When my friend, Mary, from Giving up on Perfect commented on this kitchen post, she asked me: Why did you choose a one-bowl kitchen sink over two?
My answer is easy. Years ago I sold Pampered Chef, and after 160 kitchen shows, I learned what I loved and what I didn’t love in a sink! What I found to be more efficient was a one-bowl, deep sink!
Our home at the time had a deep one-bowl ceramic sink and it was perfect for cleaning big pots, roasting pans, 9×13 pans, and just being able to soak larger items in. (I did not have a utility sink at the time.) There was no maneuvering pots under the faucet to make sure it was completely washed, and I really liked that.
I also loved bathing my babies in a deep sink.
It even held a certain big boy who broke his arm in Pre-K!
And then I got into canning, where I’d fill the entire sink with apples or pears, and wash and get ready for the canning process.
I felt confined with 2 shallow bowls (my old sink) …
And since redoing our kitchen, I’ve not regretted our decision, simply because one-bowl is way more practical. Yay!
Melissa, (The Inspired Room), shared similar thoughts as me (Melissa is sort of like an expert, in my mind):
I love that you chose just a one bowl sink. I also made that choice in my old kitchen and I LOVED it. It could fit any size pan I wanted to put in there. Now I have two bowls and I really dislike that, it makes it impossible to wash most oversized dishes!
So, I’m a “One-Bowl” girl. And I love it. Love it. Love it!
What is your ideal sink preference? One or two bowls? Deep or shallow?
(Above pictures: My kiddos … um, like, … 13 years ago!)
The winner to the House of Havoc books are AnNicole and Jackie FO. Congrats!
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
I never had one bowl. I’m sure it would be wonderful……
Sending blog love your way!
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Sandy,
Thanks for posting the photos of your bathing beauties.
Our kitchen sports a two bowl sink and is useful for our needs.
Look here for an example:
http://www.amazon.com/American-Standard-7145-803-208-Self-Rimming-Undercounter/dp/B000UNYUNA
The basins are the same size and quite deep. The neat thing is that it came with ‘accessories’ — a wooden cutting board that fits into over one of the bowls; a slim rectangular strainer that spans a bowl. One of the bowls has an offset to accomodate pan handles — quite handy.
I know a one bowl is very useful, but my hubby thought this arrangement would be best for us. He is right.
Thanks for sharing.
Peace.
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So in our current place we have a fairly large deep sink with a little side veggie sink with disposal. Have you seen these? They are fantastic! You get all the benefits of the big deep sink (which I am now in love with) plus a smaller sink to handle food prep!
Jess @ Frugal with a Flourish´s last blog ..Getting it Out of the Closet
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I love the pictures of your babies in the sink! How precious!
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Me too! When we did the kitchen remodel several years ago, I went to a one-bowl deep sink, I have NEVER regretted it. Something I always want in a house. So if the next one doesn’t have one, it will.
Cindy
Cindy´s last blog ..Thinking about bunnies
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I would love one deep bowl that is becomes part of the counter top. You know what I’m talking about. I guess they are called seamless sinks. I don’t know but I’d like one of those.
If we get to move, the house we want to buy needs a whole new kitchen and I get to pick out everything that I want in there. It will be so exciting. But selling our house is the hard part. Maybe it’s because of my sink! LOL!
Hugs
KIm
Kim´s last blog ..Happy Anniversary!
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So I am totally coveting your sink. We moved a few months ago into a new home. Two things our kitchen is lacking: 1) electricity on the island and 2) a one bowl sink…. which I’ve never had but think it would be awesome. I NEVER use the left side of the sink.
Such cute pics of your babies.
Kim… and Her Coffee´s last blog ..Blooming
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Like you I’m all about the one bowl, now. After having several double sinks I took a hint from my Mom and added a one bowl beauty to our new home. I have to admit she was right, it just makes everything so much easier. Hope we’ll be bathing a little grandbaby in it one day soon!
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I am totally a one-bowl girl and have been for a long long time. It’s so much more practical to me.
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Your kids are precious! What great photos!
Jessica @ This Blessed Life´s last blog ..Help with Meal-Planning
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I have a two bowl and I like that I can wash in one and rinse in the other. For me I find it more functional. I might need to wash some veggies and can do it in one bowl if dishes are in the other. I also like the layout of ours. It is very deep so my tallest pans fit in either side, and one side is longer than the other so my casserole dishes fit nicely into it. In my old house I had a normal size double sink and didn’t like it because it was just to shallow and small. When we went shopping for new sinks I was determined to find a deep one that would fit my needs. I haven’t been disappointed.
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Thanks for answering my question! Your answer makes total sense!!
