I am going with a copper sink for my kitchen.

It appears the higher end brands like Rachielle are much more maintenance free than the less expensive versions.

The sink my designer spec'ed for me is about $1000 but the care specifies that it needs to be dried after each use - and I am just not the type of person who wants to dry their kitchen sink every time water is used.

From my reading, it seems as though water pooling for some reason is an issue for copper sinks and that's why they have to be dried after every use. Is there some reason water pooling is an issue for copper sinks versus stainless steel?

Also I am a bit confused as to whether some of the less expensive sinks have some kind of factory finish that can be destroyed unless one is careful with acidic foods. The website for Rachielle states they don't have any finish other than the natural patina which they get with vinegar so that there is no finish to be destroyed if the sink isn't maintained properly - if a spot becomes shiny because of acidic foods, it will reacquire the patina in a relatively short period of time.

I have no issues with patinas and like the idea of copper as being a "living" type of surface but I don't want to be a slave to sink maintenance.

As an aside, is there an advantage to hammered versus smooth surfaces in a copper sink aside from aesthetic preference?

I am willing to spend the extra money for a sink that isn't going to be destroyed because I am not the most fastidious housekeeper wiping and drying after every use :-) On the other hand, I'm not a Subzero type of gal - my kitchen is more entry level luxury - i.e. Bosch Benchmark appliances - so I'm willing to pay for quality but not for prestige if that makes sense.

I would appreciate input from any real life users - especially in terms of specific brands and how they have held up without babying (i.e. drying every time the sink is used).

Thanks