Hard choice. I love high backe--so practical and easy to clean up, and with integrated drainboards, so nice to have dedicated drain space. I once had an 1930s apartment with original sink that had both! Loved that place to bits--all kinds of neat built-ins and original features. Just to add to your woes, faucetsdirect has really reasonably priced stainless Kraus sink/faucet combos, including an apron front. I don't like ceramic because I break my glasses too often unless I use a dishpan or a liner.http://www.faucetdirect.com/kitchen-sink-and-faucet-combo/c38116 Here is some picks of the IKEA and with their faucet (about $450 combined) and it doesn't have to be undermounted! Check out this for the low-down on how happy one person is with it: http://www.lilyfieldlife.com/2012/07/loving-my-ikea-domsjo-sink.html The other is the Kraus I'v been drooling over, but can't use because it is an undermount. It is around $590-700 with the faucet, depending on the options you pick.

Our home in lower Michigan has terrible water with a lot of iron in it. We do have a kinetic softener with an iron filter but that still does not help. The water isn't dangerous, just causes rust problems and odor issues at certain times of the year. We never hooked up the ice maker on the fridge and we only use 5 gallon purchased water for our drinking, cooking and pets. Our northern Michigan home has wonderful water. We use the filtered water and ice machine on the fridge up there and also drink the wonderful well water directly from the tap. Can't wait to retire up there.

I have had a dark brown Silgranit kitchen sink for 5 years and it does show water streaks, despite living in the mountains where the water quality is excellent. It tends to streak around or under the faucet where excess water runs down the sink. I maintain it with mineral oil every few months. If I had to make the choice now I would opt for a lighter color, perhaps the silvery metallic grey. Other than the streaking, I do like the sink.

Choosing a Water Filter Once you know what’s in your water, consider which filters remove which ingredients. While most will vary depending on the make and manufacturer, there are some general guidelines to consider. Pitcher filter If you’ve been relying on a pitcher filter to clean your water, you may want to read the fine print. Pitcher filters typically reduce only a few contaminants (such as chlorine), plus the water sits in plastic for an extended period of time and may pick up chemicals from the pitcher itself! Though inexpensive, pitchers are effective mainly at improving the taste and odor of your water and will leave many contaminants of concern. Similarly, the simple filters in water-dispensing refrigerators, besides wasting electricity, remove a relatively small number of contaminants. Faucet-mount filter Some faucet-mount filters remove a decent number of contaminants. Again, be sure to read the fine print to see they’re removing what you want them to, as filter performance varies widely. Though faucet mount filters are inexpensive and easily replaced without special skills, if you look carefully at how long a filter lasts and replacement filter costs, you may find that a more effective filter – though initially somewhat more expensive – does not cost much more in the long run. Countertop Water Filter Countertop filters don’t take up space under your sink, and can either hook up to your faucet or be freestanding, gravity-fed filters. Neither requires a plumber to install. The advantage of a filter hooked up to your waterline is that you don’t have to refill a filter container constantly. But a gravity-fed filter is a smart investment because it can purify water in an emergency situation, even when there’s a problem with the water supply or the power goes out. In a power outage, municipal water supplies can’t maintain water pressure and well pumps will stop working without a backup energy source. https://www.heating-air-conditioning.org/