ardcp:

It's whatever floats yer boat, but you may want to consider what the person who may be buying your home someday might want and I'll bet it's an undermount.

If you have a 1/2" radius at your sink edge and install your sink mechanically with a Hercules Universal Sink Harness your chipping and pulling-away fears should be gone.

A chipped granite edge can be repaired; a chip in a drop-in Silegranite, not so much.

We're going with a top mount. Same as you, we're aiming for a an approx 33" sink base to maximize cabinets elsewhere. We had a top mount sink of that size in our last place, and I liked it well enough (but it was enamel over cast iron, and it chipped... stainless this time around, I think.)

For what's it's worth on the gunk issue, when we moved to our current place and demoed the kitchen, we removed a 40+ year old top mount cast iron sink. The amount of gunk under the rim was very minimal except in one corner where the laminate was rotted and had sunk a bit, leaving a gap at the rim there.

Looking at a sampling of listings of homes for sale in my area just now, the split on top mount / undermount for places described as "move in" condition is about 60/40 and seems uncorrelated to how pretty or useful the kitchen looks overall. (Your area could be different.)

Curious to know if I'm an outlier on this.

glad to see such a logical argument against under mount. i don't care about wiping crumbs into the sink because i don't have nor do i want a disposal. surprisingly finding a top mount not in stainless that fits a 33" sink base isn't as easy as i thought. the silgranite sinks require a 36" base which is a bummer since they are really pretty!

To throw in another option, we installed our SS apron sink flush mounted and love it. We mocked up a sink at that depth under-mounted and found it too low for both of us. Flush mounting gave us another inch in height while allowing the looks of the sink we wanted. We can still swipe crumbs into the sink since it is level with the counter. Have had it installed six months and no problem with gunk yet. If it becomes a problem, the 1/16" silicone caulk at the edge is very easy to replace.

I also chose to drop in the sink in our newly remodeled kitchen. I like the way the deck looks and didn't want the added depth undermounting would add.

My SIL redid her kitchen with a 10 1/2" deep undermount, so bottom of sink is over a foot down.
I'm only 5'2", but when I'm at her house and help with the prep and clean-up, my back aches after. It's like washing up on the top shelf of your base cabinet.
I personally like the apron sinks. The front reach is less and it's fully supported on the base cabinet below. It can be installed flush with the countertop (with a bead of silicone), so you can still scoop crumbs into the sink.

My logic pretty much followed that of beautybutdebtfree, so we have 2 top mount ss sinks on our kitchen granite. Also, DH washes the pots & pans, some of which are heavy, and I didn't want to have to worry about him chipping the edges of the granite.

We built a very nice house, and included several things to make it more attractive for resale. But if someone decides not to buy it because of the top mounted sinks, they will be missing out on a house with many great features that someone else will be happy to have.

Anne

fishymom- glad to hear you like top mount too. i love your sink! is it silgranite? i am in love with the silgranite top mount but they require a 36" base according to the website and i only have 33"(already ordered, knew it would eliminate a lot of sinks but going to 36" and centering under the window would have cost me 3" of drawer space in a small footprint)
jimanddanne-mi- i love the apron front too but i need a reg base for the trash pullout so i gave up on the apron front idea

Ardcp, my sink is a Silgranit Super Single and it is huge, much bigger than I really need! I don't know if you have seen this one, but they make a double bowl that fits a 33" cabinet, here is the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: BLANCO DIAMOND⢠1-1/2 Bowl

fishymom-i didn't catch that one, thanks. i have a pullout trash under the right side of the sink that i plan to install in the new sink so i was trying to avoid a drain on the right but that is a cool sink. i may have to take a chance!

Have you looked at the Blanco Diamond series? It looks to me like they will fit in a 33" cabinet.

junco- that's what i thought too but the single sink requires a 36" base. i was totally against going to a double but i like the 1 3/4 diamond sink by blanco. i really like my single now because i can soak 9x13 pans in it. anyone know if that is possible in a blanco double?

This lady forked out about $2000 to have her undermount sink fixed. And look at what that sink was growing underneath!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Stone pros thread on fixing failed undermount

so gross! with my luck that would be me which is why i am completely sold on the top mount. i saw a post online that someone had their composite sink crack and the whole counter had to be removed to get the sink out. if a top mount has a leak, its an easy swap out!