The kitchen can be said to be one of if not the most important space in a home. A lot of activities that help families bond happen in the kitchen; from meal preparation to eating of the meals and clean-up to snack time and family meetings. This is why the decision to buy a home most often hinges on the kitchen (especially for families).   

When we now come into the kitchen, there are many appliances and features that impact upon the aesthetics and functionality of the kitchen. The aesthetic appeal of this space can be elevated or diminished by the sink. Additionally, kitchen sinks also determines how functional the space would be. That is why the decision to buy a home if often swayed by the kitchen (especially for families). 

There are many reasons why sinks are important in any cooking area in a home. Therefore this article highlights these reasons and also explores the pros and cons of the different types of this fixture. This will help you choose the right one for your home whether you are remodelling your cooking area or building your home from scratch.

Importance of Kitchen Sinks  

Like we mentioned earlier sinks are very important in any kitchen because they contribute greatly to the functionality of the space. There are many reasons why they are indispensable fixtures in any cooking area.  

Listed and discussed below are some of those reasons:-

Central to Daily Activities

There are many daily activities that are carried in a sink and they include the following:-

1. Cleaning – This fixture is used for cleaning dishes and cookware and indeed almost every utensil and item used in food prep. Additionally, this space is used for rinsing out vegetables, fruits and other food items and ingredients. 
2. Food Prep – These include tasks such as rinsing vegetables, cutting up fruits, veggies and other ingredients used for cooking and also thawing out meat. 
3. Hand washing – It goes without saying that this is the most convenient spot where we wash our hands while in the kitchen. As we all know, it is important to maintain clean hands while handling food; so having a convenient and easily accessible space to wash hands as often as necessary is very important. 

Hygiene and Sanitation

Hygiene and sanitation are also areas that buttress the importance of these fixtures in any cooking area. These fixtures enhance these areas by carrying out the following:-

1. Waste Disposal – Many modern kitchen sinks come with garbage disposal features that make it easy to take care of kitchen or food waste. 
2. Sanitization – This fixture helps to make cleaning items used in the space easy and also enhances the sanitization of working surfaces to prevent the propagation of bacteria and germs.  Click here for tips on how to prevent the spread of bacteria and germs in the home. 

Functionality and Efficiency

Kitchen sinks contribute to the functionality and efficiency of a cooking area in the following ways:-

1. Enhances Workflow – A well designed sink enhances the workflow in this space by making the tasks performed here more efficient. For instance, a double bowl sink enables the user to multitask; use one bowl to wash and the other to rinse. 
2. Additional Accessories – A good number of modern sinks are equipped with accessories such as drying racks, colanders and cutting boards. These accessories simplify food prep tasks and also save space on the counter and working surface. 

Other reasons why we consider kitchen sinks very important are:-

1. They add to the aesthetic appeal of a kitchen. 
2. Increases the real estate value of the home. 
3. They increase the safety of the space and also that of the user. 
4. They help in water conservation. 

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Kitchen Sink  

 Seeing the importance of these features in any cooking area, it is therefore important that you choose the type that will work best for you. Choosing the best of these fixtures for your home entails that you consider many factors and these include the following:-

1. Material 
2. Style 
3. Size 
4. Functionality

Let’s expatiate on these factors:-

Material 

Kitchen sinks can be made from different materials; as many as 13 materials but we will discuss just a few of these materials and their pros and cons. 

Stainless Steel

This is the most common material that is used for the manufacture of these fixtures and it is also the most popular option. 

Pros 

1. Water resistance 
2. Stain resistance 
3. Durability 
4. Rust resistance 
5. Antimicrobial properties 
6. Easy to clean and maintain 
7. Heat resistant 
8. Versatility – It fits into almost all types of kitchen designs. 

You can visit this site: https://www.quora.com/  for tips on how to clean and maintain a stainless steel sink. 

Cons

1. It is very noisy if you drop a pot, pan or dish in it.
2. Prone to water spots 
3. Susceptible to scratches 

Composite Granite

This is another option that is made by combining natural stone with acrylic resin. This mixture forms a heat resistant material that looks exactly like natural stone. 

Pros 

1. Heat resistance 
2. Easy to clean and maintain
3. Stain resistance 
4. Scratch, crack and chip resistance 
5. High durability which makes perfect for a busy kitchen
6. Noise reduction 
7. Available in different styles and colours

Cons 

1. Heavy weight 
2. Tendency to break fragile items if not carefully placed in the sink. 

Enameled Cast Iron 

 Pros 

1. Stain resistance 
2. Durability 
3. Heavy material that does not dent or flex 
4. Non-porous 
5. Rust and corrosion resistance

Cons

1. Susceptible to chips and scratches 
2. Likely to break fragile items if dropped into the sink
3. Needs careful cleaning and maintenance

Other materials include:-

1. Fireclay 
2. Cooper 
3. Porcelain 
4. Brass 
5. Acrylic 
6. Vitreous China

Conclusion 

There’s so much to be said about the different types of sinks; that is why it is important that you take out time to study the different types by material and style. We recommend that you consult a professional to help you out because this process can be overwhelming if you are not an expert. 

In all, bear in mind that you need to do your due diligence before choosing any type or model so that you will get good value for your money.