Most of these are extremely overpriced and a gadget buy. A "workstation" isn't necessary, and virtually every component that comes with these is as simple as a trip to Target: ) A fabulous single bowl stainless sink is a treasure forever, jmho.

Assuming your sink cabinet is 36 inches? It all comes down to what you find necessary. Google: )

and the best way to select? A trip to a dedicated plumbing supply near you.

I assume you are asking about workstation sinks. IMO the silliest thing ever .Get a nice deep large one bowl undermount stainless sink . A good sized cutting board and be done . All those goofy gadgets need a huge sink to even beging to function and I have better places to spend my money for sure. I actually dislike even the grids in the bottom of a sink they get gross and add one more thing to clean constantly.

My non workstation Elkay sink had an accessory cutting board with a hole in the middle that could be purchased - and then, there are expandable washing mesh baskets for sinks. Other than those 2 featuires, I can't see where a workstation sink gets you anything more.

If you had a large single bowl stainless sink, you could probably size a cutting board for a smaller one in one dimension AND fit the sink stainer mesh basket in there!

When you need to wash your 1/2 sheet pans, cookie sheets and jellyroll pans, where do you put all the doohickeys from the workstation sink? How about your large tagine and big pasta pots? It strikes me that you kill the advantage of a big, single bowl sink.

I am guessing you are talking about a “workstation sink”. These are not worthwile when your sink is only 30” wide. The workstation sinks that are 42” or wider have enough space for the accessories and are therefore popular. The workstation sinks that are 30” wide are gimmicks to glom on to the style of the larger ones. The accessories will cramp your ability to use the sink as a sink, and the accessories will be too small to be useful.

What you can do instead is buy your regular non-workstation 30” sink, and then separately you can purchase on Amazon a colander thst fits across the sink, and a drying rack that fits across the sink. A cutting board needs to be on a counter to get the right support when you are cutting things on it so I never understand how workstation sinks have them.

Sorry that some people are rude here. I do agree that a workstation sink in your size is just marketing, and the higher cost of it is not a good use of your money.

I am flagging @arcy_gw‘s comment to the Houzz admins, and I am sure it’s not the first time for that person.

I have a large workstation sink and 2 faucets and it's a workhorse- loved it for 10+ years. I agree that on a 30" sink there might not be the same utility - FWIW people on here freak out about the workstation accessories being inconvenient, I have never really bothered with mine- I will use the cutting board bc it fits nicely in the sink's grooves and it's easy to use, the prep bowls tht came with sink I just use as regular bowls - I def bought mine for the size & not the accessories

I too agree that they seem like marketing. I have a 30" sink and would not want anything else in the way of using basic sink functions. Because my kitchen is small by many standards, I will from time to time straddle the left side of my sink with a regular cutting board to use it as extra counter space to sit a strainer on.

Thank you all! Latifolia, yes, that is definitely an issue (not having room to rest your big pots in with a small size sink system accessories in place) That is why I wish that I could have a longer sink. I do A LOT vegetable and fruit washing MANY times a day I use a colander lot! in and out of cabinet and sink and then put away...- It would be nice to just leave it there in the sink and have it belong nd ready. I have friends who have the GALLEY brand and love it! There's is bigger than I am allotted to have since I did not plan for this. Galley is the most expensive. I am looking at everything. People say it is SO nice to have the cutting board in the sink, use it, scoot the waste with your knife right into disposal and then rinse the board and leave it in the sink for the next time. There could also be a platform where you can lay out your pastrypiizza dough with all the flour all over(instead of messing the counter) then just rinse it don the drain then put the platform in the dishwasher if you don't want to clean it later.. I would also love to use the drying rack with items still feeling put away because it is on the sink drying rack and not drying on the counters..I hope this helps to explain where I am coming from. Thank you. I am hoping a 30 inch is still functional enough and was hoping someone has one of similar size to chim in. Thank you all!

"...cutting board in the sink, use it, scoot the waste with your knife right into disposal and then rinse the board and leave it in the sink for the next time."

You can do all that with a regular undermount sink + cutting board -- cut, push the waste into the disposal, rinse the board and then leave it in the sink (if you don't mind it taking up so much space, especially in a 30" sink).

Ditto leaving the colander in the sink - get one that spans the sink and leave it there, again, assuming you don't mind it taking up so much space in your sink. I have one that use that way, although I don't leave it in the sink b/c my prep sink is only 15" wide & deep (interior space).

Here are some:

• https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-Expandable-Stainless-Steel-Colander/dp/B085N9KZ63/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
• https://www.amazon.com/Makerstep-Colander-Stainless-Expandable-Vegetables/dp/B07RWR8N5R/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
• https://www.amazon.com/Collapsible-Colanders-Strainers-Extendable-Vegetable/dp/B0B11H3351/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I have the KitchenAid one and really like it. It did rust over the years - about 5 years or so - but it was very useful and I ordered another one. I've had it almost 2 years now and, so far, no rust! (I usually use it daily.)

