Agreed. Rarely can I think of an instance where I'd prefer a top mount.

I prefer under mount for the same reasons as Insideout. However, if you're partial to a vintage farmhouse/cottage aesthetic, I can see the appeal of a top mount.

I also vote for undermount sinks especially if you are doing solid countertops.

Definitely under mount! It is so much easier to clean and really creates a tailored look.

Undermount! Looks nicer and easy to keep clean. As Dytecture said, they're perfect with solid countertops. To expand on that, you can not use undercount sinks with laminate countertops because the cutout will be exposed and unfinished.

I hated the top mount I had in our kitchen for 14 years. It got really grungy and hard to clean around the seal with the counter. The undermount sink in our our new (three year old) kitchen is a joy in comparison. It looks much sleeker, and when you wipe crumbs off the counter they go straight into the sink rather than encountering the top mount's lumpy edge. I would never go back to a top mount sink again.

Undermount! No question!

Thanks everyone I think I'm going with the undercount. I just read once that the bad thing about the under mounts is that if the sink breaks you will have to remove the entire counter top but what are the odds of that.

Chances are your sink will be fine, it's like anything else, you get what you pay for, so if you go for stainless look for a 16 gauge, 302 steel, insulated so it will look good for years. And if worst case scenario something were to happen, there are options before ripping out the whole countertop.

If you like white cast iron sinks (and I love them), they seem to outlast the lives of their owners. That's what we put in for our under mount.

I'm glad you are going with the Undermount! There shouldn't be any problems replacing the sink in the rare occasion it breaks. I haven't heard of having to remove the entire counter top only to replace a sink.

Ummmm...So what did you end up doing?? Seeing this was posted in 2012. I am also going thru the same dilemma!! HELP!!!

Having had both, I vote undermount. Our past 3 homes (we move a lot) have had top mount porcelain sinks by choice. Very traditional and pretty. However, the current house we are living in (more of a transitional/modern style) has an undermount stainless steel sink and I really love it. So easy to clean the counters - just wipe everything into the sink. And with the stainless steel sink you don't have to worry about scratching or staining, unlike the porcelain.

I'm thinking of going stainless steel FLUSHMOUNT - with 2 bowls and a drainer...only because I know myself and i know if I have undermount I will break all my crockery!

bernyzz001, what does undermount have to do with breaking your crockery? My last two homes have had undermount, and I would never want to go back to top mount. My first undermount was a stainless steel 50/50 split, and the current house has a super single stainless steel. We are in the process of putting a second kitchen upstairs in our loft area, and I am planning to put a granite single bowl sink . . . trying to decide between Swan and Blanco. Also, wondering the difference in the finished product of undermount sink or dual mount when it is mounted under the cabinet. I will attach pics to show the two options of Swan and the Blanco. The dual mount is about $56 cheaper than the same sink in undermount???? Opinions please!

Swan Dual Mount - Espresso

Swan Undermount - Espresso

Blanco Undermount - Café Brown

....because if you have undermount...the stone you have around it would chip more easily, not to mention plates and glasses that u might accidently tap on the edges of it AND then imagine bumping a large saucepan and chipping the stone? Nope! Was going to go with undermount but too many people that have it turned me off it....see picture beow for example...Looks nice, but not practical for Italians that LOVE to cook :)

Hi, I agree. I'm about to install a new kitchen and I chipped all the edges of my last bench top because it was undermounted so am very reluctant to do it again. Catch 22 - it looks so much better top mounted though!

A radius edge along the rim of the stone will help prevent any chipping. We use a 3/8" radius as standard. This will go a long way to keep your counter looking like new. Some stones are more prone to chipping as well, due to the minerals they contain. Talk to your fabricator about the specific stone you've chosen and they should be able to give you an idea of how resistant it will be to chipping.

i'm glad there's a thread going on here about kitchen sink. I'm looking for a stainless steel, undermount, single basin kitchen sink to replace this (see attached). From front to back is 19"; side to side 29", height ~8". The problem that i find at sites like home depot or lowes is that most of the sink is 18" front to back. i think we need to look one that's bigger than 19" because the current sink curves. Now some contractors are saying it may not be possible except for getting a farmhouse sink and with that we may not fit it due to the structure and needing to replace the bottom doors. I don't want to redo the entire counter. Please advise!! or direct me to find a good site for kitchen sinks. Thank you!!

We've built hundreds of top mount style sinks and I wanted to point out that most of these builds we've done are for already existing countertops. In our experience, it's rare that a customer will come to us and say they are installing new countertops and would like a top mount sink. That being said, undermount is a great option in terms of functionality and aesthetic beauty.

Should you have more questions with your decision we are happy to talk sinks.

- Havens Metal

(407)-456-8698

Hi Havens Metal Works,

do you have an office in San Diego, CA? or recommend a company to us?

Thank you!

Agbells,

We actually don't have an office in San Diego, as we are based out of Orlando, FL. Just to let you know, we are currently offering free shipping on all of our stock sinks to bring in the New Year the right way.

Shipping to San Diego would take about a week from day of purchase to arrive to your front door.

Here are some links you might find useful:

Shipping Information

Sinks by Havens

Let us know if we can be of any assistance, thanks.

- Havens Metal

Top mount if you counter is going to be laminate. The cost of the special sinks needed to under mount in laminate will negate any savings you may get from going with laminate. Most stone and quartz countertops seem to get under mount but a few have gone with top mount. Butcher Block I have seen with both but an under mount lets you keep an eye on those cut ends around the sink a bit easier. The better question is which do you like best? Which look appeals to you. Remember when buying a sink that under mount sinks are always a bit deeper then the listed depth due to the thickness of the counter.

i definitely prefer undermount and it looks like so far most of the contractors that came to look at it said i would need to remove the granite and start from new. Which i'm trying not to do, i want to do the least work if possible. just wanted to know if anyone have any other ideas that i can do if i want an undermount. Do i really have to remove the entire counter?

agbells, you would have to post pictures of your sink and the inside of the sink cabinet for an answer.

Just my 2 cents. I'm having granite counter tops put in next Friday (happy happy) I originally was going with laminate. I even purchased a beautiful top mount sink 16 gauge single bowl 15mm radius. Very contemporary. Well the local laminate installer gave me the run around for 5 days about actually doing the job. My husband said. just go and get the granite. I DID NOT return the sink. I love it and I think it will look amazing. So everyone buy what you like(love) and stop stressing. I will post pictures of my new sink and counter-tops.

Really old post