Stainless Steel Kitchen Sinks

Picking a new kitchen sink really comes down to two questions: how many bowls you need, and how it mounts to your benchtop. Get those two right and everything else is detail.

This collection covers stainless steel kitchen sinks in single, double and 1.5 bowl configurations, across drop-in, undermount and flushmount styles. Brands stocked include Phoenix, Oliveri, Parisi, Vellano and Meir. Most are made from 304 grade stainless steel, the corrosion-resistant grade used in commercial kitchens, in either 1.2mm or 1.5mm gauge (that's the thickness of the steel sheet).

Whether you're doing a full reno, a new build, or just swapping out a tired old bowl, the sections below walk through bowl configs, mounting styles, what to check before you order, install basics and care. No marketing fluff.

Bowl configurations and what each is good for

Start with how you actually use the kitchen, not how it looks in a brochure.

1. Single bowl. One large basin. Good for small kitchens, butler's pantries, laundries and prep zones where space is tight. Oversized pots and roasting trays fit without a fight. The Vellano Arraso 450 and 520, and the Meir Lavello range, are typical single-bowl options.
2. Double bowl. Two equal basins side by side. Handy if you wash one side and rinse or stack the other, or if more than one person is in the kitchen at once. You'll need more cabinet width underneath, usually 800mm+. The Parisi Quadro range covers this format.
3. 1.5 bowl (and 1 & 3/4 bowl). A full main bowl plus a smaller secondary bowl. The smaller side is useful for rinsing veg, draining a colander, or parking a plug-in waste disposer, without giving up main bowl space. A sensible middle ground when a full double feels like overkill.
4. Single bowl with integrated drainer. A drainer area pressed into the same sheet of steel beside the bowl. The Phoenix 1000 Series includes this format. Good for kitchens without a dishwasher, or for air-drying handwash items.

Most ranges offer left-hand or right-hand bowl orientation, so the small bowl or drainer can sit where it suits your bench layout.

Undermount, drop-in or flushmount

Three ways a sink can meet a benchtop. Each has a clear use case.

1. Drop-in (also called inset or top-mount). The sink sits in a cut-out with a visible rim resting on the benchtop. Works with almost any benchtop including laminate, timber and stone. Easiest to retrofit, and the simplest option if you're replacing an existing sink without changing the benchtop.
2. Undermount. The sink is fixed underneath the benchtop, so the benchtop edge becomes the rim. Cleaner lines, and easier to wipe crumbs straight into the bowl. Needs a stone or solid surface benchtop (engineered stone, granite, solid timber) because the cut edge has to be sealed and load-bearing. Not suitable for standard laminate.
3. Flushmount. The sink sits level with the benchtop surface, with a tight seam around the edge. Neatest finish of the three, but the most precise install. Best suited to stone benchtops fabricated to suit.

Stainless steel sink comparison at a glance

What to check before you order

A short checklist saves a lot of grief on install day.

• Cut-out size vs cabinet width. The cabinet underneath has to be wider than the cut-out, with room for clips and the waste. A 600mm bowl won't fit a 600mm cabinet.
• Bowl depth and tap clearance. Deep bowls (200mm+) hide a stack of dishes, but check your tap's spout height clears the rim of the deepest pot you actually use.
• Steel gauge. Gauge is the thickness of the steel sheet. 1.5mm feels more solid and dampens noise better than 1.2mm. Both are common in the stocked range.
• 304 grade stainless. The grade that resists rust and staining in normal kitchen use. Listings show the grade per product.
• Sound dampening. Look for pads bonded under the bowl to quieten the drum effect when water hits.
• Drainer side or bowl handedness. Order left or right to match your bench layout and the cooktop side.
• Waste outlet position. Check it lines up with your existing plumbing, or factor in a plumber moving it.

Installation basics

Kitchen sinks sold in Australia carry Watermark certification, the mark that confirms the product meets Australian plumbing product standards. Connection to mains water has to be done by a licensed plumber. Most sinks come with a cut-out template so the benchtop can be machined to suit. Drop-in sinks are the simpler retrofit and clip in from above. Undermount sinks need a stone or solid surface benchtop with sealed edges and proper sink clips bonded underneath, so they're usually fitted at the same time as a new benchtop.

Keeping a stainless sink looking new

Wipe down daily with mild detergent and a soft cloth, then dry with a tea towel to stop water spots. Steer clear of steel wool, wire brushes and bleach, which can pit or dull the finish. A bowl protector grid like the Oliveri Spectra sits on the base and stops pots and cutlery scratching the bowl. For hard water marks, a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water clears them off without damaging the steel.

Pairing your sink with a kitchen mixer

Tap and sink have to work together. For a deep single bowl, pick a tap with enough spout height to wash a stockpot. For a double or 1.5 bowl, check the spout reach is long enough to swing across both bowls.

A pull-out spray head suits prep-heavy kitchens and rinsing veg. A fixed gooseneck is fine if you're mainly washing in the bowl. Once you've settled on a sink, browse matching kitchen sink mixer taps.

Stainless steel sinks FAQs