Single is good because you can always make it a temporary double with a dish pan. (It's almost impossible to make a double into a single.)

I like my big single sink now, but I can see how a double could be handy. Today I saw a Franke sink that had a rack that fits into it that gives you alot of options. But the sink was $729 in SS and over $900 in a porcelain. And accessories, of course, are sold separately. It's a reach for me, but I'll link to it incase your budget allows. Good Luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Franke sink

Had a double all my life till now with my 36" single. I will never ever ever go back to a double sink. I can separate it with a dishpan if necessary (hardly ever). Stack dishes on one side and rinse veggies on the other. I'm in single bowl heaven.

I have had both and absolutely, hands down, LOVE a big single basin. Mine is 10" deep. It fits toddlers, turkeys, or small dogs. Gross? Maybe, but very practical.

Love, love, love a single sink. I have the one linked above and have the left-hand and right-hand racks (though mine cheaper as it was on discount b/c I bought the sink and one of the racks at the same time). The racks make it very versatile and easy for a Southpaw or a right-hander to be comfortable washing dishes or prepping for meals. Even without a racking system I would still love the size and versatility of a single bowl. As others have said, a dish pan makes a 2nd "bowl" for you!

Love a single bowl. Everytime we buy a house if there is a double bowl sink, DH knows what's coming :)

The one I have at home is big enough to give my 18 mo old grandson a bath.

Actually for washing little people, a 33/66 works better so you can check the temperature of the water in the smaller basin. But not one of those super tiny side sinks. I really loved this sink--the large basin was almost big enough for everything (and had the disposal--an important thing). The small basin was great for keeping handwashed things like knives out of the pile. Also love how the faucet deck was recessed to the level of the divider so drips stayed in the sink.

My double bowl is actually called a 1 3/4 or 60/40 or something like that, and I can lay a lasagna pan flat or wash a big pot in the larger side, no problem. However, now that I have a prep sink, and no longer need to divide food from dirty dishes, I wish I had a single bowl so that I could soak parts of my stove and fit my 15 1/2 skillet and its handle. If I was ever without a prep sink, though, I'd stick with what I have. Dishpans are just not the same to me...I hate the plastic, and they get messy and gross underneath, and create more work.

Our youngest tried it out before it went in. ;-)

I have a large double...it's a 70/30.

Overall Dimensions: 35-1/8" x 20-7/8" (in a 36" sink base)
Interior of Large Bowl: 21-3/8" x 18-3/4" x 9"
Interior of Small Bowl: 10-1/2" x 15-7/8" x 7"

The smaller side is great for soaking small things but is still big enough to fit my 8 quart stock pot for filling as well as my largest colander for draining pasta.

..

The large bowl fits all my pots & pans (including handles), my largest cookie sheet, the innards of my Vent-A-Hood, and all but one of the bins & shelves from my refrigerator. It also holds several bowls from baking sessions.

Our sink is 36" wide, if it were smaller, I would probably gotten a single...if I could have talked my DH into it...especially since we have a prep sink on the other side of the kitchen. My personal opinion is that double sinks in sink bases less than 33" are usually too small...even if you get a 70/30 or even an 80/20.

Our old kitchen had a 36" wide sink, but the double bowls were equally sized...and it was awful! They were too small for the large things and too large for the small tasks!

I don't regret the double bowl sink at all...as a matter of fact, when I've had several people baking and/or prepping, it's been nice to have two or three bowls to work with. Plus, with the two bowls, I stack dirty dishes in the large bowl and leave the small bowl free for everyone else to use for washing hands, additional prep work, etc. I, of course, always get the prep sink when I'm working in the kitchen, regardless of how many others are helping out...it's my kitchen after all!

Double sink for me, somewhat bucking the current trend toward singles. After reading all the raves about single sinks, I wondered which to choose, but after discussion with DH, we decided the double-bowl sink works best for us.

