One large single sink (zero or near zero radius at that) makes cleaning big items so much easier: leaves the water in the sink instead of ricocheting all over the kitchen. It also means large baking sheets and pans don't scuff up the sides of the sink, and it gives a "hiding place" for dirty dishes either during dinner, as well as to those that are sitting and soaking.

I have an extra large porcelain sink which will have two faucets. Im pretty sure it's Shaw.

I have had double sinks, and never liked them. I cant really decide how to divide the usage. Just doesnt work for me.

I like a very large sink since it can hide a lot. Double sinks often have one side that is less deep. Since the entire sink ended up being filled w junk, the shallow side looked bad since you could see the dishes, etc.

I like vintage so thats why i prefer porcelain. I think I had too many apartments with cheap "stainless" to even like it again. In my old house i had a 30" Shaw for 8-9 yrs and it still looks great.

Here is a link that might be useful: my sink

jgs7691 - thanks, good luck with everything! Looking forward to seeing the finished kitchen.

Always - our new sink has an offset drain, which i like the look of, but i didnt realize it had a functional aspect? why do you like it?

For most of the same reasons Shannonplus2 cited, I just yanked out my old despised double bowl stainless sink and installed a Blanco Silgranit super single bowl sink, and I LOVE IT.

It is gorgeous, quiet, warm, large enough for big baking sheets to lay flat, deep enough for my pressure canner to fit in and fill/wash, sized right to hide dishes during a party, big enough to wash a puppy in (or baby when the grandkids arrive) and gorgeous. It will hold a flat of seedlings to allow for a gentle rainshower with my new faucet too, once I get some seeds planted.

The corner offset drain freed-up quite a bit of space under the sink. We plan on adding a sliding tiered shelf and eliminate the pile o' clutter.

Mtndredux - in answer to your question, an offset drain allows, as Mabeldingeldine mentioned, more room under your sink for storage, since you don't have the drainage pipe right in the middle in your undersink cabinet. An offset drain also allows you to set down your cookie sheet, roasting pan or whatever to soak, without covering the drain. Excellent! An offset drain that is in the corner is even better for these things, but a rear offset drain is great too. There are only 3 or 4 sinks made with corner offset drains (unless you go custom), and, as I said, a rear offset drain works well. Our Silgranit Blancoprecis Super Single has the rear offset drain, and I'll never go back to a drain in the center again.

I am getting a large, single bowl sink (12" deep!) in the kitchen of the house we are building. The house we are renting his the most horrid sink. It is about 8 or 9" deep 50-50. Ugh!! I have sprayed water ALL OVER THE KITCHEN trying to wash my large pasta pot. I can't fit a cookie sheet in there. I loathe it. I am soooo looking forward to my new sink!

I have the Shaw's 30 inch fireclay. I love the big single bowl. My only regret is that I didn't get the 36. The 36 would have fit into the cabinet we have (we are re-using our vintage cabs). I went with the 30 because I felt it would be more proportional with other elements in the room -- it is big enough and looks good but there is "wasted" space on either side so the 36 would have worked too. Oh well.

Single bowl: We have decided on a single bowl 30--36" offset drain. Now we need to decide on cast iron & porcelain vs soapstone vs fireclay. We have had a cast iron and porcelain 3 bowl Kohler for 24 years. It has held up amazingly well. However, while the small center bowl is often useful (we do not have a prep sink but will soon :-) ), the two larger bowls are somewhat duplicative of each other and neither is really adequate. We use one for washing and the other for rinsing and drying larger things. In addition, neither bowl is large enough or deep enough. So we are going single large bowl and separate prep sink.

Any thoughts on how fireclay holds up? I have this nightmare of a large cast iron frying pan slipping out of my hands and falling right through the sink! The dealer tells me that it won't happen. I am not convinced yet.

thanks
Will

I went from a double-bowl sink (which I also hated like so many others) to a big ol' honking 45 inch Kohler Stages sink. I ripped off the entire back of my house and rebuilt it with a new kitchen and master suite -- and my absolute favorite thing from that ginormous project is my sink. And the two faucets. :-)

Just updated our kitchen this winter. In doing so, we replaced a 70/30 double bowl with this single bowl. Really like it! I use a plastic dishpan just to do a few hand-wash items but have the whole sink for cookie sheets and other large items.

{{!gwi}}

Question... for those that have a single bowl sink, do you have a disposal?

For those that have a 70/30 (or similar) split, which side is your disposal on?

