Schock-Houzer Granite Sink vs. Blanco Silgranit

12 years ago

Hi there, I'm new to these forums and want to know if anyone has a Schock-Houzer Granite Sink (either the Cristadur or Cristalite+). I've read many positive reviews about the Blanco Silgranit sinks and want a comparison between the two.

I visited 4 local showrooms here, and have seen the Blanco sinks in 3 of them and the Houzer in just 1. I was told that the Houzer granite sink is pretty new in the US with only about a 6 month history. The feel of the Houzer granite sink felt smoother/silkier than the Blanco sink. The sales rep. I talked to had just seen a demo model brought in, and had a brand new-in-box one they let me see/feel. She said she sells alot of Blancos, but was very impressed with the Houzer and feels it will be comparable and competitive with the Blanco...but of course can't speak for long term reliability or use yet.

I am looking for ANY feedback on the Houzer granite sinks. Unfortunately, I need to buy a new sink pretty soon. I had been set on the Blanco because of my sink needs, reviews, and overwhelming positive feedback on this site - but I'd like to consider other options too.

Another side note...unlike many of you who have beautiful granite countertops, I have corian countertops (looks solid med. tan but has light & dark brown speckles), oak cabinets, and just upgraded to SS/black appliances from bisque colored ones. If I go with Blanco, I am looking at the Metallic Gray Blanco color, but am interested in Truffle too. I like the speckled Met. Gray color since I thought it would complement the SS/black appliances, but can't decide if that will be too weird with the speckled tan countertops. Not sure how the Truffle will be either. I do have the sample cards of each but they are so small and sometimes differ with the actual sink color. What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

Featured Answer

echodante

12 years ago

I bought a Schock Cristadur D-150 waterfall sink in Magma (black) after doing 6 months of research on sinks. I have now officially seen every sink on the planet. The Latoscana electronic faucet is the perfect match for my sink. I talked to everyone who sells Schock and I even called Schock-Houzer. (I bought them both online at Wave Plumbing and they recommended the cool faucet to go with it) My friends go crazy when they see my sink and faucet. They want to play with it. Who knew that this was the best way to get my friends to do my dishes.

When I found out that Schock actually makes most of the granite sinks for other brands on the market I eliminated the other brands. Then I was told that the new material used is superior and they are better, smoother, stronger, easier to clean etc.

Here's some info that may be helpful from the manufacturer websites...

Schock sinks have been very popular in Europe for over 30 years and they invented the granite composite sinks and manufactures 75% of the worlds granite sinks and actually make them for many of the leading brands of granite sinks. Houzer sinks partnered with Schock in 2011 to bring their best products to USA. The Schock sinks are the highest quality granite composite sinks on the market because they have improved the manufacturing process and have made their own branded sinks stronger, smoother and non porous and they have anti bacterial properties. The two new materials are superior to any of the other granite sinks as some of you have noticed by the smoother feel of them. That is the quality you are feeling.

There is more info at the Schock Germany website or the Houzer website under granite sinks. CRISTADUR is the superior stronger material over the Cristalite+ that is an improved version of the traditional material used in the sinks manufactured for other brands. This is what the manufacturer says about Cristadur Sinks: The premium material that has an ultra-fine structure, resulting in unprecedented ease of care and featuring a dirt repellent effect (the dirt simply runs off). As well as all of the positive attributes of CRISTALITE+, CRISTADUR is silky smooth and wonderfully soft to the touch while offering maximum resistance to dirt and scratches.

On the Houzer website click on e-catalog for the best information about these sinks. They also come in a lot of colors and there are sink drains and grates to match each sink.

I use Gel Gloss granite counter gloss a few times a month to clean my sink.

Here is a link that might be useful: Schock Houzer Catalog

Comments (40)

a2gemini
12 years ago
I am going Blanco - but sounds intriguing!
Let us know your decision and whether you like it downstream
krad
12 years ago
I bought a blanco silgranit (anthracite) sink 3 1/2 years ago. Love it. We are redoing our entire kitchen and will purchase the exact sink, only this time, I will get the undermount since we are replacing the granite. Good Luck!
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mystremom
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks a2gemini & krad.
@krad: do you have a single or double bowl? How has the anthracite held up? What do you use to clean it? What type of faucet do you have also? I need to replace that too! Thx.

