Consumer's Reports tends to decry everything expensive, but I can believe there is little difference to a pot dropped on an enamel sink, one to the next.

What idiocy. That said, Kohler sinks are far superior to some of their competitors.

My kitchen sink is a 1940 enamel over cast iron Kohler with many miles left on it to go... 'nuff said.

Mostly I really appreciate Consumer's testing and advice, but not so much this time. Notice that they only tested stainless steel sinks in 18-23 gauge. We held out for 16 gauge. I have a hard time believing that gauge doesn't matter for much. And who makes a 23 gauge sink anyway?

First of all, that's not exactly what it said.
These materials proved to be the toughest overall and easiest to keep clean, and they come in many colors. Neither enameled cast iron nor enameled steel suffered any damage in our hot-pot test, and scratches weren't very noticeable. But when we dropped a blunt, 5-pound metal test cylinder, equivalent to a heavy pot, on enameled-steel sinks, they dented, cracked, or chipped. Enamel cast iron chipped when we dropped a sharp, light object similar to a knife on it. Damaged enamel can allow the metal underneath to rust.

Guage is thickness - if you plan to stand over your sink on a ladder and drop rocks into it then you should probably seek out a lower (thicker) guage. Performance will be dictated by the composition of the stainless, the finish, sound proofing etc. not thickness. Obviously drop-ins can and usually are made of thinner material because of how they are supported. This is one of those fake "quality" notions that gets perpetuated on here and has no real basis in fact but will continue regardless. Consumer's "best buys" consider price but the actual scoring is based on performance in the areas they test. You can fault the methodology but not the results. Some of the things they look at are very subjective (ease of use for instance), I rarely look at the overall score but rather focus on the tests areas I am concerned with. Unless they experience a problem during testing they measure reliability separate so it isn't reflected in a products score.

My mother had an enamel sink when I was growing up and it did chip. A lot. One of the happiest days of her life was the day my dad replaced it with a stainless steel one. No one ever complains about it on GW though and I always wonder if the newer ones are better made or if hers was really cheap because it didn't take a 5 lb pot to mess it up.

I wonder why they didn't test composite sinks like silgranit? Has anyone dropped a 5-lb pot (from a ladder, no less ;-) onto a composite sink?

Here is a link that might be useful: Blanco silgranit II sinks

Consumer Reposts always seems to miss the point. The number one benefit of a sink is the functionality. Try and find an inexpensive sink with a rear corner drain and interior ledges that allow for placing cutting boards and other helpful items. 5 years ago I was remodeling my kitchen and found my dream sink in a showroom in New York. The price was just too much for my budget at the time. I recently remodeled my kitchen and was looking locally for a great sink with no luck. I asked some questions on Garden Web and was brought to the very same manufacturer I had seen in New York. The good news... They no longer sell through dealers. The Better news... The prices were about half of what I saw 5 years ago. I convinced my husband to spend the big bucks on this gem. Now it is the first thing ha shows friends and family when they visit. Even my children love to wash dishes ( a small miracle). Back to Consumer Reports... I used to have a subscription but got so frustrated with the fact they never seemed to have the more obscure higher end products in review. Often they are the best buy. Lastly, my sink is hand made in the USA. Try and find that elsewhere.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Smarter Sink by Rachiele

I was in the doctor's office yesterday and picked up a CR to read their take on dog food. I know...not a sink. But their highest rec was Old Roy for content and price. That stuff is the worse dog food that I can think of. There was more information and I can think of a dozen reasons not to buy it, but as with the sinks, I don't get where they are coming from.

They didn't test a soapstone sink? I want to use one in my bathroom as a dual purpose sink for hands and utility. And for those that don't know this, I am going to build it myself...I love problem solving.

Regarding enamel: What Marcolo said.

I agree with Essdana. Blanco Silgranit sinks are what I recommend to my clients who want a white sink. No sink is perfect, but this one is closer to perfection that any of the ones they listed in that article. The only thing I have ever heard anyone complain about is some think they look plasticy. People that like a shiny sink should go with enamel or even better....fireclay.

Speaking of fireclay, I wonder why they didn't include those? You can't open a kitchen magazines today without seeing them.

I also really like that Smarter Sink (linked above)...wonderful concept. I have been to that site years ago but I don't recall the Ledge thingy. Thanks for posting it. But I have often wondered if you can do the same thing doing a larger reveal on any undermount and then have a custom cutting board cut to fit. I would like it to fit the whole sink and then have a hole cut in right below the faucet for wiping scraps in to the sink....and to use as a 'handle' for putting it on and taking it off. Doing it this way would also double as extra countertop work space.

Has anyone ever done this?

Kompy

My Kohler cast iron enamel sink chips and gouges.
I love it, but I will replace it. Unfortunately it's built into the countertop now.

When I contacted Kohler with pics of the undersink rust and other damage, they sent me a whole 'nother sink. I have that in the box in the barn. Gotta love how they stand behind their product. Wouldn't cover installation, but I kind of get that.

