One and Half Bowl Kitchen Sinks

The half bowl is not a smaller sink. It is a place to put things down. That is the whole point of this layout, and once you have lived with one, the small daily annoyances it removes are hard to give up: the colander that drips across the worktop, the muddy leeks that need rinsing while the main bowl is full of suds, the mug that has nowhere to go.

What the half bowl earns you

Think of it as a second station rather than a second sink. Vegetables get rinsed there, a colander drains there, the washing-up brush lives there. Plenty of households give it over to a waste disposal unit, which keeps food scraps entirely separate from the bowl you actually wash in. None of that is glamorous, and all of it is the reason this layout has stayed popular in British kitchens for decades.

The main bowl in a well-made one and a half stays generous. That is the line between a good example and a compromised one: the half bowl should be added beside a full-size bowl, not carved out of it. Where a run is too narrow to allow that, a single bowl gives you the whole opening in one piece and asks you to rinse under the tap instead, while a double bowl splits the space evenly for anyone who wants two full-size stations rather than one and a helper.

Which side, and which material

Many of these sinks are reversible, so the half bowl and the drainer can swap sides at fitting to suit your worktop and your dishwasher. It is worth deciding that before the fitter arrives rather than after.

Stainless steel dominates this layout and suits it well, since the divider and the drainer are pressed into a single sheet with no joins to trap anything. Composite granite brings colour and a quieter, softer surface, and the divider on a composite sink tends to be chunkier and more sculptural than a steel one. Ceramic versions exist for classic kitchens, heavier and thicker-walled, with the deep gloss that only a fired glaze gives.

One buyer, Sandy C., summed up the appeal of the larger bowl on a Grohe K700U: "It is big enough to fit oven racks and large trays in, as well as having a side drainer for that cup of tea that needs to be poured away just after you've filled the sink with hot bubble water."

Fitting it into the worktop

Both mounting routes are open to this layout. Inset is the most common here, dropping in from above with the rim visible, and it works with any worktop material. Undermount fixes the sink beneath a solid surface so crumbs sweep straight in from the worktop, and a fair number of these sinks are built to accept either method.

If you are torn between layouts, the wider kitchen sinks range sets bowl count, material and mounting out together so you can see how the choices interact.

Why shop with The Tap Collection

Every order includes free mainland UK delivery and the full manufacturer warranty, and you can spread the cost with Klarna or PayPal Pay in 3 at checkout. Our UK based team is happy to help with sizing and compatibility questions: call 0330 133 2247, email info@thetapcollection.co.uk or send us a message through our contact form. We are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and aim to reply within 24 hours on working days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the half bowl actually for?

It is a holding area. Vegetables get rinsed there while the main bowl is full, a colander drains there instead of dripping on the worktop, and a mug or a chopping board waits there rather than joining the pile. Some households use it as a permanent home for the washing-up brush and the drainer basket, which keeps the main bowl clear.

Is a 1.5 bowl sink better than a single bowl?

Better for some habits, worse for others. If you wash in stages and like somewhere to set things down wet, the half bowl saves you a lot of small annoyances. If your kitchen is mostly about big pans and oven trays, the width the divider takes is width you would rather have in one piece. It is a genuine fork in the road.

Can you fit a waste disposal unit to the half bowl?

On many models yes, and that is one of the more common reasons people choose this layout. The half bowl gives the unit a home without stealing the main bowl, so scraps go one way and washing up goes the other. Fitment varies by model, so check the specification on the individual product page before ordering.

Which side should the half bowl be on?

Whichever side you have worktop to spare. Many sinks in this range are reversible, so the drainer and the half bowl can swap sides at fitting to suit your run. If your dishwasher sits to one side, most people put the half bowl nearest it, so rinsing happens closest to where things get loaded.

Does a 1.5 bowl sink need a wider cabinet than a single bowl?

Usually, yes, because you are adding the half bowl beside a main bowl rather than taking width from it. That is the practical limit on this layout in a narrow run. The main bowl in a well-designed 1.5 stays generous rather than being squeezed, which is what separates a good one from a compromised one.

Can you get a 1.5 bowl Belfast sink?

Not in the classic sit-on farmhouse shape, which is made as a single or a full double rather than with a half bowl. If you want fireclay with a rinsing area beside the main bowl, the answer is a ceramic sink made for inset or undermount fitting instead, which gives you the same material in a 1.5 layout.

What materials do these sinks come in?

Stainless steel is the most common by a distance, in brushed and satin finishes that wear well. Composite granite is the next most common and brings colour to the layout, in whites, greys and blacks with a soft matte surface. Ceramic appears here too, glazed over fireclay, for kitchens where the classic look matters more than the weight.

Do you offer free delivery?

Yes, we offer free mainland UK delivery on all orders.

Orders are processed within 24 hours (Monday to Friday) and typically arrive within 1–4 business days. Please note that offshore regions and the Scottish Highlands may incur additional charges.

Do you offer finance or payment plans?

Yes, we do, we offer Klarna and PayPal Pay in 3 at checkout, allowing you to split your purchase into three interest-free payments with no fees, subject to approval.

Do you offer bulk or wholesale orders?

Yes, we can accommodate bulk and wholesale orders for selected products and projects.

If you’re purchasing multiple items for a trade, commercial, renovation or development project, please request a quote with the products and quantities you require.

Depending on the order size and brand, we may be able to offer tailored pricing, lead-time information and product recommendations.