Rohl Allia vs. Kraus SS sink

13 years ago

Found some great deals online for the Rohl Allia 31" Undermount Fireclay 10" Deep Bowl, and the Kraus 30 x 18 x 10 single bowl SS 16-gauge sink. Our sink budget is $400-$500 (found the Rohl for $575 w/ shipping--not bad!).

We are planning, at the moment, on going with ORB hardware and faucet (in spite of the "living finish"). Definitely cream cabs and Verde Peacock granite.

In terms of longevity, resale value, and all that good stuff, which is better to go with: fireclay or SS? We live in a modest neighborhood, nothing fancy, but people take pride in their homes.

I love the softer, more country look of the fireclay, but it's not cheap and I'm afraid of chipping, staining, etc. SS is more practical and affordable, but it's a colder more modern look (we have a Cape Cod style home).

What are the pros and cons of fireclay and SS?

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Comments (5)

mailfox7
13 years ago
We were trying to go for a more traditional look and chose the Rohl Allia undermount. I never considered the SS, for as you stated, it does seem more modern.

Many have used SS in their kitchens and love them. The water spotting and that sound of water and dishes hitting the SS is what would drive me crazy. Can't speak to resale issues. That might come down to personal preference.

I've had my fireclay for almost 2 years and have had no problems whatsoever. It cleans up nicely, no chipping and I had no installation issues. I use a SS grid that I, now realize, would never live without.
mset31CT
Original Author
13 years ago
la_jan: did you get the SS grid that is specially made for the Allia or did you buy any old grid at the store? The Allia grid is almost $200, and I can't justify spending that much on a sink grid. What did you do?
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kngwd
13 years ago
I just bought the 30" Kraus SS sink at expressdecor.com. LOVE IT!!! I too love the look of fireclay much better, and am going for a bit of a country feel, but we are a rough family and I knew we would destroy it in no time!! We are also DIY'ing a fair bit and I was a wreck of messing up installation. After looking at a ton of pictures, I decided the SS would look fine. And when it arrived - WOW!!! It's gorgeous!
francoise47
13 years ago
The Allia sink is gorgeous and fireclay has a wonderful feel. Fireclay or white cast iron do look nice with the darker granite like the one you have selected. But stainless is also a wonderful material for sinks. I've had stainless most of my adult life and have never once worried about banging, chipping or breaking it. In terms of resale I don't think that it matters if you chose fireclay or stainless. I looked at the beautiful Allia sink and decided that it was a little bit deep for my needs. I also felt that the Kohler cast iron sinks (most are under 500 dollars) seemed more durable than fireclay. But the Allia was tempting...
salmon_slayer
13 years ago
we have the allia (and a grid) for 2 years now - looks brand new. The grid was for the allia. we bought them from an ebay supplier. I can look it up if you want but the seller was something like "plumbingdeals". we have bought several items over the years from them, and our friends have used them, and they have been great with very good prices.

either choice is good

Rohl Allia vs. Kraus SS sink

Comments (5)

mailfox7

mset31CT
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Rohl Allia vs. Kraus SS sink

Comments (5)

mailfox7

mset31CTOriginal Author

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kngwd

francoise47

salmon_slayer

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mset31CT
Original Author