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Kitchen sink sizes compared
As checked on 22 October 2026, a kitchen sink is about 3 inches (8 cm) narrower than its cabinet. No source we checked sets one standard sink size: the Kraus sinks are 30 to 33 inches wide, and IKEA's HAVSEN sinks 53 to 82 cm. The table gives the smallest cabinet each one fits.
| Sink | Size and bowl depth | Smallest cabinet |
|---|---|---|
| Kraus 30 in single bowl | 30 × 18 in (76 × 46 cm), 10 in (25 cm) deep | 33 in (84 cm) wide, 24 in (61 cm) deep |
| Kraus 32 in single bowl | 32 × 19 in (81 × 48 cm), 10 in (25 cm) deep | 36 in (91 cm) wide, 24 in (61 cm) deep |
| Kraus 33 in double bowl | 32¾ × 19 in (83 × 48 cm), 10 in (25 cm) deep | 36 in (91 cm) wide, 24 in (61 cm) deep |
| IKEA HAVSEN inset, 1 bowl | 53 × 47 cm (21 × 18½ in), 19 cm (7½ in) deep | 60 cm (24 in) frame |
| IKEA HAVSEN with front, 1 bowl | 62 × 48 cm (24½ × 19 in), 19 cm (7½ in) deep | 60 cm (24 in) frame |
| IKEA HAVSEN with front, 2 bowls | 82 × 48 cm (32¼ × 19 in), 19 cm (7½ in) deep | 80 cm (31½ in) frame |
Source: Kraus spec sheets KHU100-30, KHU100-32 and KHU103-33; IKEA UK HAVSEN product pages. Checked October 2026.
Read the table from the right: find your cabinet width, then the sinks that fit it. In our reading, the HAVSEN sinks with a front sit over the cabinet sides, so they can be wider than the frame. Cabinet widths are in our guide to standard kitchen cabinet sizes, and every other size is in our kitchen dimensions guides.
A sink is about 3 inches narrower than its cabinet
A sink has to fit between the sides of the cabinet under it, so it is about 3 inches (8 cm) narrower. The width on a cabinet is measured outside, across both side panels. The space inside is smaller.
Kraus, a US sink maker, gives a minimum cabinet size for each sink:
- 30 inch sink: a 33 inch (84 cm) cabinet.
- 32 inch sink: a 36 inch (91 cm) cabinet.
- 33 inch double bowl: a 36 inch (91 cm) cabinet.
In the UK, DIY Kitchens, a kitchen maker, says the inside of a 600 mm unit is 564 mm wide. It suggests an undermount sink of 540 to 550 mm (21¼–21¾ in) for that unit. An undermount sink is fixed under the worktop, so it has to fit inside the cabinet.
Always use the minimum cabinet size on the sink's spec sheet. It is the one number that tells you a sink fits.
A 24 inch (60 cm) cabinet takes a sink about 21 inches wide
A 60 cm (24 in) cabinet takes a single bowl sink about 53 cm (21 in) wide. IKEA's HAVSEN inset sink is 53 × 47 cm, and IKEA says it fits cabinet frames at least 60 cm wide. Its bowl is 47 × 40 cm and 19 cm (7½ in) deep.
A narrower unit takes a smaller sink. DIY Kitchens gives these inside widths:
- 500 mm unit: 464 mm (18¼ in) inside.
- 600 mm unit: 564 mm (22¼ in) inside.
- 800 mm unit: 764 mm (30 in) inside.
A sink with a visible front is different. In our reading, it sits on the cabinet and covers its front, which is how IKEA fits a 62 cm HAVSEN in a 60 cm frame. A small sink still needs worktop beside it. To measure that worktop, see our guide to measuring kitchen countertops.
A 33 inch sink needs a 36 inch cabinet, a 30 inch sink a 33 inch one
A 33 inch sink needs a 36 inch (91 cm) cabinet, and a 30 inch sink fits a 33 inch (84 cm) one. That is the main difference between the two: the 33 inch sink takes 3 more inches of wall.
The extra width goes into the bowl. Kraus's 30 inch sink has a bowl 28 inches (71 cm) wide. Its 32 inch sink, which needs the same 36 inch cabinet, has a 30 inch (76 cm) bowl.
