As we advance in this modern age, our needs and choices have also changed over time. Our homes and buildings have been modified with state-of-the-art designs and structures. We now prefer our homes to look more elegant and stylish, furnished with artistic and luxurious furniture and appliances. The kitchen and bath are also part of the house, which need to be embellished with exquisite material.
While you plan to design your kitchen or bath, you are left with many concerns like the style, looks, and functionality of different appliances associated with them. When you decide on a certain material or appliance, you encounter another question: will it match others or not. And you will have a never-ending design checklist. A lot of questions might come to your mind, like “What sink should I use if I’m utilizing copper appliances?” Or “What color will be the cabinets if I install a dark countertop in my kitchen?”.
Quality and style are drifting into the kitchen and bath industry. The sink is one of the major things used in the kitchen and baths. Seamless sinks having a long life and low maintenance are becoming popular nowadays. Vessel sinks are gaining polarity in the bathroom while deep single bowl sinks grow in kitchens. Manufacturers are now into designing competitive models for long-lasting materials – such as stainless steel and copper – that look elegant and are durable at the same time.
Right Metal for the Sink - Stainless-Steel or Copper?
Are you familiar with stainless steel or copper? If not, let’s give you a quick walkabout about them. Stainless steel and copper are excellent materials for manufacturing products because they hold up well and keep up their appearance without fading, rusting, or cracking. Both these metals can be used for indoor and outdoor appliances due to their ability to withstand natural phenomena. They are highly durable and flexible and can be molded into different shapes and designs without breaking.
Both the metals are recyclable after they have completed their life. Stainless steel falls among the most recycled metals, but copper, on the other hand, can be recycled repeatedly without any loss in functioning. Both metals have unique qualities and hold many similarities; therefore, differentiating between them might be difficult. But there are some dissimilarities that you must consider while buying the right sink for your kitchen.
Are you worried about what to choose, stainless-steel sinks or copper sinks? Let’s give you a brief introduction to both of them so you can choose which suits you best.Â
Copper Sinks
Copper is and has been used in many materials for decades and holds more prominence in other appliances than sinks used in homes and commercial buildings. But it has become a popular fashion in the home decoration segment lately.
The lavish and exquisite look of the copper sink has become a graceful alternative to traditional stainless-steel, ceramic, and porcelain varieties. Copper sinks give a splash of color to your kitchen or bathroom while also increasing the aesthetic value of your home. Its normal price may range from $700 to $2000.
Pros and Cons of Copper Sink
If you are going to revamp your kitchen or bathroom or make them look more appealing, and elegant copper sink might do the trick. Copper is a metal and comes with different advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, you must consider all the possible ins and outs before spending your hard-earned money buying a copper sink.
Pros:
- Lovely and Timeless appearance:Â Copper has a natural way of aging, becoming more attractive over time. Unlike any other metal, actual copper is rich and warm. Its timeless appearance makes it a perfect metal for your kitchen you can enjoy for decades.
- Diversified patinas:Â The patina and color of the copper sink are eye-catching factors, making them a center of interest in the room. Self-restoring patinas heal automatically, maintaining the uniqueness of the copper. The color of patinas can range from pinks, greens, rick browns to even turquoise blue.
- Long-lasting and malleable: Copper sinks are simple to look after if you understand the properties of copper and how they change over time. The more time it is used, the more attractive it becomes. It will eventually lose its shine, but you will enjoy seeing it if you get used to worn copper.
- Rust and corrosion-resistant: Copper sinks offer more resistance to rust and corrosion than other metals. They are very robust and stain-resistant.
- Antimicrobial and Eco-friendly:Â Copper is antimicrobial. Many germs and bacteria are killed when they come in contact with it – making it healthier for washing dishes and reducing undesirable smells.Â
- Simple maintenance and extra-long-life span: Cleaning the copper sink is a piece of cake. Soap and a sponge will do the job for you. Once you know which substances harm it and avoid acidic meals, drinks, or cleaners, you can expect a greater life span for your sink.
- Profitable:Â Usually, copper sinks are attractive for customers and can add to the value of a house when it comes to resale.
Cons:
- Fading:Â Your sink’s vibrant and brilliant copper surface will dim with time. Its patina will fade and can be negative or positive, depending on your likeness about it.
- Susceptible to denting: Thick gauge copper sinks are tough but thin gauge can be vulnerable to bending and denting.Â
- Cost: You should remember that copper sinks might not be as expensive as marble, but they cost much than regular stainless-steel fixtures.
- Prone to acid, heat, strong chemicals:Â Copper is a highly reactive metal and can react to strong acids, heat, and certain chemicals. It requires special care and can darken over time.
Stainless-Steel Sinks
Stainless steel is steel mixed with other elements like chromium and nickel to enhance its properties. It is becoming popular in kitchens nowadays because it is easy to clean and durable.
Stainless steel sinks prove to be a good choice for kitchens, thanks to their range of good qualities. Stainless steel is considered perfect for aquatic materials due to its luster, strength, stiffness, durability, and resistance to corrosion.