My husband and I are discussing sink options. Thanks!

Amazing to see only one mention of zero radius. That was de rigeur around here a year or two ago. I remember those days. Yep, yep, used to walk ten miles through the snow every day to log onto GW back then.

Somebody upthread asked how fireclay holds up, but I am not going to go there.

my2sons - yes, we have a disposal in our single bowl.

When we had the 70/30 sink the disposal was on the left (large) sink but only because our plumbing would not permit installing it in the smaller one where it would have been more useful (IMO).

My2sons - in answer to your question, we have a single bowl sink with a disposal. As jgs7691 pointed out in her post above, it's easier with a single bowl sink and a disposal. With a double bowl sink, there is one side without the disposal, yet things may still go down that non-disposal drain that could cause a clog. And it's an extra chore to dump out the slimy strainer from the non-disposal drain. With a two-bowl sink, whichever side you end up putting the disposal in, you will be doing a chore where you would want the disposal on the other side, whichever that is.

Thanks, Always,

Our 36" Shaw has an offset drain, so now I will know to appreciate it more! ( I havent used it yet)

I agree with previous comments. It's a matter of personal preference. I have a Ticor S405DR. I like having a small 2nd sink for soaking dirty knives and forks or for rinsing vegetables. Definitely don't do 50/50. You want the big sink to be big enough to fit all your big pots. The Ticor's main sink is still large enough to fit grill pans, large roasting pans, and big dutch ovens.

How do you actually wash pots and pans with a single bowl sink?
Do you not rinse them? Or do you turn the water on and off intermittenly while washing?

Thanks!

AKL Will,
I think I had the same Kohler sink at one time. I loved that sink, with the garbage disposal in the shallow middle sink. Now have 18 gauge stainless, Kindred 70/30 double, offset drain with disposal in the smaller sink. I'm still getting use to it. While it is very deep and I have no problem fitting my roasting pan, stock pots or cookie sheets, I'm still splattering water all over the place. Also finding myself wiping it down constantly. I kinda miss my porcelain.

We currently have a 70/30 sink with the disposal on the small side. I really wish the disposal was on the bigger side since that's where I'm washing out large pans with cooked on food. I'm trying to talk my husband into a single bowl in our new build, but he's a hard sell.

We have 2 boys and I do find myself cleaning off marbles, legos, and the like from time to time, so I see the benefit of not having a disposal on one side (although we are in disagreement as he prefers it on the small side). I guess I could use a strainer for cleaning smaller items and that might solve the issue of little things going down the drain that shouldn't. If only I could convince my hubby :/.

rexroat - the latter. I use a semi-pro sprayer that makes easy work of it (lots of pressure and uses a lot less water than filling a sink.

rexroat -- I rinse the pots, and then turn water off and on as I need it. I often will fill a big pot and then will use it to wash smaller items before rinsing it.

I do not have a garbage disposal, I feed my compost. Of course, I found this forum via the Garden Forums, so while my kitchen obsession is being nicely developed here, I've been gardening obsessed for years.

A nice feature of my new sink is a deep stainless strainer basket with small stainless strainer that fits right into it, and includes a nice little handle for lifting it out.

This is our current 50/50 sink with a 15"D paella pan on top of it. Note that I say "top" because it won't fit "in" the sink :)

This is the same paella pan in the Franke Orca that is going in TODAY:

I guess I am in the minority. I grew up with a single sink, this house had a single sink. We always had a rubbermaid plastic tub on one side that we used to wash in, and the remainder of the sink to rinse in. I almost never used the single sink fully. It used too much water (we are in California). The rubbermaid bowl always got stained and looked grungy. DH and I had no doubt that we would go with a double bowl (60/40). I love it. Pretty much everything goes in the dishwasher anyway.

I have a Kohler Stages 45. I am glad I made the decision to go back to single. It is the only sink in the kitchen -- it works well as a prep and clean up, at the same time with multiple people.
As far as dishwashing, I put most stuff in the DW. I do hand wash pots and pans and knives. If it's a big stock pot, I use it as the dishpan. If not, I do have a dishpan that I pull out. I clean out the sink, I wash , put the washed items on the grid until I rinse multiple items, and then I put it on the shallow end of the sink to be dried or to dry overnight.

Love the Stages, even moreso after 9 months.