A 36 inch (91 cm) cabinet can also take two bowls. Kraus's 33 inch double sink splits 60/40:
- Large bowl: 16⅞ × 17 in (43 × 43 cm).
- Small bowl: 12⅞ × 17 in (33 × 43 cm).
In metric kitchens, IKEA's two-bowl HAVSEN is 82 cm wide and fits an 80 cm (31½ in) frame. Each of its bowls is 35 cm wide. One wide bowl takes big pans, while two bowls let you wash in one and rinse in the other.
Sinks are 18 to 19 inches front to back and fit a 24 inch deep cabinet
The Kraus sinks in our table are 18 to 19 inches (46–48 cm) front to back, and each needs a cabinet 24 inches (61 cm) deep. Kraus asks for that depth, the same 24 inches as the US base cabinets in our cabinet guide. IKEA's HAVSEN sinks are 47 to 48 cm (18½–19 in) front to back. A UK sink unit from DIY Kitchens is 560 mm (22 in) deep.
Bowl depth is how far down the bowl goes:
- Kraus 30 to 33 inch sinks: 10 inches (25 cm).
- IKEA HAVSEN sinks: 19 cm (7½ in).
The Kraus sinks have a 3½ inch (89 mm) drain opening at the back. In our reading, a drain at the back leaves more room under the sink.
The worktop over the cabinet is usually 36 inches (91 cm) high in the US, as our guide to standard kitchen countertop height explains. A deeper bowl sits lower, so you bend further to reach the bottom.
Leave 24 inches of worktop on one side of the sink and 18 on the other
A sink needs free worktop beside it as well as a cabinet below it. NKBA, the US National Kitchen & Bath Association, plans 24 inches (61 cm) on one side and 18 inches (46 cm) on the other. That is room to put down dirty plates and clean ones.
NKBA adds two more checks:
- Work area: a clear stretch of worktop at least 36 inches (91 cm) wide and 24 inches (61 cm) deep, right next to the sink.
- Dishwasher: its nearest edge within 36 inches (91 cm) of the sink.
For someone who cooks sitting down, NKBA plans knee space under the sink at least 36 inches (91 cm) wide and 27 inches (69 cm) high. Citing the ICC A117.1 access standard, NKBA says the sink should be no more than 34 inches (86 cm) high, or adjustable between 29 and 36 inches.
A sink on an island needs the same worktop on both sides, as our guide to kitchen island size shows. Where the sink goes in each layout is in our guide to choosing a kitchen layout.
How to choose a kitchen sink size in five steps
Start from the cabinet width, not from the sink you like.
- Measure the width of the sink cabinet, outside the side panels.
- Look for sinks whose minimum cabinet size is no bigger than your cabinet.
- Check front to back: the sink must fit a 24 inch (61 cm) cabinet, or 560 mm in the UK.
- Mark 24 inches (61 cm) of worktop on one side and 18 inches (46 cm) on the other.
- Check the fit on the maker's spec sheet and cut-out template before the worktop is cut.
Work out your worktopAdd up the worktop around the sink, with the cut-out in place.
Open the countertop area calculator →Common problems with kitchen sink size, and how to fix them
Most sink problems come from a sink that is too wide for its cabinet, or from too little worktop beside it.
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The sink will not drop into the cabinet | The sink is wider than the inside of the cabinet | Pick a sink whose minimum cabinet size matches yours |
| A 30 in sink is on order for a 30 in cabinet | A 30 in sink needs a 33 in (84 cm) cabinet | Choose a sink whose minimum cabinet is 30 in or less, or a wider cabinet |
| No room to put plates down | Less than 24 and 18 in (61 and 46 cm) of worktop either side | Move the sink along the worktop, or use a narrower sink |
| The dishwasher is far from the sink | More than 36 in (91 cm) between them | Put the dishwasher next to the sink cabinet |
| Little storage under the sink | The drain and pipes sit in the middle | Look for a sink with the drain at the back |
Source: Kraus spec sheets KHU100-30 and KHU100-32; NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines 11 and 13. Checked October 2026.
A new sink changes the worktop around it, so check how far the top hangs out in our guide to countertop overhang. New guides in this series appear in all our kitchen planning guides.
Quick questions
- What size sink for a 24 inch cabinet?