Here's the website for the Houzer sink: http://schock-houzer.com/
Look under Granite Sinks: Cristadur or Cristalite

Having a hard time deciding between Blanco & Houzer, as there's not much out there re: Houzer granite sinks yet.
krad
12 years ago
I have the double bowl, with the left side being larger than the right. Until tonight, I was thinking about getting the double bowl with each side the same side, but the left side will be a tad smaller than what I have now. I think I'm keeping the same look. It has held up really well. It is black and when I first had the sink installed and used it, I would wipe it dry every time I used it to avoid those water spots. That got old. And to be honest, I rinse it out and let it air dry. I don't have water spots, except around the faucet (Moen brushed nickel), which I am re-using); you know how that goes. Last week, I used Lime Away around the base of the faucet and spray to get the hard water stains off and it worked. However, I only used it because I know I am getting rid of this sink and wanted to see if the chemicals did any damage. I even let it soak on the granite a little. I am sure it stripped some of the sealer off the granite (my sink is on the island). But the hard water spots are gone.

Now I'm wondering if they can "under" mount an "over" mount sink? That would save some money!
breezygirl
12 years ago
I've never heard of this new brand. Both my sinks are Blanco's metallic gray. I really like the color and love the sinks in general. No scratching, no water spots, no metallic sounds, no black marks from pans like I used to get on my white sink. Looks clean so much that I forget to clean it. Someone else on the forum said the same thing, and I couldn't believe that could happen.

My prep sink. The color is pretty true.

My cleanup sink right after marble install. The color is off here because of the lack of light in the room.

It sounds to me like the Truffle would be better with your kitchen. If you're worried that it might be close but look "off", you might look at the Cafe Brown. The brown has a yummy, rich depth to it. I was planning on that one when I was planning on using Bianco Antico granite.
cj47
12 years ago
Blanco Anthracite here, in both the clean up and prep sinks. I love 'em. I just rinse them out, and if I want them to look extra fancy I use the cleaner I bought when I bought the sinks. Honestly, I have never felt I needed it. I also have a little hard water spotting around the base of the faucet, but it's very easily removed. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Cj
breezygirl
12 years ago
Echodante--Very interesting. Does Schock make silgranit sinks for Blanco?
mystremom
Original Author
12 years ago
Echodante: Thank you for the addl. info. I was told that Schock or Houzer used to manufacture the Blanco sinks before. Not sure if this is true though.

Did you see the sink before ordering online? I saw a Cristalite sink at a showroom and the feel of it was very smooth. But when I felt the Cristadur "sample" vs. the Cristalite sink- the Cristadur didn't feel as smooth. The sales rep said that they were shown a Cristadur and felt the look/quality was better than the Blanco (which she sells alot of already).

I priced the Cristadur Montano N-100XL at the showroom and it was about $220 more than the Blanco Diamond Super Single. Wave Plumbing (which is local also!) has the Schock Houzer on sale right now, so I might look into that - it's still more than the Blanco sink though.

Your LaToscana faucet has such a unique look. It's a pull-down sprayer, right? Can you tell me more about the functions? Does it have an on/off touch - since it's electronic? Or any other type of sensor? Can it be manually controlled if you turn off the electronic feature? Is the spray head plastic or metal? Is there a locking toggle switch from stream to spray or do you have to hold down the button while using spray mode?

Sorry so long. Thanks for the feedback. Hope you continue to love the Schock sink! :-)
mystremom
Original Author
12 years ago
Echodante: Thank you for the addl. info. I was told that Schock or Houzer used to manufacture the Blanco sinks before. Not sure if this is true though.

Did you see the sink before ordering online? I saw a Cristalite sink at a showroom and the feel of it was very smooth. But when I felt the Cristadur "sample" vs. the Cristalite sink- the Cristadur didn't feel as smooth. The sales rep said that they were shown a Cristadur and felt the look/quality was better than the Blanco (which she sells alot of already).

I priced the Cristadur Montano N-100XL at the showroom and it was about $220 more than the Blanco Diamond Super Single. Wave Plumbing (which is local also!) has the Schock Houzer on sale right now, so I might look into that - it's still more than the Blanco sink though.

Your LaToscana faucet has such a unique look. It's a pull-down sprayer, right? Can you tell me more about the functions? Does it have an on/off touch - since it's electronic? Or any other type of sensor? Can it be manually controlled if you turn off the electronic feature? Is the spray head plastic or metal? Is there a locking toggle switch from stream to spray or do you have to hold down the button while using spray mode?

Sorry so long. Thanks for the feedback. Hope you continue to love the Schock sink! :-)
attofarad
11 years ago
mystremom --

What sink did you end up getting? Any followup comments?

Echodante -- how are you liking your sink?
akatricia
11 years ago
I was planning on getting the Blanco silgranite sink because I like the sink combinations/depths better. I didn't see a Schock double sink that was deep enough. So glad to hear that the color holds up well. But I am concerned with the recent Consumer Reports test that cracked the Blanco sink when they dropped a five pound weight in it (to simulate dropping a large pan). So, not sure what I will do now.

