Choosing the Right Kitchen Sink Size

Start by measuring and recording the length, width and depth of your existing sink. Consider what’s currently working and not working with your sink set up or what you’ve liked in other kitchens you’ve regularly cooked in. Here are a few questions to ask:

• Does the sink feel roomy enough? Or does it always feel full of dishes?
• Do you have enough clearance to easily fill pots with water?
• Do you like the style of the bowl?
• Is it easy or hard to keep clean? What are your pain points?
• Do you have enough room on either side of the sink? Or would it be helpful if there was more?

It’s important to consider scale when choosing a kitchen sink. A larger kitchen can accommodate a larger sink, while a large sink in a small kitchen could look out of place. Most kitchen plans budget for about 24 inches of countertop space on one side and a minimum of 18 inches on the other.

Another factor is the distance between your sink and the dishwasher (if you have one). The dishwasher should be no more than 36 inches from your sink to make loading it efficient and to ensure the proper plumbing connections from the sink to the dishwasher. Also, think about the distance to your other appliances. There should be no more than nine feet between your sink and stove or the sink and the refrigerator to make cooking and meal prep easier.

If new cabinets aren’t a part of your kitchen update, then the width of your cabinet size helps determine how wide your sink can be. Same with location of the existing pipes. If you’re looking to replace only the sink without making other changes, see what sink size and bowl depth your current cabinets and plumbing can handle.

Undermount sinks are installed beneath the countertop and typically require professional installation. A drop-in sink sits in a cutout with a visible rim and is easier and more affordable to install. Drop-in sinks tend to offer more off-the-shelf, standard-sized options and are compatible with a wide range of kitchen setups. Undermount sinks can be more limiting due to install requirements and size constraints, but they offer a premium look if you have the space and budget. Check out this guide for more info on these two options.

The most space-demanding styles of kitchen sink are farmhouse, undermount, and multi-bowl sinks. They influence both the cabinet width and countertop design.

Farmhouse-style sinks are very popular. If this is the look you want, keep in mind that the large front panel replaces part of the cabinet face. They’re also deeper and wider than standard sinks, often requiring a specially designed base cabinet (that’s 3 inches wider than the sink) and custom support framing.

A single bowl sink is smaller than a double sink, but offers more uninterrupted bowl space. It makes it easy to wash large pots, pans and platters that won’t fit in a dishwasher. A single bowl kitchen sink is ideal for smaller kitchens that don’t have a ton of counter space.

Double bowl sinks can extend up to 48 inches in width to accommodate two bowls. A double bowl sink is great for multitasking. Soak dishes in one side while using the other for meal prep. A gooseneck or kitchen sprayer faucet is helpful with larger kitchen sink sizes.