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robvann

One bowl or two, that is the question

11 years ago
My wife and I are discussing our sink options. I think that the large sink stainless sink molded into countertop offers the best option for food preparation and dirty dishes prep. The small section that is off to the side leading to the drain works for food preparation and the larger part allows for stacking dirty dishes and handling large cooking pots, trays, fry pans that need soaking before going to the dishwasher. She is more comfortable with the two bowls, but I think that is because that is what she is used to. Since we both do the dishes we both have a say in what we are going to install. She suggested that we put this out as a Design Dilemma to the Houzz community. Thank you in advance for your input.

Comments (24)

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago
    I went from two to one and will never go back. If I need to soak some thing, I have a lovely Rubbermaid tub stored in the garage.
  • 11 years ago
    I prefer a large single sink by far, even though mine doesn't have the small section. I don't see how people soak frying pans or baking sheets in the double ones. Every time I have to use one, the divider is always in the way.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    I also prefer one large bowl and propose that to all of my clients. Best of luck!
  • 11 years ago
    I'm with you: One, and the bigger the better. Washing big baking dishes and stockpots in a tiny sink is incredibly frustrating. I would also say that a tap/faucet with an arm that pulls out to spray things is a life changer and mess saver.
  • 11 years ago
    We recently remodeled our kitchen and had an undermount single bowl sink installed. I love it and don't miss the double bowl sink at all!
  • 11 years ago
    I went from a double to a large single and will never go back either.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    One large bowl for sure!
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago
    I have the dual sink, but one side quite small. I like this set up. The large sink is big enough for pots and pans, and the small side (also the trash compacter side) is great for dropping the yucky food, or soak the silverware, or a clean, soapy side for clean up helpers. :)
    Elkay ELUH3219 Gourmet Undermount Double Bowl Sink · More Info
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    Single deep sink.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    I went from a single to a large 2/3 and 1/3 split will never go back to one. I can soak a pan in one. And clean carrots or potatoes or rinse lettuce in the other. You can't soak pans and wash carrots ( or at least you shouldn't) with one bowl design.
  • 11 years ago
    2 bowls are better than one. Especially if you have a hubby or family the generate lots of dirty dishes.
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago
    I went from single (big) to two (med and small). I like having 2 sinks in the kitchen (a third medium-sized sink is in the breakfast counter) especially when 2 or more people are working in my kitchen.

    Unfortunately the medium-sized sink is a tight fit for the big pans, I should have gotten the one with large bowl and medium bowl.

    If you do decide to go 2 bowls, make sure that at least one of the sinks is big enough for your big pans. If you have limited counter space, then go big and deep single bowl.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago
    I don't know the size of your sink base, but how about you both win?! Dawn has a single bowl sink, that comes with a heavy duty plastic acrylic divider, allowing you to turn your single bowl into a double bowl whenever you deem fit. It has two drains allowing for quick and easy drainage. And when you need that big turkey pan to soak, simply take your divider out, and the pan will lay flat at the bottom.
  • 11 years ago
    I have one large. When I need to do hand washing of smaller items, I just get a large mixing bowl for the sudsy water and do it that way. But having the large sink is so helpful for large items! Would not change.
  • 11 years ago
    i went from double 70/30 to a single a couple inches smaller than the old one's total length. i think the important bit is when you order your sink order the bottom rack that is custom made for it, even tho it's like $100. then it wont matter that you pour something into the bottom if you have dirty dishes stacked in there. wooden spoons can sit in the sink without sitting in water. and you can set a colander on the rack to drain something without it being in the bottom of the sink.

    i use a rubbermade dishpan stored under the sink to wash the things that cant go in the dishwasher.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    And there are newer sinks that actually have three bowls, you would end up having a custom cabinet made for it, but if I were re-doing my kitchen, I would have that.
  • 11 years ago
    I went from two bowls to one and have been 110% happy I did, it is so much easier to do dishes! Now with a new house I'm back to two and I can't wait to replace this sink. I doubted the one at first when I chose it but once I used it it was amazing!
  • 11 years ago
    I am confused! When doing dishes, how do you rinse them in the same bowl? Don't you end up with a lot of water in it? I must be missing something but I would prefer two bowls. I can see for larger pans, etc. that one bowl might be good but I still don't quite get it. :-/
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago
    i wash the non-dishwasher items in the tub of suds and rinse them under the faucet. i WOULD NEVER IN MY LIFE stick a clean soapy dish into a standing still sink of rinse water and then eat off of it. thats just me maybe.

    if that sounds like i'm wasting water... i start with a not very full tub of water, and the dishes are rinsed into that tub, so by the time i get to the bigger pots its nice and deep and full of water.
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago
    Unwantedadvice: You may be assuming that people fill the sink bowls directly with soapy water? I've seen a few do that. For me suds are always in a separate container inside the sink, no matter what kind it is, so it's easy to wash and rinse in the same bowl. I don't have a dishwasher, so everything is washed by hand.
  • 11 years ago
    I have a dishwasher but still wash some things by hand and have lots of recycling items rinsed and drying. (recycling is my biggest domestic design headache!) My counter space is limited so I like my dish drainer in the sink - so I have a two bowl sink - and I still overflow my hand washed dishes and rinsed out jars onto a counter on a towel sometimes. I think a lot depends on how you live, how much hand washing you do, how many people in the house (we have 6). I don't have any problem washing my large frying pans etc. I don't usually need to soak them.
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago
    Okay, I think I understand now. I am thinking back to my mother always having a small tub or dish pan in the sink so maybe as a young child we only had a single bowl.

    I have a dishwasher but always have to hand wash certain plastics like water bottles and pots/pans, and then clean off the counters, too, of course.
  • 11 years ago
    @jhmarie, yes, recycling is a problem and I guess that's another reason I have two bowls. When I rinse out recyclable items they can go into the other bowl to drip dry a bit before they are put into the inside recycle bin. And I cannot stand dirty dishes piled up into the sink, either I put them into the dishwasher or stack up neatly on the counter if just a few items.