# Kitchen Sink Poll: single, double or triple bowl(s) sink? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 1, 2008, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161 "2008-12-01T09:00:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/21 "2008-12-01T17:50:30Z")
I have a single and a dishwasher. I’d love a double unequal. One for rinsing before dishwashing and one for stock pots, large baking dishes and the like. My dream kitchen would also have one of those long gooseneck type faucets. It seems my house is filled with oversized cooking utensils. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/22 "2008-12-01T17:53:13Z")
Double equal. I like it because it uses less water. Since I’m single and rarely cook a lot, I don’t need a big sinkful of soapy water to do my dishes. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/23 "2008-12-01T17:57:13Z")
I prefer the double equal. Of course, it’s what I’ve always had, so I don’t really know what I’d do with any other kind. I think, since it’s a rental property, you might want to go with that one, for the most versatility. It seems that the people who prefer other types have specific uses in mind, which your renters might not. I keep the dishpan in one side, and the drying rack in the other. With a smaller sink on one side, I’d have to put the dish rack on the counter, and that would just take up space. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/24 "2008-12-01T17:59:21Z")
I have a double equal, and it would be a deal-breaker for me (I wouldn’t rent a place without one). I have a dishwasher, but I still wash enough dishes by hand to make keeping a drying rack in the second sink a necessity. There’s always something in my drying rack - a rinsed out teapot, my crockpot, my really big frying pan, delicate glasses, etc. Dishwashers are supremely useful, but not everything can go in there. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/25 "2008-12-01T18:30:45Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > I don’t know anybody that washes their dishes at home in a sink full of soapy water, then rinses them in another sink of clean water. When I had a double equal (which I loved), the dish drainer rack sat inside one side. I’d wash a bunch of dishes in the soapy side, stack them in the drainer and then use the little sprayer to rinse the soap off them. That meant I didn’t have to keep the water running (which I do with the single I have now) to rinse things one by one. If I try to use the sprayer with my single sink set up, I get water all over my countertop and walls and floor. > [@GilaB](#): > > What would be the point of a triple sink? One sink for dirty dishes, one sink for the drainrack and one sink for cleaning vegetables or draining pasta without getting gunk all over your food from the dirty dishes. Nice for the cook, useless otherwise. Since they normally take up the same width as any other sink, the three spots are just too narrow to be really workable for me. When I finally get to design my own kitchen, I’m stealing my dad’s idea: one deep and wide single sink for filling the largest stockpot and washing the roasting pans, and one double sink for washing smaller stuff on the other side of the room, so someone can wash dishes over THERE without getting in my way over HERE. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/26 "2008-12-01T18:36:22Z")
I have, and love, my 33 x 22 x 13 sink. 13 is really deep. It’s great for washing cooking sheets and big pots without getting your shirt wet. It was a special order and I don’t even think it was meant for a kitchen, but I would recommend it to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/27 "2008-12-01T18:55:56Z")
If I had enough people in the house that I was actually using the dishwasher every day I’d be happy with a single sink. I’ve never had that, though, so the single sinks I’ve had really sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/28 "2008-12-01T18:56:05Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > When we remodeled the kitchen in our last place, we went from a single large bowl to a double but unequal bowl, as I really missed the ability to wash in one sink, and rinse in the other. > > Also in a standard “both sides equal” sink (what we have now), you can’t wash a roasting pan or even a standard 9x13 pan without having one end tilting up out of the sink. The unequal-sides sink fixes that. Exactly why we stayed with a double unequal when we got a new sink last year. I start with a dishpan in the sink and a bit of water, and fill it up with water during the rinse process. All the double equal sinks we looked at were way too small. > [@](#): > > The problem with unequal-sides is that if you’re washing, say, plates, there’s no room to stack the washed plates in the rinse side. As we own a dishwasher, this is very very rarely an issue (only when we trot out the good china and crystal, which don’t go in the dishwasher). For things like the large baking pans, we would simply wash one at a time in the big half, and rinse in the same side. I rinse as I go along, and put the rinsed plates or whatever in the dish drainer, but I’m from New York and we’re known to do dishes funny. > [@](#): > > What you _didn’t_ ask: where do you put the garbage disposal (if you have one) with unequal sided sinks. When we remodeled, the contractor really wanted to put it in the small side. As in, he argued with me that 99% of people wanted it in the small side. And I do know people who prefer it there. But I insisted I wanted it in the large side - I mean, if you’re scraping plates, who wants to have to aim for a 5-inch-wide side? And if you’re scrubbing gunk out of a large baking dish, who wants to have to grab that glop out of the large side, and either dump it in the trash or dump it into the other side for disposal? When we got the house the garbage disposal was installed - backwards - on the large side. This was a big pain because it stops up often, and then you have to run it at odd intervals to clear it. We put it on the small side now, which is much better. I scrape into the trash can, not the sink, and our strainer catches all the other crud. I’m qualified to discuss this because I actually enjoy doing dishes (as long as I can do it my way) - one of the many reasons my wife loves me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/29 "2008-12-01T19:29:10Z")
I don’t like double sinks. I prefer a big single one. I wash in the sink, stack soapy dishes on the counter, and then rinse each by hand if I’m handwashing. To me, counters feel cleaner than sinks do and I prefer to stack clean, but unrisned dishes there. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/30 "2008-12-01T22:03:05Z")
