Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
staceyneil

Stainless sinks: Are the European ones worth it at 3x the cost?

Stacey Collins
last year
last modified: last year

My sink budget was $500, so I was looking at the "better" Chinese sinks: Kraus, Elkay, Kohler..... HOWEVER. Now I am worried about going with one of those on something so permanent. One of the worst decisions I made in my last kitchen was the sink shape - impossible to change without tearing out the entire marble countertop, which clearly was not happening. I don't want to be in the same situation again if I choose a sink that starts looking shabby soon or doesn't drain well or whatever. I am reading recent reviews of very poor quality stainless, and thinking maybe right now with supply issues a Chinese sink is too great a risk? I can always upgrade the faucet or appliances, but not the sink very easily.

So I'm debating whether it's worth it to splurge on one of the actually-made-in-Europe lines of Franke or Blanco, or some other brand.... I'm looking for a single bowl tight-radius (not zero) undermount for a 36" cab so looking at Franke Professional 2 or Blanco Precision. I was originally drawn to Create Good Sinks but see they are made in China too :(

Any suggestions? Things I haven't considered?

Comments (16)

  • lharpie
    last year

    I’ve lived in a lot of cheap apartments. the stainless sink has never been the problem. We are perfectly happy withour kraus 8 years later.

  • MizLizzie
    last year

    Kohler is hard to beat. Good luck.

  • ci_lantro
    last year

    Still pleased with my Kraus, too.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    "One of the worst decisions I made in my last kitchen was the sink shape - impossible to change without tearing out the entire marble countertop..."


    This isn't true. I've changed thousands of sinks to different shapes without tearing out a single countertop.

  • Stacey Collins
    Original Author
    last year

    @Joseph Corlett, LLC

    It was a weird-shaped sink cutout, which precluded other sink shapes because there would have been no place for the faucet (one bowl went all the way to the back of the counter.) :(

  • Susanne Woolley
    last year

    When we recently remodeled our 34 year old kitchen, we switched from a 2 bowl enameled cast iron sink to a larger single bowl stainless steel workstation sink. I had to decide fairly quickly in order for the cabinet maker to do his thing so I ordered a Delta ledge style sink from a big box store based partially on fit, but mostly based on how the drain was positioned. I have used sinks in friends home that absolutely did not drain well, water just swirled around for the longest time carrying debris around and around. I ended up chasing food down the drain hole. My daughters sink drains so poorly she uses a bench scraper to direct food debris into the drain.

    I love our Delta/Kraus work station sink! It drains beautifully to the right hand side, with channels that direct the water well. The finish on the faucet is truly spot free as advertised. I like the versatility and function of the accessories. The side walls do require fairly regular wiping to stay looking nice, but maybe I’m a bit more picky than I need to be. I absolutely LOVE the silicone drain rack that can roll or fold back out of the way. I use it for everything! Setting the coffee pot on while I fill with water, draining rinsed veggies, setting recently washed small items to drain and dry. Probably the coolest function of the rack is that it’s heat rated to 400° so I can bring my Dutch oven from the oven or stovetop directly to the rack over the sink for neat and convenient serving!
    Get those fixtures and appliances ordered and delivered early. Best of luck with your sink decision!

    Stacey Collins thanked Susanne Woolley
  • missb_remodeling
    last year

    I love my new Franke Pro 2 undermount. I put the 33" sink in a 33" sink base.


    (While it was more than I'd planned on spending, I'm glad I did. Also got the grid, mat and colander. Note that using the last two requires a different reveal than most folks seem to be choosing these days.)

  • Stacey Collins
    Original Author
    last year

    @missb_remodeling How does it drain? I'm getting worried because the reviews on all of these modern single-bowl sinks seem to indicate they drain really poorly. I'd hate to spend $1000 on a sink and have it frustrate me every day!


  • Colm
    last year

    Hi there. Check out Stylish sinks. They are made in Canada and the quality is great. I was looking at Franke but switched to these guys. https://www.stylishkb.com/

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    While Stylish is based in Canada, I've seen no evidence that their sinks are manufactured there.

  • Stacey Collins
    Original Author
    last year

    Stylish is not made in Canada. I asked them :)

    "Overseas" was the answer.


  • wcjo
    last year

    We have had Franke, Kraus and Elkay stainless single bowl sinks. My favorite was the Kraus Standart Pro with a bottom grid. It kept a nice finish between cleanings and rinsed out well. As long as you pick a standard size and mount the same, you should be able to have it pulled and replaced with a different type of material if you end up hating your choice, right?

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    "Overseas" is Canadian for "Chinese". The Chinese make some very nice sinks.


  • Colm
    last year

    Thanks Stacey for the correction! 😊 still giving them a shot.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    "As long as you pick a standard size and mount the same, you should be able to have it pulled and replaced with a different type of material if you end up hating your choice, right?"


    Correct, however, I'll drop your sink, change your cutout, and install whatever sink you please without removing the top or making any mess.