Not much over 21 inches for a sink set into the cabinet. IKEA's 53 cm (21 in) HAVSEN fits frames at least 60 cm (24 in) wide. DIY Kitchens puts the inside of a 600 mm unit at 564 mm, so an undermount sink of 540 to 550 mm fits.
- Is there a standard kitchen sink size?
No, not one size. The Kraus sinks we checked are 30 to 33 inches wide and need 33 to 36 inch cabinets. IKEA's HAVSEN sinks are 53 to 82 cm wide and fit 60 to 80 cm frames.
- What is the difference between a 30 and 33 inch sink?
Not just bowl size. The 33 inch sink needs 3 more inches of cabinet: Kraus asks for a 33 inch cabinet for its 30 inch sink and a 36 inch cabinet for its 33 inch double sink, which has two bowls.
- Is a 30 inch sink big?
Not the biggest. It is the smallest Kraus sink we checked, but wider than IKEA's 53 and 62 cm HAVSEN sinks. Its bowl is 28 inches (71 cm), and it fits a 33 inch (84 cm) cabinet.
- Is a 21 inch kitchen sink too small?
Not for a 60 cm (24 in) cabinet. IKEA's 53 cm (21 in) HAVSEN has a bowl 47 × 40 cm and 19 cm deep. If you wash big trays and pans, a wider cabinet takes a wider bowl.
- What is the size of a standard kitchen sink drain?
Not the same on every sink. Kraus lists a 3½ inch (89 mm) drain opening on its 30 to 33 inch sinks. Check the drain size on your sink's spec sheet before you buy a waste kit.
How we check
We take every clearance from published planning guidelines and manufacturer guides, and record the page and the date we checked it. Our examples are drawn to scale from the dimensions they state. They are planning examples, not approvals for installation: services, fixings and local rules need your designer or installer. Our editorial policy.
Sources9 published guidelines and guides behind this page
Numbered in order of first use.
- Kitchen Planning Guidelines: guideline 10 (sink knee space 36 × 27 in; sink no more than 34 in high or adjustable 29–36 in), 11 (landing area 24 in on one side and 18 in on the other), 12 (work area 36 × 24 in next to a sink) and 13 (dishwasher within 36 in of the sink), National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). Checked 22 October 2026.
- KHU100-30 spec sheet: 30 × 18 in, bowl 28 × 16 in, 10 in deep; minimum cabinet 33 in left to right, 24 in front to back; 3½ in drain opening, Kraus. Checked 22 October 2026.
- KHU100-32 spec sheet: 32 × 19 in, bowl 30 × 17 in, 10 in deep; minimum cabinet 36 in left to right, 24 in front to back, Kraus. Checked 22 October 2026.
- KHU103-33 spec sheet: 32¾ × 19 in double bowl, 60/40 split, bowls 16⅞ × 17 in and 12⅞ × 17 in, 10 in deep; minimum cabinet 36 in left to right, Kraus. Checked 22 October 2026.
- HAVSEN inset sink, 1 bowl, 53 × 47 cm: bowl 47 × 40 cm, 19 cm deep; fits cabinet frames min. 60 cm wide, IKEA UK. Checked 22 October 2026.
- HAVSEN sink bowl with visible front, 62 × 48 cm: bowl 19 cm deep; fits in cabinet frames 60 cm wide, IKEA UK. Checked 22 October 2026.
- HAVSEN sink bowl, 2 bowls with visible front, 82 × 48 cm: bowls 35 cm wide, 19 cm deep; fits in an 80 cm wide cabinet frame, IKEA UK. Checked 22 October 2026.
- What is an undermount sink? Inside width of a 600 mm unit 564 mm (sink 540–550 mm); 500 mm unit up to 464 mm; 800 mm sink unit 764 mm inside, DIY Kitchens. Checked 22 October 2026.
- 600mm single sink base unit SBF6: 600 mm wide, 560 mm deep, DIY Kitchens. Checked 22 October 2026.
The sink sizes, cabinet sizes and worktop space come from the NKBA planning guidelines and maker spec sheets, checked on 22 October 2026. The 3 inch rule is our reading of those spec sheets, and inch-to-centimetre conversions are ours, rounded. They are planning references, not a check of your room, your sink or local building rules.