OT: Help DH and I settle the arguement...Single or Double Bowl for Kitchen Sink?

[kelly ann]

DH and I can't decide on a single or double bowl for our new kitchen sink. Unfortunately, we have to decide by tomorrow morning.

At this point, DH says he gets his way since he does most of the dishes - so not true. This is just starting another arguement between us now.

I want the single because it seems more practical. Anyone out there have the single large sink and wish they had the double? The single would have the one drain and it would be the garbage disposal.

Thanks :)

[Saartje]

I vote double -- way more practical IMO. You have a side to wash dishes and a side to rinse them, you have a sink to use while you're soaking something in the other side... It's great.

[brittone2]

When we got solid surface countertops in our previous home, we replaced our sink with a really large single bowl sink and I couldn't have been happier with it. For me, it worked out much better when cleaning cookie trays, roasting pans, etc. I guess some of it depends on how much you use the sink vs. dishwasher and how you wash dishes in general, but I'm missing having a big single bowl FWIW.

[g-mama]

We went from a single bowl in our old house to a double bowl in this house and at first I couldn't see the point of a double. Now, I love it. I can put the dirty dishes in the right side (without the disposer in it) while I keep the left side clear so I can use the disposer when I need to. I can also soak things in the right side if I need to without making the whole sink unusable.

Now that I've had both, I definitely prefer the double bowl. I will say that both of our sides are pretty large and deep so maybe if they weren't, I'd miss the space advantage of the single bowl.


Kristen
Paolo 11-00
Benjamin 8-03
and a *THIRD BOY* coming in December '05

[JBaxter]

Double undermount sink is my vote. 2/3 1/3 split I love mine

[hez]

We have a double with a 50/50 split and I love it. Then again, I've washed lots and lots of dishes in my day (my parents turned off the dishwasher when I was about 10, and didn't turn it on/replace it 'til I was in college), and I like having the second sink to rinse the dishes in as I wash them. I also agree that it's nice to have one to put anything we're soaking and leave the other one free if we need the disposal.

My aunt has a big single bowl but she also has a dishdrawer (dishwasher where you can run either the top or bottom separately) so even if she has a small amount of dishes to do, she still runs 'em through the dishwasher. So, her sink gets used mostly for food prep or garbage disposal purposes.

[bostonsmama]

I have to second that recommendation for a double bowl. DH and I recently remodeled our kitchen and we upgraded to a Kohler double cast-iron porcelain enameled sink that boasts being able to fit a full 12-inch skillet w/ handle on each side!! IT does! I have a very big paella pan (almost 17" wide) that fits in there with ease, and my cookie sheets fit on their side, but go diagonally if that makes sense. We often defrost meat in the right side and prep veggies, rinse out cups for the dishwasher or dispose of cooking scraps in the left side. It's an absolute necessity in my house b/c our pots can't go in the dishwasher and sometimes they need to soak and not render the rest of the sink useless. I would only do a single sink if I could have two separate single bowl sinks (which my aunt has--one under the window, one on the island) and that's VERY nice. But I imagine you're just getting one...so go w/ a double. www.kohler.com has some great options for browsing.

Here's ours, the Kohler Hartland Double Sink (available at the Expo Design Center and some Home Depots). I particularly like that the drain is towards the back (required some replumbing) b/c I can peel veggies so that the skins don't fall down the drain or stack plates so that it won't prevent me from letting out or reaching the drain:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/30350.jpg

I also liked this one, but wanted to be able to reach both sides equally w/ the faucet. We did eventually upgrade to a pull-out stream/spray faucet (so moot point), but we used the side hole as a dishsoap dispenser which we are in love with.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/30351.jpg

[heatherlynn]

I hate double sinks! The bigger side is never big enough for me to wash cookie sheets, roasting pans, stock pots, etc.

H-
Heather
dd 3/98
ds 8/04
and #3 edd 11/05 (it's a girl!)

[tarabenet]

I love the two-bowl option. We'd never make it with only one sink!

But think carefully about the material. I know there have been some big kitch threads, so you may want to check them. All my other kitchens have had aluminum sinks. This house has porcelain, and I absolutely hate it. It wasn't properly cared for before we bought the house. So my warning would be that if you go porcelain, make sure you know all about the proper way to clean and maintain it, and be religious about it. I can't make this sink look clean no matter what I do. They damaged the finish and put some big chips in it. Gross. These things can look so elegant. But not mine. We're moving in under a year, and will rent this house out, so no upgrades/replacements for me. But you can bet I'm planning the new one! ;)

[mmaimp]

We are actually going to redo our kitchen this winter and I'm going from a double to single bowl. The reason is because I want a smaller sink base. We have a really small kitchen and I would like the extra inches to go to other base cabinets.

I'm kind of worried about this but right now I just use the second side of the sink as a drain board. It's a nice sink too but I think (and hope) switching to a really deep single bowl will work for us.