Ours is a large Ticor undermount 50/50, plenty deep, with bowl large enough for cooky sheet. The sink came with stainless racks for each bowl. I had never had bowl racks, so I wasn't sure I would like them -- but I love them! The right side (we're both right-handed) tends to be the work sink with disposal -- dishwasher is also on right side, so an easy sweep from sink to dishwasher. The left hand side with the rack acts as an almost-hidden dish rack. We wash coffeemaker innards every morning (Cuisinart Grind n' Brew) & set them in the rack to drip dry. We also hand-wash Cuisinart Green Gourmet skillets, any wooden utensils or cutting boards & all knives (except flatware). I can also easily add to the rack those plastic storage containers that never dry in the dishwasher, upon unloading from dishwasher.

I decided that a double works best for the way I use my sink, but I understand the advantages of a single. I've ordered the Elkay Aqua Divide. It's 50-50, 8" deep, but the divider is only 4 7/8". It's supposed to be the best of both worlds. You can use it as a double usually, but you can also wash big things. Kohler makes it as Smart Divide, and Blanco makes one in Silgranit. Mirabelle also makes them, and they have both a 50-50 and a 60-40 version. There was a recent thread about them, which I will try to attach, but I can't guarantee anything. Anyway, it's on page 3 right now if this doesn't work.

Here is a link that might be useful: smart divide sink

I definitely prefer a double sink. we are remodeling our kitchen w/out moving plumbing, walls, appliances, and I was desperate to find a way to put in a double sink where my current deep single is. I've lived w/it from prior owner for 15 years and still have not adjusted. I find I always have a lot of dishes that aren't supposed to go in dishwasher or don't wash as well in dishwasher, and since I'm not in a family that is great about doing the dishes after each meal, end up w/dishes piled in the sink and then it's tough to move them to plug the sink and begin washing. And then you have to rinse in the same bowl, so eventually the water nears the top of the sink.

I also like to have another sink to run water for cooking or washing while someone else has the sink full washing dishes.

The single is nice for big items to soak, but I never remember having much trouble washing large items in all the apartments I've lived in prior to owning a house.

So, I guess our messiness, and our style of cooking and dishwashing just makes the advantages of the double outweigh the advantages of the single. Oh, and we don't have a separate "prep" sink.

I got sold on a large single Kraus sink here, had a double before so it was a gamble for me. My DH prepares meals some nights and he is liking it too. Seemed to be a good deal, since it included extras like grid, drain, and towel. I purchased a strainer/colander which slides on the top and bottom edge and provides a separate place to wash vegetables (or chicken)

I will never go back to a double bowl, for all the reason already mentioned. Plus I got tired of banging against the divider with my pots and pans. I am not really sure I get the chicken argument for a double bowl. I rinse chicken under running water in my single bowl, and then set it on either the roasting pan, or the cutting board. Where would another sink bowl be needed during that process?

One thing to consider is if you are getting a disposal. In a double bowl sink, you have to figure out which side the disposal is going on. Whichever side you install it, inevitably, you will wish you'd put it on the other side. Also, in my old double bowl sink, it was a PITA when there were food scraps in the non-disposal bowl. Then I had to gather them up with a sponge, or pull up the full strainer, and dump them into the other bowl that had the disposal. Messy and kinda icky. Plus the non-disposal drain often still got food going down there, which caused clogs. If you are installing a disposal, I find the single-bowl a better arrangement.

Went single and have never looked back. Do not miss getting soaked while trying to wash baking sheets, dutch ovens, and other oversized stuff.

As far as washing by hand, if I need to fill a "tub" I usually just use the largest bowl/pot I'm hand washing as the soapy water holder. I don't feel the need to submurge most stuff as I used to --- scrubbing using soap applied directly to a sponge and rinsed does at least as good of job and probably much better as the soap isn't as diluted. (Somewhere in there was a plug for a built in soap dispenser, too.)

