Sinks: surprise, some of the least expensive sinks are also among the toughest.(Buyers Guide)

You'd think that a thick, $350 stainless-steel sink would be quieter and less dent-prone than a thin $150 model, or that a $400 cast-iron enamel sink would chip less easily than a lighter, $200 enameled-steel version. But we found thickness and weight don't guarantee toughness. Our tests also showed that solid-surface sinks, which blend polyester or acrylic resins and natural fillers, are as easy to scratch as acrylics models--though solid surface offers easy repairs and styles that mimic granite and other materials. What's more, months of abuse revealed that who makes a sink isn't as critical as what it's made of.

PERFORMANCE

We tested 16 rimmed, 22x33-inch double-bowl sinks from American Standard, CorStone, Eljer, Elkay, Kohler, and Moen. Our tests focused on their ability to shed stains from tea bags, vinegar, mustard, drain cleaner, and other kitchen culprits, and to resist abrasion from nylon and metal scouring pads. We also gauged resistance to damage from hot pots and dents from weights dropped as one might a pot or utensil, as well as compared the noise made by running water and by our dropped weights.

Because brands and models made of the same material performed similarly, we based our Ratings on the major materials.

Enamel over iron or steel: Both tough where it counts. A wet sponge removed food stains from both types, even after the stains had set for 24 hours. Only drain-cleaner stains required some work.

Both iron- and steel-based enamel also resisted scratches better than acrylic and solid surface, and handled heat and impacts equally well. But dropping the wrong object could damage either type. Our 5-pound weight dented and chipped the steel sinks but not the cast iron, while our sharp object chipped only the cast-iron sinks. Chips can let the metal beneath rust; you can touch them up, but you'll still see the damage.

Stainless steel: Thin is fine. These sinks come in gauges from 18 to 23; the lower the gauge, the thicker the steel. But thicker isn't necessarily better. Our thin- and thick-gauge sinks resisted dents and heat, and silenced noise similarly. All stainless sinks resisted scratches as well as enamel, and did nearly as well at resisting stains, though cleaning them usually took more work.