Here is a link that might be useful: Consumer Reports Blanco sink
breezygirl
11 years ago
Akatricia--that CR test has been discussed and pretty well dissed here before.

The thread is linked below so you can read the discussion for yourself.

Here is a link that might be useful: CR report hooey in my book
efwillis
10 years ago
Hello!

Just wondering if anyone has anymore information on the Houzer granite sinks? I have been looking but there still isn't that much information on the Houzer sinks.

@echodante How is your sink holding up?

Thank You!
pumpkinhouse
10 years ago
I'm interested as well. I see that Home Depot carries the line on their website, but no sinks are shown to be at the local store. Amazon carries the line too but only two models have reviews. Does anyone know if they will send samples?
skipper1960
10 years ago
I put in a Blanco siligrant granite sink. We chose the biscuit color. We've had it for 3months so far and it still looks like new. Easy to clean and no scratches. I did a lot of research on various types of sinks and Blanco sinks are the best in my opinion. I sent 3 Swanstones back to menards due to scratches. The packaging was not very sturdy. When we received our Blanco sink, I was amazed at the amount of packing material used to the sink secure. The quality of the Blanco sink was so much more than tha Swanstones. My wife and I love our Blanco sink

This post was edited by skipper1960 on Fri, Oct 25, 13 at 7:37
skipper1960
10 years ago
I put in a Blanco siligrant granite sink. We chose the biscuit color. We've had it for 3months so far and it still looks like new. Easy to clean and no scratches. I did a lot of research on various types of sinks and Blanco sinks are the best in my opinion. I sent 3 Swanstones back to menards due to scratches. The packaging was not very sturdy. When we received our Blanco sink, I was amazed at the amount of packing material used to the sink secure. The quality of the Blanco sink was so much more than tha Swanstones. My wife and I love our Blanco sink
bookworm4321
10 years ago
Silgranite sink in cocoa brown has a matching faucet/soap dispenser, made by Brizio. They look great together. The faucet is half cocoa, half SS. I ordered the soap in solid SS to not overdo it.
jsw.ca
10 years ago
Has anyone installed a Houzer sink? Looking at a black sink and not sure which brand to choose - Houzer or Blanco? Would appreciate feedback from those of you who have had these sinks for a while.
hansoche
10 years ago
Go to google.com and type in blanco metallic grey vs. truffle sinks. Click at the top of the page where it says images. There are alot of pictures of these colored sinks with black and tan countertops. Hopefully this will give you a better idea which way to go. Best of Luck!!
frmrswife
10 years ago
thanks for the tip hansoche, i was just researching these sinks and the pics are great!
pumpkinhouse
10 years ago
Houzer appears to have a new line of granite sinks that they call Quartztone. Anyone seen one or heard anything about them? Their website is a bit light on details. I would think it would be a step above the granite sinks, but the retail prices don't reflect that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quartztone
xc60
10 years ago
Hard to say, we have one of their Cristadur sinks just installed in our new build. This looks very similar but not quite, they maybe trying to get into the less expensive sink market and using the "quartz" in the Quartztone name to get more sales as quartz is kind of the new "in" product at the moment.
barpadilla
8 years ago
I bought a Blanco double sink and bar sink in black, 9 years ago, and it's still looks like the day I got it.
kairig
8 years ago
Does anyone know if the Cristadur sinks are still being distributed by Houzer or if they are even available in the US anymore?
millworkman
8 years ago
Try this link, one quick Google search and the first thing on top of the page.............
kairig
8 years ago
Well yes, I saw that, I've been researching this all day. Schock don't list distributors and Houzer doesn't list Cristadur items anymore. So it is a bit unclear. I have emailed Schock USA to find out.
millworkman
8 years ago
Call them, there is a phone number
linseyjobosl
7 years ago
Kairig were you (or anyone else for that matter) able to find out the answer to your question? I've also been researching and cannot find the Schock Cristadur in stock anywhere. I'm wondering if they no longer make it or import it to the US?
kairig
7 years ago
No, I have not, though I have published my report on Composite Sinks at this link. We are sticking to Blanco and Kohler in our showroom! An Intro to Granite Composite Sinks
Huntting B
7 years ago
Since this thread is still pretty active. Curious: Has anyone encountered chipping/cracking issues with the Schock sinks? I did a search on google and came up with an old set of reviews in Australia talking about all sorts of issues with "Abey Schock" sinks (http://www.productreview.com.au/p/abey-schock.html).

What I can't tell is: Is this the same as the Cristadur/Schock-Hauser sinks?

The more important question is: How does the durability of Schock compare to that of Blanco? Schock has many more color options, better ones for our kitchen, and I really love the smoother surface of the sink. Saw the fun video of them shooting the Schock sink with a gun and no issues, but that doesn't really talk to heat stress, etc.