I have a 32" Kraus Kore workstation sink in a second home. I like it and am planning to get another workstation sink in my primary home that will be a bit larger. I use the cutting board and the roll up drying rack every day. I got rid of the bottom grid, I found it was a huge pain to clean.

With the cutting board being used, there is still enough room for some else to be able to turn on the faucet, but it is not practical for this size to just leave the cutting board on all the time. The roll up rack gets used every night and stored under the sink when done. It drains fine, however because it is a long flat surface, you do need to chase crumbs a bit to get them to the drain.

My last bit of advice, I would strongly look at only models that have a small radius in the corners. Mine is several years old and the inside corners are 0 radius and bits of food get stuck- not the end of the world, but annoying.

Having a Disposall would make it more useful. I don't like those, and had ours removed when we redid our kitchen, so I would still have to scoop the scraps up and put them in the trash.

I have a disposal, but i put veggie scraps in the compost bucket! :))

I am skeptical of the hostility against products shown by people who have never experienced those products.

I have installed hundreds of workstation style sinks. I've never gotten a single regret or complaint from a customer. Clearly, the people who have experienced these sinks are satisfied with them.

Every ledge, every inset, every reveal in a sink, (any type) is something to be scrubbed.

I've had but one client who wanted a workstation and got it. The "accoutrements" were abandoned within a month. "Too much to mess with - the kids hated it too"

It's a wild guess on my part, but novelty does wear off in a hurry. I think it greatly matters your prep style, your clean up style, and still... as with anything you will use daily? Go see in person and imagine every single day use of whatever you are considering.

"I am skeptical of the hostility against products shown by people who have never experienced those products."

The opposition advised here is not against workstation sinks. It is against workstation sinks in the 30" width. You cannot fight the laws of geometry. The 30" sink's dimensions are what they are. And the ledge for the accessories makes the 30" sink's interior even smaller by 1" all around. And the accessories' dimensions are what they are. Geometry.

I recently installed a 32" workstation sink because I had to install a new faucet. This sink is only temporary and so it is installed overmount (on top of the countertop). When I spray off the cutting board, it gets a bit messy because of the overmount installation (too close to the faucet). Much better to have it undermounted.

I hate the grid on the bottom of the sink--stuff collects there. The drain is also located on the right side, and I hate that too. I would prefer to have the drain centered because food collects on the left side. I do not recommend a zero radius sink, as one of the other posters noted--food/grime collects there. Make sure there is some radius!!!

My son (who does a lot of cooking in our kitchen) does not like having the cutting board over the sink, so he constantly removes it. I didn't mind the cutting board taking up some of the space, but I am leaving it off because of him.

@acm

My garden would love it if we could compost. We're aside a major river and have a rat problem, so our HOA forbids composting.

"People say it is SO nice to have the cutting board in the sink, use it, scoot the waste with your knife right into disposal and then rinse the board and leave it in the sink for the next time. There could also be a platform where you can lay out your pastrypiizza dough with all the flour all over(instead of messing the counter) then just rinse it don the drain then put the platform in the dishwasher if you don't want to clean it later.. I would also love to use the drying rack with items still feeling put away because it is on the sink drying rack and not drying on the counters..I hope "

YOU NEED a 48 inch space for your wish list.

You don't have it.

Larger workstation sinks add countertop space.

I have the Kohler Prolific sink in the 29 inch size. Sure, I would have liked a bigger sink, but my kitchen layout would not work for it. I feel like having LESS space to work with in the kitchen is PRECISELY the reason to have a workstation sink because the space you have is doing “double duty”. I love my sink and have no regrets!
-The drying racks are TERRIFIC and allow the flexibility of three different levels (no drying racks on the countertop!) I occasionally throw them in the dishwasher for super easy clean up. I stack them on the top ledge when washing cookie sheets, so they are never in the way of basic sink functions.
-The cutting board is great, too, and in pretty much constant use.
-I keep the collander and wash bin under the sink. The collander is wonderful for draining pasta. The wash bin doesn’t get a lot of use, but it nestles with the collander when not in use under the sink, so it doesn’t really take up any more space.
-I don’t see any problem with the ledges, either.

Lotobillard- now we're talking!! Thanks for sharing! Maybe it is a blessing in disguise that it is too late for me to get a longer one(cabinets began install today) and a friend told me she has a 30 inch and her sink seems a plenty big(I have used it and didnt tealize it was only a 30). those drying racks are used SO much. and they always feels like things are in the right place with the nice accessories.. ok leaning towards going for it! Thanks all! kepe them coming. pictures would be great too, if time to share!