Thanks to the reader who sent in the tip that Kohler’s single-bowl, porcelain-on-cast-iron, hudee-ring Bakersfield kitchen sink has been discontinued. My contact at Kohler confirms this is true, noting that the larger double-bowl Kohler Delafield kitchen is still in production. She also tells me that the Delafield is “not going to be discontinued this year any more, since those [product discontinuations] are done in June.”
Bakersfield: DISCONTINUED!
Readers, this prompts me to advise: On hard-to-find, unique-in-the-market items like these hudee-ring sinks… if you have have a project coming up in the next few years… then you might want to buy them once you know what you want… and store them away for later installation. Another case in point: Boomerang laminate by Formica. Get this stuff while the gettin’ is good, because we retro renovators are still a fringe-y market in the grand consumer scheme of things.
Where to buy hudee-ring (metal rim) kitchen sinks?:
Above: My favorite – the double-bowl, porcelain-on-cast-iron Delafield. Link: Kohler Delafield Kitchen Sink.
Above: Mac the Antique Plumber has metal rim kitchen sinks in a variety of sizes. But, there are no holes for a deck faucet, so you will have to use a wall-mount faucet or drop these into granite or a solid surface countertop. Link: Mac The Antique Plumber kitchen sinks.
Buy a vintage sink? Sure — that’s what I did, my kitchen features one of four 42″ double bowl kitchen sinks that I salvaged from a 1963 kitchen from a cooking school once run by nuns. Tips: Get a vintage sink that’s perfect — no chips, no significant wear – as there is no way I’ve heard of yet to really reglaze a porcelain kitchen sink effectively. Also, if you find a perfect vintage model – you need the hudee ring that goes with it (DON’T try to match it later, there were more than 1,000 different size hudee rings back in the day) and grab the mounting clips.
- See all my stories including more tips about kitchen sinks for a mid century kitchen here.
Hi there Pam….when I opened your site this morning I was surprised to see this Kohler sink being discontinued. We just had our kitchen done this past spring & I purchased this sink from one of the big box stores, but they did not carry the Hudee ring. I contacted Kohler at the time & was able to get the ring, & they also told me they had been making this sink for years & did not think it was going to be discontinued. Oh, well!! I am so glad we redid our kitchen this year because not only is my kitchen sink being discontinued, but the Atomic Turf laminate I used is also being discontinued as you told us about on an earlier post. I also put Armstrong VCT tile on the floor & my kitchen looks so very much 1960′s. Anyway, thank you very much for all you do to keep our Retro madness alive. I count on your site every single day, & it is a blessing to me as I continue to retro renovate my mid century home.
….I think pictures of your kitchen are in order.
Oh, I agree! I would love to see pictures of Diane’s finished kitchen
Ditto! I also used Atomic Turf laminate and VCT tile on the floor. I would love to see how yours looks Diane!
Oh, what a sad day! I’ve rented one-half of a 1950′s cottage duplex for the last 11 years and have washed many a dish in that very sink (including Hudee ring).
I’m in the process of buying a mid-1960′s house whose original sink is no longer in place. I guess the chances of installing anything close to the one I’ve grown to love are getting less by the day.
Ach, mensch.
The double basin is still available, Beulah…
I am torn about getting the metal frame Delafield. My current vintage sink is old and nasty, but one of the things I hate about it is the crud that gets stuck on both sides of the frame. This would match perfectly, but I am not sure what to do. Any advice?
christi, when I updated my kitchen we installed a vintage porcelain on cast iron sink with a hudee ring. we don’t have a crud problem… i am wondering if there is some problem with the fit on your old model…..
my husband is favoring the self-rim delafield, and I am still torn. Totally period sink? Or simpler installation?
christi, i don’t think the drop in delafield with hudee ring is “difficult” to install. that said: i use pro’s….
I just recently purchased the Delafield with the hudee ring.
I was concerned about scratching on the basin. Can you suggest any basin protector/metal grids that would fit this sink? Thanks!