I have the Kohler Bakersfield, the smaller version sink and really like it. I use a Kohler cast iron sink cleaner and Bon-ami cleaner on mine. My faucet is the Grohe Bridgeford and I can't say enough good things about it. The faucet was pricey but well worth it. It is a pulldown and I have never had problems with it retracting.

Thanks sis2two. I will look at the Grohe Bridgeford. I have trouble with my hands so I am looking for a pull down that does not require much grip to push or click back in or have to hold a button in to use the spray and also has a swan type neck.

Marissa - I just had the Cape Dory installed, (selected the cashmere color). Haven't used it yet since the house isn't finished but it certainly looks great. Didn't know about not using soft scrub, guess I'll have to buy the Kohler cast iron sink cleaner that sis 2 uses. My faucet is the Kohler Avatar, had it in my previous home and really liked it.

mskitchen - The Kohler rep told me to just use soap and water to clean. I am really leaning to this sink.

marissa, I don't you'll regret it if you decide to get it. I bought the stainless sink grid as well since I was afraid of scratches, etc and that even looks good in it. Thanks for the tip re soap and water to clean it.

I can't comment on the faucet, but I have the Bakersfield (white) and love it. It cleans up perfectly with a sponge down with my regular method dish detergent, and gets back to its sparkly self. No regrets here...I didn't get the sink grid because I feel like things would get stuck under there.

Thanks for the positive feedback. I am going to a Ferguson showroom tomorrow that has a working Kallista faucet so I can really see how it streams and sprays. It is very pricey and now the KWC is out because it doesn't have a spray mode. I saw a similar looking Elkay Pulldown (LKHA1031CR) today which is half the price of the Kallista so that may also be in the running once I research it better.

Sis2two I did look at the Grohe Brideford today but it is a 3 hole faucet and I am looking for 1 hole. Was considering the Grohe Ladyluxe3 but have read negative feedback about it so not sure about that one.

I also have a Bridgeford in chrome and you have to hold the button in to spray and twist to put back in spout. Not a problem for me I love the way it looks/works but just thought you should know you do have to hold the button in and twist to rehook.

There are KWC faucets with spray modes. I put one (systema) into our apartment and loved the quality. 0 issues and went back perfectly each time.

We have the Cape Dory undermount and I adore it. (I also didn't know about the Softscrub, though---we use either soap or Bon Ami once in a while, so I guess I should make sure the Bon Ami is okay!) I got it on sale at Home Depot during Black Friday last year for $300 or so, so if you keep an eye out you can definitely get it for less. We did get the sink grid and I really like having it---you do have to clean under it periodically but the flip side is that I don't think twice about throwing heavy cast iron and such in the sink. I also got the cutting board, which is not so great, so I'd skip that. (It didn't occur to me that when you set it on the sink, it would be below the counter height, which makes it really awkward to cut on; it is sometimes useful for stacking dishes on a second tier while washing or what-have-you, but not worth buying just for that.) Highly recommend the Kohler DuoStrainer and drain---far, far better than the ones in our old sink!

Our faucet is wall-mount so no clue on that---we didn't use any of the holes in the sink in the end.

rococogurl, I was initially looking at the eve KWC without the light. I just looked at the KWC systema on faucets.com but suspect the picture doesn't do it justice. It is confusing to me if the front is decorative or a separate spout from the pull down. I'll have to find one to see in person.

Our cast iron Kohler iron/tones smart divide sink was installed about three weeks ago. So far we love it. I purchased the stainless sink grids for the bottom which seem useful so far. The smaller bowl with the grid is perfect as a kind of drying basin for small handwashed items. My only disappointment with the sink is that I could not prevail upon my granite counter installers to do a positive reveal. They were adamant that I had to do a slight negative reveal with this particular sink. Oh well...

