P.S. from fiddleddd.....I should have mentioned that we want a large single sink. You can look at my post below about Lenova sinks to see what type of sink we're considering. Thanks! And do you think it would be worth it to post this question in the plumbing forum?

I would definitely tell someone that an undermount sink does not have to be really deep to be good. Being undermount gives you a bit more depth already.

The aerator in the faucet is what prevents splashing.

My 8 inch overmount sink seems too deep for me. I'm 5-6 and the countertop is 36 inches tall. I use a dishpan and jack it up sometimes to make things easier. I can't imagine using a 9 inch depth--I'd go read something and let the dishes mount up before tackling them.

We bought a 10" deep undermount sink, and with the granite it's over 11" deep! Crazy! Never even thought about depth being a concern, but I love it.

Personally, I think you are over thinking one inch. It's ONE INCH. Find the sink you like, and just go with it.

I'm 5'7" with long gangly arms. I love our 8" Whitehaus fireclay farm sink undermounted on a standard-height 1.5" counter. It's as deep as I'd want to go, myself. (Although mine's only 27" wide and I'd kill for a much wider model.)

I don't think the depth of the sink affects the splash per se: if there's a splash issue, it's the distance between faucet spout and bottom of sink that's vital. We've got a pretty high gooseneck faucet with no splash problems in our 8" sink.

I should think with some more fellow forum member input you'll be able to find a great thick-gauge 8" deep beauty. Happy hunting!

If I were you, I wouldn't get hung up on the 16 vs. 18 gauge issue - I really don't think it makes much of a difference. When I remodeled 8 years ago, I wasn't even aware of the issue and have no idea of the gauge of my sink - I picked the size and depth I wanted and got a reputable brand and it worked out fine.

Keep in mind that if a sink is too deep for comfort, a sink grid can raise it up a wee bit. (And the deeper the sink, the bigger the splash, but the more likely it is to be contained.)

If you use cast iron cookware you might want a heavier gauge sink. But I haven't tested enough to know for sure!

We got a single bowl 9" sink so undermount it is 10.5" and I find it a wee too deep (I am 5' 2"). We are going to get the sink grid. But I will say I love it because it does contain splashes and is deep enough to hide dirty dishes if I don't get to them right away.

I went with a very shallow sink by most standards; A six inch deep soapstone single bowl farmhouse.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my shallow sink. We have a deep plastic tub that we store underneath the sink for doing dishes. It really minimizes the time spent bent over.

We have a Kohler Karbon and have little to no problems with splashing. Certainly we have less splashing issues then we have had on any of the deeper sink we've had before. I agree that splashing has less to do with the sink and more to do with the faucet.

I have a nine inch undermount with over 1 inch granite and at 5'8" it is too deep for me. I can see how it would be easier if I were shorter by squatting down. Had I read about this issue on here before I purchased I definitely would have bought a more shallow sink.

It strains my lower back and is not comfortable. I need to look into a grid.

I think mine is 18 guage and it seems fine to me.

It's taken me awhile to get back here, and I'm amazed at so many replies. Thanks! I'll try to address your comments.

Davidro1....yes, I have an aerator on my current faucet, and it helps a lot. Thanks!

florantha....I think I would feel the same way about a deep sink, although many people love them. Thanks!

shorts....I venture to say you're young. :-) When you get to be my age, you don't want to lean over! :-) My husband is really tall and has back trouble, so he really doesn't want a deep sink either. I currently have a drop-in sink, and it's only 7 and 1/2 inches deep. I love it, but I can't find any new SS sinks in a heavier gauge that are that shallow. So really to us 1" does make a difference, so that's why I'm trying to get this feedback. Glad to hear you're happy with your sink!

cluelessincolorado.....that sink is exactly what I want, but it's more than we can spend. Yes, I want an upscale kitchen, but at bargain prices. :-) I'll show it to my husband though....I'll see what he says. Thanks! I had never heard of that brand before!

circuspeanut.....good info....thanks! I also would like a wider sink, if possible. I'm excited about having a single sink. I used one over a several day period at a friend's house, and it was great! Good to know about the splashing too. I appreciate your feedback.

weissman....I think you may be right about that. :-) Thanks!

fori....I've never had (or needed) a grid, but I understand that most people love them for deeper SS sinks. I plan to get one, so yes, it will help at least. Thanks!

monkeymo......that is probably the size we'll end up with. I guess I could always rig something to put under my dish pan to raise it up a little bit, but I'd rather not have to bother with that if possible. I'd prefer to get an 8". Thanks for sharing your experience.

morgne.....I've never heard of a sink that shallow before, but it makes sense to me! :-) Do you like the soapstone material for your sink? What color do you have?

We also have issues with too deep sinks. At 5'6" my current 8" is too deep and hurts my back. I'm trying to find a 7" in a 16 gauge.

Fiddleddd,

6" sinks were really common for a long time for just that reason. Most of the cool old sinks you see are along the lines of that depth.

You can still buy them in good ol' stainless steel. Mine just happens to be soapstone because my counters are soapstone. You can google:

6" deep sink

and get a number of them and:

Shallow kitchen sink

Will get you some others.

