Franke Kitchen Sinks

Sixty eight Franke kitchen sinks are stocked here and they split four ways: twenty three drop-in, nineteen undermount, nineteen prep bowls and seven wash troughs. Franke is Swiss, and franke.com describes the business as rooted in Swiss craftsmanship. Local supply runs through Franke South Africa. For the wider brand, start at Franke.

Drop-In, Undermount, Prep Bowl or Wash Trough

The first decision is how the sink meets the worktop. A drop-in sink, also called inset or top-mount, drops into a hole cut from above with its rim sitting slightly proud, and Franke states it suits almost any worksurface material including laminate. An undermount sink is sealed to the underside of the worktop instead, leaving an unbroken run of stone, but Franke rules laminate out for it because water reaches the chipboard core.

The other two are additions rather than alternatives. A prep bowl is a second, smaller bowl set away from the main sink, usually on an island, so rinsing and prep do not block it. A wash trough is a deeper stainless bowl for washrooms and back of house, running here from 500mm to a 1030mm double.

Reading a Franke Sink Code

The codes carry real information. MRG and MRX are the two Maris bodies. MRG is Fragranite, Franke's own composite of quartz and acrylic resin at close to eighty percent quartz sand, and it is what the Stone Grey, Polar White and Black sinks here are made from. MRX is stainless steel. The number after the dash is bowl width in millimetres, so MRG610-37 is a 370mm bowl. Two numbers means two bowls, so MRG620-35-35 is a twin 350mm layout. On the pressed stainless ranges the last two digits do the same job: 611 single, 621 double, 651 one and a half. LHD and RHD mark the drainer side.

Corner Sinks, One and a Half Bowls and Black

Three things buyers ask for by name are all here. The corner sink is the Studio STX621 LHD, an 830 by 830mm footprint that puts a dead corner to work. For one and a half bowls, look for 651 in the code: the Cascade CDX651 and Quinline QLX651 pair a full bowl with a smaller tidy bowl. Black runs across five Maris MRG and Rondo bodies, gathered on Franke black sinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a drop-in and an undermount Franke sink?

A drop-in sink, also called inset or top-mount, sits into a cut-out from above with its rim resting slightly proud of the worktop. Franke states it works with almost any worksurface material, laminate included. An undermount sink is fitted from below and sealed watertight to the underside of the worktop, giving an unbroken surface. Franke rules laminate out for undermount, because water gets into the chipboard core.

What does MRG mean on a Franke sink, and how is it different from MRX?

Both belong to the Maris range and the letters are the material. MRG bodies are made from Fragranite, which Franke describes as its own composite of quartz and acrylic resin at close to eighty percent quartz sand. Those are the Stone Grey, Polar White and Black sinks here. MRX bodies are stainless steel. The numbers that follow give bowl count and bowl width in millimetres.

Does Franke make a corner kitchen sink?

Yes. The Studio STX621 LHD Corner Sink is the corner model stocked here, with an 830 by 830mm square footprint and a 190mm depth, and a left hand drainer. It is a drop-in sink, so it goes into a cut-out made from above and does not commit you to a stone worktop. It suits a corner run where a straight sink would waste the return.

Which Franke sink is a 1.5 bowl?

Look for 651 in the model code. Franke uses that number across its ranges for a one and a half bowl layout, meaning one full bowl plus a smaller tidy bowl. In this collection that is the Cascade CDX651 at 925 by 500mm and the Quinline QLX651 at 970 by 500mm, both drop-in. A 611 code is a single bowl and 621 is a full double.

Which Franke kitchen sinks come in black?

Five sinks are stocked in black. They are Maris MRG bodies in the 610 and 620 series and the Rondo ROG610-41 prep bowl, all Fragranite rather than a coating over steel, so the colour runs through the material. Sizes range from a 370mm single bowl up to a twin 350mm layout. They are collected on the Franke black sinks page.