Stainless steel sinks are more timeless and hold the ability to make your kitchen look more designed and elegant. These sinks can last for more than three decades if maintained properly. Its normal price may range from $120 to $450.
Pros and Cons of Stainless-Steel Sinks
Stainless steel sinks are affordable and low-maintenance kitchen sinks. These sinks offer various shapes, designs, styles, and configuration options and can be integrated into modern appliances, but they come with drawbacks too. These sinks will perfectly fit your kitchen with modern embellishment, but before buying them, you need to look at their merits and demerits.
Pros:
- Cheap and affordable: High-end stainless-steel kitchen sinks can usually cost more, but most stainless-steel sinks are more affordable and cheaper and have better quality as high as other sinks available in the market.Â
- Durability:Â Another term used for stainless steel is “indestructible.” It offers more durability than copper and is beneficial in harsh environments. Its flexibility makes it perfect for kitchen sinks because it does not crack or break.Â
- Light and portable: Stainless steel sinks are lighter than other sink materials and easy to move from one place to another. For example, if you have a 34-inch-wide stainless-steel sink, it will be easy to carry around and much more difficult with sinks made of stones.
- Style matching: Stainless-steel sinks are also popular because you can combine them into everything. It gives them the advantage of coping with any kitchen style and fitting in with any countertop.
- Easy to clean: A soap and sponge will do the trick when cleaning stainless-steel sinks. It is very easy to clean and can also be done by quickly running a dishcloth.
- Rust resistance:Â Stainless steel is extremely resilient to acidic foods, drinks, and cleaning chemicals. It offers high resistance to tarnishing, rusting, and corrosion. Rusting should not be a factor to be considered while purchasing a stainless-steel sink.
- Easy to maintain: You can maintain the stainless-steel sinks easily. All you need is a regular cleaner and a cloth to scrub and polish the sink.Â
- Appearance and self-healing: Stainless-steel sinks will remain vibrant and shiny for many years keeping up their appearance until the end of their life. They are self-healers, thus do not require any coating to overcome rusting and corrosion effects.
- Long-lasting: A stainless-steel sink will do the job if you are looking for a sink to remain intact for twenty to thirty years. Its life span can increase further if you take proper care of it.
Cons:
- Sensitive to scratches: The main disadvantage of using stainless-steel sinks is their vulnerability to scratches. If you apply force or use it every day for deep cleaning, you will notice wear signs sooner.
- Prone to stains: Despite what the name predicts, stainless-steel sinks are sensitive to stain and can get dirty easily. However, you can remove these stains with a cleaning brush easily.
- Lack of variety: You can buy stainless-steel sinks in different shapes and sizes, but they will be the same material as they do not come in a variety.
A Guide to Buying the Perfect Sink
How to choose sinks that suit best for your kitchen? Well, opting for a brand-new kitchen sink is an investment that will completely change your kitchen’s overall look and practicality. To ensure you get the right sink, you should consider some factors while leaping into this. Choosing between the right material, perfect size, or going for an under-mount or drop-in sink, here’s a quick guide that will help you buy the perfect sink.
- Review the materials
When you decide to buy a kitchen sink, plenty of materials are available, like stainless steel, porcelain, copper, cast iron, etc. Do the math and ensure how much you will use your sink and how often you clean it. Porcelain gets stained easily, but not to worry, you can clean it with elbow grease, or baking soda might do the trick.
But if you are a little tight on budget, going for a stainless-steel sink will be a better choice. They give a modern look and are easy to maintain and clean.
- Choosing between an under-mount or drop-in
How do they differ? As the name indicates, an under-mount sink will be attached under the counter, offering a seamless look and maximizing your counter space. If you wish your kitchen to look appealing, an under-mount will be a good option to consider and may add to the resale value of your house.
On the other hand, drop-in sinks will drop into a counter, leaving a visible lip that rests on the counter. They are cheaper but difficult to maintain and clean and require proper care.
- Selecting the appropriate size
Ask yourself a few questions. What is my budget? Because the bigger the sink, the higher the price. How much I’m going to use it? Go for a standard size if you are not a passionate cook. What is the area of my kitchen? Well, if you have a small kitchen, installing a big sink might look overwhelming and bad.
- Picking a single bowl or double bowl
If you have space and money, go for a double bowl sink because it will help wash the dishes separately and make the cleaning process easier. Alternatively, go for a single bowl if you do not need a divider in between and have to wash large pans and big dishes.Â
Think about how often you cook and clean, and it will help you buy the right sink for your kitchen.
Conclusion
Stainless-steel sinks vs. copper sink both hold unique properties, and it is up to you what to opt for as we have enlightened you with a thorough introduction for both of them. Both of them are ideal choices for indoor and outdoor applications.
If you want your sink to be elegant, antimicrobial, environment friendly, and have variety, a copper sink is what you should get. Opt for a high-end stainless-steel sink within your budget if you desire a long life, resilience to chemicals, durability, strength, and portability.
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