Any comments/thoughts/experience? Has something changed in their materials over the last few years, like Blanco had Silgranit II come out in 2009?
kismetique
7 years ago
I've visited this thread several times and it's interesting that it is still fairly active. I'm looking at the Cristadur waterfall 150 in Bronze. Wayfair carried them a few months ago with good prices but when I checked last night, there were no Schock or Houzer sinks listed on their site. I have found a supplier from Germany on eBay, his listings are rather obscure and you have to dig deep to find them. He carries the entire line including vintage models and colors; GREAT prices with a flat $145 shipping. I currently have a Swanstone in black that drove me crazy when it was new with water marks and looking dry, until I wiped it down with coconut oil a couple of years ago and I've not touched it again. It now wipes down and is cleaned continually from just washing dishes and looks brand new.

I'm looking at Schock over Blanco for my remodel in a different house due to the unique look of the waterfall, but I'm worried that it might suffer from being less than utilitarian. They have a matching 15" prep sink which I plan to install as well. Anyone have any real experience with the waterfall design or Schock for that matter?
Susan
7 years ago
Saw a blanco silgranit sink today. It had chipped and the chip was a different colour and stood out from the sink.no children or teens in the house.disappointing!
numbersjunkie
7 years ago
Susan, are you for real? I have the black silgranit and I have a small chip but it's the same color as the sink. I only know from feel that the small chip is there. I've have two in my house for 5 years and am using them again in my vacation home. Didn't even think twice.
thebethro
7 years ago
Would any Americans be willing to send me some samples of the Blanco Silgranit colours? I'm seriously considering importing two of these from Germany direct to Australia. We can only get white, rock grey and anthracite in Australia.

From looking around at what's available overseas, the Metallic Gray and the Truffle look like they could work better in my kitchen. I've found a place online where I can ship them from Germany to Australia and they have all the colours, but without seeing samples, I'm not sure which will work best. The Germany company said, unfortunately, they don't have samples.

Ot, if anyone has samples of the Rock Grey and the Metallic Grey, can you take a photo of them next to each other and upload here?

Thanks in advance!
kismetique
7 years ago
I was perusing around looking for the best price to buy my cristadur waterfall and I came across the exact sink I wanted, only it was in a white / cream color (I was wanting bronze). It was a price that I couldn't turn down - even in cream at less than $100. I purchased it and I have to say, It's a bit bigger than I anticipated but it's lovely. I'm excited to get it installed next month! I wasn't as all sure about the design and if it would be utilitarian, but after seeing it, I believe it will be perfect. I'll report back once it's installed. I'm now looking for a 15" prep sink in the same line. Anyone think it would be odd if I put non-matching sinks in the kitchen? I'd like to buy my prep sink my the preferred bronze color. What's the concensus? Hubby think's it would be just fine to have 2 different color sinks.
peartreecabinets
7 years ago
I had a Blanco silgranite sink in anthracite for 10 years. as long as I looked after it, it looked great after 10years. however, we have built a new house and I put a Cristadur sink in. Black. after using this sink for 6 months it is no contest. I will take the Cristadur sink any day over the Blanco. its so much smoother and no need to wipe dry after using. Both houses are in the country so we are talking country water not city water. the Cristadur is more expensive, but, considering how long you have a sink, its not that much more. I am a kitchen dealer and I am suggesting my clients go with the Cristadur.
kismetique
6 years ago
I'm about 9 months into using my waterfall schock sink. It has a couple of chips and gouges, but you can't tell unless you feel them. I love the design, but wouldn't recommend it, as I suspected, it's not very utilitarian. I had it top mounted in order to use the cutting board as intended. I'd under mount if I had it do over, or pick a different design. It cleans like a dream, love the silky surface, but the chips irritate me, I didn't think it was supposed to do that. For less than $100, I'm okay with it! For $900, I'd be terribly upset!
diane7kelly
6 years ago
I have specified cristadur sinks and they have been well received by clients historically. I have had more issues with this product lately. The quartz based sink scratches and one client has divets in the finish. These issues are not covered by the warranty. The client purchased the grate for her sinks to protect the basin but even the legs on the grate supplied by the manufacturer scratches the surface of this high end sink.
Amy Rosenfield
2 years ago
This is an old discussion, but I am hoping someone is still reading it from time to time. I am intrigued by this "waterfall" design. Someone in Cleveland area is selling a Schock-Houser granite waterfall D150 sink very inexpensively and I just can't visualize how it works. Can someone with a waterfall kitchen sink tell me about how you like it? How is it different than your usual 2 bowl kitchen sink, etc. Thanks!