Stainless steel.

I so truly will jump for joy when the current penchant for farmhouse sinks DIES. The simplest and best and most forever sink on this planet, remains an under mounted stainless. Put the farm details somewhere else. Style up your cabinetry, get a bridge faucet, add some wainscoting, ............knock yourself out on lighting! But honestly, get a forever sink. A nice big and roomy single bowl.....: ). Franke, Moen......Blanco.... the options are limitless.

for what it's worth, fireclay is a type of ceramic. kohler cast iron or stainless steel are the only materials i considered for a sink.

If you like the farmhouse look but want more practicality, I'd recommend Kohler's Whitehaven sink. It's an undermount with an apron front.

For what it's worth, my ten year old Blanco stainless looks like the day it was installed via a simple spray of 409 and a quick wipe out. To each her own. So ditto the suggestion above if apron front is your thing.

I have the Kohler Whitehaven and love it. I would get the grills for the bottom - just makes clean up easier and less worry about chipping, though I had a cast iron sink for 18 years before my Whitehaven with no problems.

To all who hope they go away:

1993 This Old House - note the apron sink:

This was the London house - they have been used in Britain and Ireland for over two hundred years. This Old House featured one in an the 1998 Milton House - in the mudroom, making their way into homes on this side of the Atlantic. They may stick around just like in Europe because they work really well for people who use their kitchen a lot.

Another option perhaps?

Love my 12year Fireclay Rohl Allia sink (not a farmhouse but an undermount sink). I have a contemporary layout and this is one thing I love. I wish it were bigger than 32" wide but I have a love of large sinks. I don't baby it so there are some chips here and there but never cracked. I dump hot water down the sink all the time.

Pick what material you like, know its limitations and decide if that works for you.

Good luck!

Pick what material you like, know its limitations and decide if that works for you. I very much agree with that. We are going with 2 whitehaven's... if they chip, it'll be patina : - )

No matter the sink use grids on the bottom to protect it.

We had Barclay 30" fireclay apron front sink for 7 years. We cooked a lot & didn't baby it, as others have recommended get a bottom sink grid and you shouldn't have a problem. It costs much less compared to handmade fireclay sinks (Shaw's) and because it's machine made there is less risk of frustrating low spots/pooling water (as can happen with handmade Shaw's.)

I'd looked into Shaw's for that previous kitchen remodel and revisited for this house. Then and now multiple sales people at 2 different showrooms (who stood to make a commission off the high price) steered me away due to customer complaints of cracking/water pooling/chips etc.

Just bought another Barclay FS30 (~$650) for this kitchen's remodel. I love the depth (deeper than the kohler) and the off set drain (less splashing and you can set a stack of large plates out of sight in the sink and still use the other side of the sink.) It's also an awesome baby bath tub :)

@BeverlyFLADeziner, the pictures you posted, what kind of sink is that?

5th-ing the Kohler Whitehaven. The fireclay sinks are GORGEOUS and a much "finer" look. But I can totally trust that my cast iron sink is *indestructable* and will long outlast the rest of the house. :) And the Kohlers have a lifetime warrantee, which the Franke and other fireclay ones I looked at absolutely did not. That gave me pause. The whitehaven makes me happy everytime I use it.

I have a lovely Herbeau fireclay sink with a not so lovely crack radiating outward from the drain. Im not too upset as I bought it for $40 with a small pit and I have gotten 7 years of use. The countertop needs replacing as well so I cant complain too much but I certainly would be ticked if I had paid $1200 and then had to hire someone to install it as well. The replacement will be stainless steel

Jan:

You're telling me this:

Looks better than this:?

I make no claims to being a designer, but geesh.

I built a house in 2005 and had a Shaw's Original Fireclay Farmhouse sink (single bowl) installed. I cooked a lot and didn't baby it. I sold the house in 2015 and the sink was as beautiful as the day it was installed.

When renovating my new old house (built in 1939), I again went with the same brand sink. My prep sink isn't a farmhouse, but it's also a Shaw's fireclay.

I've never used a grid protector in the bottom of my sinks. I wash big pots and pans. I couldn't imagine having a smaller sink.

I like the farmhouse also because of my back pain. I don't have to reach over that few inches of counter as one gets with other styles.

No regrets.

@ Joe

If you read my comment you shall realize I ONLY said stainless over Fireclay, and IF stainless ? Echoed the comment above mine with "ditto" to apron front....in stainless. PS...... I loathe double bowl any material.

Jan:

The written record here shows you having said "I so truly will jump for joy when the current penchant for farmhouse sinks DIES. The simplest and best and most forever sink on this planet, remains an under mounted stainless. Put the farm details somewhere else."

Yes.......and I should have added the HONKIN WHITE ONES to that : ) And yes, I still prefer an under mounted stainless for both ease and longevity, SINGLE bowl. Sue me Joe : )

Jan:

As you may know, I have an ulterior motive for hoping apron front sinks stay in style. When a customer has a failed reinforcement rod that has cracked the front or rear sink rail, nothing makes for a better solution than to remove the offending rail(s) by installing an apron style sink.

It will be good when the idea of "farmhouse" becomes separated from the idea of "apron front sink" since the sink does not originate in the imaginary "farmhouse" but the butler's pantry of Britain and on this side of the Atlantic, from the large cast iron sinks in homes both rural and urban from the early to mid part of the last century. Perhaps people who use their kitchens pretty much all day long like the "big honking white sink" because of the way it functions:)

I am 5'1" tall. I find an apron front sink to be much easier to use than a sink that it is a few inches back from the counter top edge. I also like the way they look. I didn't get one in our last kitchen 10 years ago because DH didn't like them and I didn't want one badly enough to insist. This time, I want one badly enough to insist so DH is getting used to the idea :-)

Ikea Domsjo double or single bowl sink is ceramic, and a great look, at a great price. If it breaks, you won't cry copious tears of regret :)

Had the single bowl Domsjo in my old house, looked fab and was the only sink I've ever used where I didn't get soaked while doing dishes (I am short, it was not undermount, no idea why this phenomenon happened). It seemed to wear very well with no scuffs or dings, but I moved about a year after installing it.

Now I love my huge single bowl granite composite sink from Franke. Very quiet. And it actually is the size of a double bowl and fits in the same cutout.

If you love the farmhouse sink and it works with your home, get it. I don't think they will ever be out of style if they are consistent with your particular home's style. Unfortunately I have zero experience with the fireclay, but my experience with the ceramic was very positive. And in the right setting, they look fabulous :)

I have had stainless steel sinks. They are o.k. I understand why people like them. But they are totally not for me!

I have installed a few fireclay sinks. Some rather on the expensive high end side. People love how they look, but it seems like they scratch easy, and are very high maintenance. Good luck! Get what makes you happy!

Thank you creative remodeling. I appreciate the feedback.

Olde London 30" Single Bowl Reversible Fireclay Farmhouse Kitchen Sink Set

is this sink for 500 to goo to be true?

I know this an old post, but I feel compelled to say that my fireclay sink still looks gorgeous on my 8 years old kitchen. I clean it with simple sponge/soap after use it and a few times a year I clean it with the Pink stuff and it is bright and shiny! However, my stainless steel sink in the laundry, after 1 year, it looks horrible bc I have to scrub every single time after use it and my kids/husband don't do that. It is a pain to clean. It seems like ppl who advocate for stainless steel vc ceramic/fireclay don't really use the sink. I cook 3 meals a day and I'm thrilled that the farmhouse style came to stay! It's soothing and calming style.