See pics below… ugh

One more comment I haven’t run the water in more than 2 hours… all that water just sits in the sink.

I think there are several things going on here.

1, I think there's a coating on the SS that is causing high surface tension on the water. That's why it's not draining.

2. I think you have very hard water - on polished SS. That - along with the water pooling- is why you are seeing the spots.

3. I don't know where the rust is coming from.

As a test, mix just a bit of liquid fabric softener with water and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the pooling water. See if it drains.

Thanks Jake! I’m actually heading to the grocery store now so I will give that a try. By the way I think it was advertised as brushed stainless steel. The rust has me so upset. I plan to call Kraus tomorrow but even if they’ll replace it… how the heck do I get that done? The stone company just installed the countertop with sink last week… ugh

Is there any chance there was something metal left in the sink? I've seen it happen with steel wool, steak knives, that sort of thing. I have a hard time believing that it would be low quality stainless steel.

Nothing at all, my even a dish has seen this sink. The kitchen isn’t done and we’re eating on paper plates with plastic utensils. Literally I’ve only used dish detergent on a sponge to wipe down the counters. It’s the only reason I’ve used the sink at all/

Sorry Houzz won’t let me edit … I meant to say not even a dish has been in the sink.

The bits of rust may be coming from your water or water lines.

Try removing the faucet aerator & see if there are bits of rust lodged in it to determine if your water supply is the culprit. If so, I would flush the lines for a good bit with the aerator removed.

(I installed a Kraus Standart Pro (KHT410-33) sink last summer & have had zero issues with rust. Love the sink. Got a good deal on it on Prime Day.)

The faucet and pipes are brand new as well. It was a complete remodel and the plumber put all new pipes in.

I have a Kraus sink that was installed outside about 2 months ago in the outdoor bbq area. I just rinsed it out to check it and it was dusty, but otherwise looks perfect.

I think your counter or plumbing guys might have gotten something in the sink. I would get a good stainless steel cleaner and give it a good cleaning.

The faucet and pipes are brand new as well. It was a complete remodel and the plumber put all new pipes in.

Is the water heater new also?

That water is traveling thru other lines before it gets to the new pipes, isn't it?

The product description of Kraus Core sink doesn't specify the type of stainless steel. It only says that it is 'rust resistant'.

When I was shopping for a sink, I looked for only type 304 stainless steel. 304 SS is highly resistant to corrosion.

Specification for the Standart Pro sink that I purchased: DURABLE AND DENT-RESISTANT sink made with premium Tru16 real 18-gauge T304 Stainless steel

Ideally, I wanted a 16 ga sink but went ahead and ordered the 18 ga thinking I would send it back if it seemed tinny. In reality, it turned out to be a very nice sink; I don't regret not getting 16 ga.

I have the same sink, and it did this at first. I used WD40 to clean it and it has been much better. The rust spots haven’t been an issue. Maybe some type of residue/manufacturing dust??

Jaja06 What did you do with the WD40? Just spray it on and wipe around to coat it?

@ci_lantro the water heater was installed in March ‘21. We haven’t had running water in the kitchen since July.. it took that long due to delays but water everywhere else in the house, bathrooms, showers and washer and been used consistently.

Joseph Corlett when you say contamination are you saying within the sink during manufacture or from the water?

Yes for the WD40, I sprayed it on and used a paper towel to wipe it and left a super thin coating. Apparently it’s a common thing to clean up SS, so I gave it a try. It helped the streaks on my fridge from the water dispenser too :)

Oh and just throwing this out there, that we installed a different SS sink at our coffee bar. And we’re still using our old SS sink at the clean up area. So three SS sinks in the same kitchen, and the Kraus is the only one that did this. So I’m sure it’s something to do with the sink, not our water, but I’m hopeful it was temporary.

AS:

Some thing external, not inside the sink.

Kraus' response to another customer complaining about rust stains in a new Kraus sink:

We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing these stains on your new sink. I assure you, they are not rust marks. Typically, when red spots appear on a Stainless Steel Sink like ours it is simply surface discoloration. This is usually taken care of permanently with a stainless steel polish and/or cleaner when used according to the directions of the cleaning product. Products such as Bar Keeper’s friend and a fine 3M Scotch Brite pad are both great options. However, if you do not find that this resolves your issue entirely, please contact our customer service department directly at 1-800-775-0703 or email us at customerservice@kraususa.com so we can look into this further and assist you.

