Many people take our basic basin sinks for granted. We use them every day, several times a day, and yet don't really think about them. For those who own homes or may one day own a home, it might pay to learn a bit about sinks. There are a surprising variety of them and they come in all sorts of different shapes, sizes and even materials.
Stainless steel sinks are found most often in our kitchens. This is because it is an inexpensive material that is easy to clean, durable and relatively inexpensive. They don't get damaged by hot pans and they don't crack if you knock something into them. The two main downsides are that they tend to be noisy, and they're not much to look at.
Another popular type of sink found as a bathroom basin sink or even kitchens is cast iron coated with enamel. These are more often found in older homes because they are a bit more expensive but they are pretty rugged and they look nicer than stainless steel. If you manage to chip one though, it tends to start a process where chipped area gets bigger over time and the sink will eventually have to be repaired (or more likely, replaced).
Ceramic basin sinks are very popular. This in in part due to the fact that they don't have the downside the enamel coated sinks have (where one chip will eventually end up ruining the sink) but they have all the advantages. They actually look a bit nicer, in my opinion.
The are even plastic sinks. These can't take heat so sell, because they will melt, but as you might imagine there is a huge advantage to plastic. You can mold it into any shape, size or design you like. If you have a plastic sink in your home it will probably be a big ugly slop sink in your basement, but they also make beautiful plastic sinks that can be inset with a counter and really bring out the decor in a room.
Soapstone sinks are not as popular these days as they once were, in part due to the expense of the material. They look very nice though, and they are extremely resistant to pretty much anything you can throw at it. Soapstone sinks are often used in commercial applications where damaging chemicals will be used or disposed of regularly because of the material's resistant nature. The material is also used by some luxury manufacturers for their basin sinks - because of its high quality.