The kitchen guys talk alot about this stuff. You might want to try there.

2 holes or 4 holes. How about a Delta Palo since they're simple to repair. The last hole is for the soap dispenser.

I would suggest a Ticor sink from galaxy tool supply. The value is excellent, good range of styles and everyone who has them likes them.Remember that the lower the gauge on a ss sink, the thicker the steel. I prefer 16 gauge.

Would also recommend a pull-down faucet. Kohler Simplice is an excellent choice. Grohe Minta is more modern style but also well regarded. Some like the Delta touch faucets but those are in the higher range. "Affordable" can be a relative term.

I had 2 soap dispensers and hated them. There was a thread recently on the kitchen forum about them. I seem to be in the minority. I much prefer the Simplehuman sensor countertop dispenser I recently purchased on Amazon. If I had space for another sink hole 'd use it for undersink filtered water. Another game changer that let me stop buying the bottles.

But again, these are preferences.

Best to decide how many holes you will need for faucet plus whatever in advance -- but that depends on the type of sink you purchase and the type of counter. I personally would get an undermounted sink, budget permitting. Then they can drill the number of holes you need.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ticor sinks