Sinks are essential components that determine the functionality of kitchens. Their type, material and size majorly affect the final look and feel of kitchens and also have an impact on the total modular kitchen cost. Today, numerous new designs, materials and types of sinks from various brands are available, making it confusing to choose the right one. To understand the selection considerations for kitchen sinks and explore different kitchen sink designs with their sizes and costs, keep reading.
What are the Ideal Properties of a Kitchen Sink?
Apart from the cost considerations, other properties also must be considered while selecting the right kitchen sink design. These include:
- Resistance: The sink must be able to resist stains, chips, cracks and breakage even with heavy utensil usage. As it often experiences high water pressures and strong chemicals (from detergents and soaps), corrosion resistance is also an important property.
- Smooth Finish: A smooth finish ensures the easy flow of water and prevents any possible damage to utensils. Stainless kitchen sinks with smooth finishes are also easy to clean and maintain.
- Lightweight: The ideal kitchen sink is lightweight and does not put excessive loads on its supports. Very heavy sinks require additional supports like masonry piers, thick kitchen countertops and/or metal brackets, which can increase the material and installation costs substantially.
Kitchen Sink Materials
Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink
Made by mixing chromium with regular carbon steel, stainless steel sinks are available in different finishes like matte, brushed, glossy and mirror finish. Although silver-grey is the typical colour, black and grey are also commonly available and other colours can be customised.
Pros:
- Extremely lightweight.
- One of the most cost-effective types available.
- Easy to clean and does not absorb stains, oil and chemicals.
Cons:
- Can get dented or scratched by strong impacts or heavy vessels.
- Generates noise during usage.
- Can accumulate water stains.
Granite Kitchen Sink
Granite is a natural stone and is one of the oldest materials used for making kitchen sinks. Although completely natural versions are available, today acrylic resins are often mixed with granite to create a stronger composite material.
Pros:
- It is a natural material and its use promotes sustainable building practices.
- Available in numerous colours and patterns.
- Durable and resistant to stains.
Cons:
- Extremely heavyweight, requires additional supporting elements.
- Both the product and installation costs are high.
- Edges can get chipped easily.
Enamel Cast Iron Sink
Such sinks are made by coating cast iron with porcelain enamel under very high temperatures and pressures. This process makes the iron rust-free, non-reactive and non-sticky, creating an ideal material for kitchen sinks.
Pros:
- Has a polished, glossy appearance that is easy to clean and maintain.
- Non-porous.
- Available in numerous colours.
Cons:
- Lighter than granite, but heavier than other sink materials.
- Can get scratched or chipped upon impact. This exposes the cast iron underlayer, which then becomes vulnerable to rust.
- Strong chemicals and/or improper cleaning can cause discolouration over time.
Acrylic Sink
Acrylic is a type of plastic composed of PMMA (PolyMethyl Methacrylate), which is a synthetic fiber. Acrylic sinks are moulded at very high temperatures by mixing silica and resins to increase its strength and durability. It is generally used as a clear material, but is coloured for use in sinks.
Pros:
- Lightweight and affordable.
- Available in multiple colours that can be customised.
- Can be moulded to diverse organic shapes and curves.
Cons:
- Does not have good tolerance against high heat.
- Vulnerable to scratches and chips upon impact.
Quartz Sink
Quartz composite sinks are made by mixing natural stone (80-90%) and acrylic resins (10-20%). Generally, natural quartzite stone in its crushed form is used as the primary material that provides rigidity, with acrylic resins providing the flexibility required for moulding different sink shapes.
Pros:
- Can look like natural stone without being as heavy.
- Good resistance to scratches, stains, heat and chipping.
- Affordable
Cons:
- Darker colours may fade, experience discolouration and show scuffs over time.
- Although lighter than natural stone, it is heavier than other materials and requires skilled installation.
Types of Kitchen Sink Designs
Kitchen Sink Types Based on Number of Basins
- Single Bowl Kitchen Sinks: These can be small enough to be just a sink for preparatory processes (like washing vegetables) or large enough to wash big utensils. They are ideal for small kitchens, where a dish rack can be installed above for draining water.
- Single Kitchen Sink with Drain Board: A drain board is an additional horizontal surface attached to the sink’s side and acts as a space for drying utensils efficiently. A single sink with drainboard is the most commonly used type of kitchen sink and allows adequate space for washing, drying and preparatory processes.
- Double Bowl Sink: The basin in such sinks can have either a low divider (which just creates a partition) or a high divider (which completely divides the basin into two parts). Kitchen double sink designs are ideal for creating two separate areas for washing groceries and dirty utensils.