[Momof3Labs]

Double, hands down, but only with the 1/3 - 2/3 split, which alleviates the problem of not being able to wash cookie sheets, etc, easily. There's no way that I could live easily with a single bowl kitchen sink, and I'm not the main dish washer in the house!

[toomanystrollers]

As a mom, who has washed a kid or two in the kitchen sink, I'll have to go with the single bowl sink :)

[hellosmiletoday]

I have limited counter space and use the 2nd half for drying dishes. Get deep sinks (8.5 or 9 inches)!

[HannaAddict]

Love our undermount double bowl sink (2/3 - 1/3 split). The smaller side has the disposal. The larger bowl is big and we used it for baby baths for a few months at least. Have fun picking one out.

Kimberly

[miki]

We have a double with the 1/3-2/3 split. I hate it. The small size is not big enough for anything except throwing vegetable peelings into the disposal. I've lived with large single sinks and double sinks where the 2 sides were the same size and large. My first choice would be a double where both sides are big enough to fit a large stockpot and second choice would be a really large single.

[KBecks]

I'm with you on a single bowl. That said, I couldn't convince DH, and we went with an inexpensive double bowl.

If you wash your dishes right away and don't let them sit, then a single is definitely the way to go. Of course you can let some sit on the counter if you're going to do them as soon as the meal is finished, etc. Or just load them in the dishwasher!

This forum has discussions and opinions. Most people would prefer the single there www.thathomesite.com. You need to pay to post, but you can browse all you like.

Good luck!

[starrynight]

Double. I had a single sink and I *hated* it more than anything. I had to buy a dishpan to stick in one side just so I could soak/wash dishes on one "side" and rinse on the other. It was also a huge pita if I had to wash my hands or rinse off something but didn't want whatever I was rinsing away in my dishes (meat drippings for instance) so I had to move everything out of the sink all the time.

The double is much more practical.

[marit]

(typing 1 hand here...)

my parents have double, ans wish they had single. because large serving dishes, ones that won't go into the dishwasher anyway, can't fit well in the double sink. So you have to hold them sideways while you're washing them and they're heavy. Tell that to you DH...

HTH,

Marit

[barbarhow]

I hate double sinks. You can't fit anything big in there. Single all the way. The only way I would ever have a double is if I could have a full size sink with a smaller one beside it-but then what would be the point-you wouldn't need it. I have never, ever wished I had a double sink and when I lived in an apartment that had one-absolutely despised it. I do alot of cooking and use alot of over sized pots and pans. There would be no way to get them clean in a double sink. Can you tell I am passionate about this one?
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
and Anna 5/12/05, my little Yankee fan!

[Marisa6826]

I agree wholeheartedly. Ever try to wash a turkey pan in a sink that's too small?

We have a "D" shaped deep sink that is awesome ( the flat portion of the "D" is closest to you). It's made by Franke - more expensive, but worth it. I specifically got it a deep sink so that I wouldn't have to look at dirty dishes if we were in the kitchen eating. It's also nice to be able to wash cookie pans, etc.

Here's a link to the Franke site. I used to work for a contractor and these sinks were the ones that we used most often. They have a lot of unusual shapes that also might be a compromise between you and your DH.

http://www.frankeksd.com/

-m

[kelly ann]

Well, we went with the double. Reading everyone's responses made me realize that I will probably like the double once I "learn" how to use it to the fullest. We went to The Great Indoors, so the selection was mediocre. I went for the widest the sink the area can take and the deepest bowls. I am happy with the choice, but more excited about the fancy faucet :)

Thanks for everyone's response, but I am not telling DH the results of the poll. We are still arguing about who does more dishes ;)

[jec2]

If I had the opty. I would get this, an apron sink.

http://gillmangranite.com/05.jpg

[NancyJ_redo]

I have the Franke D shaped sink also, but in a double (one large, one small with just the garbage disposal). I love everything about it, but have to disagree with Marisa (...perhaps the first time ever!). Double sinks rule!

I HIGHLY recommend the extra deep sink like M mentioned above. Not only does it hide the dishes in the sink, but it's great for toddlers playing in there. DS loves to get in the sink and play with water, and it's great bc the sink is so deep I don't have to worry about him getting out.

[muskiesusan]

You guys are making me excited for our Franke sink! It is being installed next weekend, but I didn't really know that much about it.

We got double sink, but not equal sizes. I hate stuff sitting on my counters and use the extra sink to set things out to dry.

Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

[MelissaTC]

I have something very similar to this from Kohler in cast iron.

http://imagex.homedepot.com/f/248/13340/7d/www.homedepot.com/cmc_upload/HDUS/EN_US/asset/images/eplus/040688647098_4.jpg

It is large enough for me to place pans, etc.. in the large side and it is quite deep. I really like it.

[crayonblue]

I like single sinks. I don't really wash dishes all that much except for huge ones that won't fit in my dishwasher. So, it's more important to me that my huge stockpot fit in a single sink than that I have one side for washing and one for rinsing. Just my opinion.