I have not seen a brushed nickel sink. And you say you see them the most along with stainless steel which I agree are commonly available. Do you have a link for a brushed nickel sink?

I cannot comment on a brushed nickel sink, but I can tell you that all stainless steel sinks will scratch regardless of price. You can have a sink grid in the sink which will reduce the possibility of scratches. But many people don't like the grids cause they are one more thing to clean and deal with, with nooks and crannies for gunk. Many people just shrug their shoulders at the stainless scratches, because eventually they will all blend into a patina and you won't notice them. Other than the patina, stainless steel is tops in durability, assuming you get a thicker gauge like 16-gauge, which, as it turns out, is not more expensive than the thinner 18-gauge sinks if you shop wisely. Check out Kraus sinks sold at Overstock and other websites.

If you are worried about scratches, you might want to look at different materials of sinks like enameled cast iron or Blanco Silgranit.

What size is your sink cabinet base? That may limit your choices.

Yes, I've never heard of such a thing, either, and am also curious.

Brushed nickel is a dull finish : think matte vs glossy. It will scratch less or rather scratches will be less visible but it will scratch. Agree with M Miller regarding scratches becoming part of the patina which you really won't notice. Having said that, I chose Blanch Silgranite Black for our kitchen. Love the finish and look; they gave diferent options in colours as well.

I'd choose SS over brushed nickel for a sink. I don't know if brushed nickel acts the same as satin nickel, but satin nickel can (will?) react poorly to BKF (Barkeepers Friend cleanser) which is terrific for cleaning SS pots and pans, le creuset enameled cast iron, etc.