Single bowl vs double bowl kitchen sink: which should I get?
Double bowl sinks feature a split basin and high drain arms that often fail to drain properly or accommodate large pans and trays. Choosing a single large basin provides the deep, continuous space needed to fit oversized cookware without restrictive dividers.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 26.4× more often in r/homeowners than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Selecting a 60/40 split basin as a compromise
- 2Choosing the cheapest option that matches the home decor for resale
- 3Installing a workstation-style single sink
- 4Using low profile old school basket strainers
- 5Repiping the drain up higher or opening the wall to lower the drain down
- 6Raising everything up 5 to 6 inches
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“One large deep sink that I can fit a large pan in. I can’t stand double bowl.”source ↗
“One of my biggest regrets from our kitchen remodel is not going for one giant basin instead of the split.”source ↗
“I have a double bowl and I wish I had a single bowl”source ↗
“NOT the second one, I have one like that and nothing can fit in the right side.”source ↗
“Not well, the drain arm is too high. You’ve successfully created a very deep trap”source ↗
“This is not right. You need to get shorter basket strainers and repipe the drain up higher or open the wall and lower the drain down”source ↗
“Hi all, wondering if this will drain sufficiently for kitchen double sink?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 6Can you put a 4-inch faucet on an 8-inch sink?
- 6Why is my double kitchen sink draining so slowly?
- 20Can you fix a cracked or broken kitchen sink yourself?
- 9Does every sink need a P-trap?
- 3Can you convert a double sink to a single without replacing the countertop?
- 23How to remove a stuck kitchen faucet nut