5 Advantages of a Double Sink You May Have Overlooked

Houses are full of choices waiting to be made to fit your particular lifestyle and preferences. 

The kitchen is perhaps more fraught with decisions than any other room.

Take, for example, the sink. We have discussed the different kinds of materials used to make kitchen sinks and some of their pros and cons. Then there are the aesthetics to consider which we have also touched on in the past. Even if you have settled on these things there is still at least one more aspect to consider.

Should you purchase a single or double bowled sink?

There are a lot more opinions about why a single large sink is preferable. But, I want to take a quick look at what a double sink might have to offer.

Note that the “pros” are somewhat subjective. There's no right or wrong choice when it comes to sinks. There are only choices that align more closely with the particular lifestyles and preferences of each homeowner. 

1. Separate space for drying 

If you tend to wash pots or bowls and don’t have a designated space for a drying rack, one side of a double sided sink may be your perfect solution. No need to worry that the “dirty” side will contaminate the “clean” one where those dishes are drying and dripping straight into the drain.

Some people like drying racks, but they do have the potential to cause puddles of water on the countertops.

2. Convenient if you do not have a dishwasher

Similarly, you may be a person who HAS to wash all of your dishes, not just the delicate or large ones. In this case, keeping those dishes in a contained place can be huge. If you have ever tried to wash a lot of small dishes and leave them to dry on the counter, you know what I mean.

Bowls and plates slip on the wet surface and precariously perch on top of each other threatening to crash down and break.

Knowing that you have one whole side of a sink to devote to storing clean dishes while they dry makes a lot of sense.

3. Potential to use less soap and water

If you live in a home without a dishwasher and must rely on hand washing dishes, you know how much soapy water it can take to do a sink load of dishes. Assuming you didn’t just host a dinner party for 20, you may be able to get away with up to half the water if you have two sides in your sink.

If you are planning on throwing large dinner parties for hungry teenagers or messy toddlers, this could be moot since you would likely need to drain the dirty water and start over with clean water halfway through doing the dishes.

In general though, a smaller bowl will take less water to effectively soak dirty dishes which could result in conserved water and soap.

4. Disposal on one side instead of the middle

If have a garbage disposal in your double-sided sink, you'll have an easier time keeping cutlery and dishes separate from food scraps.

The food can be scraped directly into the correct side and be on its way to the disposal while dishes can go to the other side instead of risking them falling into a disposal that is right smack in the middle of a large sink.

5. Conserving precious counter space 

Lastly, if you have a small kitchen your countertop space is at a premium and a smaller sink with a double bowl may make more sense than a large single bowl such as a farmhouse style sink.

Of course, this is not a guarantee and depends entirely on the dimensions of your kitchen and the sink in question.

In some cases a large sink with a single bowl doesn’t fit as well in smaller kitchens both from an aesthetics and functionality standpoint.

Conclusion 

I hope this has given you food for thought and provided a different perspective than you may have heard before. There are so many choices of sinks and I hope this will help you on the road to choosing the perfect one for your kitchen.