Best Kitchen Sink Materials: Pros & Cons of Each

Many people will likely get stranded when choosing the best sink materials suitable for their kitchen.

This is because different materials are used to make kitchen sinks, each with its own pros and cons.

Therefore, to solve the problem, it is important to consider several types of sink materials before deciding on the type that you need.

Best Kitchen Sink Materials and the Pros and Cons of each

While there are various materials, the best kitchen sink materials are stainless steel and ceramic clay, depending on your preference and the pros and cons of each.

To understand more, let’s explore each of the most common ones. Here are various types of sink materials you can choose from.

1. Stainless steel for kitchen sink

Stainless steel material is an alloy of iron with chromium that should not exceed 10.5%.

Kitchen sinks made of stainless steel are the most used sinks and are more popular in the markets than other sinks.

As a kitchen sink material, stainless steel is usually classified in terms of gauges.

The gauge range of stainless steel kitchen sinks is between 18 and 22.

Sinks with heavier gauges are preferred to those with lighter gauges because they improve your sink. 

This is mainly because the heavy gauge is less noisy and does not dent easily. Read our guide on stainless steel kitchen sinks to learn our four best choices.

2. Cast iron as a sink material

This material is cast iron. Cast iron sinks are a popular type of sink despite being one of the oldest materials used for kitchen sinks.

The iron material must be finished with a heavy porcelain enamel due to the high rates of iron rusting.

This enamel finish is made of extremely hard melted glass and not just rare paint.

It helps ensure that the sink resists stains and scratches for a long time. Therefore, it is good for outdoor kitchen sinks for those who need them in their yards.

The enamel makes the sink smooth due to the usual rough state of cast iron.

The cost of cast iron sink materials varies depending on the sizes, shapes, and colours.

3. Copper sink material

Copper is a malleable, soft and ductile metal that is a good conductor of heat.

The good thing about Copper is that it makes sinks unique and beautiful.

In addition, it has some familiarity that one sees on the first look in the kitchen.

Copper makes sinks thick. The thickness of these sinks is measured in gauge, just like the thickness of stainless steel sinks.

It’s worth noting that this gauge also determines the sink’s loudness. Copper’s lightness makes it a good material for a handmade DIY sink, especially for survival.

Copper sinks are mostly handmade. The appearance of the sink depends on the brilliance of the craftsman, and because of the different craftsmen involved, they are available in different varieties.

Sinks made of copper may have problems such as poor drainage and damage if hit by hard material.

Therefore, it is advisable to obtain a warranty before purchasing the sink. These copper sinks develop a natural finish known as patina.

4. Granite composite kitchen sink material

Granite composite sink material is made of a combination of crushed granite with a resin filler.

The mixture consists of 80% granite and 29% stone, but it varies depending on the manufacturer and the product itself.

The mixture provided produces the same qualities as those of pure granite.

This material makes sinks feel and look like natural stone.

Another form of composite sink is the quartz composite, which is made by following the same procedure as the granite composite.

It is a good sink material for your kitchen because there are plenty of colours, finishes, sizes, and shapes to choose from, so you won’t be tied to a particular option.

However, waterborne minerals can make the finish on the granite composite fade and become dull if the sink is not regularly cleaned.

At the same time, installing sinks made from granite composite material is difficult and may require extra support.

While granite composite is one of the best kitchen sink materials, it is also expensive compared to other types because they are scarce.

5. Fireclay kitchen sink material

it’s a work of moulding. Ceramic clay is moulded into the shape of a sink and is dried in high temperatures for up to forty hours.

After this, the sink is applied with a porcelain enamel and then placed in a tunnel kiln.

The kiln has very high temperatures for up to twenty hours.

As a result, the heat makes sure that the enamel and the clay stick together strongly.

The end product is a ceramic material that is very hard and almost resembles the enamel cast iron.

The distinguishing feature is that fireclay sinks have a handcrafted quality and can be molded in any design, which relies on the manufacturer.

Fireclay sinks are expensive and have only one basin because they are mainly made for farmhouse purposes.

6. Acrylic Kitchen Sink Material

This consists of plastic, resin, and fibreglass, all combined to form polycarbonate, known as acrylic.

Acrylic is one of the best sink materials for your kitchen because it can be easily moulded to make sinks of different shapes and sizes.

The solid material of an acrylic kitchen sink is lightweight in nature.

7. Solid surface kitchen sink material

This material is made of minerals, polyesters, and resins.

It was introduced by a company known as Dupont in the 1960s, and the trade name was Corian.

This material looks exactly like a natural stone.

It was mainly used as a countertop material. Sinks made from this material are way far cheaper compared to sinks from natural stone

However, manufacturers found another use of it in making sinks. This material can make an even better sink if it is designed as an offset sink because of better drainage, Check our guide on offset sinks to learn more.

The use of solid surface material became a common style. This material has a pleasing appearance and a wide range of colors and finishes.

Some of the kitchen sinks made from this material include the recessed apron sink, the plain apron sink, and the Drainboard sink.

8. Concrete sink material

Concrete is made by a mixture of cement water, gravel, and sand, which forms a sink material.

Concrete sinks involve this mixture being shaped into a sink.

This makes your sink unique because concrete will be customized specifically as you wish.

It is difficult to find your own design somewhere else.

Therefore, most of them are customized to the user’s design and the size of your kitchen.

In this case, you can consider your opinion because what you regard as beautiful will be made for you.

However, concretes are heavy and require support during installation that will always keep them firm.

At the same time, concrete is highly affected by scratches and stains and should, therefore, be sealed often as a kitchen sink material.

Verdict on the best kitchen sink material

Though everybody is entitled to their own opinions, stainless steel kitchen sink material happens to be the best.

The advantages of the sinks made of stainless steel are better and more preferable. Stainless steel kitchen sinks are durable, just like all other sinks.

Kitchen sinks made of stainless steel are also cheap, making it easy for people with low budgets to acquire them. This material is also used for bathroom sinks.

These sinks also fit into any house design. The material is resistant to heat, so there is no need to panic when placing hot pans and utensils on the sink.

This material is also very easy to clean and rarely stains compared to all other kitchen sink materials. However, you need to learn how to maintain it well to ensure easy cleaning.

The disadvantage of being noisier can be solved by acquiring a thicker stainless steel sink.

Statistics prove that stainless steel material sinks are the most used sinks compared to all other types.

This shows that it was what most people prefer and regard as their best kitchen sink.