What’s the best Sink Material for a kitchen update?

This post is sponsored by Elkay but all opinions are my own.

When it came to updating our kitchen, one of the things I was most excited about was replacing my kitchen sink.

For over a decade, I’ve been piling up dishes inside a small divided sink that filled up quickly ten minutes into preparing any meal. Meal prep Sundays? A total disaster. There was never enough room to wash produce while used items piled up in the sink and on the counters… clean-up was not something I looked forward to.

Both Eric and I told ourselves: “one day, we will replace this sink.” And thanks to Elkay, the day has come where we welcomed a gorgeous Elkay Quartz Luxe Charcoal sink.

And let me just tell you that picking out a sink is no easy task. While Elkay has some awesome stainless steel sinks, I kept asking myself, what’s the best kitchen sink material for my kitchen update? How can I bring out a pop of fancy in the most inconspicuous place?

I’ve wanted an Elkay sink for years –  since my parents built their kitchen and installed two of them in their house. They are not only gorgeous, but also the highest quality sinks on the market.

I chose the charcoal color to serve as an accent to my light countertops, and with a family of five and constant use of a kitchen sink, I also chose the Quartz Luxe model because they are exceptionally tough and silky smooth to the touch.

I should also add that the faucet you see in the kitchen is also Elkay. Specifically, it’s the Elkay Explore, Three Hole Bridge Faucet with Pull-down Spray and Lever Handles in Chrome. It has a sprayer that I love to use when washing my fruits and vegetables and its construction is of professional grade. It’s a statement on the counter and I know it’s incredibly well built.

My dad was that one that initially suggested I looked at Elkay sinks since he owns two of them – one in the kitchen and one outdoors. Once I started looking at all the gorgeous sinks they offer, from stainless steel, Quartz, to Fireclay farmhouse sinks; I realized that I kept going back to their quartz sinks.

Below are some of my insights into why I chose the Elkay Quartz Luxe Single Bowl Undermount Sink. I hope you find it helpful when choosing the right sink for your kitchen.

Top Mount vs. Undermount Sink

I chose an undermount sink, installed beneath the countertop because it would create a seamless appearance between the sink and the countertop.

We were also replacing the countertops, so access to our sink space was effortless. If you’re not replacing the countertops, you can still undermount a sink, but know that a top mount model is also available.

Single Bowl vs. Divided sink Bowl

Hands down, with all the meal prep and cooking meals for my family, I wanted a single bowl. It gives me the most uninterrupted space for washing and stacking dishes or other household tasks.

Just the other day I joked with my husband that this single big sink would have been very helpful when we had babies! I just loved bathing my babies in my parents’ big single sink.

Stainless Steel vs. Quartz

As mentioned earlier, I fell in love with Elkay’s Quartz Luxe sinks because of their ability to make a statement in my kitchen. But the truth is that the quartz sinks also have superior strength – they are reinforced with organic fibers underneath for extra impact resistance, and a fiberglass mat is molded right onto the underside to strengthen the most used work zone. It’s also heat safe (up to 535 degrees!), and it cleans up to a spotless, like-new state in seconds.

I can’t say the same thing about our previous stainless-steel sink or the one I installed at the Studio a year ago (they were not Elkay). Over the years, they lost their luster and became scratched and dull with use. The one at the Studio requires extra TLC to keep it shiny and looking like new.

A kitchen sink is not only a necessity for any kitchen but also an investment in the kitchen. A lesser quality sink quickly loses its shine, and it easily ages the kitchen. One of the reasons I wanted an Elkay sink is so my kitchen could look like new for many years to come -just like the one at my parents’ house.

Any kitchen update or full remodel comes a lot of decisions about which item to buy. For me, there’s no question that I’d purchase another Elkay for my future house on the lake (from my dream board).

Head over to Elkay to check out their gorgeous sinks and turn your kitchen into a dream kitchen.