For many folks, the kitchen hosts a hub of activity for several hours throughout the day, especially for home cooks and bakers. A kitchen sink is essential to keep a tidy, fully functional kitchen. Whether you’re washing dirty dishes, cleaning counters, or rinsing produce, the kitchen sink is vital.
So, choosing the perfect kitchen sink for your needs is essential. As you browse through your options, you’ll probably come across a few different brands, including Kraus and Ruvati.
Or, perhaps you’ve done your research and narrowed it down to these two brands. Either way, we have the information you need to pick which is better for your home.
Kraus
As a well-known, reliable brand, Kraus is a solid choice for almost any product it offers. From kitchen faucets and sinks to various bathroom fixtures, Kraus has plenty of options. Despite its relatively young age compared to other major brands in the industry, like Moen or Delta, Kraus has paved its way through the industry, creating an excellent reputation for itself.
Although Kraus has thousands of different products on the market today, it hasn’t sacrificed its design or quality in the process. The company’s attention to detail and quality reflects in its product pricing, which is on the higher end in the grand scheme of things.
Pros And Cons
As with nearly any product, you’ll find various pros and cons with Kraus sinks. A few of the upsides of its products include:
- Wide range of options: One of the high points of Kraus’ sink lineup is its versatility. The brand offers dozens of styles, designs, and materials to meet nearly any aesthetic preference or theme. Whether you want a double-bowl sink for multitasking, extra-deep basins for easy washing or a compact sink for a small kitchen, Kraus has something to offer for everyone.
- Excellent usability: Kraus’ design team did a fantastic job on the overall usability of its products. Many of its sinks feature extra accessories to make your job easier, whatever it may be. For example, some models feature an integrated lege, which is perfect for prep work.
- Better selection of materials: Some brands focus solely on specific materials, excelling in one particular type of sink. Kraus covers several bases, offering sinks in stainless steel, quartz or granite, porcelain-enameled, steel, and fireclay.
- Noise dampening tech: Stainless steel sinks are notorious for the excessive noise levels when completing almost any task using the sink. Kraus integrated soundproofing and protective undercoating in its stainless steel sinks, helping them remain much quieter while working in the sink.
- Simple installation: Some sink manufacturers sell the sink by itself, not including any necessary installation accessories. Kraus ensures an easy installation by including any necessary accessories and hardware.
On the other hand, a few downsides of Kraus sinks include:
- Pricey: Compared to other sink models available on the market today, Kraus sinks are rather costly. Of course, the overall price hinges on the particular model, but they’re generally more expensive than other options.
- Might be prone to scratches: Certain finishes are prone to damage, like scratching on the surface. While this is usually the same across the board, regardless of the brand, it’s a worthwhile mention.
Best Kraus Kitchen Sinks
If you’re sold on Kraus kitchen sinks, but are unsure of the best option for your home, consider the following options. These sinks are considered some of the best of Kraus’ kitchen sink lineup and boast excellent reviews.
A few popular Kraus kitchen sinks include:
- Kraus Standart PRO 30-Inch 16-Gauge Stainless Steel Sink
- Kraus Standart PRO 33-Inch 16-Gauge Single-Bowl Stainless Steel Farmhouse Kitchen Sink
- Kraus Loften Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink
- Kraus Quarza Double Basin Kitchen Sink
Ruvati
Ruvati was initially founded in 2009 when its founders saw a need for excellent, high-quality, reasonably priced kitchen and bath products in the market. So, the company rose to meet the demand, creating a beautiful, well-designed lineup of kitchen and bathroom products.
Despite its relatively young age, the company is creating some stiff competition for other kitchen and bath manufacturers and brands in the market. The company was built around “il bello e il buono,” which refers to the beauty and quality of Italian style. This mentality reflects in the company’s products, as it produces stunning sinks with functionality in mind.
Many of Ruvati’s sinks come in stainless steel as the material of choice. However, the company strays from the commonly-used lighter gauges toward thicker, heavier-duty gauges—many of its sinks are composed of top-grade T-304 stainless steel and 16 gauge material.
In addition to using high-quality steel, Ruvati also incorporates various sound-dampening features to minimize noise levels. The sinks tend to be quieter during use than the competition and are durable enough to withstand heavy use.
Pros And Cons
Ruvati is a popular company for a variety of reasons. From its high-quality products to its focus on beauty and functionality, it has quite a bit to offer. A few of the upsides of Ruvati sinks include:
- Premium product line: Ruvati offers a range of high-end sinks, from double bowl sinks to large, single-bowl configurations. The company offers several different options, so you’ll have plenty to choose from.
- High standards for quality testing: Ruvati completes extensive testing on its products to ensure a solid result. So, you don’t need to worry about your Ruvati sink failing anytime soon. But, if it does, simply reach out to Ruvati’s customer service for assistance.
- Excellent customer reviews: Many customers rave over their experience with Ruvati and its sinks across several websites, including Amazon and Lowe’s.
- Affordable for quality: Ruvati sinks are exceptionally well-built, tested to ensure functionality, and only contain the best materials. So, considering what you get when you buy a Ruvati sink, the price is affordable for the overall quality.
- Solid coverage: Ruvati offers a lifetime guarantee on its products, so you can proceed with peace of mind knowing your sink is covered.
- Accessories: Many of Ruvati’s kitchen sinks come with essential accessories. For example, many come with sink grids, basket strainers, cutting templates, etc.
On the other hand, a few downsides of Ruvati sinks include:
- No longer offers kitchen faucets: Once upon a time, Ruvati also offered kitchen faucets alongside its kitchen sinks. However, these days are long since past, and Ruvati has shifted its focus to its kitchen sinks.
