A Buyers Guide To Bathroom Sinks

Summary: You have a lot of options when it comes to bathroom sinks.  One of the most important considerations is the space you have available and who will be using the sink.  Also, sink style and material play key roles.

Q: There are so many types of bathroom sinks out there it's a little confusing.  Do you have any advice on how to select the right bathroom sink for a particular situation?

A: In fact, I do have my own likes and dislikes when it comes to bathroom sinks.  And I use a number of criteria to help me figure out which sinks will work best in a certain area.  Here are the main ones.

(1)  Space

Now, while the sink itself doesn't take up all that much space what the sink actually comes in does.

Here's what I mean.  I love the look of a clean, white bathroom pedestal sink.  But, one of the drawback of a sink like that is the fact that you have fewer places to store bathroom items.  So, in many cases you'll have to opt for a bathroom vanity sink with the typical cabinet look and the sink in the cabinet.

Of course, if you have enough storage space already in your bathroom then a pedestal sink may be the way to go.  Unfortunately, I've never had a bathroom where this was the best option for us so I've always installed vanity sinks.

If you are really in love with the looks of a pedestal sink maybe give some thought to adding some storage space somewhere else in the bathroom to accommodate all your toiletries.  Or, as I often suggest to my wife, maybe just get rid of some of that 'stuff'.  Usually, extra storage space wins out.

(2)  Cleaning

As a man, this is one of the last things I think about.  But - understandable - it's one of the first things my wife thinks about which means she opts for easy to clean bathroom sinks.  That generally means there are no bathroom vessel sinks.  In case you aren't familiar a vessel sink actually sits on top of the vanity's counter and is glued down.  While they look 'new agey' and fairly slick they are also tougher to clean.

Also, the type of material that your sink is made out of will play a big role.  Jodi is big on the classic white ceramic sinks in the bathroom as they are clean, smooth and can be bleached if needed.  This is especially important since we have a couple of young boys he can be a bit messy.

(3)  Who is using it

Speaking of our family.  You should give some consideration to yours and to who will be using the sink.

Now while that may not sound that all-important we've actually already had our kids 'chip' their sink by dropping things in it.  Don't ask what it was - it's a long story and if you're a parent you'll completely understand.  But we really aren't all that concerned about it because these were inexpensive sinks and a few nicks and dings there really don't concern us.

But, if you have a higher end home and want sinks to fit the part you probably want to be pretty careful about having the kids using it without supervision.

(4)  Budget

Like almost anything today the type of bathroom sink you buy is only limited by your imagination and your budget.

As I said above we opted for cheaper bathroom sinks as we knew they'd take a beating from our young kids and also - we wanted to spend money elsewhere in the house where the improvements are more noticeable.

But perhaps having a top notch bathroom is your goal.  Nothing wrong with that and more power to you.  And, if that is the case, you can undoubtedly find a sink to fit the bill.

Actual sinks can run from $50 all the way into the hundreds.

(5)  Type of Bathroom Sink Faucet

I mention faucets because often times people don't budget correctly for bathroom renovations when it comes to faucets.  Either they include them more as an afterthought and end up spending pennies on a cheap faucet that won't last a year under normal use.

Or, they realize they need a good faucet only after they've bought the perfect sink and vanity for their bathroom.  Blowing their budget out of the water.

The third reason I mention faucets to you is because you may want to give some thought to the actual type of faucet you need.

For example, I like gooseneck faucets for the fact that you can get under them easier.  I'm famous for, after brushing my teeth, sticking my mouth under the faucet to rinse out.  That's harder to do with normal faucets and I find myself wishing I had more room to get by big head under there.

Also, what type of handle do you want?  Some people love the control of an all-in-one faucet rather than two seperate handles.  Others love the looks of the two handles.

Also, what type of finish do you want on your faucet.

Finally, you can get away with spending a bit less on a sink and shopping around a bit more.  But I'd caution you not to do that with faucets.  In my experience I've generally found that you 'get what you paid for' when it comes to faucets.  Not that the most expensive is always the best.  But don't cheap out on faucets.

(6)  Looks

You already read a bit about aesthetics above.  The point is you have to meld you desire for the best looks in your bathroom with something that will be functional.

I love the look of pedestal sinks but the lack of storage really hurt us.  Also, you have to do a bit more work in some instances to 'hide' the plumbing and keep that sleek look.  Also, the pedestal sinks that we did find we're all white and the tub was actually an off white.  Making it look odd.

In the end overall looks of the bathroom (and storage) overrode the actual looks of the sink itself.