These are all great posts! I'd love to get an apron/farmhouse sink but need the space underneath for the trash pull-out. So now, I'm undecided between either the Kohler cast iron Cape Dory single sink, or the Kohler cast iron "Smart Divide" 50/50 sink. I've read some GW comments on the Cape Dory sink, but does anyone have this Deerfield Smart Divide sink? Wondering if it really lives up to the feature of an "innovative, low-profile divider" that also accommodates large pots.
Thanks in advance.

I wonder if we scared off the OP with all the many details of sinks? Wtdedula, come back!

Many here like them, but my mom had a smart divide and I didn't care for it. You still have to 'balance' a cookie sheet and big things on the divide to scrub them. It was awkward in my opinion.

I thought long and hard about the Smart Divide sink, but decided against if for the same reason sumnerfan states. I also really really like the offset drain feature, I have so much more room under there than I used to!

I have been using a Kohler Stages 45 for a couple of months now. I really like the way it is so flexible, with the cutting board and trays that fit onto it. I have a fair amount of counter space now (seems like acres compared to the 3' that I had before), but I think this would be a really good choice in a situation where counterspace is tight.

alwaysfixin - Absolutely not. I've read each and every one of these posts with great interest and based upon numerous feedback right here, I ordered a Blanco Stellar Super Single Bowl Undermount sink just today. Had a friend whose company sold me the Cambria countertop and they had a promotion for these sinks running at something like $200. I read in another thread in the GW that the best (Or a very good) kind of sink is 304 Stainless - 18 Ga - 18/10 Chrome/Nickel content and this one has that. Tomorrow, I'm going to look at faucet's from a speciality plumbing store - want to get a pull-out sprayer and soap despenser.

I am so excited to see so many people give their input and feedback. I will use this forum so much more, now.

Tim

wtdedula, yes, the posts were very interesting. Going to take a look online at the Blanco sink now.

If one could be in love with a kitchen sink, I am in love with mine. It's a stainless Kindred 17 x 28, 10 inches deep with the drain and disposal in the back middle. It can handle everything I throw at it including a small stainless dish drainer I use on occasion. Going from a double bowl to this was like going from a wood stove to an Advantium. Still looks great after 5 years.

Has anyone seen or installed a Blanco Performa microedge sink? We are considering that for use with a laminate countertop. Would love an undermount sink but for many reasons are going with laminate. We want a single bowl, and are looking at the 441117. Can't wait to not have a 50/50 sink!

Here is a link that might be useful: Blanco Performa sink

Both homes started with double bowls. Hated them, and out they went. Now I have Julien apron front (super modern) with disposal in one and a Kohler Indio cast iron single under mount going in the other. Never missed the separate bowls! But of course it is a personal preference and has a lot to do with how you wash dishes. I just scrub all at once then rinse down the whole sink full.

I love my Franke Orca- hsw's picture says it all! There was a post recently on good prices for that sink. Faucet direct matched a low price with free shipping. maybe they would do it for whatever brand you choose.
Wish I had known that :(

Here is a link that might be useful: Franke Ocra sink pricing

i have a medium sized "large single sink".

The problem with two sinks of equal size is that if one sink is too small for an item, then the other sink is too.

Ive had a 50/50 sink my entire life...until last Thursday when our new 33" single bowl undermount was installed with our new granite countertops. I LOVE it and know what I was missing all this time! It's so big and washing pans is so much easier. We also have a garbage disposal, now in the center, but I still have plenty of room in the cabinet below for cleaning supplies. I'll never have anything other than a single bowl again.

I thought for the longest time that we would for sure get a SS sink... then I read some GW threads, I'm leaning towards a silgranit single bowl now. A couple of people in this thread mentioned that they love theirs.

But then I read a couple more GW threads, and found that there is this thing called Swanstone. Is it just the same kind of material as silgranit, but just called differently by different manufacturers? I found this Ascend Sink interesting, but I'm not completely convinced yet. Would love to see what other people think.
{{!gwi}}

Mudworm, I looked long and hard at that Swanstone sink. It is still appealing even though I really do love my Blanco. What sold the Blanco in the end was the feedback on the Silgranit versus very few comments/reviews on the Swanstone, and to me the Swanstone had a very slightly more plastic feel. I am curious what folks will say about it.

Mudworm - no, the Swanstone sinks are not the same material as Silgranit. They are both granite composite material, but Blanco has a superior formulation. The Blanco Silgranit sinks also look better than the Swanstone, and hold up better, don't stain, and can withstand high temperatures. You should shop for your Silgranit sink online to get the best prices. Also shop for your Silgranit sink online with reputable sellers, because how the sink is packed and shipped is very important. People here have cited Qualitybath and Homeandstone as two good sellers, but there are others.

