History of the kitchen sink

Where we started...

The history of the kitchen sink begins with the introduction of running water. Once plumbing entered the home, the kitchen sink quickly became one of the most essential and modern fixtures in daily life, second only to the stove. It was the center of activity. Food was washed and prepared there. Pots, pans, and dishes were cleaned. Many household tasks happened at the sink, day after day.

Because of its importance, early kitchen sinks were built large and substantial. They were typically wall-hung or supported by legs rather than cabinetry, since countertops as we know them did not yet exist. The sink stood alone as an appliance. These early designs included a full backsplash and a wall-mounted faucet, with a deep, wide basin that resembled a trough. This is the origin of what we now call the farmhouse sink.

Despite their size and weight, comfort was central to their design. A great deal of time was spent at the sink, especially by the woman of the house, and practicality mattered. What many people do not realize is that the earliest farmhouse sinks were quietly ergonomic by necessity.

In the early days, domestic work was physically demanding. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, and food preparation were all done by hand. Anything that reduced strain was welcome. Without formal training or modern terminology, simple ergonomic principles were naturally applied. Sink depth and height were matched to the user.

There were no standardized countertop heights, so sinks were installed at a height that made sense for the person using them. A taller user had a higher sink. A shorter user had a lower one. It was common to see sinks installed at different heights from home to home. The logic was straightforward and practical.

Because there was no countertop in front of the sink, the user could stand directly at the basin. There was no need to lean forward or reach over a counter edge. The sinks were also not excessively deep. A very deep basin would have been uncomfortable for both short and tall users. As a result, most early installations were surprisingly comfortable and efficient.

That level of comfort, built into the earliest kitchen sink designs, is largely absent today.

Let us consider ergonomics for a minute. Eergonomics is the applied science of equipment design, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. In the case of sinks, the height of a person, whether they're right or left-handed and even their family size are taken into account in the design process. All of these things directly affect sink depth, drain location, and more importantly, the comfort of the user. The most comfortable position for any standing individual is generally upright, hands to the side. Once the hands are extended forward, discomfort builds. The further forward, discomfort multiplies. The same applies to bending at the waist. Either scenario can result in unnecessary back pain.

Believe it or not, the advent of the kitchen countertop impaired the ergonomic advantages of the original farm sink. What happened? We entered the age of mass production. Sinks could finally be built by the hundreds, at a fraction of the cost. Kitchen cabinets and countertops have been standardized. So, what is wrong with that, you ask? Standard kitchen cabinets are perfect for a select group of people: those who are between 5'4" and 5'10" in height. Secondly, sinks that are installed in a countertop require a significant amount of countertop space in front of and behind the sink for stability. This puts the sink farther away, causing the user to bend needlessly at the waist. Moreover, metal was a very expensive product during this phase of our history. Hence metal sinks were shallow in depth to save on cost. This was ideal for some but not nearly as efficient as the deeper sinks of times past.

Later, the double-bowl sink was invented. This presented a very resourceful way to wash dishes. Dirty dishes could soak in one bowl filled with hot, soapy water, while the other would contain clean water for rinsing. The double-bowl sink has been the mainstay of the American kitchen for decades now. Partly due to the fact that we, as humans, have a tendency to take familiar objects and transform them into an even better product, frequently placing a great deal of limitations on design. A good example is that of the horse saddle. It was ideal in the faculty of riding horses, but with the invention of the bicycle, it was subsequently modified into a saddle or seat for the bicycle. To this day, the bicycle seat is referred to as a saddle and provides little or no comfort to the rider. 

A similar situation occurred with the American kitchen sink. We designed a double-bowl sink to wash and rinse our dishes, pots, and pans. Once the dishwasher was conceived, it seemed that we forgot to redesign the sink and became complacent for quite some time. For over 90% of today's users, the need for a double bowl sink has become unnecessary. Yet, most manufacturers continue to build them. Others have recognized the futility and developed a few interesting refinements, such as the bowl-and-a-half sink or the bowl-and-a-quarter sink. These double-bowl sinks feature a very large bowl on one side and a small or tiny bowl on the adjacent side. Generally, it is expected that the garbage disposer will be installed on the smaller side.