When I want to leave stuff out to dry, which is almost never these days (just cuz I love keeping the kitchen tidy), I just put it on a flour sack towel (bought in bulk from Amazon) beside the sink. Half a sink dedicated to drip drying seems like over kill -- stuff can dry as easily beside the sink.

Love my deep single sink for soaking pots and pans and hiding the compost pail. Will never return to double. I see no advantage for the way our lives work.

This is what sold me (and my husband) on the Blanco super single. The best of both worlds. And it's working exactly as hoped...makes me happy with its size and beauty; makes him happy with the fact that it has a bit of a "divide."

SQ

I think a lot depends on scale. We have a small kitchen and had we chosen to go with a large double bowl it would have really eaten up a significant amount of counter space, so we chose a large single bowl. Looks good and works great.

Another vote for a single.
If I had my druthers, and the space, instead of a sink, I'd have installed a bathtub in my countertop.

I've always had double bowls and was happy enough with them. Until I started watching the cooking channel and hanging out on the cooking forum. I bought some serious cookware and bakeware, including sheet pans.

I love baking cookies now, since I've discovered sheet pans, parchment paper, and cookie scoops, lol.

But, I absolutely hate trying to wash sheet pans and larger cookware in a double bowl!! I hate that I can't soak a big pan with a handle, a big lasagna pan, or anything else that's too big to fit in the dishwasher. I seriously hate balancing a corner of a sheet pan in the sink while I try to wash it and rinse it. Inevitably I get a cascade of water all over me and whatever's nearby.

I once tried to balance and wash a big glass cookie jar in the double bowl sink and it slipped and gave me a nasty gash on my thigh.

If I could find a double bowl sink with the larger bowl at least 16"x22" to fit a half sheet pan I'd consider it. Otherwise - single bowl, baby, and the biggest one I can find! A bathtub, lol, now we're talkin'!

we looked at the Beach BBX (by Franke) at the time we were sink shopping in late 2009. It's cute how Franke shoehorns a second sink onto the first one. It's like a salad bowl with a drain hole in the bottom. They add a lot of accessories onto it: strainers, colanders and a real salad bowl too! They also give you a cutting board that fits over the whole thing! So cute. If you want to cover the entire sink at night.

Then we figured we didn't need to be so so tight with space. After all, it's not a space shuttle where every cubic inch of space has to count for something.

So, based on this GW forum, we figured it DID make sense to have only one drain, and one big "bathtub" kind of sink volume. We started to go crazy fantasizing about the Blanco Cascade (SusieQusie60 already posted images of it, above). Finally we came to our senses and realized we didn't need a tub as big as this one. We found in Blanco Canada a midsize single tub which had a sink rim shaped like the very expensive Kohler POISE sinks. This angles sink rim is what made me go crazy fantasizing about all the accessories I could have that would sit on the rim. We got cutting boards and accessories to fit this rim. We are so happy. It's an angled rim that anything can sit on. You build or buy anything of the right length and it sits on the sink rim, under the counter surface, or flush with the counter surface.

Now it's mid 2011 and there are many new sinks with this angled rim. Franke has the CWX161-W now, with angled rim (but you might not see this in web photos)l it has the Beach-style mini prep sink on the side, AND a countertop waste bin hole, and more... It also has the integrated sidewall ridge that made people go crazy for the Orca in 2008 and 2009; you set grids on it, and the grids are strong enough to hold colanders and bowls.

Executive Summary : the CWX161-W is best if you are not certain of a large single sink. It IS a large sink, but not as large as the largest. It has cute thingies "on the side". It has a mid high ridge on the sink walls.

