Sick Of Scratched Sinks? Try Silgranit!

I can admit, I’m pretty tough on sinks. I hand wash dishes, scrub pots and pans, have unreasonably hard water, and am a bit of a butterfinger – so you can imagine my joy when I heard about a new kind of sink that’s resistant to staining, scratching, and chipping. It’s made of a material called Silgranit and is produced by the lovely folks over at Blanco, and across the board everyone I’ve heard that’s switched won’t ever go back. Why?

Blanco Performa Equal Double Bowl
Blanco Performa Equal Double Bowl

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Silgranit is a composite material made of 80% rock hard granite. The result? A sink that has the look and feel of real, natural stone, but is both lighter weight and more durable. The other 20% of stuff in the mix is between them and the patent offices, but the composite nature of Silgranit allows it to be formed into just about any shape, from a very traditional double bowl sink like this Performa to funkier more modern shapes with different sized and shaped bowls.

Blanco Diamond
Blanco Diamond

One of the best things (to me) about Silgranit sinks like Diamond model is that the material is completely homogeneous – that means it’s made of the same stuff in the same color all the way through, so even in the unlikely event that the super hard surface cracks or chips, the damage won’t show. Where a porcelain sink can lose great big chunks and show the metal underneath, with a Silgranit sink there is no underneath to show, making the damage virtually invisible.

Blanco Performa 1 3/4 Bowl
Blanco Performa 1 3/4 Bowl

The fact that Silgranit sinks are made of the same stuff inside and out also means they won’t fade in the sun – so you can get a beautiful dark, rich colored sink like this Performa 1-3/4 without having to worry what it’ll look like several years down the road. And again unlike porcelain, the material is so resilient that you don’t have to worry about damaging or pitting the finish with harsh household cleaners or acids. Silgranit is also heat resistant up to 536 degrees Fahrenheit, so you don’t have to be afraid to put dishes and pans right out of the oven into the sink – it won’t warp, crack, melt, or damage the material like it might for a porcelain or steel sink.

Blanco Performa Cascade Super Single Bowl
Blanco Performa Cascade Super Single Bowl

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That said, you probably won’t ever need to test it out. Silgranit sinks clean up easily because the surface is completely non-porous and hygienic, and resists and even repels the gunk that would stain an ordinary sink. So all you have to do to clean it is simply rinse and wipe with a damp towel or sponge. Many of them also have lovely, innovative designs, that help solve minor kitchen problems, like staggered bowl size for more convenient partitioning. I’m especially fond of the Cascade design myself, which has a slightly raised portion that fits a custom Colander for rinsing utensils, fruit, or vegetables and drains in a pretty little cascade into the main part of the sink.

Blanco Sink Grate And Cutting Board
Blanco Precis Multi Level With Sink Grate And Cutting Board

Many of the Silgranit sinks are actually designed to work with a full line of accessories. This Precis Multi Level is another favorite (in no small part because of the fantastic built in drainboard!), and is completely beautiful and functional all by itself – but can be paired with a Colander, Sink Grate, and Cutting Board that are sized to fit the sides, lip, and bottom of your sink perfectly to turn it into a fully functioning workstation. It’s a great way to add useful counter space to your kitchen, and all of it can be stowed when you just want to show off your sink.

Blanco Rondo Bar Sink
Blanco Rondo Bar Sink

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Silgranit sinks come in 22 shapes, each available in 7 colors, ranging from white to black and a range of warm and cool neutrals in between, from biscuit to truffle to anthracite. Most models are two-bowl varieties, and unfortunately there aren’t any triple bowl sinks in the collection at the time of this posting, but there are quite a few lovely single bowl sinks and bar sinks like this itty bitty adorable Rondo that provide great durability and utility outside the kitchen as well.

Blanco Diamond Bar Sink
Blanco Diamond Bar Sink

New owners report that the sinks can look a little plasticky right out of the box (or sometimes even in the showroom), but that it reverts to a beautiful stone look after just a few uses. As well, like with all sinks you want to very carefully visually inspect them for cracks or defects BEFORE installation – and be sure only to drill holes for the hardware in the marked perforated areas or you could damage the sink. And always be careful with the installation itself – Silgranit sinks can be a little fragile, especially at the corners, during initial installation (though they hold up like champs once they’re in your counter!), so even with a relatively small sink like this Single Bowl Diamond, it never hurts to have professional help!

Are you like me and have a drop-stuff-on-your-beautiful-new-sink disease, or are you just looking for a beautiful, durable, stylish sink to update your kitchen? Have any horror stories about what happened to your last kitchen sink? Tell me about it in the comments!

2 thoughts on “Sick Of Scratched Sinks? Try Silgranit!

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