Marissa, good to know about not using abrasive cleaners on the cast iron. I had already used Bar Keeper's Friend on it once or twice. But BKF is so gentle I can't imagine it hurt anything. Kohler does say you can use Softscrub gel with bleach. I see on the Kohler website that they also have a special cast iron cleaning product they recommend. Here is a link to other Kohler care tips for cast iron:http://www.us.kohler.com/tech/careandcleaning/ks_cast_iron.jsp

Here is a link that might be useful: Kohler cast iron care

Our cast iron Kohler iron/tones smart divide sink was installed about three weeks ago. So far we love it. I purchased the stainless sink grids for the bottom which seem useful so far. The smaller bowl with the grid is perfect as a kind of drying basin for small handwashed items. My only disappointment with the sink is that I could not prevail upon my granite counter installers to do a positive reveal. They were adamant that I had to do a slight negative reveal with this particular sink. Oh well...

Marissa, good to know about not using abrasive cleaners on the cast iron. I had already used Bar Keeper's Friend on it once or twice. But BKF is so gentle I can't imagine it hurt anything. Kohler does say you can use Softscrub gel with bleach. I see on the Kohler website that they also have a special cast iron cleaning product they recommend. Here is a link to other Kohler care tips for cast iron:http://www.us.kohler.com/tech/careandcleaning/ks_cast_iron.jsp

Here is a link that might be useful: Kohler cast iron care

I have a Cape Dory undermount sink--LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It replaced an ancient double which was also cast iron covered w/enamel. The single bowl is so much more user friendly.

I also got a sink grid and would definitely advise including that in your purchase. I ordered both of mine from faucetdirect.com and definitely recommend that online vendor. I ordered my faucets from them too, as well as my appliance hardware. Excellent prices and wonderful customer service.

I do want to say that whoever told you not to use Soft Scrub is giving you bad information. These sinks are bulletproof-there's absolutely nothing wrong with using SS or even Comet. That's one reason I went with the Cape Dory; after 20+ years of not worrying about sink care I wasn't about to start babying one now. I use all of the cleansers mentioned above and of course there is no problem. Enamel is almost impervious to scratching and cleaning it won't damage it. Silly salesmen...

marissa, there are 2 styles to this faucet, tall and shorter. I got the tall one. We moved and while I have a great faucet where we're living now, I really miss this guy.

Ditto on going for the sink grid. I had 2 sinks without grids thinking I wouldn't like them and got one. Hooked! It's a can't-live-without now.

As for cleaning, the Mrs. Meyers brand of powdered cleaner is gentle and smells very good. They have several fragrances.

Here's an upclose on the faucet. The little button is pushed for the spray. It swivels up for cold and down for hot. It turns on by pushing to the right. Good luck with your search!

Thank you rococogurl. I was looking at the wrong faucet online. I did see the kwc systema today and it is in the running though I like the taller swan neck. There is a similar KWC with a taller neck named sin. The Kallista is still my preferred I think but the price may just be too high. Fortunately, there is a local bath store that has many of of the faucets hooked up so I could actually try them.

Runninginplace, it was the rep in the Kohler store who told me to avoid abrasives. She said she had spoken with people who have had their sink for several years and the only complaint was about the loss of the finish. So I would probably air on the side of caution. I think she said the gel was ok, just to avoid abrasives. So good to know you have no problems.

I have one Kallista faucet (not in kitchen) and it's lovely. You couldn't go wrong with either I'm sure. But in a faucet showroom, a bold of unexpected love can strike quickly!

The "KWC with a taller neck named Sin" is very slender and has even more high tech components in it than the Systema which has been out for many years.

davidrol, I thought the salesperson did say that the KWC Sin was a new faucet they got in recently. Would I need to worry about the high tech compnents or just that this is new without a track record yet?

It seems to me that it's new in the sense that it is slightly better; after all, the Systema is very good. This Sin is slenderer. There are four different models of Sin. I have seen three of them.

Here are closeups of the Sin, which came out in February and looks skinnier than the Systema. Apart from silhoutte, one big difference is shape/size of pull down head.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sin

In the image rococogurl linked to above you can see something mildly new in the handle. Where it is attached to the base, it's a cap. Nothing more than an improvement, not scary new.

