Questions and Answers About Stainless Steel Kitchen Sinks

Will it fit?

Most sink questions are really cabinet questions. Yale Appliance's rule is sink base width minus 3 inches for the largest sink you should buy, and the maker's own figure wins over the rule.

• Can a 33-inch sink fit a 36-inch cabinet? Usually, yes.
• Can a 30-inch sink fit a 30-inch cabinet? Usually not.
• How deep should a kitchen sink be? Our picks run up to 10 inches.

For the whole check, read what size sink fits your cabinet.

Which kind?

Your countertop settles the mounting, and your pans settle most of the rest.

• Can you put an undermount sink in a laminate counter? Usually not.
• Can an undermount sink be used as a drop-in? Only if it's sold as dual mount.
• Is 18 gauge good enough? For ordinary use, yes.
• Why is my stainless steel sink so loud? Thin steel rings, and pads quiet it.

The longer versions are undermount or drop-in and 16 or 18 gauge. Unsure what a word means? Try the glossary.

Keeping it clean

Mild soap, a soft cloth and a dry wipe do most of the work. These are the cleaners people ask about.

• Can you use Bar Keepers Friend? Yes, and KRAUS names it.
• Can you clean it with baking soda? Yes, gently.
• Can you use bleach? Better not.

The routine itself is in how to clean a stainless steel sink.

Farmhouse sinks

• How heavy is a farmhouse sink? Heavy enough to need real supports.
• Does a farmhouse sink work with a garbage disposal? Usually, but check the flange.

For the rest, go to stainless steel farmhouse sinks.

How these answers come about

We read what makers publish, plus a few care and install guides, and we name them on each page. We don't run tests and we don't use buyer reviews. If sources disagree, we say so. More on that is in how we compare.