Buying a kitchen sink? Options that won't break the bank

Workstation sink solutions come in two varieties, and you can combine and build out a system to suit your way of working.

First of all, there’s the new sink bundle with a number of fitted and smartly articulated accessories inclined towards sink-side food prepping. Like micro-managing a kitchen cabinet, this could double the price of the base unit.

The second approach to a super sink is to integrate universal add-on pieces designed to work with most sink sizings. This is a handy lift to an existing sink where you may have painted up the cabinets, but don’t want to rip into the plumbing, or where your off-standard sink simply doesn’t come with additional bells and whistles.

Starting with new sinks, there are multi-talented splash spots well under €300 worth consideration, reducing washing, cutting up foodstuffs, rinsing and draining to just a few moves centred on the wet side of the kitchen.

The Good Home Romesco, from B&Q, starts at €213 for a sink and drainer (880mm) in S/S, up to €253 for chic black composite quartz for a sink and half (1050mm). It comes with sink-fixing clips, a sealing strip, a fitted bamboo chopping board, a colander, a drying rack, a cutlery holder and even a tap-hole cover.

An ideal retrofit in standard sizing, you can then trick it out with Romesco accessories when and if you need replacement pieces. The play of chrome against a dark sink really adds a little layering of character.

Franke sinks are highly familiar in most DIY outlets. Behind that take-it-for-granted branding is 110 years of excellent Swiss engineering. At the top of the range for compact but ergonomic prepping sinks are double-bowl Box Centre workstations, with built-in accessories engineered to sit seamlessly in the half-bowl side.

Depending on the model, these include a knife block, three knives, two chopping boards (wood and synthetic), a strainer and a drainer, a patented push-button waste system, and a solid, 50-year guarantee.

Now, much as I love this level of tightly tailored detailing, accessories made to fit will have to be replaced to fit, and for materials that wear fast, like resin chopping boards — ensure your supplier will stand over replacements as they become obsolete on the open shelves; prices from €2,500 for a small 850mm x 510mm S/S Franke Box Centre suited to an island, multiple suppliers.

Ruvati is an affordable Italian-made range, receiving great reviews for its one-two-ledge-hung workstation solutions with hardwood detailing. It does an excellent line in contemporary workstations in single and dual-tiers (two tiers of tracks, on top of one another that allow elements to slide over each other in models up to 144cm).

Ruvati’s entry-level signature singles feature rims inside the bowls which support wood cutting boards, deep and shallow colanders, steel roll-up racks, and a basket strainer drain assembly. Prices start around €750 for a single Nova 840mm model.

Explore online sellers and key in delivery prices from any EU or UK supplier which could drown a deal; Ruvati.

For a squeak of space and/or occasional use, ditch a draining side, and choose a sink with a roll-out drainer that lays over the sink top like the squared-up Oslo 60 Pocket Level. Its handy deep accessory slot running behind the tap (which includes a dedicated drain) is a neat way to stage your cutting boards and washing-up liquid. €250 with further accessories available, Primagran.

With an existing sink, it’s easier to find sink add-ons (other than free-standing or tap-hung gadgets) for bowls with a rim, as we really need a visible edge to balance on. If a cutting board is not tightly fitted to the sink, don’t be tempted to use it. It’s unstable and could lead to an accident with a bladed tool. 

One of the most successful additions for a rustic ceramic sink without an integrated draining board is a beautiful wood draining board that slots onto the side counter, with a drip groove to prevent pooling, guiding water directly into the sink. Check Etsy for makers and expect to pay in the order of €90 for a nicely figured hardwood board. Oak sink covers with integrated strainers start in the area of €130 and can be custom-made for an off-standard oldie.

For typical composite and stainless-steel sinks, look up dedicated accessories still available for the sink and brand you already have. Most sinks in universal sidings and typical shapes have a tiny lip running around the edge of the sink for supporting players like boards and baskets of varying depths. Check your model number and name before ordering. Franke all-in-one sets start at €120, Kalorders, and Caple does an extensive range for their branding, Caple.

If you’re lucky enough to have a ceramic sink, invest in a silicone sink protector to the base. It not only prevents chips but takes some of the hammer out of the surface if you crash your dishes into an authentic Belfast.

Brabantia does an extendable model that can also be used as a coaster for hot pans or a drying mat, €29.99, Homestoreandmore.
Starting with must-have organisational tools, in sophisticated brush and sponge caddies, Joseph Joseph, Minky and Superhuman offer compact, free-draining, suction cup and hangar models in crisp resin or clad in S/S designed to perch steadily on a bowl edge without any rattle; prices from €25.

Be wary of larger telescopic gadgets that take a large bite out of the size in the bowl devoted to nothing more than storing cleaning goods. It’s unsightly clutter that’s better placed out of sight in an on-door caddy under the sink. We love the Joseph Joseph Door Store, €20, multiple suppliers.

Over-sink dish-drying racks with pull-out handles to suspend the unit on the sink are useful for a myriad of tasks and can be pushed home and put away. B&Q’s Datil moulded colander sits on big ears when needed and is a cheap buy at just €5 in a pleasing anthracite grey.

Ikea’s Idealisk is another bargain in a nice steel adjustable colander, €9.00. When pieces are not made to measure, and to sit systematically into your sink, quite honestly, they are best used and put away to preserve those calming clean spaces around your kitchen counters. If sink accessories are just props or visual obstacles, it’s nothing less than throwing good money down the drain.