Be it sinks or any other products, you should always do your research with due diligence before buying a new product.
That way, you can make sure that your hard-earned money is being used for buying something long-lasting and useful. Every product comes with a lot of different specifications, and it’s important to figure out what they mean to know which one you need the most.
However, it can be tough to learn about the specifications when they are written in such a technical way. But fret not; we are here to provide you with a short buying guide for you to understand everything in a short and concise way.
After you have finished reading this guide by us, you’ll know instantly what type of sink is needed for your kitchen space.
So, without much ado, here are a few of the things that you should absolutely know before buying an undermount kitchen sink:
Sink Material
There are a lot of undermount kitchen sink models in the market that are made of so many different materials. Steel, granite, marble, quartz dust, ceramic – you name it, they have it.
So, then how do you decide which sink material will be the best fit for your kitchen space? Easy. You decide on your priorities and decide off of that. Why do you need the kitchen sink? What purpose will it serve in the kitchen? How heavily will you use it regularly?
Ask yourself these questions before you choose your sink materials. you’ll be surprised how easy the decision will feel once you have the proper answers. For example granite, marble, and ceramic kitchen sinks are absolutely gorgeous to look at. They give off a super regal vibe wherever they are placed and just elevates the surroundings as well. That’s why they are mostly used for decorative purposes.
Now, decorative purposes don’t mean that they can’t be used as normal sinks. But these materials are porous and super heavy. So, heavy use and improper maintenance will take a toll on sinks like these pretty quickly. So, if your kitchen requires a sink that is used for hours on end regularly, it’s best to not go for such materials. Get quartz sand sinks for personal kitchens if you want both a regal look and functionality.
But if the workload is as much as that of a commercial kitchen, there’s no better option than stainless steel sinks.
Why? Because they are non-porous so water cannot seep into the framework of the sink. Furthermore, they are protected against corrosion damage as well. They are super sturdy, long-lasting, and comes considerably cheap than most other kitchen sinks in the market.
Sink Size
Sink size is another important feature that you should look out for when shopping for kitchen undermount sinks. Undermount sinks are installed within the countertop space, and that’s why you need a sink that fits the proper cabinet.
To determine what size sink you need, just take the three-dimensional measurement of your cabinet and then take off two inches from each side.
Depending on how much space you have in your cabinet, the size of the sink will continue to fluctuate. So if you have a compact kitchen, don’t go for those large-size kitchen sinks. Take the proper measurements of your cabinet first and then choose your sink based on that.
One other thing, don’t worry about the two-inch gap in the middle. Those are kept so that your sink can be installed properly and without much hassle. After it’s installed, the surrounding edges will be filled up completely to give the sink a smooth polished transition.
Noise and Heat Insulation
Before you buy a sink for your kitchen, you need to remember that it can getter quite noisy and warm in the kitchen. Especially in the sink, the constant rattling of utensils can be quite annoying.
That’s why you need to look for a kitchen sink that enables noise suppression technologies for situations like these.
Check out the quality of the rubber paddings as well. Make sure to go for the ones that are non-toxic and lead-free.
And when it comes to heat insulation, it’s best to go for stainless steel sinks as they have a much higher heat capacity than most. Granite or ceramic sinks can easily crack if exposed to high heat for a long time.
Meanwhile, stainless steel won’t even flinch much no matter how long you keep your hot pots and pans on the surface.