We all know what it’s like to be scrubbing away at a bulky baking tray and ending up getting water over half the kitchen in the process. There are some things that you simply can’t change, no matter how annoying they might be. So it’s good to factor them in at the planning stage. The size and shape of your sink, for instance.
Extra-wide and deep bowls are becoming increasingly popular. Whether as a sink or a bowl with suitable accessories, you can set your workstation up to reflect your own rinsing and cooking habits. Surprisingly, the XL bowl can actually provide more space, even in a small kitchen.
Greater room for manoeuvre and gained worktop space
XL bowls are not only deeper than a standard bowl, but often also much wider.
The bowl alone is generally between 50 and 70 centimetres wide; depending on the model, this is sometimes also supplemented by a drainer. It’s obvious that you have plenty of room for soaking bulky kitchen items.
Looking at the size of the kitchen, you might think, “Having such a big bowl is going to leave me hardly any space for the worktop!” But there are different chopping boards and trays available for XL bowls that can extend the worktop so that it covers the sink.
You can also use the space in multiple ways by deploying extra-large steps or multi-level bowls, and simplify everyday kitchen tasks in the process.
The size and existing features of a kitchen are ultimately irrelevant when it comes to installing an XL sink. Most bowls are matched with a 60-centimetre base cabinet.
Additional sink functions thanks to staggered levels
Together with classically shaped XL sinks with bowl and drainer, there are also large stepped bowls. Besides having particularly wide and deep bowls, they are notable for having an integrated step. Hot lids and pans can be safely placed here, for instance, or a baking tray left to dry.
XL sinks that are divided into a main and an additional bowl with a lowered bridge also offer additional features. You could use the larger section for rinsing plates, for instance, while putting other dishes or cutlery in the smaller bowl to drain.
The smaller additional bowl also proves practical if, for instance, you want to tip out some coffee grounds before rinsing your cup in the bigger section of the sink. Or you could just use the little secondary bowl for washing the few dishes that occasionally end up by the sink during the day, thus saving water. Given the total bowl depth of 22 cm, the 10 cm-high bridge within the bowl doesn’t represent an obstacle to cleaning large cooking items such as baking trays and the like.
Flexible working with the multi-level bowl
Bowls with a multi-level system are perhaps the most versatile of all. For instance, stainless steel rails can be attached to a small level at the edge of the bowl for setting down pots, or a multifunctional wire basket suspended from here. The stainless steel rails can be adjusted to anywhere across the entire width of the bowl and their rubber coating makes them non-slip.
Clever accessories make the sink into a multitasker
For most XL sinks – whether they come with steps and bridges or without – there is a whole array of accessories that transform them into real multitaskers. These include a wooden chopping board that can be slid over the bowl to save space, thus extending the worktop.
In many cases, such chopping boards come with the sink and can be used for many years to come if cared for in the right way. A multifunctional wire basket may also be included with delivery. Among other things, it can be used for draining, for holding vegetable cuttings or for washing salad.
The sink accessory that makes the most sense will depend on your personal cooking and rinsing habits. However, one thing always applies: although the XL bowl is large, it doesn’t take away space in the kitchen, but rather creates it. And getting water everywhere when washing up will also be a thing of the past.
How can you leverage accessories to maximise the utility of your sink?