Franke Prep Bowls

Nineteen Franke prep bowls. A prep bowl is a second, smaller sink set apart from the main one, with its own waste, bought to take work off the main bowl rather than replace it. Sizes here run 310mm to 520mm, so they fit where a full sink will not. For main sinks see Franke kitchen sinks, or start at Franke.

Who Actually Needs a Second Bowl

The clearest case is the South African island kitchen with a scullery behind it. The main sink and the dishwasher live in the scullery, which leaves the island with nowhere to rinse a colander or fill a pot. A prep bowl solves that without putting a full double bowl and drainer in the middle of the entertaining space. The second case is two people cooking at once, where one is washing up and the other cannot get to running water. The third is a bar or coffee run, where a small bowl and a tap are all that is needed.

It is not free. A prep bowl needs its own waste and trap, which takes the cupboard beneath it, and in most layouts a second tap as well. If the kitchen is a single straight run with the main sink already in reach, the money goes further on a wider main sink or a one and a half.

How They Mount and What They Need

Both fitting methods are stocked. The Cub 130 and Cub 150 are undermount, sealed to the reverse of the worktop, which means a solid top and a finished cut edge, and Franke rules laminate out for that method. The Rondo ROG610-41 is inset instead, dropped in from above, and Franke lists it at 510mm across with a 195mm depth. Its Polar White version carries a tap landing, a flat deck beside the bowl for the second mixer, which saves drilling the stone. See undermount sinks for the same decision on a main sink.

Sizes, Shapes and Colours

The Cub 130 at 310 by 190 by 126mm is the smallest and shallowest, for a tight island. The Maris MRX110-19 is the narrow one at 230mm wide but a full 440mm front to back. In the middle sit the Armonia AMX 120 at 340 by 400 by 190mm, the Selene SLX110-40 at 428mm square and the round Rondo RDX stainless bowls at 340mm, 450mm and 485mm across. The Maris MRG610-37 and MRG610-52 are Fragranite at 370mm and 520mm in Stone Grey, Polar White and Black, and three of the Franke black sinks are prep bowls.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a prep bowl and do I actually need one?

A prep bowl is a second, smaller sink set away from the main one, usually in an island or at the end of a run. It earns its place when the main sink is in a scullery, when two people cook at once, or where a bar needs running water. In a single straight kitchen with the main sink already within reach, a wider main sink is normally the better spend.

Does a prep bowl need its own tap and waste?

It always needs its own waste outlet and trap, since it is a separate bowl draining separately, and that takes up the cupboard underneath. A tap is a layout question. If the bowl sits on an island away from the main mixer it needs one of its own. The Rondo ROG610-41 in Polar White is sold with a tap landing, a flat deck beside the bowl for mounting that second mixer.

What is the smallest Franke prep bowl?

The Cub 130 at 310 by 190 by 126mm, which is both the narrowest and the shallowest here and is designed to be undermounted. If you need something narrow but still deep, the Maris MRX110-19 is 230mm wide with a 440mm front to back measurement and a 180mm depth. Every product title on this page carries the full dimensions in millimetres.

Is there a round Franke prep bowl?

Yes, several. The Rondo RDX bowls are all round stainless steel, and Franke lists the RDX610-34 at 340mm diameter, the RDX610-44 at 450mm and the RDX610-48 with a 380mm bowl in a 485mm square top. The Rondo ROG610-41 is round too, 510mm across and 195mm deep, but made from Fragranite, so it comes in Stone Grey, Polar White and Black. The Selene SLX110-40 is square at 428mm.

Can a prep bowl be undermounted?

Yes, and two here are made for it. The Cub 130 and Cub 150 are undermount bowls, sealed to the underside of the worktop for an edgeless finish. That commits you to a solid worktop, because Franke states undermount works with any material apart from laminate, where water reaches the chipboard core. Settle the model before the stone is templated and cut.