Scientists have calculated that 6% of their time in the kitchen the hostess does not spend at the table or near the stove, but near the sink. Even when a dishwasher is started in the house, the importance of a wet assistant does not diminish anyway: in it, vegetables are washed and cleaned with fruits, scales are removed from the fish, the chicken is gutted, a hot decoction of pasta or potatoes is poured into it. If the sink is too small, too deep, uncomfortably located or made of poor-quality material, you definitely will not feel comfortable. Therefore carefully choose the assistant.
Stainless and stone
Enamelled sinks, so popular in Soviet times, are irretrievably gone. Of course, with a great desire, you can buy a "basin" (they are still available on sale), but after a few days it will appear chipped, it will start to rust and turn into ruins. Therefore, modern housewives consider only two types of sinks - from stainless steel or from granite chips. Those who like the shine of metal (and, most importantly, this washing is suitable for kitchen design), we must pay attention to the quality of steel. The first is less convenient, because there are always traces of drops on it (unless, of course, you do not wipe it with a dry cloth every time). On matte they are not so noticeable. Even more practical and durable are the sinks from granite. This is an artificial stone, which consists of about 8% of granite chips and 20% of acrylic. Some people do not like its coloring (most often in shallow speckles, but it is also monotonous), but the characteristics of fashionable washers are simply excellent. They never leave traces of water, fat does not stick to them, and even if it happens, it is very easily washed. In addition, unlike the voiced metal, the water on the granite flows completely silently. Serve this wash for at least an eternity, though, it costs about 15 000 rubles (similar to stainless steel - 10 000 rubles). If the assistant is made from a sheet with a thickness of only 0.5 mm and costs less than 1000 rubles, then it will not work for a long time. Once you give her a powerful shower, put a heavy pot on it, or drop the cup, it deforms and loses its appearance. Quite another matter - a sink from a high-quality, dense stainless steel with a thickness of 1.2 mm. They are not afraid of any blows of fate. Then you need to decide which model to purchase: glossy or fluted. Choose a sink with a smooth rounded bottom, made from a single sheet of stainless steel or artificial stone. If the bottom of the assistant is soldered to the stents at an angle of 90 ° and even the seams are visible, there is a risk that mud will drop in the gap after a while with the fat - it will be very difficult to remove them. In addition, in case of a poor-quality connection, the basin can leak, spoil the bottom of the locker and even soak the neighbors from the bottom.
Two in one
If you're dreaming of installing a corner sink, think carefully: designers think that by design, it takes too much space on the countertop, which could be used more intelligently. Very comfortable washing with a wing. You can put a hot frying pan or saucepan on it, defrost meat or fish, put wet vegetables and washed dishes (the table top made of laminated chipboard from permanent contact with water can become worthless). Many mistresses, fearing that the wing "will eat" the working surface, refuse it, and then regret it.
Level or bulge?
Before you buy a sink, remember how often you use it, what pots you put in it, where you want to place it and how much space you have for it. For example, if you have a miniature kitchen, get a round bowl - it takes up the least space. If the table top allows, choose a rectangular with one or several washes: in one you will wash the plates, and in the other you will rinse the dishes or take it under the vegetables. You decide how best to adapt them. The main thing - do not forget to check the depth of the main sink. Those who rarely opens the tap, enough helper in i6 cm, but serious housewives need a "basin" at least 18-20 cm high, so that it can easily fit a large dish or a mountain of plates.
If you have a table made of laminated chipboard, you can put a classic, slightly elevated bowl. If it is made of natural or artificial stone and its cut is not afraid of water, "utopi" a sink under the countertop or make it level. Pay attention to what the washer has a drain hole and how it closes so that the rest of the food does not get into the pipes and does not clog them. For this, there are automatic and mechanical lifts. The holes themselves are standard or with the eurodiameter provided for placing the shredder of waste (if suddenly you want to install it later). The most fashionable today are cast sinks, which are a single whole with a table top made of artificial stone. In fact, this is an ordinary granite-acrylic bowl, which was imperceptibly welded to the working surface of the same material and carefully ground. It is worth a similar novelty not cheap - about 20 000 rubles for a sink and as much for a running meter countertops. Because of the high cost of living, most of the population chooses other types of assistants. A free-standing washer is attached to a stand alone cabinet, and a one-piece countertop is fixed.