I have one of those and it IS great (I also had a drying mat, which worked great, but I found it hard to store, plus I had to move things off the counter to use it). I also got it at BB&B. Tip - I store it in the tip-out in front of my sink.

I think I saw someone on here mounted a section of PVC pipe under their sink for storing that mat in--it rolls up right? Nice to see it in use with the stages as we are getting a stages for this remodel.

It's brilliance is it's simplicity. Love it.

Thats a great idea. I think I have an old section of pvc I could use for the same thing...

Great find!

Stephanie, I hope you're liking your sink much better after a little time! I was thinking of you while prepping the other night. I was hoping you'd try different things and that you'd give the grid another try.

Bbtrix, my other half wanted the grid in there, so I'm making peace with it. lol. I am awaiting arrival of the Karbon faucet which I hope will bring the water source closer to me. I DO find that I'm enjoying the sink more as I've bought more day to day usable accesories. I'd really wanted The Galley sink, but I realized it was all of those very usable accesories that made me want it. The drying rack, the colander, etc. I hear there's an Ikea cutting board that will fit as well, and I think I will likely use that one more than the heavy duty one that came with it. I may not use the Stages like they do in the video, but I AM finding that with the proper accessories, it's a great sink anyway!

Have you used the plastic board for cutting? It's my favorite. I save the walnut board for entertaining. I really like using my small baking pan for sliding my veggies into it. It allows room for my scrap. I starting doing this to avoid a huge mess in my grid. I'll either toss it in the trash or down the disposal depending on what it is. That way it avoids the grid altogether. I snapped a pic while I was prepping the other night to share with you.

Also, DH likes using the grid for drying big stuff. He's does cleanup, so I don't mind how he gets it done!

I love the drying rack and bbtrix, your usage of the sink with the bake pan is brilliant. It's making me feel more comfortable about buying the stages. Currently, it's still sitting in my family room surrounded by demolished cabinets.

what is the purpose of that type of sink... I don't understand it? I keep reading one GW about people having them...

I like the drainer...

I also have the roll out drying rack and love it! It's one of my favorite purchases. Sent one to a friend of mine a month ago and she loves it also. It really is so handy and love that it rolls up. I have a small kitchen and this gives me a little more counter space by using a cutting board on top of it when needing extra space. Best purchase ever.

Maine Susan, the stages has accessories that allow for prep to take place at the sink. If you search, you will find threads here discussing in detail how people use them. If you go to YouTube, kohler has a PR video on using it.

Thanks crl... I have been doing just that here on GW... will go look on UTube.

Thank you for posting this! I've been buying, and discarding in disgust, other mats that sit on the counter. This is what I need.

Maine Susan, this sink is designed to do a number of things particularly well:

It allows you to do your prep IN the sink. Note the "indentations" that circle the outline of the sink -- that allows you to set a cutting board into the sink and use it as if it were a countertop. So you can rinse and chop messy meat over the sink. You can chop your vegetables and shove the tops and skins straight into the garbage disposal. The collander sits up above the sink, so you can rinse things well without the collander base covering up the drain.

The extra-large size means you can let dirty dishes soak on one end, while you're cleaning vegetables at the other end. Or you can let dirty dishes sit underneath your cutting board.

It occurs to me, too, that the dish drainer we're talking about right now would also be a great place to thaw frozen meat. It'd allow air on both sides.

If you're interested in this type of sink, several "big players" are available, and you really should investigate them all:
- The Galley offers multiple sizes, and it is the most expensive
- Kohler's Stages 45 (and also 33) is the most affordable, and opinions vary concerning the ledge on the side.
- Kallista's Multiere -- I might've spelled that wrong, but it's kind of a midpoint between the two above

They're all budget-busters, but I think they're going to add a great deal of function to the kitchen. If you're going this direction, you really owe it to yourself to investigate them all and choose wisely according to your specific needs: after all, once you chop a 4' hole in your countertop, you're committed. You can't run down to Home Depot and pick up a replacement.

Thanks for the info on those sinks, and I did go to UTube to view... I kept seeing peeps mention them and just now decided to take some time to learn about them.They look wonderful! I love the meat and splash all a bit controlled, and the chop block, the dish drain... the bowls a bit too much for my needs though. I would like one had I the room... maybe next time around! Again thanks!