I will go some kind of metal farm sink when I have the $$ to do so. It's not a priority.

Kompy, yes you can have a cutting board made.
I made one for myself.

Christine

I also really like that Smarter Sink (linked above)...wonderful concept. I have been to that site years ago but I don't recall the Ledge thingy. Thanks for posting it. But I have often wondered if you can do the same thing doing a larger reveal on any undermount and then have a custom cutting board cut to fit. I would like it to fit the whole sink and then have a hole cut in right below the faucet for wiping scraps in to the sink....and to use as a 'handle' for putting it on and taking it off. Doing it this way would also double as extra countertop work space.

Has anyone ever done this?

Yes, I believe circuspeanut has. Also, DavidRo often promotes this idea. I am intending to do exactly as you described. It doesn't hurt that the sink I bought (Elkay Elumina EGUH2816R) *specifies* the use of a positive reveal (for aesthetic reasons).

Here is a relevant thread. The evil Gardenweb gnomes are preventing me from linking it at the moment.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0701230626695.html

We now have a full cover, a half cover, and a 3/4 cover we call our PacMan, all made from oiled cherry. Works great!

If they had mounted a garbage disposal in stainless sinks they would have seen significant differences with gauge.

I have a 20 gauge stainless sink that haas been used repeatedly in remodeling projects as a temporary kitchen sink.

I drop it in and hook it up when the homeowner really cannot operate without a kitchen sink during a longer project (or when things go wrong after tear outs and more extensive repairs are required.
A couple cheap cabinets, A section of formed counter, and a sink with GD go a long way to helping the kitchen (and owner) 'limp' forward.

I used it during my own remodels also, and the noise and vibration from the GD was very noticeable less when the 16 gauge 12 inch deep sink was then installed (again temporarily waiting for granite for the final under-mounted installation.

The claim that damage to a 23 gauge was the same as damage to even an 18 gauge appears ludicrous on its face.

I sometimes disagree with Consumer Reports but never make a sizable purchase without seeing if they have something to say about it. I find this article very credible, as I did this information some years ago now. The medium-gauge stainless sink we purchased (a large deep single) based in large part on their testing, for about $100 on eBay has been an excellent purchase.

My choice was also helped by decades of experience in my kitchens which caused worries about such things as dropped-knife punctures and serious dents to seem distinctly...unnecessary.

As for not testing some materials, CR concentrates, of course, on ones common in the market--the middle-class market. Nice as soapstone sinks are, for instance, this forum is one of the few places they're not distinctly uncommon, if not unheard of entirely.

After hanging out on GW the last several months, I am more inclined to believe this forum than CR. For example, CR generally rates Kenmore appliances highly, but Kenmore appliances are made by lots of different companies now--there's no such thing as the Kenmore brand. Often, they seemed to be ranked higher than the real manufacturer's models. I might look at CR just to see...but more and more I take what they say with a grain of salt. Real people in real situations using these products is a better indicator.

My recollection has been that the Kohler cast iron enamel sinks are guaranteed. Their advertising shows someone heaving a frying pan into the sink from some feet away and leaving no mark or dent. But, here's the latest version of the guarantee, which sez that Feb 10, 2000 rewrote the guarantee. They're more cautious than previously, but if I read this correctly I think that the chip/dent is still covered and the example above is proof of it. Surface scratches, dullness, and stains and etching from cleaning products are not covered.

http://www.us.kohler.com/general/warranty.jsp#ci

Joaniepoanie, Kenmore items are usually rated individually by CR, aren't they? Could this be an indication that Kenmore outsources wisely, choosing the better or best products of various manufacturers and/or that it sets certain stern requirements in order to be a Kenmore supplier? Either way, it's not a bad thing. Yes, we all know Kenmore items which have failed, but we also know some good ones that are still a-chugging along.

When the CR annual kitchen issue came out two years ago, my range hood got totally blackballed. I was very hurt, as if this were a personal slam. It's important not to take CR stuff personally. (fyi: I now know that this hood is a hard one to install and there is a good likelihood that the test model may not have been properly installed. I'm happy with my product and it's done what I want, but I'm also sure, in hindsight, that the "winner" product must have been a good one. It took me 2 years to come to this wisdom.)

[soapbox mode on]
I find the tone of this thread interesting. Naturally, being me, I believe it speaks to the defensiveness that comes with splurging on high-end choices. But then, I am not in a high income bracket and my home is not in a pricey enough neighborhood to have been able to allow me to even consider high-end choices. Yeah, I'm frankly defensive about my situation just as posters above feel insulted by CR. Those of us who have modest projects cannot help but feel that there is a prejudice against moderate projects and products on the GW Kitchens forum. Prejudice may not be conscious but it's there. Most recently, there was commentary about it on the "this forum is a drug" thread and I couldn't just giggle when I read it because I believe it's true that we can get addicted to ratcheting up the costs. Put it another way: this thread is in part about peer pressure and the pressure is overt. If stuff is shown in the magazines and the promo pamphlets, does that make it better? Are publicists likely to show excellent low-end products in their photo spreads? Should we use "predominance in publicity" as a symptom of excellence? Think of how an 8th grade teacher could use this thread as a critical thinking exercise.
[soap box mode off]

CR is 100% correct in their conclusions about topmount stainless sinks. If you are doing a topmount sink, get whatever depth and configuration appeals to you and don't worry at all about the gauge of the sink. They will all work fine unless you are bothered by noise and vibration when you use your garbage disposal. Brickeye is correct about the variable of a garbage disposal. The thinner sinks will transmit more vibration, and make more noise because of that---for the 1 minute per day that you use your GD. It will still work fine though.

