Between those two, I’d choose the Whitehaven. Fireclay is known to craze easily. Enameled cast iron can chip (you’ll need a sink grid to protect it), but the fireclay is the more fragile of the two materials. I also prefer a corner drain which the Whitehaven has.

But if durability with 3 kids is your primary objective—so you don’t have to be worrying and fretting over a kitchen sink—I’d get neither of those, and get a stainless steel sink. If you are looking for an apron front style, Kohler makes stainless steel ones, the Vault and the Strive. So does Elkay, the Elkay Crosstown. The Crosstown also has the corner drain, an advantage.

Trust me, I only wanted a stainless steel and had already chosen an excellent one. 😒but then everyone involved in our project said the polished nickel faucet and brass hardware and lights would look terrible with that sink. They’re right. I do love my stainless steel sinks but it just doesn’t look right in the kitchen design sadly

Elkay Quartz Luxe in Silvermist, their "stainless steel". You'll have to get an undermount as this sink is only available in 36".

We were considering this Elkay also but it isn’t white in color from my understanding. Joseph, what is the best way to install the Whitehaven so that if any damage occurs it can easily be replaced without destroying the countertops

Thanks!

With the Whitehaven, make sure you use the sink grid for it which will help protect it. Kohler calls it a “sink rack”.

I am definitely a stylish girl and want everything to coordinate and look great . . . but I disagree with a few comments made above. First off, I think stainless goes with everything. It is a neutral. I understand if others want a designer look with another material, but stainless will never clash or look bad. My other point is that for some items, function really needs to trump appearance. I have no experience with the cast iron or quartz sinks, but since this is such a hardworking space, I'd opt fo the most maintenance-free material possible, especially with a family. Just my two-cents . . . FWIW, I have a 26 year-old ss Elkay in my current home and will be doing a ss Kohler Strive in my new home. I really like to the durability of stainless.

I agree that with kids--and I remember when my kids were tweens and teenagers and bringing over their friends and they'd toss their glasses, and the ice cubes, and staining stuff like cola and salsa, into the sink without a thought--stainless steel would give you peace of mind.

"the polished nickel faucet and brass hardware and lights would look terrible with that sink."

(1) regarding the faucet - just don't get a polished nickel faucet, and this is not an issue. Since you are not trying to match the faucet with your brass hardware and lights you might as well get a stainless steel faucet or a polished chrome faucet which both will look excellent with a stainless steel sink. And also, polished nickel is more maintenance; they tend to tarnish over time, and will need to be polished. As an aside, I'd avoid a bridge faucet if you are looking at that. I have the Kohler Artifacts pull-down which I have been very happy with.

(2) the sink does not have to go with the brass hardware and lights whatsoever. We see all kinds of combinations on this forum with stainless steel sinks. Every finish you can think up where the hardware and lights match each other, combined with stainless steel sinks. It all looks good as what @Rachel said above. Are any of your appliances stainless steel?

It just sounds like you are not in love with the enameled cast iron sink. And a Whitehaven apron front is expensive to boot. So, not in love with it, concerned about chipping with kids, and it's a pretty permanent choice. It's not like a faucet or a light that you can just switch out.

I had the 36” Shaw’s fireclay and now I have the 33” Kohler cast iron.

hands down...the Kohler is my favorite. The split sink grid is cheaper and easier to keep clean than the overpriced one that fit my Shaw’. I don’t have to baby the cast iron as much.