I went with a top mount that can be flush mounted. I was too concerned with the potential chipping. I'm happy with it. I tried to go kind of utilitarian on the things that get used and shiny and pretty on things like lighting and cup pulls

Here is a link that might be useful:

I have a stainless drop in. I don't understand all the talk of crud catching in the lip, I don't find that to be the case. Regular cleaning around the sink area every day makes that a non issue for me.Having never had an undermount sink I can't say, but it would seem to me that more crud would catch in that area than in a top mount. I've never dented a stainless sink, I would guess you'd have to drop something pretty heavy in it to dent it. I guess it depends on how thick your steel is? But I do hate the water spotting on the stainless. Everything has its trade offs I guess. For the most part I find the drop in stainless pretty tough and easy to care for.

To me, the only pro of a drop-in sink is that it's replaceable if you change your mind. The fact that with an undermounted sink, you can much more easily clean the counters around the sink made it a no-brainer for me (I had a top-mounted sink for 20 years, and have now had undermounted sinks for close to 10).

I had a stainless sink over laminate for 25 years, and when we removed the sink during demo, there was not a layer of crud under the sink lip. Apparently the key is to make sure there's a good seal between sink and counter? I'm not the greatest housekeeper either.

Now we have an undermount SS sink, and love it. It's only been a year, but we haven't had any chips in the quartz counter. We regularly wash cast-iron frying pans in the sink. The old sink never dented, and I don't expect this one to.

Good luck with your decision.

Undermount sinks look nicer, I agree, a more modern look. But I honestly don't see where the top mount is so difficult to keep clean. I've never found it to be so.

What would you do for a rental?

With a bottom mount you can push water, food, whatever is on your counter, straight into the sink. You can't do that with a top mount. I find this comes in handy everyday in the kitchen and the bathroom.

We were on the same page w/DebraK when we decided undermount ... the ability to swish everything from the counter into the sink and run the disposal is something we've longed for!