Stainless S,or Chrome for Basket Strainer/drain for Kitchen ?Too many scratches

[TOTOtalitarian]

I am going to replace my kitchen sink and the basket strainer assembly (that screws into the sink with putty), is verrrry thrashed, you can see the brass right thru the scratches and what little shiny finish is left.
I dont know what it was, but the finish is gone.
What do you suggest that will hold up for many years.
This will go into a stainless steel sink.
I dont want to change it out in my lifetime.
I have noticed complete assemblies cost between $8-$50 for the complete set.
Any brands you can suggest ? The sink was cast iron and did not hold up to scratches or cleaning and I will never buy Kohler again.
What material makes sense and will do the job and hold up to the rigors of a typical household kitchen ....
Thanks for your help

 

[Mikey]

Stainless, from a real plumbing supply house.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jimbo]

Stainless steel sinks can be hard to clean , and do show scratches?


What did you use to clean the old sink with , and how did it get so banged up. Porcelain on cast iron is very durable, and I would expect 20 years out of it.

A heavy brass basket with top quality heavy chrome plating is a fine unit. Chome lasts for a long long time if you treat it right.

 

[TOTOtalitarian]

Bar Keepers friend, a substitute for Ajax...

This is supposed to be fairly mild as a cleanser.
A few scratches from aluminum pots in the sink, but nothing really heavy duty as far as cast iron pots hitting it.
The sink was a disappointment and so i am looking for a material that will hold up for the drain basket.

 

[Sandpiper Plumbing]

If junking your cast iron sink and going with stainless, try to buy the thickest sink you can afford. Builder grade is 21 or 22 gauge and usually under $100. The 20-gauge stuff is a little better..but if you can swing it, go for the 18-gauge sinks (or even Moens 16-gauge ones!). Kohler makes a good, heavy brass basket strainer but it's in the $45 range. Home center basket strainers are junk, don't waste your money on them. Watts makes a decent one called the Specification stainer. Personally, I like some of the heavy ones made by Wolverine Brass...but you can't order one, you'll have to find a local plumber who orders their products.

 

[hj]

sink

IF you wore the chrome plating off the strainer, and it was Kohler, you used that sink and strainer for decades and probably got good service out of it. NO SINK or STRAINER is going to last "YOUR, forever", unless you are 95 and in poor health.

 

[TOTOtalitarian]

Sink was a Kohler cast iron and Basket was a Home Depot unit

The Sink was Kohler 9yrs old (I just picked up a 18gauge Elkay stainless sink)
The basket was from Home Depot and its plating is worn off.(you get what you pay for)
Will go with a better made basket , thanks for your advice.

Found a
Watts "304" stainless Specification model....http://www.castlewholesalers.com/WATTS-645663H-Specification-Sink-Strainer-Stainless-Steel.html
$12. What do you think ?
Thanks

 

[hj]

strainer

I remove those. I don't install them.

 

[Redwood]

I consider that type to be one of the better gripping models. Much better than this type with the large nut pictured below... The large nut has too much surface area and friction... They usually leak because they do not get tight enough.

I would also consider the Kohler K6799 to be an excellent choice of a basket strainer.

 

[cmw]

I just installed an Elkay 18 gauge double sink. The sink is great however, the Elkay Basket Strainer (LK35) is not so great. The basket has a thick seal that functions as a seal OK but smells terrible with strong outgassing from the seal. The box states "Made in China". With the Chinese dry wall contamination fiasco and other Chinese product complaints, I'm concerned about this strainer. At the very least the outgassing could be corrosive and attack the sink drain. Has anyone else run into this problem?

 

[Chefwong]

Just remove the gasket and use plumbers putty....

 

[cmw]

Just remove the gasket and use plumbers putty....

I'm referring only to the seal on the Basket Strainer that sits on top of the drain opening.