Franke is a well respected long time Swiss sink manufacturer with a real US division that has real people in customer service should you need them. Kraus is a invented Germanic name to disguise the import nature of their ''Euro inspired'' products and with a storefront faux office presence that remains unmanned for the most part. It's also offensive how they've virtually ripped off Franke's logo look.

I have the Kraus sink, smaller size than they one your looking at, so I can only comment on Kraus. I wasn't sure at first about drain lines on bottom of the sink either when looking at them online only but they are not really that visible in person. Don't mind them at all. The drain indents are very slight so nothing can get stuck.

I did like the .75 radius and wanted that look instead of larger radius corners.
I also love the grid that comes included. Some grids are right up there in price so it was a plus for me that Kraus included the grid in the price.
I love my sink and I would repurchase this same one again.

We also just purchased 2 more Kraus sinks for 2 apt rentals. These are a bit smaller, rounded radius corners but same great quality, great price and came with grid, drain basket and they look fantastic.

Thank you, hollysprings. Good point about customer service.

jancy, thank you for your insight on your Kraus sink. Can I ask if you feel if the corners are finished well?

I can vouch for the lustrous finsish of the Franke ... it is lovely. Can't compare it to the Kraus, though, as I've never seen one in person. Not sure if the Franke model you are considering has an optional "shelf grid," but if it does, IMO, that is an anvantage over the Kraus. I really like that feature!

I have the 30" Kraus sink similar to the one you are considering. As jancy said, the drain lines are not an issue and I like the look of the .75 radius corners. I honestly haven't noticed any difference in the finish of the corners. Guess I need to take a closer look. I keep the grid in all the time. My SIL has the same sink and does not use grid. I've noticed the bottom of her sink has numerous scratches.

The only thing I do not like about my sink is the pitch to the drain, which is slight. As a result, I spend a lot of time and water rinsing out everything from the bottom. The water pressure in our new home is not that great, so that certainly has an impact, however, I do believe others on this forum have made similar observations about this sink.

Corners are finished perfectly fine. Very easy to keep clean because they are not real sharp corners. The stainless steel of the sink is not a real smooth look finish, it's sort of has a slightly brushed look. One side area half way up, maybe a couple of inches, looks a little bit more brushed to me than the rest of the sink in a certain light. I actually have to really look for it (my perfectionist tendencies) but certainly acceptable and I am so picky, I can drive myself crazy. No one else seems to see it but me!
The other 2 smaller sinks with larger radius corners, in the apts, are perfect.

Edit to include: I don't have a problem as others have noticed with the pitch to the drain. I haven't noticed me spending any more time with this sink rinsing out everything than with my older sink.

This post was edited by jancy on Sat, Sep 13, 14 at 9:45

Keep in mind that Franke has different "qualities" of sinks. The one's sold at Home Depot or other big box stores are not the same quality or finish as their luxury group sinks.

I've also had both Franke (Orca) and Kraus sinks. I "ditto" everything nhbaskets said. I will say that in hindsight, I think the finish on the Franke Orca was slightly superior to the Kraus - not that it wouldn't scratch without the grid (I used grids in both) but rather that when polished up with Barkeepers friend, the Franke's surface was a little more lustrous. The difference in price, though, was significant - the Franke with grids was about 3X the cost of the Kraus. I'm not at all unhappy with the Kraus - I would buy it again. Also, I think the concept of customer service is impt for appliances, for sinks, not so much.

Jellytoast, nhbaskets, jancy, ck_squared, and sjhockeyfan...thank you so much for your input!!! It's so helpful to hear from folks who have seen these sinks in-person!! It helps me to get a better picture of what I am buying.

I definitely like the looks of the Kraus better. No contest there.

As the OP noted, the Franke is 18 gauge, and the Kraus is 16 gauge. Some people feel the gauge of 16 vs. 18 doesn't matter, but in my experience it does (actually I have a custom 14-gauge sink, so you can tell I think gauge is significant). The 16-gauge sink has a thicker stainless steel than an 18-gauge sink, and won't sound "tinny" when the water hits it. A 16-gauge SS sink also has a different "feel" to it than the thinner 18-gauge sink.

I agree with the others that I don't see where you will need customer service on a sink. If it arrives broken or dented, you would return it to the vendor. Regarding the fact that Franke is a Swiss company with a U.S. division, that doesn't mean that none of their sinks is imported from China. Many of the Franke sinks--though not all--are Chinese imports, same as Kohler, same as Blanco. That's not to say a Chinese sink is bad, but people should not think they are getting a Swiss or U.S. made sink cause they are buying a Franke; they would need to call the company and ask where the particular model number originated.

I don't know why the OP says there isn't much of a price difference between the two sinks. There's quite a difference. The Kraus is in the thicker stainless 16-gauge, and comes with a sink grid free for $400. The Franke is the thinner 18-gauge sink, and costs about $530, plus the sink grid adds $131!.

