Consider This Small Detail When Choosing A New Sink For Your Kitchen

Have you noticed any of the key signs it's time to remodel your kitchen? If so, chances are you're already busy choosing color schemes for your cabinets. But one of the most vital elements of your kitchen is the sink, especially when you think about how many chores center around it. That's why shopping for it is pretty make-or-break. Nail the details, and you've got a stylish kitchen that's also (crucially) efficient, convenient, and comfortable. Skipping the nitty-gritty is one of the worst kitchen-design mistakes you can make, because it promises future headaches. So, we consulted with several experts to compile the ultimate guide to choosing your next kitchen sink. While aesthetics may immediately pull focus, we learned about one of the most important and most neglected aspects of sink selection: the location of the drain.

It's key to consider where your sink is going, what's under it, and how the drain will affect this. Centered drain holes are most common in sinks, but that means that the pipe connecting to that drain will have to be right in the middle of your under-sink cabinets. If you rely on those cabinets for actual storage space, that could become a big problem, literally. That problem will only get larger if you aim to connect a garbage disposal, too. If you instead choose a sink with a drain hole positioned to the right or left, that will get the pipe out of the way in your cabinet.

Not only should you check a potential new sink's drain hole location and think about how it will impact your kitchen organization, but you might also want to go ahead and intentionally seek out a sink with an offset drain — to one side, to the back, or to the left or right back corner. Centered drain holes are typical, but that might mean it's one of the more outdated kitchen design trends out there. A sink with an offset drain hole looks instantly modern-chic, and it could be much more conducive to your kitchen needs.

An offset drain almost gives you the space a double-basin sink would without actually requiring that much room on your counter. You'll have a whole drain-less side to let things dry or to keep things to wash, like a bowl of vegetables or pre-strained pasta. Multiple-step prep and cleaning tasks become easier, as you can divide the labor with someone else — your partner might be washing fruit for dessert while you're drying dishes from dinner. Speaking of dishes, if you leave some in the sink to clean later, they won't block the drain and flood the sink. Additionally, most people are right-handed, and cleaning the sink with the sprayer is easier with the drain in the back left corner. Plus, you'll preserve your precious under-sink storage space.