Look at most other faucets available today and you will see a different shape of cap. The difference is significant for ergonomics, ease of use, eliminating the pinch point where a piece of skin could get caught when you hold the handle at its base instead of the lever. Some people will also comment on the look of the cut triangle of all the other faucets' caps. Given a choice, I figure they will say that the cut triangle doesn't look as good as the whole round cap. I like it.

In addition to the new whole round cap, there are several other improvements. Of course, it's normal. All manufacturers continually improve, year after year.

Thank you rococogurl. The Sin is tall and slender but the handle is much smaller than the Kallista or Systema. Not sure if I really like it. Depends how much I can get the Kallista for.

Also on the Cape Dory sink or any of the Kohler cast irons, does anyone have a staining problem if you don't clean it right away?

I'm on my second kohler cast iron. No staining ever. And I have four kids and three jobs, so there are many times in which saucy dishes get put in the sink and don't get to wash until later...we don't have a d/w yet. I may get the grid though...just for the scratching issue.

No staining on our Cape Dory so far (9 months in)---we aren't religious about cleaning but do try to at least rinse things that might stain (e.g., coffee). It does get little spots under the feet of the rack if left too long, but those clean up with a sponge.

Thank you Jalsy6 and artemis78. I am not seeig any real downside to the Cape Dory and it is looking much more attractive than the Franke orca which I love the design but think the Kohler is essentially no maintenance.

On Kohler,S site I saw the shape of the K-5864 and it made me think you were planning on using the top (beveled, angled, curved) edge of the sink as one would use the hanging rim of the Orca's sides. Similar to the Kohler Poise for which they sell you a cutting board that is beveled to fit on the top edge. The bevel in the Poise suite is very visible and is highlighted all the time. But, for this sink Kohler doesn't highlight anything.

Kohler has a cutting board for the Cape Dory sink, which supposedly " fits snugly over the sink basin". K-6637. Although they don't show its shape underneath, I'll guess it's beveled or grooved to match the sink top edge shape. You could have it sanded down to 15.5".

I bought the Breville cutting board and sanded it to shape my sink rim. It's bamboo. It has silicone feet. It is better and costs less than any Kohler cutting board. It looks almost like to Kohler's Poise cutting board (K-3140) but is more esthetic and beautiful in my opinion. Both are bamboo. The Breville one has recessed handles on the sides. And, as a tray, it replaces the need for a trivet or heat mat to protect a table surface from heat damage. Since it has silicone feet I can place it anywhere, straddling any part of my induction cooktop.

K-5864 (Cape Dory sink) is 29"L x 15"W inside. That seems big enough. It's 8.5" height inside. That = 8.5" below the countertop. Kohler writes in one place that your water depth could be 9". hmmm, or "omg!"

The Cape Dory sink has predrilled holes in its frame so that allows you to have faucets a tad closer than otherwise. Its drain hole is centered in the bottom; that is not the best spot for a kitchen sink drain hole.

Davidrol, I did like the Franke orca for it's interesting shape and that you could place a 1/2 grid on one side as a small drainage rack but then saw a frost colored Kohler which I found much more interesting and opted on the cape dory shape.

Someome had commented that the Kohler cutting board was not worth it so good to hear you wee able to adapt your own which sounds much nicer. I would probably center the faucet over the sink so why is a centered bottom hole not the best spot?

A cutting board is easy to reshape to suit your needs. A rasp, a file, a piece of sandpaper, and you're done. For this reason, a Kohler product will often be overpriced, because there is nothing special about the Kohler one but they still charge you two or three times what a cutting board costs at a local wood shop.

Re: centered bottom hole.
This has been written about before.
It goes something like this:
Aan off-centered drain is better when you think about what it's like to have an object in the sink AND when you wish to "adjust" the strainer, clean it out, stopper it, open it. etc. Furthermore, sinks often have more than one object in them. And if you put a small dishwashing basin in there you can really see the advantage.

The stream of a kitchen faucet is NOT the big reason why an off-centered drain is so much better than a centered drain.

The stream of a kitchen faucet should not go directly down the drain, in my view.