They are also correct in their statements about cast iron or steel topmount sinks. Newer cast iron is not as durable as older cast iron since lead was eliminated from the glazing process. Even new sinks will be fine if you use a mat or grid in them. The rim is still vulnerable though, so you may want to do what my grandmother used to and drape a towel just slightly over the rim when hand washing dishes.

Where CR's statements start to not apply so much is undermount sinks. (Did they specifically test undermount installations? I suspect not.) An undermount sink needs to be made of thicker metal in order to be mounted properly and have enough strength. I'd want 19 gauge minimum, and would prefer 18. I would not pay any cost difference between 18 and 16, but if they were the same price, sure, go with a 16.

An undermount cast iron sink should be mounted with a negative reveal, as that protects the most vulnerable part of the sink, the rim. Use a grid or mat in the bottom and it should last many years. If you want a colored undermount sink, cast iron or granite composite is the only way to go. Steer clear of enamel over steel, acrylic, and American Standard's Americrap (Americast). None will be durable enough to permanently mount to stone.

Yes, this board does have a bias for more expensive products (different than against budget products). I have commented on it many times. CR has a reverse bias. They are biased for inexpensive products, and have often rated the cheapest choice as the best choice simply because it's cheap. They don't test many high end choices, and their reporting is biased against them.

If you read both CR and this board, and keep in mind their biases, you get the end of both spectrums and should be able to discern a choice that works for you.

LWO, thanks for your perspective on sinks. I agree that you should take any information (this forum or CR or website reviews) as just a part of the equation and make an informed decision that's best for you. Sometimes you just have to throw out the data and buy the cutest one!

CR isn't trying to find the "best" product. It's trying to find a product that works well at a reasonable price. Products aren't rated higher because they are cheaper, but they are often recommended because they do the job at a lower cost.

I find CR's appliance ratings to be useful. I can easily compare which refrigerator or dishwasher is quieter and which range heats water faster. I can quickly compare the cycle times on washers or dryers. Some other ratings aren't so useful, but it's just another source of information. They also test many high-end appliances, and people get steamed because they don't rate them as superior. Do you buy a Sub-Zero refrigerator (or whatever else is in fashion these days) because it cools your food better? No, you buy it because you want that size and that look. Consumer Reports doesn't measure that.

I have read that if you pay more for a product you tend to be more satisfied with it. If you spend a lot you will try to like it and push any imperfections out of your mind. If you buy something cheap the imperfections will bug you a lot more.

florantha, I feel just the opposite, yet similar.

I've always felt cheered on by my reuse center finds, or what I'm making on my nonexistent yoga teacher/waitress/bartender income. People are very supportive, although there certainly aren't ideas to offer. :) I know I'm on my own with creativity.

OTOH, I do hear people freaking out because they can't match a marble and have to do it RIGHT NOW when in actuality? They don't. Nothing's that big a deal, needs to be in that much hurry, and as a boss of mine used to say, "If babies aren't gonna die, than it's just not that important."

Or the ones who just have to have granite because .... no good reason, just because.

I think there's too much HGTV going on with a lot of people. Many let themselves be pressured into resale issues, when they'll probably be there for 10 years or more. When resale happens, it'll be time to refresh and renew, anyway.

I've never read a CR in my life. Don't care. I try to buy sensible, durable, as inexpensively as I can, but I refuse to settle for something I don't love, no matter what someone says here, in a magazine, standing in front of me, or on this board.

Psychological studies do show that when something costs, it's valued more. I really, really value my 100% plywood, $5.00 Community Forklift cabinets. I'm just lucky I love painted cabinets! Too bad I hate to paint. [ROTFL]

Christine

We all know that more expensive doesn't necessarily mean better. My brother and SIL, on the advice of their KD, bought a Dacor range and built in fridge when they remodeled 4 years ago. They have been extremely disappointed with both and have had repair guy out numerous times for each. Two Thanksgivings ago we had to transport a partially cooked turkey to the absent neigbor's house to finish cooking because the range conked out in the middle of roasting the turkey! I remember watching a show with renowned chefs several years ago and they basically said the average home chef (even if they are advanced) does not need a big, professional style range...that your GE's etc will do perfectly fine and to save your $$. This made sense to me....how many of us are cooking all day, every day like a professional chef where we would need a big, workhorse stove....