bought a branded product.
Technical characteristics of sinks "Granfest"
All products - both faucets and sinks made of artificial stone Granfest - according to consumer reviews, have a high degree of reliability. International certificates of quality and environmental friendliness confirm this fact.
Important! Sinks do not change their properties even under the constant influence of high temperatures. According to technical data, up to +180˚С.
At the same time, surfaces are protected from rust stains and coloring pigments from products that may appear during operation. The manufacturer notes that the material of the ECO collection, even in light colors, is not dyed. But you need to understand that any surface tends to get dirty. If any stains appear on the surface, it is enough to treat them with a sponge and a cleaning agent. It won't hurt the outer layer.
Advantages of Granfest kitchen sinks
Reviews about the real products of the company confirm all the advantages of sinks, which are declared by the manufacturer. According to technical specifications, Granfest sinks have the following indicators:
- Vibration during operation - none.
- Water jet sound absorption is high.
- Reaction to alkaline chemicals is neutral.
- Stain resistance is good.
- Presence of radioactiveradiation (noted in products made of quartz) - absent.
- Electrical conductivity - non-conductive, can be installed near appliances.
- Moisture absorption - up to 1% (due to innovative coating - gelcoat).
The company gives a 2-year warranty on all sinks and 5 years on faucets (by the way, they are also often faked). The service life of sinks is 10 years or more.
International certificates confirm that only environmentally friendly and safe materials are used in the manufacture of GranFest™ sinks.
GranFest brand range
In the catalog of products manufactured today, there are five collections - more than 40 models. The product is available in 12 colors.
The company has 2 trademarks within the same line "GranFest". TM GranFest sinks (reviews of which are most often found on the Internet) differ from TM GranFest ECO sinks.
The main difference is that the standard ruler is made from marble chips (80%) bonded with polyester resin (20%). This mixture is called artificial marble. According to the manufacturer, this mixture is 8 times stronger than natural stone. The most popular among consumers is, according to reviews, a granite sink Standart GF-S645L Granfest.
The ECO collection is made of quartz agglomerate (crumb - 80%), and the rest is occupied by a complex composition of high-strength binder resins. Thanks to the resins, a non-porous structure is obtained, which prevents the development of bacteria, molds and other microorganisms on the surface. Of this line, the most popular is, according to demand data in 2017 and reviews, the Granfest ECO 13 sink.
The company is proud to present the first model in its exclusive collection - "Gzhel". This model is similar to the Rondo series, with patterns applied with special composite compositions, made in the Russian folk art technique of the same name.