I don't find your argument compelling. The faucet can swivel and I guess it depends how you use a sink. I wouldn't have a basin sitting in the sink or see a situation where it would be completely obstructed especially in a large sink.

it's just the consensus, not my argument. The consensus could be wrong. In any case, there are more and more sinks with drain placed closer to the back than ever before. ((And in terms of arguments, there are many more... but I'm not in charge of restating them here. There are previous discussions to look into if yo wish to.)

I understand. But with this particular thread, I would like to know if those who have a Kohler Cape Dory or Bakersfield sink with the drain centered find any usage problem with the position of the drain in these particular sinks?

Nope, no complaints about drain placement---and I say that as someone who actually did think we wanted a rear drain when I started looking at sinks. (The only options with rear drains didn't work out for other reasons.) The stream of our faucet hits just about dead even in the center of the drain, but that's 100% coincidental---both the sink placement and the wall-mount faucet placement were dictated by established elements (sink centered on two windows in room, placement of plumbing pre-existing and not possible to move b/c of studs).

Our faucet does swivel, though (as do most I think?) and can easily reach the dish tub and strainer we often put in the sink on one side or the other without impeding the drain.

The Kohler Cape Dory cutting board is indeed beveled to hug the shape of the sink. My issue with it is not the board itself (beautiful quality and made in USA which was a pleasant surprise, and where I live there's no way you could get one for any less by having it custom made---the Kohler one was only $35 or so) but the fact that it sits lower than the counter surface, which isn't super comfortable to cut on ergonomically. However, I think (?) the sink can be either undermounted or self-rimming, so that may explain why. Regardless, I wouldn't bother with this accessory.

We've had the Kohler cast iron sink (cane sugar finish) in use for 18 months now and I haven't once been so much as tempted to use an abrasive cleaner. Everything wipes away with dish soap. I can't even imagine something scratching it or staining it. As for the centered drain, eh, maybe not my favorite place for it, but I can't say that it is a problem.
FWIW -- Amy

up thread someone mentioned that the Grohe Bridgeford is a three hole faucet and they didn't want it because of that but no it is just a one hole faucet. I have it and it is definitely a one hole with a pull down faucet.

I'm so glad to hear the good comments about the Cape Dory. This single bowl sink has been the frontrunner for us for months now. It's nice to read good comments about a cast iron sink!

I have a Kohler cast iron sink that is eight years old and I don't like it. It's a beautiful sink, and I'm sure looked great when it was new, but today it is really scratched, and I can't get it to look clean and white without using a gel with bleach (and even then, the side we use most often remains faintly yellow). But, it is an old sink, and maybe the previous owners used abrasive cleaners and wrecked the finish - so, lesson learned!

I have one Bakersfield and one Mayfield in white. Have been installed for a year. They replace a Bakersfield (?) red one made in 1970s which lasted well and is now in basement awaiting installation down there.

One odd thing though...the new sinks seem to be flatter on bottom. Things don't drain to the center quite as efficiently. Might be simply an erroneous impression but that's how it seems to me.

We've had our 45-inch Kohler Stages sink in use for about a week and love it. I like the stainless grid to hold items up off the bottom of the sink.

The cutting board that comes with, is nice and solid and--fit into the groove on the sink--is level with the granite countertop. It slides across the sink so can be either to one side or right under the faucet.

The wire holder for the trays and bowls fits perfectly under the sink. We did not have to modify any drawers to accommodate a hook, as some mentioned in earlier threads. The drainboard fits perfectly over the pullout garbage pails.

Also love the Delta touch faucet--very handy to turn it on and off quickly. A guest noted that, unlike his new faucet (don't know brand), we don't have to hold down the button to keep the spray function on. Just push the toggle button and it stays in the mode you want until you change it back. Video shows two faucets but that would be overkill unless you have two people working side-by-side who often need water at the same moment.

Everyone who has seen our sink, from friends and family to tradepeople working on the remodel, has said, "I want that sink!"

Here is a link that might be useful: Kohler Stages Sink