6 Essentials to Choose the Right Kitchen Sink Size
Bigger isn’t necessarily better – here’s how to pick the right sink size for your kitchen, needs and budget
Jennifer Ott
21 September 2022
San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's work has been featured in many print and online publications. Her recently-published book, "1000 Ideas for Color Schemes," is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-navigate guide that takes the guesswork out of selecting the perfect color palette for your home or special event. For more information on Jennifer Ott Design, visit http://jenottdesign.com/.
San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's... More
In addition to choosing the best material, number of bowls and bowl depth for your kitchen sink, you also have a range of sink size options. An extra-wide kitchen sink will obviously give you more space for food prep and clean up, and you might prefer it over the confines of a smaller sink, but bigger sinks typically cost more and can take up valuable real estate in a small kitchen.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry. We’ve pulled together kitchens that feature various sink sizes, along with tips to help you figure out the perfect sink size for your cooking and cleaning needs.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry. We’ve pulled together kitchens that feature various sink sizes, along with tips to help you figure out the perfect sink size for your cooking and cleaning needs.
1. Size your sink to your kitchen
It may seem obvious, but if your kitchen is on the smaller side, consider installing a smaller-width sink. An oversized, triple-bowl model would have overwhelmed this charming but compact attic kitchen.
The more modest-sized, yet still deep, single-bowl apron-front sink (known as farmhouse or Belfast sinks) is usually large enough to accommodate most kitchen tasks, but it isn’t a space hog. Benchtop and base cabinet storage areas are likely to be at a premium in a smaller kitchen, so a smaller-width sink will improve overall function too.
It may seem obvious, but if your kitchen is on the smaller side, consider installing a smaller-width sink. An oversized, triple-bowl model would have overwhelmed this charming but compact attic kitchen.
The more modest-sized, yet still deep, single-bowl apron-front sink (known as farmhouse or Belfast sinks) is usually large enough to accommodate most kitchen tasks, but it isn’t a space hog. Benchtop and base cabinet storage areas are likely to be at a premium in a smaller kitchen, so a smaller-width sink will improve overall function too.
2. Size your sink to the window above it
Homeowners often install a kitchen sink beneath a window, preferably a window with a nice view. But some homeowners overlook how these two elements work together. That’s not to say your sink and window need to match widths exactly, but it can look odd to have a super-wide sink set below a skinny window and vice versa.
Homeowners often install a kitchen sink beneath a window, preferably a window with a nice view. But some homeowners overlook how these two elements work together. That’s not to say your sink and window need to match widths exactly, but it can look odd to have a super-wide sink set below a skinny window and vice versa.
3. Size your sink to be a focal point
If you choose to go with an extra-wide sink, you’re going to have a difficult time disguising it. My advice is to take the opposite approach and make your wide sink a focal point. Repurpose an interesting salvaged sink or consider an unusual material, such as copper.
Ready to redesign your kitchen? Find a specialised kitchen designer near you on Houzz and browse their previous projects
If you choose to go with an extra-wide sink, you’re going to have a difficult time disguising it. My advice is to take the opposite approach and make your wide sink a focal point. Repurpose an interesting salvaged sink or consider an unusual material, such as copper.
Ready to redesign your kitchen? Find a specialised kitchen designer near you on Houzz and browse their previous projects
4. Size your sink to your budget
This might also be obvious, but it’s all too easy to fall in love with a huge, gorgeous, apron-front sink only to find out it’s priced well above what your budget will allow.
Installing all top-of-the-line materials, fixtures and appliances in a kitchen doesn’t make sense for everyone, so it’s helpful to strategise on where you’re going to spend money and where you can save. Personally, I’d rather splurge on my benchtops or kitchen floor than the sink.
This might also be obvious, but it’s all too easy to fall in love with a huge, gorgeous, apron-front sink only to find out it’s priced well above what your budget will allow.
Installing all top-of-the-line materials, fixtures and appliances in a kitchen doesn’t make sense for everyone, so it’s helpful to strategise on where you’re going to spend money and where you can save. Personally, I’d rather splurge on my benchtops or kitchen floor than the sink.
5. Size your sink based on your needs
If you’re an avid cook who prefers hand-washing dishes to running the dishwasher, a large divided-bowl sink with an integrated draining board is a great option. The wider sink allows multiple people to work at the sink simultaneously without getting in each other’s way, and that built-in draining board makes the business of draining and air drying dishes less of a wet mess.
A kitchen sink this size will require an extra-wide sink cabinet and will take up quite a bit of space, so it’s best for a generous-size kitchen.
If you’re an avid cook who prefers hand-washing dishes to running the dishwasher, a large divided-bowl sink with an integrated draining board is a great option. The wider sink allows multiple people to work at the sink simultaneously without getting in each other’s way, and that built-in draining board makes the business of draining and air drying dishes less of a wet mess.
A kitchen sink this size will require an extra-wide sink cabinet and will take up quite a bit of space, so it’s best for a generous-size kitchen.
If you need a hand with prepping meals or cleaning up, consider installing two single-bowl sinks instead of one extra-large sink. A configuration like this allows two cooks to work together, and because these sinks are set apart, traffic jams are less likely.
If you have the space and budget for it, a dual-sink set-up (or more) is nice for a multi-cook household that does a lot of entertaining. The separate sinks allow several people to work in the kitchen simultaneously.
None of the sinks needs to be exceptionally large. One main sink can handle bigger tasks and the others can be sized much smaller. Of course, this configuration has the potential to be costly due to the duplicate plumbing fixtures and installation fees.
None of the sinks needs to be exceptionally large. One main sink can handle bigger tasks and the others can be sized much smaller. Of course, this configuration has the potential to be costly due to the duplicate plumbing fixtures and installation fees.
6. Consider fun-sized sinks
I love these linear sinks. While it’d be difficult to wash dishes in one, they work just fine for fetching a glass of water or emptying drinks when the party’s over. You can also fill one with ice and stash cold drinks in it, a nice alternative to keeping an unsightly cooler in the kitchen or having guests rummage through your refrigerator for a cold one. And it doesn’t take up much space on the benchtop, either.
I love these linear sinks. While it’d be difficult to wash dishes in one, they work just fine for fetching a glass of water or emptying drinks when the party’s over. You can also fill one with ice and stash cold drinks in it, a nice alternative to keeping an unsightly cooler in the kitchen or having guests rummage through your refrigerator for a cold one. And it doesn’t take up much space on the benchtop, either.
Your turn
What’s your ideal kitchen sink set-up? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Read this if you’re shopping for a new kitchen sink: The Great Sink Debate – Overmount or Undermount?
What’s your ideal kitchen sink set-up? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Read this if you’re shopping for a new kitchen sink: The Great Sink Debate – Overmount or Undermount?
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I really like a double sink, with dishes washed in one and rinsed in the other. A good sink set-up makes a dishwasher redundant, as it's easier and faster to wash the dishes by hand than to rinse them, stack the dryer and then empty it.
Or is that just me?
I like the 1 + 1/2 option, to have a second sink available if one is in use, compared to one really large one. I only wash by hand what really can’t go in the dishwasher. @Annie Cass, a good quality dishwasher only requires solids to be scraped off and uses less water than hand washing plus they generally have capacity for a days’ worth of dishes, so no mess on the bench. The narrow sink on the bench seems to have very limited use and would be hard to reach.
Like a large sink for my large platters and rinsing my cast iron cookware. Do prefer everything else in the dishwasher. After years on tank water agree with @mcgri0 they use less water. Once ran the outlet hose into the sink to check.