sinks: stainless steel versus cast iron

15 years ago

Hi, I've never had a stainless steel sink, always had cast iron. Can anyone tell me if they love/hate theirs? We are getting a free one with our granite from Great Indoors, and I've researched the brand (Revere)and the gauge (18) and it's not a "cheapy" like you'd think when you get a "free" sink. I've just never had SS and would love your opinions. Thanks!

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linehan

11 years ago

Hi,
Did you end up going with the revere sink? We're in the same situation. We'll get a free revere sink and just wondering if it's ok?

Thanks,
Ann-Marie

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Comments (10)

erikanh
15 years ago
Here's a previous thread on this subject:

Here is a link that might be useful: Stainless vs. cast iron
janepa
15 years ago
I have used both, and I prefer SS, because the cast iron (white) always marked when metal rubbed against it. It was a two hole, 8" deep for both which was nice, but the divider was at least 2 1/2-3" wide. Since it was my second sink for this cabinet I had to go with a drop in, and the edge around the sink sat up higher than I liked. We have recently replaced it with a SS which is also a 2 hole, but the large side is 19" x 16" (I can fully immerse my large roaster/20-22 lb. turkey size)and it is 10" deep with a grid, the smaller side is 14" x 16" and also holds a lot. The divider is only about 1 1/4"-1 1/2". I have been using the new sink for over 3 mo. and I highly recommend it.

Jane
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I can't speak to enameled cast iron Dutch oven versus clad stainless steel Dutch oven. As for cast iron skillet versus clad stainless skillet, they would be ideal for different tasks. Cast iron is a poor conductor of heat, but will hold (store) a lot of heat. When you put a cast iron pan on the burner, it will take a significant time to heat up and may have hot spots while it is heating. After a while (on my burner, 2-3 minutes), it will be evenly hot. When meat is placed in the pan, the pan will stay hot because it has so much stored heat. This makes cast iron great for searing and browning. After the cast iron pan gets seasoned with oil, it is also practically non-stick, if you wash it properly (no soap). However . . . cast iron pans do not change temperature quickly. If you cook something more delicate than a ribeye and it starts to scorch, turning down the heat won't quickly cool down the pan. Rapidly getting to a particular temperature is a bit tricky. They are heavy, so flipping and tossing is hard. Clad stainless steel is almost the opposite. The aluminum inside is an excellent conductor of heat, but does not hold much heat. So the pan will heat up quickly on the burner, and cool quickly when you lower the flame, it is responsive. You can get the desired temperature - say, a medium-low heat - right away, and the pan will have an even temperature without bad hot spots. But when you put the cold meat on the pan, the pan cools down quickly, until the burner brings the heat back up. So it is not as good for heavy searing. Stainless steel is sticky, protein (meat, fish, egg) sticks immediately and stays stuck until it gets browned and releases. Even then, bits of crusty food are left on the pan. That is a good thing - it is ''fond'', the foundation of a pan sauce - but if you weren't planning to make a pan sauce it can be a pain. You can avoid stickage by using plenty of oil, of course. If you get a stainless pan really hot, food and oil will scorch onto it, making for a cleaning job. Basically, you should have both, and use each for what it is best at. I use my cast iron pan at full-hot, for searing meat mostly. I use my clad stainless for more medium and low heat cooking, or at high heat if I want fond. If I could only have one, I'd get the clad stainless.
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Fori
15 years ago
I think cast iron is prettier when kept up--which takes a little more effort than SS. But I'll always buy SS because I'm clumsy and break things on cast iron (and fireclay). SS has a little bounce to it. It doesn't look dirty even when it is. It'll take all kinds of abuse and recover nicely. I'm just not careful enough or clean enough to keep a cast iron sink looking its best, but it was the high mortality rate of coffee carafes that really converted me.

And as Jane points out, you do get more usable sink space because the material is so much thinner. It can make a difference if you're dealing with a smaller kitchen or sink area.
ccoombs1
15 years ago
Like Fori said....Stainless doesn't look dirty even when it is. I LOVE that about it. I love cleaning my new kitchen. I keep the appliances clean and polisned, the the granite spotless. The sinks....I just rinse them out and they look wonderful. I guess upon close examination, you may (will) see water spots, but they are not at all noticable and don't bother me in the least. Keeping the dark marks off a white cast iron sink drove me nuts though!
wa8b
15 years ago
If you've ever accidently knocked over a wine glass in a cast iron sink, you know that the glass is history. Often, the same accident in a stainless steel sink ends in a happier result, the glass survives. Stainless steel is much more forgiving. In all likelihood, you'll find that you end up with fewer chips and dings, too.
Circus Peanut
15 years ago
I'll buck the trend and report that I had a (Kindred) stainless double bowl in my last home and really disliked it for the endless water spots that I was forever polishing away. I thought it looked dirty all the time even when it wasn't! So, your mileage may vary. :)
Fori
15 years ago
If you do get water spots with your water supply, SS or anything dark will show it for sure. White cast iron would be the way to go if spots bug you!
megradek
15 years ago
I love SS sinks. easy to care for, no worries. I have 'good' water (no need for water softeners and no spotting) so spotting has never been an issue. Even if there were spots, don't know if I would ever notice them - it seems like my sink is always wet because i'm working in it!
supremesurface
15 years ago
A high quality SS sink is a nice sink. Typically a 16 ga 18/10 made of 304 SS is a bit more than you need, but so is granite. 18 ga is ok, but make sure the granite company is using undermount sink brackets, not the mounting brackets that come with the sink. Have you considered a granite composite sink?

Here is a link that might be useful: Granite Countertops

sinks: stainless steel versus cast iron

linehan

Comments (10)

erikanh

janepa

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