Double sink or single sink in the kitchen? Which is better?

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.

Double sink or single sink — which do you prefer?

• See all my research about sinks for a midcentury or retro remodel or replacement here.