Fireclay Farmhouse Sinks: The Look, the Weight, and Which to Buy

Our pick: fireclay farmhouseAd

Ruvati

Ruvati RVL2300WH

A 33-inch white fireclay sink you can install flat side or fluted side out.

Why here: True fireclay with a front you can choose, and Ruvati publishes the cabinet and flange details you'd otherwise find out too late.

Best for: A classic white apron sink in a true 36-inch farmhouse base.

• +Reversible front: flat or fluted
• +True fireclay, 1 inch thick
• +Bottom rinse grid and drain included

• –Needs a 36-inch base, with no adjusting room in a 33
• –The 1-inch-thick bottom may need an extended disposal flange
• –Premium price class

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Mounting

Apron-front

Minimum cabinet

36 in

Outside size

32-3/4 × 20-1/4 × 10-1/4 in

Bowl

30-3/4 × 18-1/4 in, single

Bowl depth

8-3/4 in

Material

Fireclay, 1 in thick

In the box

Rinse grid, drain assembly, install guide

Price class

Premium

What you're buying

Fireclay is clay fired at high heat. Ruvati says its RVL2300WH is 1 inch thick, fired at 2900 degrees F and made in Italy. That thickness is why it looks the way it does and also why it weighs what it does. Steel is the other route, and fireclay vs stainless steel compares them on weight, care and what can go wrong.

Which one for your cabinet?

Which one?

• If you have a 36-inch base and want to choose the front → Ruvati RVL2300WH

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• If you only have a 33-inch base → BOCCHI Classico 30

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• If you want enameled cast iron instead → Kohler Whitehaven

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Comparison: Ruvati RVL2300WH, BOCCHI Classico 30, Kohler Whitehaven

Comparison	Our pick: fireclay farmhouseRuvati RVL2300WH	BOCCHI Classico 30	Kohler Whitehaven
Mounting	Apron-front	Apron-front	Undermount apron-front
Minimum cabinet	36 in	33 in	36 in apron base
Outside size	32-3/4 × 20-1/4 × 10-1/4 in	30 × 18 × 10 in	35-3/4 in nominal
Bowl	30-3/4 × 18-1/4 in, single	Single	30-3/4 × 18-1/16 in, single
Bowl depth	8-3/4 in	–	9 in
Material	Fireclay, 1 in thick	Fireclay	Enameled cast iron
In the box	Rinse grid, drain assembly, install guide	Bottom grid, chrome basket strainer	–
Price class	Premium	Mid-range	Premium
Best for	A classic white apron sink in a true 36-inch farmhouse base.	A farmhouse look in a kitchen without room for a 36-inch base.	A premium kitchen build with a 36-inch apron base already planned.
	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

Ruvati RVL2300WH

It's 32-3/4 inches wide with a bowl 8-3/4 inches deep. One side of the front is flat and the other fluted, so you choose when you install. It comes with a rinse grid and a drain assembly.

Buy it if you have a true 36-inch base. Ruvati says 36 inches is the minimum, and that a 33 leaves no room to adjust the sink. Skip it if you plan a disposal and don't want to check the fittings: the 1-inch-thick bottom may need an extended flange. See farmhouse sinks and disposals.

BOCCHI Classico 30

A 30-inch sink, 18 inches front to back and 10 inches tall, for a 33-inch base. The retailer listing gives 76.81 pounds and says it comes with a chrome basket strainer and a bottom grid. It's reversible and finished on all four sides.

Buy it if space is short. Skip it if you want the bigger bowl, or a maker's own spec sheet: our figures come from a retailer's listing, and that listing isn't consistent on drain placement, so confirm it first.

Kohler Whitehaven

This one is enameled cast iron and not fireclay. Kohler sells it for a 36-inch apron base with a bowl that slopes toward an offset drain. It belongs on the same shortlist, because you'd be buying it for the same reasons. More on our Kohler page.

Plan for the weight

Signature Hardware says a farmhouse sink needs a custom cabinet or custom support, and that it rests fully on that support. How heavy is a farmhouse sink has the figures we could find, and the install overview shows where the supports go.

Care in brief

KRAUS's advice for fireclay differs from its advice for steel. Rinse and wipe after use, and use dish soap or a half-and-half mix of white vinegar and water. Don't leave coffee grounds or tea bags sitting, and don't use steel wool or scouring powder. Don't set hot pans straight into the bowl either; use a trivet or a rolling mat.

Fireclay, porcelain or cast iron?

These get mixed up in listings. Signature Hardware says fireclay is fired above 2,000 degrees F, and that porcelain sinks are fired at about 1,200 to 1,400 degrees F and usually have a steel or cast iron shell under the enamel. Kohler's Whitehaven is enameled cast iron. They can all look like a white apron sink from across the room, so check the material line on the listing and not the photo.

Things to settle before you order

• The front. Flat or fluted? The Ruvati and BOCCHI are both reversible, so you can decide at installation.
• The faucet. Signature Hardware says most farmhouse sinks have no faucet holes, so it goes on the counter or the wall.
• The drain. Ruvati gives a 3.5-inch opening. The BOCCHI listing contradicts itself on drain placement, describing a drain to the left or right but listing it as center in the details table. Ask before you buy.
• The accessories. The BOCCHI includes a strainer and a bottom grid, and its colander and drain cover are sold separately. Ruvati includes a grid and a drain assembly. The Kohler's drain is sold separately.
• The real size. BOCCHI's listing warns that dimensions may vary because of firing. Have the sink on site before the counter is cut, so the fabricator measures the real thing.

Final call

Have the cabinet size settled first. If you have the 36-inch base, the Ruvati RVL2300WH^* is our pick. If your cabinet can't be changed at all, read can it go in your existing cabinet before you buy anything.