Need a new undermount kitchen sink? Do you want to know if the Elkay Quartz Classic sink is going to crack, scratch, or clean easily? If yes, keep reading…
What you will learn in this article:
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- Is the Elkay Quartz Classic sink worth your money?
- 5 money & time saving tips when purchasing an undermount kitchen sink.
- Pros and cons for quartz composite sinks.
- How to easily clean an Elkay Quartz Classic sink.
- Should you be concerned about the negative reviews on Amazon?
Plan Ahead
If you are looking to purchase an undermount kitchen sink with very specific features (i.e. color, material, single or double basin, etc.) do not think you can run out to your nearest Home Depot or Lowes and find what you are looking for, we learned this the hard way.
For undermount sinks, you may only have one or two options that are in stock (other than stainless steel) at your nearest box store. You will most likely have to order your new sink online, which will set you back about 7-10 days so plan accordingly.
Another good option is to check with your local kitchen sink dealers. Most likely, they will also have to order you a sink but at least you can see, touch, and feel the sink or similar sink before placing your order.
Receive, Unpack, and Inspect
Allow plenty of time to receive, unpack, and inspect your new sink for any damage. Recommend scheduling your countertop installation until after you have received, inspected, and are 100% happy with your purchase.
Elkay Quartz Classic Sink Features
Before purchasing this sink, our primary concerns were durability and cleanliness. Being that it is an undermount sink, the last thing we wanted was a sink that is going to crack, scratch, or difficult to keep clean.
After 1 year of daily use, we have not had either of those issues.
Durability & Cleanliness
The Elkay Quartz Classic sink is made of a quartz composite material. Quartz composite is an engineered material, composed of natural quartz combined with acrylic resin (generally an 80%/20% ratio), and the combination makes it extremely durable and affordable.
We have also experienced no issues in keeping this sink clean. We use a simple, non-toxic cleaner such as Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and it cleans up perfectly every time.
Elkay recommends not using abrasive cleaners, sponges, or harsh cleaning agents like ammonia. From a durability and cleanliness standpoint, the Elkay Quartz Classic outperforms our previously installed cast-iron sink.
Our old cast-iron sink chipped and cracked (porcelain enamel layer) in multiple areas and required abrasive and toxic cleaning agents to keep it clean.
Please conduct your own research on quartz composite sinks just to be sure that this type of sink will be a good fit for you. Here are few more pros and cons:
Pros of a quartz composite sink
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- Incredibly durable and resistant to heat (up to 535° F), scratches, stains, and impact
- The smooth surface is easy to clean and maintain
- Its natural soundproofing absorbs noise
- It is nonporous, so food particles don’t spread
- It’s hygienic and bacteria- and odor-resistant
- Complements popular quartz counter tops as well as other materials
- Retains its color and uniformity for a lifetime
Cons of a quartz composite sink
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- Quartz composite sinks are not the same as solid quartz stone sinks, so they do not deliver the same variation in pattern, shine (available in matte finish only), and color as natural stone sinks.
- Quartz composite sinks can be hard on dropped dishes, so be careful when you wash your fragile glasses or china!
If you a reading this article, guaranteed you are going to read most of the Amazon reviews as well, at least the negative ones. So let me help save you some time.
4.3 Star Review Rating on Amazon
Overall, the Elkay Quartz Classic White Single Bowl Under Mount Sink has a 4.3 out of 5 star review rating, which is really good.
If you type into the Amazon search bar “undermount sinks” the Elkay Quartz Classic shows up on the first page, which means that many people are actually buying this product on a daily basis.
Most people however, never leave reviews.
Negative Reviews on Amazon
Currently, there are about 3 negative reviews reporting that the sink cracks and scratches easily. Both are serious concerns and these reviews nearly deterred us from buying this sink.
Over the last year however, we can honestly report that we have not experienced any such cracking or scratching and we like this sink much more than our old cast iron sink.
We also did a lot of research on Elkay and felt comfortable with their history and reputation. Elkay is an American-owned manufacturing company that specializes in sinks and other plumbing products that has been around since 1920.
We also know that Elkay (even the negative reviews confirm) will honor their manufacture warranty.
Yes, we did purchase the 3-year protection plan for an additional $30 but hope we never have to us it.
What If Your Sink Does Crack?
If our sink cracks someday and needs to be replaced, we will definitely be upset.
Replacing an undermount kitchen sink is not easy or cheap and often times requires the removal of your countertop.
If our sink need replacing in the near future, my wife and I will replace it with a farmhouse sink, which will not require removal of our new quartz countertops.
We did talk with our countertop contractors about our back-up plan in case we do ever need to replace the sink and they did confirm it was most cost effective.
In Summary
We made every mistake in our buying process except for selecting this specific sink – we got lucky.
If you plan, inspect before installation, communicate with your contractors, and provide proper care, you will love this sink too.
The Elkay Quartz Classic has exceeded our expectations and we would definitely purchase it again if we had to do it all over again.