In addition to going to 6" for my depth, so 7.25 since it's undermount, I also raised the area that the sink is in. I raised that whole cabinet run 1.5" so that my back thinks that's it's only 5.25 inches deep. Really, for me it's the BEST decision ever. My husband absolutely loves it. LOVES it.

We talked alot about the decision before making it and it came down to the fact that I'd rather mop up water by the buckets then spend one more afternoon with back pain anyway.

On a side note, I never know what to say when people talk about hiding their dishes. Hiding them from who? We all know cooking takes dishes and so does eating! How long is are the dishes going to be there? It's one of those things that baffle me! ;) What if you need to use the sink? Gah.

I used to think my deep sink (prior house) was giving me a back problem but it turned out I was reaching too far to get to the faucet (my sink was very large front-to-back). A super long faucet spout made a huge difference.

debrak.....if you find a 7" SS sink, please let me know. I haven't been able to find any.

morgne.....thanks for the search ideas. I'll do that right now. Hopefully I'll be able to find something. I totally agree with you about the hiding dishes in the sink. I've never understood it, but then I can't stand leaving dishes in the sink and waking up to dirty dishes in the morning. We most always deal with the dishes right away.

fori....that's something good to keep in mind....thanks!

For what its worth, I just reread the specs from my cabinet rep and I actually only have an 8 inch deep sink with granite over an inch thick. It is still too deep for me at 5'8". If I stand straight with my hand straight down I still have 2 to 3 inches to the bottom of the sink. So I have to bend at my lower back to reach down.

I did not have this problem with my previous sink which must have been shallower. I definitely feel it on my lower back....its not just the faucet handles which I also have to bend to reach.

I was uncomfortable washing dishes in the last months of pregnancy because I had to lean farther to reach the faucets; it hurt my back. Thank you all for this thread, and good luck to the OP. When it's time for me to get a new sink/faucet (inevitable, eventually, because my countertops are chipped) I will be sure to measure my current sink depth and also my preferred faucet reach. I will probably be replacing an overmount sink (with a 1/2" lip) with an undermount one, so I will most likely measure my distance from floor to sink bottom instead of from top down when I want to replicate the same depth.

Go to faucetdirect.com. There you can search by depth. Not alot of choices but there are some. You have to watch the gauge as some are 20. I think I am going to give up on the 16 gauge and just get 18. I don't know what I have now but is probably 18 or 20. I'm going to go to some plumbing showrooms in the area to try out some sinks.

my sink now is about 6" deep (top mount) and all of these much deeper ones scare me... I don't think I've found one yet less than 8" deep. I'd rip this one out and move to the new place - but it's harvest gold. so it'll stay...

Reading all of your experiences has made me reconsider getting the SS sink. It seems that all I've heard from gourmet-types is that the deeper the sink, the better. But I'm getting quite the opposite opinion from many of you, and I also 'think' I'd be happier with a shallower sink.

Problem is....good quality SS sinks don't come in shallow depths. I've done an exhaustive search, and I can't find anything. I know I'm picky, but I need an off-center drain (to the back), and I want a satin finish so it won't show the scratches as badly as a shiny finish.

To debrak: I did find this link for a 7 and 1/2" sink:
http://www.efaucets.com/detail.asp?Product_Id=ELU2816
The thing is that it says it's lustertone, which to me means shiny. I want a satin finish.

So I'm going to talk to the granite fabricator tomorrow and see what other options I have for sinks. I'll report what I find out. Thanks to all of you!

Fiddleddd,

You could go custom stainless depending on the price for where you live. Lots of good sheet metal shops out there. My sink is custom made because I couldnt get just what I wanted otherwise.

Okay, here are the 2 sinks I've narrowed it down to. Both are shallow enough for us. I think I'll start another thread to inquire if people have these sinks. I need to know what the finishes are like because I can't view one in person where I live. Please let me know if you have any information about either brand.

This Kohler looks good, but we would be sacrificing the rear placement of the drain. Otherwise it looks good though, and it comes with colander and cutting board accessories.
http://www.faucetdirect.com/kohler-k-3183-single-basin-stainless-steel-kitchen-sink-from-the-undertone-series/p166735

This Elkay has everything we want, except a good picture. I read somewhere (can't remember where) to stay away from Elkay sinks. hmmmm really? I am concerned about the finish being too shiny. It says this in the specs: "Exposed surfaces are hand blended to a lustrous highlighted
satin finish. ELUH models have highlighted inside top
bowl radius."
http://www.faucetdirect.com/elkay-elu2816-single-basin-stainless-steel-undermount-kitchen-sink-from-the-gourmet-lustertone-series/p236254

Thanks if you can help. And I hope someone here can benefit from this info on shallow sinks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elkay sink

Which sink did you end up buying? Are you happy with your choice? I am looking for a 7 inch deep sink, or a less than 8 inch deep sink, I haven't had much luck yet.

Hi fiddleddd, i also want to know if you have found the right sink you're looking for. I am also looking for a sink that is 8" deep. @ HikeUp have you found one yet?

I went with the Elkay sink I mentioned above. I LOVE it! Good quality and just the right depth. It also comes with a rack that protects the bottom of the sink. I would highly recommend this sink if you need something shallower than 10". It's a single sink, which I love for washing bigger pans. But when I need to I put a small dish tub in it, which kind of makes it in to a double sink.