Go DOUBLE! Mine is a 32" 70/30 with one big deep side and a smaller, not as deep side for the garbage disposal. Big side will fit my saute pan or a 12" skillet, handle and all. The small side is really handy for glasses, silverware, bowls, things you don't want to dig down to get. It would handle a colander, bowl, or something dinner plate size. Sometimes when you just want to soak or rinse off something small, you have to run a LOT of water in the big sink in order to raise the water to the right height. With only one sink, what do you do when you are soaking items but you still want to run something down the disposal? During our kitchen remodel, I was able to use my big, huge, deep laundry sink the entire time, but it drove me nuts not to have two sinks. Mine is Eclipse, 16 gauge brushed stainless undermount. It always looks clean and it is very quiet and solid. Would not pay extra for mirrored finish. I like farmhouse sinks but I think they will be to our current era what Corian and wide dark grout was to the 80s unless you really have a vintage house. Also, I have soapstone with an integral drain board -- love the drain board so if your countertop material will let you do that, go for it.

I am one that had a 60/40 (it looked like Buehl's above). My present kit is small so we went with a single and I really miss the double. I always had a clean bowl for washing veggies. We use almost all fresh veggies and a lot of greens. Now I feel I have to clean sink before I clean veggies daily. The second bowl also worked nicely for draining the rare item that didn't go in the DW. The only advantage I have seen in 3 years to my big single is I can now fit a cookie sheet in. I clean a lot more veggies that bake cookies so it doesn't mean much to me.

Thanks for the great comments and pictures! My current sink is a drop-in and is about 33in. wide. The inside part, however is about 30in., so I assume my undermount should be about 30in. The cabinet underneath is about 36in wide. It sounds like a single bowl or atleast a double that has a larger on one side is best. I definitely want some type of grid or rack at the bottom. The white sink we have now is all scratched up, it looks terrible (of course it's 14 years old)! I don't have a disposal, as we're not sure it's a great idea with a septic system. We prefer to feed the wild animals in the woods behind our house ;).

buehl - what kind of sink would you do with my dimensions? and what brand/model is yours?

willtv - love your bathtub idea!

Ginny20 - now I understand what smart divide is, it took a little investigating. that might be the best of both worlds.

I love the "babies in the sink" pics. I wish I still had a baby to wash in my sink. My 14 yr. old just want fit (lol).

After always having a double, I have to say I'm still intrigued by the idea of a large single, especially with my somewhat smaller space. Thanks for everyone's help. Keep it coming.

hillebop - what brand/model is your sink?

I like my 60/40 double bowl sink in the kitchen, but I have a large deep sink with disposal, in my utility room, (just a few steps away), so when I have large pans or ones that need to soak (turkey roaster, etc), I put those in that sink...then it frees the kitchen sink for other items...love it!

I am a convert to a double bowl. I had a single and really loved it, loved being able to soak pans etc. We are renting a place while we are building and they have a double. I find it much more convenient for me. I rarely use my dishwasher (just 2 of us) plus I have a few hand wash only items that. My sink (unfortunately) always has a coffee cup or dish in it. So if I want to fill my brita filter in my double bowl I know that I always have a spot to put it in the other side. Same goes for pasta pots and for washing my hands. And it is really nice to have a clean/santitary side if I wash a chicken.
When I washed dishes in my single bowl I would soap them up, then put them on the counter til I worked my way through, then I rinsed them in the sink. Now I have a place to put them and rinse them.
I have used my roasting pan and my baking sheets a few times here and I wasn't too bothered by not being able to soak them I just filled them with water and put them to the side of the sink. only the rims weren't soaked.
1.How often do you hand wash dishes VS. how often do you soak a huge pan
(there are sinks out there with double bowls that fit large pans on one side and normal pans on the other if you so desired)
2. Do you have another sink in the kitchen ie for washing up or pot filling?

To tell you the truth I think you will be happy with whatever you pick=)! There are distinct advantages for both types, and most disadvantages can be overcome.

Oh, do consider which side you want your disposal on (if you do double). I like mine in the big bowl where I put my dirty dishes cause that 's where the gunk is.

To wash a cookie sheet, large pot, large pan, you use the sheet pot or pan as its own container. With stainless steel scouring pads (like steel wool, but stainless) you scrub stuff off right away, and don't need to soak anything.

