Undermount Stainless Steel Sinks: Buy One If Your Counter Is Solid

Our pick: undermountAd

KRAUS

KRAUS KHU100-32

One big, deep bowl in thick steel for a solid countertop.

Why here: One big bowl, thick steel, and the sheet states both cabinet numbers you need.

Best for: Solid counters and a 36-inch cabinet, when you want room for big pans.

• +16-gauge steel with pads and undercoating
• +10-inch depth and one 30-inch-wide bowl
• +Bottom grid and basket strainer included
• +Rear drain placement, which keeps the pipes farther back

• –Not for standard laminate counters
• –Needs a cabinet 24 inches front to back as well as 36 wide
• –No ledge or cutting board

View on Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

Mounting

Undermount

Minimum cabinet

36 in wide, 24 in front to back

Outside size

32 × 19 in

Bowl

30 × 17 in, single

Bowl depth

10 in

Material

16-gauge stainless steel

In the box

Bottom grid, basket strainer, template, hardware, towel

Price class

Mid-range

Can your counter take one?

Bob Vila and Family Handyman agree: an undermount wants a solid body, such as granite, marble, quartz or solid surface. The cut edge of the counter stays in view and in the wet. Laminate is a poor match, because moisture can swell its particleboard core. Some makers sell undermounts for laminate, but that's a special case, and we cover it in its own answer.

If your counter is laminate, go to the drop-in guide and save yourself the rest of this page.

Which undermount?

Which one?

• If you want one big, deep bowl → KRAUS KHU100-32

  View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

• If you want two bowls → Ruvati RVM4350

  View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

• If you would use a ledge and a board every day → Ruvati RVH8300

  View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

• If you may want it as a top mount instead → Kohler Task 33

  View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

Comparison: KRAUS KHU100-32, Ruvati RVM4350, Ruvati RVH8300, Kohler Task 33

Comparison	Our pick: undermountKRAUS KHU100-32	Our pick: double bowlRuvati RVM4350	Our pick: workstationRuvati RVH8300	Kohler Task 33
Mounting	Undermount	Undermount	Undermount	Top mount or undermount
Minimum cabinet	36 in wide, 24 in front to back	36 in	36 in	36 in
Outside size	32 × 19 in	32-1/4 × 18-7/8 in	32 × 19 in	33 in nominal
Bowl	30 × 17 in, single	Two, each 14-1/2 × 16-7/8 in	30-1/2 × 16 in, single	30-1/4 × 14-15/16 in, single
Bowl depth	10 in	8-1/2 in	10 in	9-3/16 in
Material	16-gauge stainless steel	16-gauge T304 stainless steel	16-gauge T-304 stainless steel	18-gauge stainless steel
In the box	Bottom grid, basket strainer, template, hardware, towel	2 rinse grids, 2 strainers, template, clips	Board, colander, drying rack, grid, strainer, template, brackets	Bamboo board, colander set, silicone mat, strainer
Price class	Mid-range	Mid-range	Mid-range to premium	Mid-range
Best for	Solid counters and a 36-inch cabinet, when you want room for big pans.	Anyone who soaks on one side and rinses on the other, on a solid counter.	People who chop and rinse at the sink and would use the ledge every day.	A kitchen that may change counters, from a brand with its own spec sheets.
	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	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

KRAUS KHU100-32

The plain choice: a bowl 30 by 17 inches and 10 inches deep, with the drain at the rear center. KRAUS lists the NoiseDefend undercoating and pads, plus a bottom grid. There's no ledge and nothing to store.

Buy it if you cook with big pans and want the simple route. Skip it if your cabinet is under 36 inches wide or 24 inches front to back.

Ruvati RVM4350

Two equal bowls 8-1/2 inches deep, with a low divider. Each bowl has its own grid and strainer. Ruvati describes curved corners and a rounded bottom for drainage, which also means fewer sharp corners to wipe.

Buy it if you like a soaking side. Skip it if big pans are your daily problem, because neither bowl gets very wide.

Ruvati RVH8300

The undermount with the most in the box: board, colander, drying rack, grid and strainer. It's 10 inches deep and 16 gauge. The drain assembly is for standard plumbing, and Ruvati says a disposal flange isn't included.

Buy it if you prep at the sink. Skip it if you don't, because then you're paying for a drawer of accessories. More on workstation sinks.

Kohler Task 33

This one mounts either way. As an undermount it's the thinnest steel here, at 18 gauge, though that's fine for ordinary use. Our gauge page explains why.

Buy it if the counter may change later. Skip it if you've already decided on undermount and want thicker steel.

What living with one is like

An undermount gives you an unbroken counter edge. You sweep crumbs straight in, with no rim to catch them, and most people want one for that alone.

The price of that is the seam. The sink hangs under the counter, so there's a joint you can't see from above. Bob Vila says it's harder to clean and can build up grime, and that the caulk needs replacing about every five years. Family Handyman says the gap underneath needs regular cleaning. None of this is hard to do, but it's worth doing, so put it on your list when you clean under the rim.

Replacing it later is the bigger issue. Bob Vila warns that removing or reinstalling an undermount can damage the counter. So choose a sink you'd be happy to keep as long as the counter, and don't treat it as a quick change like a drop-in.

Who should fit it

Bob Vila recommends a professional unless you're very handy and experienced. Family Handyman says an undermount needs a perfect opening and secure mounting, with bolts or epoxy. If the counter is new, the fabricator usually cuts the opening to your sink's template, which is why they want the exact model before they start. Heavy sinks may need extra support too, so raise that when you book the job.

If you're replacing an old undermount in a stone counter, the old opening limits you as much as the cabinet does. Compare the outside size and the template of the new sink against that hole, and ask your fabricator before you order. A different sink shape may leave a gap or mean recutting the stone.

What to check

• Both cabinet numbers. KRAUS gives 36 inches wide and 24 front to back. See what size sink fits.
• The reveal. That's how much of the sink edge shows below the counter. Agree on it with your fabricator before anything is cut.
• Who fits it. Bob Vila recommends a professional for most people. A heavy sink may need extra support as well.
• Corners. Sharp corners look crisp but take more wiping than curved ones.

Typical mistakes

• Ordering the sink after the counter is cut. Choose first, because the opening is cut to the sink.
• Forgetting the faucet. It goes in the counter, so plan the holes together.
• Skipping the seam. Family Handyman says the gap under the rim needs regular cleaning, and Bob Vila says the caulk needs replacing about every five years.

Not sure the trade-off is worth it? Undermount or drop-in lays both out. Otherwise, the KRAUS KHU100-32^* is where we'd start.