Double equal here. I’ve always said those unequal ones are for homes with dishwashers. The sink I had prior to this had 10" deep bowls. I loved the deepness but the sink itself was crap (American Standard). I couldn’t find deep bowls in anything but stainless steel so went back to 8" bowls and have gotten used to it. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/31 "2008-12-01T22:53:40Z")
I’d vote for something like [this](http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100083524&N=500852+660+90401). It’s a double bowl, almost equal size. The nice part is that one of the bowls is very deep, making it easier to wash those big pans. Also, by moving all faucet over to one side, one of the bowls can be longer (front to back). As for those of you that don’t ever wash dishes by hand, don’t you have anything that can’t go in the dishwasher? Good crystal, big pans, or stuff like that? ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/32 "2008-12-01T23:02:37Z")
When we redid our I chose double-unequal like the one above only in white. I love having one side big enough to soak a lasagna pan or other large baking pan, and yet I’m still able to use the other side. When I had a single sink, if I was soaking something in the sink, I couldn’t really be using the sink for anything else. All the double-equal sinks were too small for setting a large pan down in and letting it soak. ---
**Author:** ![bink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@bink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bink)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/33 "2008-12-01T23:08:14Z")
Great big deep single. I have a dishwasher and use the big sink for washing sheet pans and dib pots. My brother has a double-unequal and I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone use the little one. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/34 "2008-12-02T00:13:38Z")
I grew up with a double unequal, but the small side had a disposal. I can’t really see the point of having it divided at all unless it’s for something like this. A double equal inevitably ends up being too small on both sides on occasion (eg washing a lot of stuff after a party or doing some big pans). > [@Rebo](#): > > One thing not mentioned is the pain of having two drains when your pipes get clogged. You can’t plunge because of the other drain hole. If you try to plug up one side, you don’t have enough hands! One of the most amusing experiences I can remember is being tired and drunk at my friend’s house after a party there, and the both of us deciding it would be more fun to clean up then by smoking up rather than waking up the next day hung over. Since his double sink was clogged, we first had to go get two plungers and double plunge that fugger. For some reason it struck me as greatly amusing at the time. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/35 "2008-12-02T03:44:20Z")
As a renter, I would love it if I could find a place with a triple. When cooking a large meal, I like to clean up as I go. This makes it difficult to peel veggies, etc without messing up the hot, soapy wash water or whatever’s in the rinse side. Even with a dishwasher, a triple would be a nice bonus. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/36 "2008-12-02T04:14:16Z")
> [@TommyTutone](#): > > I have a double-equal right now, but would prefer a single. We have a dishwasher for the dishes, save for the big pans and all my cutting knives, which I do by hand, so the undivided area would be handy for the bigger pans. I agree with this general sentiment. If there’s a dishwasher in the kitchen, a single is good, and allows you to soak bigger non-dishwasher-safe pans. If there’s not, then a double, one side for wash, one side for rinse. I have a single bowl, and no dishwasher, and it is a royal pain in the ass to wash dishes. In order to rinse, I have to hold the dishes under the faucet over the single big bowl, which fills the sink more of course, so I have to partially drain the wash water a number of times so it doesn’t overflow. It would also be handy to be able to stack the washing up in one side, and still have the other available for things like straining pasta. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/37 "2008-12-02T04:15:55Z")
I grew up with an equal-double and loved it. Left side was for hot soapy water to wash in, then you’d rinse and move the dishes over to the right side where they were stacked and drained to dry completely. I have the common apartment single sink and I hate it so much. ☹ I don’t use the dishwasher and a single sink is maddening as all heck. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/38 "2008-12-02T04:25:23Z")
I can not seriously be the only one to secretly know the real reason a double sink is better than a single is that it allows you to have a functioning sink with some space,at the same time allowing you to go an extra day or 2 not washing the dishes! (Yes I am single.) ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/39 "2008-12-02T04:42:45Z")
Double equal, but I think mine might be larger than most. I can fit my 13X9 pans into the sink, not all the way flush to the bottom, but more than enough to soak them. I wash in one and rinse in the other, but more than that, I _need_ to have a clean sink available. I like to have a sink full of hot sudsy water to toss things in as I’m cooking, but still have a clean one for rinsing vegetables, draining pasta or just handwashing or getting a glass of water. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161/40 "2008-12-02T14:32:54Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > I’d vote for something like [this](http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100083524&N=500852+660+90401). > > It’s a double bowl, almost equal size. The nice part is that one of the bowls is very deep, making it easier to wash those big pans. Also, by moving all faucet over to one side, one of the bowls can be longer (front to back). > > As for those of you that don’t ever wash dishes by hand, don’t you have anything that can’t go in the dishwasher? Good crystal, big pans, or stuff like that? Oh, I can cram just about anything in the dishwasher. 🙂 The only thing off the top of my head is champagne flutes and a few pieces of crystal, and they don’t exactly take a huge dishwashing setup to clean - just some hot running water, really. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchen-sink-poll-single-double-or-triple-bowl-s-sink/475161.md?page=1)