"grinder" wrote in message
...
We are replacing kitchen sink with new drop-in, plain white but can't
decide which type of material to purchase. We want a sink that is
easy to clean and will resist scratches and marks.

We find several types of materials, all of which brag about their
great finish but would like opinions from actual users.

We have a RO unit so must have at least 5 holes cut in the sink for
connecting faucets etc. Can all materials be drilled for these
connections?

We have been told that enamel on cast iron is tough but will show a
mark whenever a pan is placed in the sink??

Other materials show less marks but are subject to scratches??

All opinions and help appreciated.


As the old saying goes, opinions are like asshole. Everybody has one. Mine
is this: If materials other than stainless steel were so terrific, they'd be
used in restaurant kitchens. They are not. You have to be out of your mind
to have anything but stainless.
http://elkayusa.com/catalog/sinks/why_stainless.asp

Home Depot & Lowe's don't seem to carry top of the line sinks. You'll need
to open the yellow pages and find a kitchen specialty or plumbing store.
Probably no single place carries all models, so this will take some leg
work. One downside to cheap stainless sinks is that the decks will flex when
you move the faucet around while washing pots. When the deck flexes, the
deck plate gasket may eventually stop doing its job and you get just enough
drips into the cabinet to be annoying. ("Hmm....is it a leak from a pipe, or
what?" - 20 minutes before you're expecting guests and you don't need any
aggravation).

Drilling: Any material can be drilled for whatever you want. The question is
whether the sink of your choice will be large enough to accomodate all the
accessories.

As far as marks on enamel, I never had that problem unless it was a cast
iron pot, and even so, it cleaned off easily. As far as the composite
materials, I've never lived with them, so I don't know what happens if you
take a pot directly from the hot stove burner and place it in the sink.
Stainless does nothing when it encounters high heat. You don't have to
"baby" a stainless steel sink.