It’s a kitchen design question as old as time: Double sink or single sink, which is better? Some readers recently started commenting back and forth on the question, and it occurred to me that we’d never discussed and debated this topic in a story. (We did discuss the classic toilet paper over or under question, though!) Above: Illustration of American-Standard kitchen cabinets and sinks from a 1953 catalog.
Of course, each design has its pros and cons. [Above: Illustration from 1953 Crane kitchen catalog.]
Double sink pros and cons:
- Double sinks make it easier to wash on one side, stack to dry on the other.
- Or procrastinators can wash on one side, pile dirties on the other, and get to finishing up when you can. [I plead guilty, but you could guess that already, couldn’t you?]
- On the flip side, double sinks typically are smaller, so you sometimes cannot get a big pot or tray completely into one of the bowls. Jamming a large tray into one side of a double sink kinda runs the risk of scratching or dinging it.
- In the same vein, they can take up more room.
Single sink pros and con:
- Single sinks can be sized larger, so they can fit large pots and pans and trays. [My husband is in the single sink camp for this reason.]
- I guess you could say: They encourage you to clean as you go, because there is no second bowl to pile in the dirties.
- Overall, they likely take up less room, so there is more counter space for prep.
Kristina says
I much prefer a deep single sink. Washing large pots and pans in a nice big single sink is so much easier than a double sink.
I can also bathe my little dog in a large single sink! ?. (Sinks are easily sterilized, for everyone who went “Ewww”?)
Susanne Marten says
I spent six months looking for a kitchen sink to replace a cast iron two basin sink. My goal was to place the new sink in the exact location so that I would not need to replace the surrounding Pomona tile. I ended up with a synthetic plastic one basin sink. It is not what I wanted but I did save the tile. Now it appears there are more options.
Ted Crocker says
I prefer a large, deep single sink for maneuvering and washing large pots and pans. I can’t explain why – maybe its a feng shui thing, but the center divider of a double sink has always bothered me as it is generally right under the faucet and therefore in the way. When I remodeled my house recently, I had custom made my optimal sink. It is a 7′ long countertop made of stainless steel incorporating a marine lip, a large, deep single sink with a drain board to one side (over the dishwasher) and counter space to either side. We love it! https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPGz76Zv5mEX5xvXtAvnaNgfcdDT0TgJoVUhghMClrIIibx4ZlCKe1vIxVQ8avAMQ/photo/AF1QipPIEaARHKA1mf9HOeCu-XNpz4YJEE16oxs4dZLV?key=T0JUNFNrYkJURmJsckFQeXNIVmJfSWhjWGF1RlV3
Pam Kueber says
Beautiful!
Tucker says
Nice
Tony W says
A friend has a “tandem” sink in her kitchen. A period 50’s piece. I’m not even sure if tandem is the right word to describe it.
A double sided twin sink on a peninsula that allows each person access to their own sink from both sides.
Paul says
Deep single bowl. Stainless. I like the room for washing up pots and find the stainless easier to maintain and a bit quieter. Mine has a right-side drainboard. I use that for the dish rack.
Anne Y. says
The kitchen in my 1925 twin house was remodeled right before I bought the place. I’d give anything to have the older version back. The new sink is very deep and there is no rim. I have to plunge my arms in so far to wash dishes and the water always slops up over the sides onto the counter and floor. I would love to have a double sink like I grew up with again!
Chris Allard says
I prefer a double sink, but mine is not a standard, both bowls same size, type of sink. Stainless steel, one larger very deep bowl that is great for washing big stockpots and pans, and a smaller, shallower tub where I have a garbage disposal installed and do all my peeling, cutting, food prep in. I have a dishwasher so I generally wash only the pots and pans and more delicate items. When I do wash in the sink, I have a drying mat on the counter next to the sink. I absolutely HATE having dishes, dirty or clean, stored in the sink or on the counter.
melanie beck says
I prefer a single sink myself. More room.
Sandy says
Double sink, but I was brought up to wash on one side, rinse on the other, and stack on the counter. Now that I have a dishwasher, I keep a small drainer in the second bowl and the counter is clear. The sink itself is stainless steel and so big and deep that it can totally hide a decent number of dirty plates, and I can put my roaster inside to soak, and there is zero splashing on the counter. I don’t get the hatred for stainless steel here. I remember tea staining the white sinks of my sixties childhood, and brushed stainless avoids the problem entirely. It also resists staining from hair dye or science projects. I dislike stainless steel appliances, but sinks? They make sense.
Kristine Hudson says
Cast Iron Single Sink????
Deep
Roomy for cleaning roasters or even
Strange things you never thought about.
It Will happen!!
I will never go back..if I ever sell this house the sink along with my Dishmaster faucet are going with me.