Finally, there are several sink manufacturers today who offer large single-bowl sinks, which are far more functional in today's kitchen. Some even provide the celebrated farm sink, the ultimate in comfort. Previously, I mentioned that the original farm sinks were designed for comfort and intuitive ergonomics. Today, the farm sink, as long as it offers a relatively small distance from its front to the bowl, is as comfortable as its predecessor. Individuals designing custom kitchens now opt for a custom sink, as it offers the user a significant amount of added comfort. Remember when we talked about the most comfortable standing position? Well, where the water drops in a sink is the defined work area of that sink, which correlates directly with individual stance and overall comfort. If you have to extend far away and bend at the waist to work under the water, a backache is assuredly in the making. The custom sink offers three ergonomic advantages: front-to-back customizing based on faucet selection and the height of the user, tailored depth based on user height, and drain location based on the handedness of the user.

How are these improvements delivered by the custom sink? Simply, a determination of the faucet type and location will give the sink designer 50% of the information required. Knowledge of the height of the user is the other 50%. Equipped with this information, a fairly accurate conclusion can be made as to the appropriate front-to-back dimension that will support water release at a convenient location for the user. The height of the user also determines bowl depth, which is also important. A very deep sink will be extremely uncomfortable for a short user. He or she will experience difficulty reaching the bottom of the sink. Likewise, a tall user will find a deep sink intolerable. The extra bending required to reach the bottom will certainly become a lower backache at some point. Thus, a relatively shallow sink is recommended for a short or tall user. There are certain consistencies that hold true with regard to user height and sink depth: a person measuring 5'5" to about 5'10" in height can handle a deeper sink, as it is easier for them to reach the sink bottom without having to bend at the waist as much as a taller person. When shopping for a sink, it will be helpful to keep the following depths in mind. A sink of 8 to 9 inches deep is appropriate for the shorter and taller user. A sink up to 10 inches deep may be managed by those in the middle height range. Most may find a sink deeper than 10 a bit deep, no matter their height.

The drain location has been pre-conditioned by mass production entities for quite some time. They maintained that a center drain was deemed perfect, suitable for a right- or left-handed user, and providing an equal amount of comfort. The fact that most sinks featured a drain dead center was, in my opinion, the creation of men and women who had never cooked or cleaned a dish. There is no reason whatsoever for having a center drain. The drain should be located in the rear of the sink. This pushes the plumbing back to the rear of the cabinet, creating increased usable space inside the sink cabinet. Secondly, the rear drain offers a greater expanse of uncluttered floor space inside the sink. Place a large platter or pot inside a sink with a center drain and watch the sink begin to fill with water because the platter or pot is plugging the drain. Custom sink design offers a drain placement based on the handedness of the user. In order to fully appreciate this, close your eyes and picture yourself scraping a dish of unwanted food into the sink's garbage disposer. If you are right-handed, you will undoubtedly be holding the dish in your left hand. You will scrape the dish with your right hand. Notice the direction of the movement of your right hand, leading from the back and then moving towards the right. Now, does it not make sense that the garbage disposer is located in the right rear corner? The converse holds true for the left-handed user.

Custom sink owners are on the rise and can testify to the significance of the above benefits. They liken the difference to the feel of tailored garments versus off-the-rack clothing. Not surprisingly, custom sinks are generally a great deal more expensive than mass-produced sinks; however, it is possible to find a mass-produced sink with many of the custom features required for ultimate comfort. Whatever your preference, it is my hope that this account will at least enhance personal perspective. As with all things, history exists to teach by example, through refinement and innovation intrinsic to the generation of today.

Now, we have the Signature Series™, NexGen™, and Paragon™ sinks that allow food preparation and food serving right from the sink. We have come a long way, baby!

Where we are now!