How to Choose the Best Kitchen Sink for Your Home

This kitchen sink guide turns that around and works out what would work best in the way the kitchen is used, then fits the layout around that.

Regardless of whether it's an all-new construction, an old reno or replacing a rusted sink, the options of size, material, bowl shape, style and installation remain the same.

How to Choose a Kitchen Sink

A few honest questions that you should ask yourself:

• Solo meals or big family dinners with oversized pots and trays?
• Regular hand-washing or mostly straight into the dishwasher?
• Tight bench space or room to prioritise a larger sink?
• A showpiece open-plan kitchen or a purely functional space?

These answers point towards bowl configuration and size faster than starting with finishes, which is where most people start and where most people end up with a sink that looks right but doesn't work at home.

Kitchen Sink Sizes

Australian kitchen sinks consistently fall within a predictable range:

A compact kitchen suits the smaller end of single-bowl; a family kitchen with heavy daily use suits the larger end of double-bowl. Always measure against the actual cabinet and benchtop cutout before ordering.

Single Bowl vs Double Bowl Sink

Single bowl: One continuous basin, actually more suitable for large pots and baking trays and a tidier appearance on the bench! That's why single-bowl sinks are the most popular kitchen sinks in open-plan homes.

Double bowl: Divides the bowls to allow cookery, such as dishes to soak while produce is rinsed, on the other side. Ideal for kitchens that require more than one activity to be carried out simultaneously or for larger households.

There is no such thing as right or wrong, just beauty and convenience from washing huge items easily (single) or multitasking (double).

The Different Materials Needed for a Perfect Kitchen Sink

Stainless steel kitchen sink: The most widely chosen material: heat-resistant, chip-resistant and handles daily wear well. Gauge matters. A 1.2 mm 304-grade sink, like the Interchange Stainless Steel Sink in our range, resists denting and drumming noise far better than a thinner import.

Granite composite: A dense matte finish with a scratch- and heat-resistant surface that is made from particles of quartz or granite and a resin. These are often more expensive and heavier. The Schock Quadro range is a strong example.

Fireclay: A ceramic material fired at extremely high temperatures, giving the glossy finish typical of farmhouse sinks. Turner Hastings' Cuisine and Novi ranges are strong examples in white gloss. Of all kitchen sink materials, fireclay is widely regarded as the preferred choice for long-term durability. The firing process produces an exceptionally hard, non-porous surface that resists chipping, staining and heat better than most alternatives. It is heavier than stainless or composite, so cabinetry must be built to support the load.

Matte black and brushed gold: Increasingly common across both stainless steel and composite, driven by the same design shift towards statement kitchen fixtures seen in bathrooms. Worth confirming a genuine PVD coating rather than paint, which wears through far faster. That said, even PVD-coated finishes are more vulnerable in a working kitchen than they appear. Sharp cutlery, heavy pots and daily abrasion take a toll on dark and coloured surfaces in a way that standard stainless steel handles better. These finishes work well as a showpiece in a lightly used kitchen - for a hardworking family sink, durability should take priority over finish.

The Various Types of Kitchen Sink Styles You Can Try

Undermount: The clearest and most modern, it is attached under the benchtop and needs a stone or solid benchtop.

Top mount (inset/drop-in): Mounts into a hole cut in and has a rim visible. Can be used on laminate benchtops and is the easiest like-for-like replacement.

Farmhouse/butler sink: Large, exposed front, typically made of fireclay. A good style statement for a traditional kitchen or Hamptons kitchen, not for sleek, minimalist kitchens.

How to DIY Kitchen Sink Installation at Your Home

• Confirm the cut-out size against the sink's actual template, not the marketing dimensions.
• Check the benchtop supports undermount fixing; laminate generally needs top-mount instead.
• Factor in tap hole position and count before the benchtop is cut.
• Use a licensed plumber for the supply and waste connection; it's usually a two-trade job with the stonemason or cabinetmaker.

Best Kitchen Sink Type For Your Home

• Small kitchen/apartment: single bowl stainless steel, 450–550 mm
• Family kitchen, heavy use: double bowl, 800–900 mm, 1.2 mm 304 stainless steel
• Statement/open-plan kitchen: matte black or brushed gold PVD-coated, matched to tapware
• Traditional/Hamptons kitchen: fireclay farmhouse sink from Turner Hastings

Designer Bathware offers the entire choice of kitchen sinks, as well as stainless steel, granite composite and fireclay choices from Turner Hastings, Franke, Fienza, Meir, Abey and Schock and the kitchen tapware and fittings range to match a mixer to the finish.

Conclusion

When selecting a kitchen sink, there are 5 decisions to be made; in that order: how the kitchen will be used, sink size for the kitchen, single versus double bowl, material that will last for everyday use and style that will sync the kitchen benchtop and the overall kitchen room style design. Do these right and your sink will last for years after installation without a rethink.

Ready to see the options? Explore our entire range of kitchen sink products from Designer Bathware or contact our team for guidance selecting a kitchen sink for a particular benchtop, cabinet arrangement or renovation schedule.

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