- Double Kitchen Sink with Drain Board: Such a sink efficiently segregates all the sink functions, such as washing vegetables or fresh groceries, cleaning dirty utensils and drying dishes by providing separate spaces for each of them. This is generally considered a luxury kitchen sink as it occupies a large area, but it offers optimal functionality.
- Corner Kitchen Sink Design: Also called as an L-shaped kitchen sink, this type has two basins on two perpendicular sides with a drainboard in the center. It is ideal when a sink needs to be fit in a tight corner or for fulfilling kitchen sink Vastu principles while retaining functionality in two directions.
- All-in-One Sinks: Such sinks have one or two basins that may be with/without drainboards. However, they have additional sliders or detachable elements like cutting boards, drainboards, meshes for filtering solid items, soap dispensers and other accessories.
Apart from these common types, modular kitchen sink designs are also available with three to four basins and their designs can be customised.
Kitchen Sink Types Based on Mounting/ Fixing Type
New kitchen sink designs commonly have the following mounting options:
- Drop In/ Top Mount Sink: The rims or edges of such a sink are fixed above the countertop, making them easy to install. However, the joint between the rims and countertop requires adequate sealing, which may form unpleasant-looking areas.
- Undermount Sink: Here, the rims of the sink are fixed to the bottom of the countertop, making them look clean. These are considered to be designer kitchen sinks and are typically more expensive. They are also more complex to install and may collect dirt in the joints below.
- Countertop Sink: The entire basin is mounted on top of the kitchen counter, making installation easier. However, these are not very functional for kitchens and are more ideal for bathrooms.
- In-Built/ Integrated Sink: In an in-built sink, the countertop and basin form a monolithic surface created by carving solid stone or other similar materials. Although they create a very clean aesthetic, they require large and thick countertop materials and are very expensive.
Standard Sizes of Contemporary Kitchen Sinks
Some of the standard sink sizes available and used for kitchen planning are:
| Kitchen Basin Design | Type of Sink | Standard Length (Inches) | Standard Breadth (Inches) | Standard Depth (Inches) |
| Undermount sink | Single Basin | 8 – 30 | 12 – 20 | 5 – 9 |
| Double Basin | 26 – 50 | 12 – 20 | 5 – 9 | |
| Drop In/ Top Mount Sink | Single Basin | 10 – 30 | 15 – 22 | 6 – 9 |
| Double Basin | 30 – 50 | 15 – 22 | 6 – 9 | |
| Single Basin with Drain Board | 34 – 46 | 15 – 22 | 6 – 9 | |
| Double Basin with Drain Board | 42 – 60 | 15 – 22 | 6 – 9 |
Cost of Modular Kitchen Sinks
A few common modern kitchen sink designs with prices are as follows:
| Sink Material | Type of Sink | Cost (₹) |
| Stainless Steel Sink | Single Basin | 2,000 – 6,000 |
| Single Basin with Drain Board | 3,000 – 12,000 | |
| Double Basin | 5,000 – 15,000 | |
| Double Basin with Drain Board | 6,000 – 25,000 | |
| Granite Sinks | Single Basin | 6,000 – 40,000 |
| Single Basin with Drain Board | 8,000 – 50,000 | |
| Acrylic Sinks | Single Basin | 4,000 – 10,000 |
| Single Basin with Drain Board | 6,000 – 12,000 | |
| Double Basin | 7,000 – 15,000 | |
| Double Basin with Drain Board | 9,000 – 25,000 | |
| Quartz Sink | Single Basin | 4,500 – 12,000 |
| Single Basin with Drain Board | 8,000 – 15,000 | |
| Double Basin | 10,000 – 20,000 | |
| Double Basin with Drain Board | 11,000 – 25,000 | |
| Enamel Cast Iron Sink | Single Basin | 7,000 – 15,000 |
These are general price ranges. However, they can vary substantially based on the type, design, colour, brand, location, availability and market trends.
Ensuring the Best Modern Kitchen Sink Design in Your Home
Selecting the right kitchen sink design requires careful assessment of individual needs and desires, space available and project budget. The in-depth knowledge required for such selections is available with top construction companies like Brick & Bolt. By collaborating with the leading brands and manufacturers in India, Brick & Bolt supplies premium quality materials and products. To ensure that your new kitchen has the most suitable and latest kitchen sink design, get in touch with Brick & Bolt today!
Apoorva H P Achar 
Hemali Patel