Single-bowl enthusiast here. It's what I had growing up, which I remember warmly, the big ol' white single-bowl cast iron sink. They don't make 'em like that anymore. I do understand that people love their double-bowl sinks, but if I HAD to have one, I would do as Buehl mentioned, and only get a double-bowl sink for a cabinet base no less than 33" wide. Smaller than that, and neither bowl will be big enough.

I have to say, I don't get the veggies-needing-a-double-bowl thing. I have always rinsed veggies in a colander. Even when I had the double-bowl sink that I hated in a previous home (it was a 50-50 style double bowl with neither side good for anything), I used a colander. If you fill your sink to rinse veggies or fruit, all they're doing is sitting in the water containing the dirt/insecticides that you are trying to wash off. Or if you are just holding them under running water, why do you need two sink bowls for that? Colander. It's a good thing. (P.S. Oxo and RSVP both make nice colanders)

Single here. 36" cab. I think the sink is 33". Franke.

Love the right corner drain. The drain never gets blocked.

I have the grid. Things I wash by hand (only pots, knives, pans basically) get soaped up with the sponge and left on the left side and I rinse them all at the same time with the pull down spayer. I really try to save water being in CA so that's why the DW does the real work and I don't fill sinks :)

I have a double bowl sink now and can't wait to get rid of it. It's 33" wide and 50-50 so each bowl is fairly small. Can't fit any of my cooking sheets or roasting pans, and even a small frying pan won't make it all the way in. I always had 25" single bowls before and they were fine although I'd probably go for more like 30" single in the future. If I were to get a double again, it would have to be quite large with one bowl at least 24" wide.

Whether you go single or double, DO pay attention to where the drain is. My double sinks have the drains towards the back -- it is easier to drain the water when you don't have to push everything out of the way.

Does having a prep sink too impact whether you like double or single?

A single bowl would've driven me crazy. I like having a small sink for drying hand-washed items. Both bowls are deep and the larger one easily accommodates cookie sheets and roasting pans.

Shannon, I hand rinse most veggies, but have to fill the sink with water to wash lettuce and chard. Sometimes I refill it a couple times depending on how dirty the greens are.

LOVE our single bowl Blanco.

See this picture? That's a full size roasting pan that we use for our turkey's at Thanksgiving. Doesn't it look tiny in our sink? I love that I can soak it in there instead of on the counter top. I also bake a lot and being able to wash our cookie sheets without banging the sides of the sink and splashing water all over my clothes is a plus. Also we can have an almost full sink of dishes (waiting to be put in the DW) and unless you are right over the sink, you can't even tell. Works perfect for our family because I usually only do dishes at night and I mostly use the DW so needing a separate sink to rinse is not a problem. I also rinse my veggies in a colander just like I did when we had a double so that's never an issue.

slush1422 - I like that large sink!

natal - what brand/model sink do you have? A lot of the double bowls that are not equal (i.e 60/40 or 70/30), have a smaller side that's not as deep. I think it would be nice to have a 70/30, with the lower divide, and both sides are equally deep. I don't think I've seen this yet.

My sink is a Ticor S405D. It's in a 36" sink base cabinet. The sink grids were included with the sink. If you decide to go with it, get the optional (no cost) brushed rim. They didn't have that option when I bought mine in January 2008, but I would have liked to have had it. Ditto the custom cutting board ($19.99 extra).

You have the same size sink base we have...and we went with a double-bowl. I would do it again if I had it to do over. We do have a prep sink, but that double-bowl cleanup sink has been pretty handy on many occasions! If I had a narrower sink base, even 33", I would probably have gone with a single bowl...only b/c we also have that prep sink. If you don't have a second sink (prep or utility), I recommend seriously considering a double-bowl.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ticor S405D at Galaxy Tool Supply

Lakegirl, I have the Rohl Allia two-bowl. The large side is 10" deep and the smaller is 8".

Here is a link that might be useful: sink

slush1422 - how deep is that sink? Thanks.