- Imported products: Ruvati’s kitchen sinks aren’t actually manufactured in the USA or Italy. Instead, the company is dependent on imported products from Chinese manufacturers. The Chinese manufacturer typically uses high-quality 304 stainless steel, but this is something to keep in mind.
- Affordability is a thing of the past: Affordability was one of Ruvati’s focuses when it entered the market in 2009. In recent years, the affordability factor fell to the wayside, as most of Ruvati’s sinks are rather pricey. That said, they are of excellent quality, so you get what you pay for.
Best Ruvati Kitchen Sinks
If you’ve decided Ruvati is the way to go, you have plenty of options to choose from. Ruvati offers a wide range of designs and configurations, so you shouldn’t have any issues finding one to match your aesthetic.
A few popular Ruvati kitchen sinks include:
- Ruvati RVH8001 Drop-in Overmount Single Bowl Kitchen Sink
- Ruvati RVH8050 Drop-in Overmount Double Bowl Kitchen Sink
- Ruvati RVH8400 Corner Double Bowl Kitchen Sink
- Ruvati Stainless Steel Low-Divide Series Double Bowl Kitchen Sink
Which Brand Is Better?
If you’re stuck between Kraus and Ruvati, trying to decide which brand is best, you’re not alone. While the information above is helpful, particularly if you were already leaning towards one brand and simply needed more information, it might not cut it.
So, let’s take a look at each brand compared to the other in a few different categories.
Structure
If you’ve researched kitchen sinks, you probably have a particular configuration or structure you’re looking for. Perhaps you’ve decided on a drop-in sink for easy installation. Or, maybe you prefer the sleek looks of an undermount sink.
Regardless of what kind of sink you’re looking for, Kraus and Ruvati have plenty to offer. Ruvati offers a range of sinks, including undermount and drop-in sinks. However, these two configurations feature a complicated build, which can make the sink incompatible with many kitchen designs and layouts.
On the flip side, Kraus also offers various sinks in different configurations. The company is known to have some of the best drop-in kitchen sinks in the market that are easy to clean and maintain. The company also offers ultra-popular undermount sinks, which feature all of the bells and whistles of a well-made sink.
Some users mention generic difficulties, like open edges in setup for both sink types.
Material
If you’re looking for a specific kitchen sink style, you might be looking for a particular material. For example, if you’re trying to find a farmhouse sink, you’re probably searching for the best fireclay sinks.
Ruvati primarily offers stainless steel kitchen sinks, although you can find a few granite and fireclay models sprinkled in its lineup. The overall design of its sinks reflects the company’s motto, offering premium Italian aesthetics, complete with optimal functionality.
Kraus is known for its stainless steel sinks, but it also offers a few additional materials. You can find granite, porcelain-enameled, fireclay, steel, and quartz in Kraus’ kitchen sink lineup,
Durability
Considering both of these brands are known for product quality, it’s no surprise that these are durable sinks. Ruvati’s use of top-notch materials bolsters the lifespan of the sinks, with many lasting upwards of over a decade.
Kraus’s sinks are very similar in this aspect. The company uses high-quality materials, which allows the sinks to last for many years. However, some reviews have mentioned issues with drainage, which allows moisture to linger and lead to corrosion.
Sizing
Most kitchen sinks fall between 20 and 36 inches in size, although some are slightly smaller or larger than this. Both of these brands offer similarly sized sinks. Ruvati sinks start at 14 inches and top out at 33 inches. Kraus offers about the same.
Accessories
The inclusion of accessories isn’t a deciding factor for most folks. That said, extra accessories are great because you won’t have to buy them separately! Kraus offers essential accessories with its kitchen sinks, including strainers, sink grids, cutting boards, etc.
Ruvati is much the same as Kraus in this aspect, offering many of the same accessories with its products.
Weight
The overall weight of a kitchen sink plays a significant role in how the installation process will go. Heavier sinks often require reinforcements, like supports in the base cabinet., whereas light sinks are quick and easy.
Kraus and Ruvati both offer sinks that lean toward the lighter end of the spectrum. However, you can find a few heavier models that may run up to 100 pounds.
Cost
Kraus and Ruvati can be considered higher-end brands in the grand scheme of things. However, Kraus tends to offer a better value for your money when it comes to kitchen sinks, especially compared to Ruvati.
Ruvati offers excellent, high-quality sinks, which reflects in the price you pay. This isn’t a deal-breaker for most folks, especially when quality is the number one priority. However, folks working with a budget may want to steer clear of Ruvati’s offerings, as it’s unlikely they’ll find a cheap or inexpensive sink in the lineup.
Generally, Ruvati sinks run between $360 to $580, although some models may fall slightly outside the price range. On the flip side, Kraus sinks usually run between $270 and $500.
Customer Service
Excellent customer service is critical to any outstanding brand, and neither Kraus nor Ruvati disappoints in this aspect. Many customers report positive experiences with each brand’s customer service, noting cooperation, responsiveness, and efficiency across the board.
Many folks mention friendly customer service employees who assisted throughout any stage of the purchasing or owning process. That said, some folks mentioned issues with damage with delivery, which caused them to lodge a complaint with the company.
Kitchen sink brands are notorious for receiving these types of complaints due to damage from delivery, as some third-party delivery companies are less-than-gentle with shipped products. Of course, you can take this up with customer service for assistance, but it’s a worthwhile mention (especially if you plan on shipping your sink).
Which One Should You Buy?
Unfortunately, we can’t give a catch-all “this one is always better” answer. Every scenario is different, so while a Kraus sink may perfectly complement one kitchen, it could be a disaster in another. Or, it could be vice versa with a Ruvati sink.
Ultimately, the buying decision falls to you, your needs, and your budget. Many folks find the comparison sections and pros and cons lists particularly helpful when trying to pick between two brands. Hopefully, this guide can help you narrow down your options.