Undermount vs. drop-in kitchen sinks: how to choose

The start of a new year is a typical time for Australians to start thinking about renovations or home improvements. This might be because March is the peak time for property listings to go up in this country, according to CoreLogic, and would-be sellers are thinking about how to maximise the value of their home. Or it could just be that the New Year puts people in the mood for a change.

If you fall into either of those camps (or neither and just fancy doing a reno for your own reasons), the kitchen might be high on your list of rooms to renovate. And one of the most important features you may be considering swapping out is your kitchen sink. There are lots of factors that go into choosing the perfect kitchen sink, from size, to material to the taps or mixers that will accompany it.

However, perhaps the most fundamental choice you’ll need to make is whether to go with an undermount or a drop-in kitchen sink. Here, we’ll explain what each is, and look at the pros and cons of both.

Drop-in vs. undermount kitchen sinks: what is the difference?

While the terms might sound technical, the explanation here is actually very simple, and it all comes down to the installation process.

A drop-in kitchen sink is quite literally dropped (carefully!) into the countertop in which it will sit. In practice, this involves a hole being cut into the countertop, and the sink unit being lowered into that hole.

While this can be done yourself, we highly recommend getting a professional to install drop-in kitchen sinks. This is because you need to be very careful when measuring out the hole to cut – get this wrong, and you’ll need to buy a new counter, which is an expensive mistake to make. Even more expensive is if you don’t notice you’ve made a mistake and end up with a leaky sink.

By contrast, undermount sinks are fitted from under the counter, meaning that the edge of the sink is attached to the underside of the countertop, instead of sitting on top of it.

Should I choose a drop-in or undermount kitchen sink?

How strong are your countertops?

Drop-in sinks put much less of a strain on your counters relative to undermount alternatives, simply due to the way that each is installed. So, if you’re worried that your counters are old, or made of less durable materials (think laminate or tile), they might not be up to the job of supporting an undermount sink, and drop-in might be the way to go, with this Barazza Cubo One & One Third Bowl representing a great choice.

How important is cleaning and replacing?

Now, we’re splitting hairs to an extent, but it’s true to say that undermount sinks make cleaning easier than drop-in sinks. This comes back to that lip which drop-in sinks create when they are fitted. The lip stops you from directly wiping debris from your counters into the sink, and can trap grime around the rim of the unit. Of course, this is not an insurmountable problem, it’s just something you won’t need to think about with undermount-sinks

To balance this out, drop-in sinks are easier to replace at the end of their lifespans. This is because they can be simply lifted out the way they went in, while undermount sinks are attached directly to the counter, making the replacement job that little bit more complicated.

Are you creating a Scandi kitchen?

If a Scandi inspired kitchen aesthetic is what you’re after, this choice is simple. You want an undermount kitchen sink. One of the advantages of this installation style is that there will be no lip between sink and the counter, which is something you’ll see if you choose a drop-in sink.

So, if the smooth, crisp, clean lines typical of Scandi, go undermount. A great kitchen sink that will help you achieve this objective is this Schock Typos Double Bowl, which seamlessly blends style and durability, with more than just a hint of Scandi.

We hope that this article has given you some food for thought when it comes to selecting your next kitchen sink. For more information on finding the right product for your kitchen, get in touch with our expert team today.