Honestly, I get the hesitation about losing the divider—
—but in practice, the single bowl just makes life easier. Not having to wedge pans at weird angles is a huge plus.I was nervous about losing the divider too, but honestly, less gunk and more space just wins out.
One thing I’ve noticed with deep single bowls: drains can clog a bit faster if you’re not careful with what goes down. Maybe it’s just my old house plumbing, but worth keeping an eye on. Did anyone here have to upgrade their drain or trap when swapping out the sink? Sometimes older setups don’t line up right and you end up making a couple extra trips to the hardware store...
Also, $350 for a new setup is pretty solid. Around here, materials alone can be half that unless you catch a sale. Anyone regret going stainless over composite or vice versa? I’m always torn between durability and how easy it is to keep things looking clean.
Single Bowl Sink: Worth It, But Watch the Pipes
Sometimes older setups don’t line up right and you end up making a couple extra trips to the hardware store...
That right there sums up my last kitchen project. Thought I could just swap out the old double for a deep single bowl, but my 1960s plumbing had other ideas. Ended up crawling under the sink way more than I’d planned, and yeah, two trips to the store for new traps and a flexible tailpiece. Not the end of the world, but it definitely added to the cost and hassle.
On the stainless vs composite debate—stainless is easier to keep looking “clean” in my experience, but it does get those little scratches and water spots. Composite looks great at first, but a neighbor of mine cracked theirs by dropping a pot, so I got a little spooked. I’m probably too cautious, but I’d rather deal with a few scuffs than a surprise crack.
And about the clogging, I’ve noticed the same thing. My single bowl seems to need a clean-out more often, especially after big cooking days. Maybe it’s the deeper basin, or maybe I just notice it more now. Either way, I keep a little mesh strainer in there just in case.
Thought I could just swap out the old double for a deep single bowl, but my 1960s plumbing had other ideas.
That’s exactly why I hesitated to upgrade mine. The price tag on the sink itself is just the start—by the time I bought new fittings, a better strainer, and a couple tubes of plumber’s putty, it was way more than I’d budgeted. I’m with you on stainless, though. Scratches are annoying, but at least you don’t have to worry about a cracked sink and a whole new replacement. Sometimes “cheaper” ends up costing more in the long run...
Honestly, I’ve seen a lot of those “cheaper” composite sinks last way longer than people think. Stainless is reliable, sure, but some of those granite composites barely scratch and don’t show water spots. Might be worth considering, especially if you hate the constant polishing.
“some of those granite composites barely scratch and don’t show water spots.”
I've put both in rentals—granite composite and stainless. The composites take more abuse, hands down. Tenants never polish anything, so water spots on stainless look rough fast. Paid $180 for a composite last year, still looks new. Stainless is fine, but scratches show up quick. For the money, composite’s been less headache for me.