Very helpful, thank you!

I have a cheapy free stainless sink that came with my granite.

I had a new house built, and by the time I got around to choosing counters I was so DONE with choosing things that a "free sink" sounded awesome. Ha. Hindsight being what it is, I wish I'd gotten something nicer, but anyway....

My free sink initially was developing tiny little rust spots. One good scrub with BKF and they were gone forever. It's been maybe 10 years now, and they've never come back.

Very good to know, thank you!

The rust I would not worry about. As mentioned, some Barkeepers Friend and in a minute it will be gone.

Regarding the water spots, I suspect that your 30-year-old Kohler when it was brand new showed water spots the same, but over time the finish got dulled, and the spots did not show so glaringly. I have had all kinds of stainless steel sinks in various homes - from fancy custom, to cheap builders grade, to Swiss-made Franke, to Kohler. Each one showed water spots. It's what stainless steel does, but when your finish is not as shiny as now, it won't show as much.

However, the pooling water is an issue. It could be the sink is defective in its slope - i.e. the pitch is insufficient. It is quite rare but on occasion it happens in manufacturing. But more likely is that the cabinets and/or the counter is not level. Your sink is attached to the counter top. If the counter is not level, that will cause problems with your sink's pitch. Or, if the cabinets are not level, and your counter is sitting on the out-of-level cabinets, then your sink pitch will be awry. The other two sinks you said are fine - are they on a different cabinet run?

Who installed it? Can you get them to come back and look that all is at the right level?

I have my contractor coming this week for something g else… he didn’t install the sink/ counter top but I can ask him to confirm whether it’s level. If it’s not I guess I call the counter top installer. I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate all the comments on this post!!

Just thought I’d post an update in case someone has a similar issue down the road. Barkeepers friend for the WIN! It worked to simply get rid of the rust and it never returned! Also my water pooling stopped so I assume there was some sort of film on the stainless steel causing the pooling. I still get the water spots but I’m expecting they will lessen over time as one of the posters mentioned. Thank you all again!

@A S I am looking at the Kraus 36-inch Kore workstation sink, but I'm afraid to order because of threads like these. How are you liking yours a year later? I love the dimensions, but going under $15k of marble...it better not have problems! My mom has had a Kraus for about 10 years and it looks and functions fantastic...but I'm wondering if quality has changed post-pandemic / with supply chain issues. If you could please let me know, I'd be so grateful!

Came across this thread because we are also considering the Kraus SS workstation. We are on the fence between choosing SS vs granite composite, so any input on how it’s held up over time would be appreciated.

I have a Kraus Standart Pro sink. KHT410-33. 18 gauge. Installed it 2 years ago. Great sink; I would buy it again. Proper slope, small radius corners, right rear drain--my two 'must haves'. As mentioned above, Bar Keeper's Friend is the secret to removing water spots. Zero issues with rust.

Great to hear, thanks for the reply!

Apologies for missing the original question. I am happy with the sink a year later. Have not had the issue again. My only con and this is a personal thing… the black rubber mat/rack thing sat in place for about the first week and ultimately landed rolled up in a cabinet never to surface again because I found it useless and in the way. I use the cutting board regularly but constantly moving it on and off the sink is an added step when doing dishes or cleaning the sink. So if I personally had to choose again I would go with Kraus but not sure I gain anything from the ‘workstation’ aspect other than the visual as it is pretty when all put together.

I’ve been saying that about workstation sinks on this forum for a couple years. The little accessories to me just seem like clutter, and crowd the sink. And when I need a cutting board, I want it solidly on the counter and to be a useful size.

Agree, I find myself moving the cutting board (mine is a good size) to the counter more often than not when I use it.

AS, thank you for the follow up on the workstation sink. It confirms how I 'thought' I would feel about having one. So I opted for just a plain Jane single bowl conventional sink. Maximum front to back depth at the bottom of the sink was one of the things that I filtered when looking for a sink...when that ledge gets formed, it reduces the interior size of the bowl.