I will link a website that sells the Kraus sink with the free grid, and has a coupon code for additional discount, and free shipping. I've bought other things from this website, and had a good experience with them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kraus KHU100-32

I had a Franke Orca 18-gauge at my Charleston home and it did not sound "tinny" at all. In fact, it was extremely quiet for a stainless sink. The finish was absolutely beautiful.

I cannot comment on the Kraus, though, as I have never had one myself.

akchicago, thanks for your post and for taking the time to look at both models. The reason I said there wasn't a big price difference between the two sink is because $250 compared to the amount I'm spending on my new cabinets is relatively small. : ( I would consider spending the extra money if the Franke has a superior finish. Thank you for the link too!

hsw_sc, thank you, it's good to hear that your Franke does not sound tinny....and the finish sounds beautiful

The 18-gauge Franke sounded no tinnier or louder than the 16-gauge Kraus. I do think 20-gauge sinks can sound tinny.

I have a Kraus, my friend has a Franke. I think the Franke is more beautiful looking but I'm happy with my Kraus.

Jellytoast, thanks for your comment about the optional shelf with the Franke. We are thinking of purchasing that sink because we want the larger bowl, but I dislike leaving dishes to airdry on the counter, and am hoping this sink will hide some of the dishes!

Thanks so much for your input, plumberry. It's great to hear from someone who has seen both.

I'm beginning to think that the Franke has the finish I'd like, but the Kraus has the shape I'd like.

Here's a link to a picture of the Kraus with the 3/4 inch radius corners.
http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/KHU100R332.html

Here's a link to a picture of the Franke Grande with the 2 inch radius corners.
http://www.kbauthority.com/Franke-GDX11031-Grande-Series-31-Undermount-Kitchen-Sink.html

Hope these work!

bebotivo - curious as to whether you decided on either of the above sinks?
I'm just about in the same place.
The link you posted from kbauthority has an extra 25% off today - which is very tempting, and I'm thinking of pulling the trigger today.
I haven't been able to see the grande in person either - but
have seen the same sink in a 'luxury' model. I like the sharper corners of the kraus, but am wondering if over time, they'll become a pain to clean.

Also, golfergirl - according the the people at Ferguson, the grande does not have the shelf option - only the higher end sinks have that. Again, I didn't see it in person - but that's what I was told.

I have the Kraus and just took a good look at the corners - there is absolutely no reason they should be hard to clean, now or in the future - there's just enough of a radius, compared to a true zero radius.

Kraus KHF200-36 35-9/10" Farmhouse Single Bowl 16 Gauge Stainless Steel Kitchen SinkStainless Steel - $404.95

Franke MHX710-36 Manor House 36" x 20-7/8" Single Basin Farmhouse 16-Gauge Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Finish/Color - Stainless Steel 6 In-stock$1,619.28

Franke 900 Strainer Basket with Sealing Gasket Finish/Color - Chrome 107 In-stock$48.75

Franke MH36-36C Manor House Bottom Grid Sink Rack - For Use with MHX710-36 Finish/Color - Stainless Steel 1 In-stock$168.75

The Franke is over 4 times the cost even at these mail order discounted prices. The Franke lists for about $3000.

The Franke does not have a smooth front.

It does not look better, much less 4 times better.

I was going to choose the Kraus but checked reviews on Amazon and there are comments about Rust. This scares me. Has anyone noticed rust or gray spots?

Had my Kraus for 2 years and looks just as good as the day it was installed. No rust, no gray spots. I'd buy it again without hesitation. We also have 2 apartments with Kraus sinks, a year and a half and they look great also.

I've had my Kraus for almost 2 years now and like Jancy, no rust or gray spots.

Five years with our Kraus sink and no complaints at all.

Josey1 - When rust appears on stainless steel it is because something external is on the stainless steel's surface that is rusting. You can use Barkeepers Friend to remove it.

Any brand stainless steel sink can show rust if steel wool pads like Brillo are used on it. When you see rust from steel wool, it's from the iron particles left by the steel wool on top of the stainless steel.

Stainless steel sink manufacturers like Franke and Blanco warn about rust appearing on their sinks from using steel wool or leaving other metallic items (cans, metal spatulas, etc.) on the sinks which rust.

- From Franke's website: Stainless steel sinks can, however, harbour ferrous particles from the water supply and these often occur with newer installations when the pipework is disturbed, or from ‘wire’ scouring pads or utensils. These filings get deposited and cling to the sink surface, and unless removed will rust.

- From Blanco's website: Can stainless steel sinks rust? This question can be answered with a definite "No", provided that the sink is cleaned regularly and exposed to typical domestic wear and tear. Please follow the advice below regarding using and caring for your stainless steel sink:

Remove dirt and limescale deposits on a regular basis.

Do not use cleaning agents containing chlorine (generally sodium hypochlorite) or hydrochloric acid.

If you use steel wool for cleaning, it must be made of non-rusting stainless steel.

Avoid lengthy contact with salty liquids.

Avoid direct or prolonged contact with rusting iron objects (cast-iron pans or iron filings).

Do not use your sink for dyeing or bleaching fabric or hair.

Bebovito, what did you end up with? I read the same rust reviews as you but before that I was between the same two brands. Would love to hear your result.