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect´s last blog ..Just like Mom used to make
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When we remodeled our kitchen we went with a one bowl but deep sink. It is great. I love it b/c you can wash large pots & roasting pans.
http://theclarkinfamily.blogspot.com/2008/08/our-new-kitchen.html
Lynne @ Our Happy Home´s last blog ..Valentine’s Day 2010
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Definitely One Bowl! Deep but not to deep to cause my back to suffer. I love fitting the whole roasting pan in the sink or the whole cookie sheet, etc. etc.
Never had a nice big single bowl sink until my kids were in high school!
ellen b´s last blog ..Need Pruning?
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Awww…I bathed my babies in the kitchen sink, too! What sweet memories. I have a double sink, but think I would like a single, big one better!
betsy´s last blog ..Coconut Cookies
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I love big sinks. But I also love having a sink empty at all times. My current sink is pretty good. It has two bowls, but one is bigger and deeper than the other. The smaller sink houses the garbage disposer, which is one appliance I would not want to do without. The larger bowl is big enough for almost any pan. If I didn’t have this sink, though, I think I’d opt for one big bowl.
Richella´s last blog ..A reasonable contribution
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I went with the two bowl sink…but one side it oversized and deep. It’s great for soaking, BUT I realized that I’ve confused the purpose and at times wish my disposal was connected to it. Now I just need to remember to use the deep side for soaking and the shallow side for rinsing! My dream is a porcelain farm house sink, though…in my NEXT house I’ll go for it! : )
the BLAH BLAH BLAHger´s last blog ..Tool Talk Tuesday featuring Centsational Girl
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The only time I had one bowl, we lived in an old house with a very inconvient kitchen and the sink was not deep. I also don’t have a dishwasher (not my choice). I think that makes a difference. I found it very diffucult to wash alot of dishes and find a place to set them before rinsing them. I might have liked it better if this weren’t the case, I also find it handy to have a sprayer with the sink.:)
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i always thought i was a two bowl sink kind of gal, thinking one would hold the dirty and i would use the other to clean. i have a very tiny apartment size one bowl sink and if it was larger i would love that. now that i read your post, i think i would love having the one bowl for cleaning big pots and platters, hmmm will have to wait and see one day when i have my own choice!
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When we remodelled our kitchen we went for a two bowl stainless steel sink but both bowls are good sized and deep and it has a big arching faucet so filling big pots is really easy. Still, I can see the advantages of one bowl, particularly for those really big platters and pans.
Darla
Darla´s last blog ..South of Broad (book)
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One bowl. And this new house is two bowls. I can’t fit my favorite skillet in it to wash it. As my family grows, my pots get bigger, but my sink doesn’t. We are paying for an adoption right now, but when we get back to doing home improvement the sink is TOP on my list. I miss bathing my babies there. And I’m hoping we’ll have a new one to bathe in a sink soon!
Lora Lynn @ Vitafamiliae´s last blog ..Snow Brothers*
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I chose a one-bowl, too, when we remodeled a couple years back.
I was “forced” into it, the contractor said, because of the limited dimensions. He also made Dire Predictions about re-sale value.
Posh! It is a beautiful brushed stainless vessel with the slightest curve along the back, and for all the reasons you highlight, I think actually adds to the kitchen’s value. Certainly adds pleasure to daily usage.
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I just love filling my sink with babies too! This was food for thought for me as we’ll be hopefully remodeling our island next year. I guess if one side isn’t holding dirty items then everything HAS to get cleaned and put away…that’s my thought..hmmmm! Love the pic of Abby!
Angela´s last blog ..A Family’s Embryo Adoption Journey
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I have a two bowl sink, but my favorite is the deep, one bowl farm sinks. I will have one someday!
Traci´s last blog ..Wednesdays with Wanda (A Love Story)
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I’m a 2 bowl girl. One to wash, one to rinse. The left side is deep and wide enough for my canner.
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Hmmm… I don’t think I have really contemplated one or the other – but now that you mention the ‘baby bathing’ aspect of it. You have me sold on a deep, one bowl for sure!
Right now, we have two SHALLOW ones and I do know that this is what I don’t want! Ha! Not efficient at all!
Love the baby photos!
Jess´s last blog ..IKEA, Basketball, & Grandparents
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i prefer one bowl. when we rehabbed our vacation house, i made sure it had just one bowl. but, if it has to be two bowls, i love the one side bigger & deeper than the other. that way you can still fit casserole dishes or skillets all the way down into the water. one thing i don’t like, though, are white bowls. that’s what we have now & the only way to keep it white is with (yuck!) bleach!
we are knee deep in snow so i loved reading ab out planting strawberries plants. maybe spring will come someday to ohio.
randee´s last blog ..valentine wreath
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I would love to have a one bowl sink. I use lots of big pots and pans and can’t fit them into my current 2 bowl sink.
Love the pictures of your sweet little darlins.
50s Housewife´s last blog ..Good Morning!
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I’m totally a one bowl girl too and I’ll never go back.
Amy from She Wears Many Hats´s last blog ..Lizard on my head.
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I used to get baths in the sink.
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