Kitchen Sink Materials

Manufacturers make kitchen sinks from a variety of materials. For the most part, you can find the style you want with any material, but each material does have specific strengths and weaknesses.

·        Stainless Steel: Many stainless steel kitchen sinks are recognizable because they retain their silver/gray color. These sinks are measured by the thickness of the steel (18 gauge is thickest; 23 gauge is thinnest), and in general, the thicker the steel, the quieter the sink will be. Stainless steel sinks are one of the cheaper models on the market, and they resist scratches and stains well, but stains do take some work to remove.

·        Acrylic: Acrylic kitchen sinks are stain-resistant and are not damaged by heavy objects, but hot pots placed directly into the sink can damage the acrylic. These sinks are also relatively inexpensive.

·        Enameled Steel: Enamel covers the steel in these kitchen sinks. Like stainless steel sinks, enameled steel sinks are an economical option, and they resist scratches well. Enameled steel sinks also do not buckle under heat, but heavy objects may chip the enamel.

·        Enameled Cast-Iron: Enameled cast-iron kitchen sinks are more expensive than enameled steel, and they similarly handle heat well and offer strong resistance to scratches and stains. Unlike enameled steel sinks, enameled cast-iron sinks rarely chip because of heavy objects, but sharp objects can chip the enamel. They are also more expensive than enameled steel sinks.

·        Solid Surface: Solid surface kitchen sinks blend polyester or acrylic with natural fibers. Heavy objects can cause problems for these sinks, but you can sand away scratches, and, as an added bonus, you can purchase imitation styles such as granite and marble.

 

Solid surface and enameled cast-iron kitchen sinks are the most expensive options, and even they have drawbacks. Consider the trouble spots of each type of kitchen sink, and then choose the sink with the trouble spots with which you can most easily live. For most everyday use, you won’t even notice a difference between the sink materials, but depending on the way you use your sink, the material you choose could make a significant difference in the long run.