Pros and Cons of Kitchen Islands with Sinks in Homes

A kitchen island is an incredibly useful feature in a busy kitchen. Not only does it provide additional work and storage space; it can also greatly enhance the workflow if implemented right.

The kitchen island feature that we are going to talk about today is an additional sink.

A second sink can have great benefits if you are someone who spends a lot of time in their kitchen.

However, there are also a few considerations to take into account before you make such a costly upgrade.

On that note, here are some of the pros and cons of kitchen islands with sinks.

Pros

1.   Improved hygiene

Hygiene is of great concern in every household. You might be surprised, but your kitchen sink is most likely one of the dirtiest spots in your home.

Considering that this is where you wash produce, it is clear how a second sink could improve your kitchen hygiene. 

A smaller prep sink in your kitchen island for washing fruit and vegetables would lessen the risk of cross-contamination.

2.   Better workflow

If you have a big family, cooking (and especially cleaning up afterward) probably takes a lifetime. With an additional sink and some helping hands, however, the process can become much faster.

If you decide to install a prep sink, prepping produce and washing dishes can be done at the same time. But you can also go for an additional regular sink.

This way, cleaning up the kitchen will be twice as fast with two people washing the dishes.

3.   Great for open plans

A kitchen island sink can be a game-changer in open-plan kitchens. Since it usually faces the dining or living area, it allows you to see whatever is happening in your home.

For instance, you can keep an eye on your children while preparing dinner or watch TV while washing the dishes. It makes spending time in the kitchen less isolating, as you don’t have to turn your back but can socialize.

4.   Functions as a backup

Considering how much use an average kitchen sink sees, it is not uncommon for its drain to get blocked. In case such a situation arises, your daily life can be seriously disrupted, with no place to wash your dishes.

Needless to say, if that happens, a second sink can be a lifesaver. Your kitchen can still remain functional while you’re getting a blocked drain repair.

Cons

1.   Might disrupt the design

One of the cons people list for kitchen island sinks is that it can ruin the look of your space. Indeed, a sink full of dirty dishes in the middle of the room is quite disruptive.

However, this might also become a great incentive to always keep your kitchen clean. If your island sink is an afterthought, it might also be difficult to coordinate its look with your main sink.

Keep the design consistent by choosing the right sink type and you won’t have to worry about this.

2.   Complicated to install

Unless your kitchen island is already equipped with plumbing, installing an island sink can be a costly affair.

Therefore, you have to think about whether such a big investment is worth it for you. If you would mostly use your second sink on holidays, you might be better off spending those $1000 elsewhere. However, if you already have plumbing, the costs are greatly reduced.

3.   Takes up space

Space is probably the most valuable asset in a kitchen. With that said, if your kitchen is on the smaller side, an additional sink might not be the best idea.

No matter how you look at it, it would take up precious counter space that you need for preparing food. Besides counter space, keep in mind that the plumbing will also take up storage space under the counter.

4.   Might limit other functions of the island

Kitchen islands have a variety of functions not all of which are connected to meal prep. Introducing a sink to this area might limit some of these functions.

Besides the lack of space, which we have already discussed, the dangers of water damage will also come into play.

This means you probably won’t place your laptop on the counter to work while having breakfast. At the same time, this can also become an advantage–it can help keep non-kitchen-related clutter at bay.

Final Words

At the end of the day, whether an additional kitchen island sink is worth it depends entirely on your needs. Consider how much space you have and how much use you would get out of it. Weighing in the pros and cons, it should not be difficult to decide whether your kitchen would benefit from it.