Pros and Cons of a Low Divide Kitchen Sink

There are a bunch of different kitchen sink styles, materials, colors, and brands. So, when choosing the perfect sink for your kitchen, you might feel a bit overwhelmed if you aren’t already leaning towards one particular style. Luckily, we’re here to help. Today, we’ll examine low divide kitchen sinks (see also ‘Best Sinks For Outdoor Kitchens’) to help you determine if they’re the right choice for your kitchen.

What Is A Low Divide Sink?

A low divide kitchen sink has two basins, similar to a dual-basin sink. However, low divide kitchen sinks have a low set center divider that only rises partway up the basin. Generally, the top of the divide is only half the height of the entire sink. This gives you extra space to wash larger dishes that wouldn’t fit in a dual-basin or single-basin sink.

Many different brands offer varying styles of low divide kitchen faucet sinks, including Kohler, Blanco, and Elkay.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Low Divide Kitchen Sinks

Like all things, low divide kitchen sinks come with their share of benefits and cons.

Advantages

• Easy washing: The low divider makes washing oversized dishes, like cookie sheets or large pans, much easier. Instead of having to wrangle the pan in an attempt to get it angled just right in the sink, so you don’t make a mess, simply set it across the divider. It’s low enough that you won’t splash soapy water everywhere but high enough that you don’t have to bend over to clean it (unless you’re very tall).
• Separation of dishes: Low divide kitchen sinks offer the best of both worlds. You get the expansive space of a large single basin sink yet still have a divider to separate dishes.

Disadvantages

• Problematic if you need deep water: If you need a sink full of deep water for various cleaning tasks, such as washing dishes or soaking a large pan, you’ll have trouble with these sinks. The low-set divide only allows you so much water and prevents you from filling your sink with a considerable depth of water. On the plus side, you’re less likely to make a mess: splashes will go over the divide into the opposite sink.

Things To Consider When Purchasing A Low Divide Kitchen Sink

First and foremost, do your research. Ensure that you thoroughly examine each of your choices before selecting the best fit. Figure out what kind of material you’d like. Low divide kitchen sinks are available in composite stone, cast iron, stainless steel, and so on. 

Choose An Appropriate Size

Additionally, make sure you choose the correct size. Pictures online can be deceptive, leading you to believe the sink is larger or smaller than its actual size. So, check and double-check your measurements and the listed size to ensure the sink will fit in your kitchen. Make sure you account for the double bowl and extra plumbing beneath the sink.

Pick The Right Height Divider

Building off our last suggestion: check the manufacturer’s measurement of the divider. Some dividers are as low as three or four inches high. Make sure you think through what you need your sink for so you can make the appropriate choice. Try to find a sink that will allow you to easily wash large pots and pans yet still fill one of the bowls with a decent amount of water for washing.

Some manufacturers offer offset sinks, where one of the basins is larger than the other. These sinks are great for situations where you need to wash large pots. The narrower basin may not facilitate the size of the pot or pan, but the large basin can easily accommodate large pots and pans. Additionally, some manufacturers add an arc at the backside of the sink to further expand the available room in the larger basin.

Choose An Installation Method

Low divide kitchen sinks are generally the undermount or drop in variety. However, you may be able to find the ideal sink that you can install in a different manner. Drop-in low divide kitchen sinks are easy: all you have to do is, as the name implies, drop the sink in into the hole in the countertop.

However, you do have to cut a specifically sized hole in the counter to accommodate the sink size variation. If you’re not familiar with power tools, you may find this process complicated.

On the other hand, undermount low divide kitchen sinks generally require a bit more work, as you have to secure them beneath the countertop. They don’t have a lip resting on the surface of the counter, like drop-in sinks, which means you’ll have to secure it beneath the counter.

Generally, undermount kitchen sinks are secured to the bottom of the countertop via heavy-duty clips and caulk or a special adhesive. The edges of the sink hole cutout are exposed, so undermount sinks aren’t the ideal choice with porous countertop materials, as water can splash into the gaps and allow mold to grow.