I only have the Blanco black basket strainer. It looks great and cleans just as easily as the rest of the sink. Do use the silicone, NOT putty. Can't help with your other question-sorry.

Misslivvy - Both Blanco and Elkay are very well established companies that stand behind their products. Knowing that's the case, there are three specific things I would want if it were my sink. #1 - A noisy sink (from running water or the clattering of dishes) bugs me, so I'd want to know what's on the underside of the sink to absorb the sound. #2 - I once broke a wine glass when it fell over in my old sink. That's when I found out the hard way the not all stainless steel sinks have perfectly flat bottoms. The angle on the bottom of my sink made it impossible for my good wine glasses to stand upright. Won't make that mistake again. #3 - This isn't a big deal to everyone, but for me, I like to know I'm spending on products that are made in America. Here are links to the spec sheets on the 2 specifc models you mentioned. The Elkay sink says it has their sound-deadening material on the underside, but the Blanco spec doesn't mention sound deadening so I'm not sure what it has. Both spec sheets show side view diagrams. Looks like both have a bit of an angle to the bottom, but the Blanco sink is definitely drawn so that it doesn't look as level as the Elkay. Finally, the Elkay spec sheet does say this model is Made in USA, but the Blanco spec doesn't say where it was made. I'd go with the Elkay. Hope this helps. Good luck. http://www.elkayusa.com/cps/rde/xbcr/elkay/01-110G_ELU(H)2816.pdf http://www.blancoamerica.com/inter/kt/HeilerPPMKatalog/hlr-system/USA/Sinks_Bowls/BLANCOSTELLAR_Super_Single_Bowl/Spec_Page/441024.pdf

describe this more fully please. I got a cable drain too. I don't know anyone who got one from Kohler.

Sink drains and, therefore, strainers are standard sizes. However, note that kitchen sink drains are wider than bathroom drains. So, when you purchase your strainer/drain assembly, be sure you get it for a "kitchen". I purchased Kohler's DuoStrainers for both my kitchen sinks. Yes, they're a bit more expensive than basic ones, but they're heavy duty and the strainers are the best I've ever had! No more struggling to keep a seal, keep it open, etc. I highly recommend them! Tip: As with most items, don't buy from the Kohler site, check out sites like FaucetDirect.com, FaucetDepot.com, etc. Here is a link that might be useful: KOHLER: K-8801: Duostrainer® sink strainer: Duostrainers: Accessories: Kitchen