I am linking to the Blanco Silgranit II press release which describes the advantages of Silgranit.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blanco Silgranit II Press Release

Our very first house had a sink with one large side and a small side (with disposal); I really liked it, so we put the same sink in the next house we built. We just built again and got the Blanco Silgranit 1 1/2 sink. It's even bigger (overall and both sides) than the first kind we fell in love with.

I like having the small side, esp. since it's the disposal side. It's like the "prep sink". I can get it messy without messing up the whole sink (the other side). The big side is large enough to fit my biggest skillet, handle and all, and my largest cookie sheet. LOVE IT.

I should preface this by saying we don't have a dishwasher, and I don't plan on one when I update my kitchen.

Right now, I have a single basin sink. I don't like those plastic tubs, so I just put a little bit of water in the bottom, and as I wash dishes, I rinse them by running water in the sink. Let me say, this drives everyone that walks in my house (but doesn't do dishes) absolutely nuts! I don't get it, since I don't walk in other people's houses and contemplate how they do dishes, but they seem to do it to me.

Dh, (who has done dishes maybe 10 times in 10 years) can't stand this sink. But, he did finally convince me to get a new sink.

Yesterday, we ordered a 70/30 undermount elkay composite granite sink. I plan on putting the garbage disposal on the small side, since really, for me, this was the only reason to get a double basin sink. I'm forever 1/2 way through washing dishes and finding that I missed scraping a pan or bowl out.

Mine is a 30" single bowl (zero radius for the record ;-) ). I've never liked any double bowl I've had. My parent's had the Kohler executive chef, which is about a 60/40. That was better, but I really love the big single bowl best. The zero radius may make the difference in being able to put half sheet pans or a roasting pan in front to back and leaving the other side clear - Love that!

I have a double bown stainless Franke sink. I LOVE it! I could not imagine not having a double sink. My big bowl fits my cookie pans and all the pots I own. My small one is great for veggie washing, pasta draining, defrosting seafood (shrimp in a colander) or anything else. I use my big section most but I definitely prefer having a second sink side.

Here is a link that might be useful: what my sink looks like

All of these answers sure have helped me in deciding on a large single bowl sink for my new kitchen. I'm contemplating a cast iron apron front versus the old vintage huge utility type sinks. Kholer has both and they sure look nice and roomy.

I am curious redstar123 as to your reasons why you do not have a dishwasher and have no plans for one....I'll tell you why. I'm not sure there is a decent one out there any more! Between all the energy star stuff and the change is detergents, I can't get dishes totally clean and pristine in my expensive, less than two years old KitchenAid. We've turned up the hot water to where I can't keep my hands under it very long, tried several brands of detergents, use rinse aid, but I still have to run the thing twice and/or do a vinegar wash. I mean, the thing doesn't even get lipstick off the rims of my drinking glasses. I'm about ready to go back to hand washing, much as I dislike it. I hand wash all my cutlery and cookware anyway.

Sorry about going off topic. I just couldn't resist trying to find out a bit more information!

Sandy

Yes, I know it's different. When we moved into our house, it had a dishwasher. It broke, within a couple months. Dh can fix anything, so he bought the part and fixed it. Then, another part broke. OK, so I'm done trying to glue that dw back together. We bought a new one (when we redid the floor from all the water damage).

We bought a nice one, about $500. It got the dishes very clean, worked great, for about 2-3 years. I had been limping along with it, pretending that it did dishes when it started making an awful noise. I finally quit using it, but didn't notice that water was collecting in it and sitting. Yuck! Dh took it out, since we couldn't afford a new dishwasher so soon. Nor, did I think it was worth the money.

It also seems to me, that my counters are cleaner this way. With the dishwasher, I would put the dishes in and not do the other dishes. They would sit there for way too long. If I'm hand washing dishes, I do it one to two times a day and do all the dishes.

I know a lot of people have much better luck with theirs, but I cook a lot, and if I have one I stick everything in it that I can, so it runs a couple times a day.

The Ascend is the same as the Blanco Cascade. Both very good.

Sandy808 - (sorry to go OT on this thread) - there was a thread on the Appliances Forum about DW detergents since the change to Low-Phosphate or Phosphate-Free. It suggested alternatives you may find helpful for your problems with your DW. Try using Finish Powerball Tabs, or Method Smarty Tabs, or Lemi Shine, and you may have better results from your DW.