The kitchen sink is definitely the most used item in the kitchen, other than the stove. In additional to being useful, they can add drama and style to any kitchen design. Also since a quality sink will last 30 years or more, an important consideration of your remodel should be selecting a kitchen sink.

The most traditional kitchen sink is made of stainless steel. Stainless steel became popular nearly 100 years ago because of its ability to fight corrosion. About the same time porcelain enamel was used for kitchen sinks. This enamel was fired onto a cast iron sink. People were encouraged to keep the porcelain white to be able to see dirt and debris more clearly on the white surface. Modern kitchen sinks are made of all kinds of materials, such as porcelain and corian.

While you might want to consider the color and style of your new sink, it is also important to think about how you will actually use your kitchen sink, in determining which type of sink will be best for your needs. For instance do you prefer a kitchen sink that has one large basin? This might be fine if you are always using a dishwasher. If you prefer to hand-wash your dishes, you might go with a two-or even a three-basin kitchen sink.

When making the decision on a new kitchen sink, durability and strength are important areas to consider depending on how you plan to use it, what your kitchen priorities are, and where the sink will be located.

There are so many styles of kitchen sinks to choose from today, from contemporary to rustic, in a large range of materials, colors and shapes.

Let us look at several kinds of kitchen sinks.

· Stainless steel - Popular choice for many homeowners. This material can go very well in a modern kitchen with clean lines. Stainless steel has the advantage of being easy to clean. Some disadvantages of this material is the fact that it can be easily dented and it can be noisy.

· Nickel, and Copper - Kitchen sinks can be made in other metals besides stainless steel. Metals sinks can be beautiful, but also more expensive. Nickel is the hardest of the two metals. At the current time copper is considered very popular. Copper requires no maintenance if it is a pure copper sink.

· Porcelain enamel on cast iron - This material is another popular choice for kitchen sinks because of its durability and it large range of quality, style, and colors. Porcelain enamel kitchen sinks usually last about 25 to 30 years or more. The surface of these type of kitchen sink is composed of ground glass melted and applied to the hot cast iron. This type of kitchen sink type is available for under mount, self-rimming, and tile-in installations. Because glass can easily break against this type of material it is necessary to use a sink mat.

There are five kinds of kitchen sink installation types that can used.

· Undermounted - The undermounted kitchen sink is attached underneath the countertop. This kitchen sink installation can be used to create a smooth look that is designed to blend with modern designs.

· Integral - This is where both the sink and countertop are made from one material. Therefore there are no noticeable seems on the surface. It is considered to be easy to maintain.

· Self-rimming - This type of kitchen sink has a rolled edge that is mounted over the countertop. This type of sink will look good with any type of kitchen design, from traditional to contemporary.

· Rimmed - Rimmed kitchen sinks are the most common and the least expensive type of kitchen sink. It can have many uses, but does not bring much in the way of style to a kitchen.

· Tile-in - The tile-in kitchen sink is used with tile countertops. These types of sinks are intended to be used in situations where there is no visible separation between the sink and surface.

In selected your kitchen sink you need to consider how it will fit in with the style of your new kitchen décor. You need to consider the style of your home. For instance a big deep single porcelain enamel kitchen sink would look good in a farmhouse style of home. The tile-in kitchen sink would tend work well for a French Country or Tuscan style home.