Farmhouse sinks are a timeless way to add charm to your kitchen. Farmhouse sinks used to be most commonly seen in true country farmhouses but now they are a common choice for many different home decor styles regardless of wether your home is truly an authentic country farmhouse.
The problem with farmhouse or apron front sinks is they are usually very very expensive. This has ruled out the option for most people to install one in their own homes. Thank goodness for our ever dependable budget friendly retailer Ikea!
In todays post I am going to share our families review of the Ikea Havsen Apron Front Double Bowl sink.
Pin For Later: Ikea Farmhouse Sink Review
An Unfortunate Ikea Sink Story
Two to three years ago we had the Havsen Ikea sink installed in our modern farmhouse kitchen. I was really nervous about using an Ikea sink because we had had a bad experience with a previous model from Ikea.
My parents installed an Ikea farmhouse sink that has since been discontinued in their kitchen remodel and it ended up cracking when it was installed. This was so disappointing but we hadn’t been naive that it could happen.
Prior to my parents selecting their now discontinued Ikea farmhouse sink we had read tons of reviews and watched lots of videos on YouTube. Most of the reviews were positive but we did run across a couple who mentioned their sink had cracked when it was being installed.
Of course this made both myself and my mom very nervous but after receiving some quotes for other farmhouse sinks we decided to take the risk because the price point of the Ikea farmhouse sinks is just soooo much cheaper!
Unfortunately they did have a crack in their sink while it was being installed. They were able to patch it and the sink still works but it was really too bad. They couldn’t replace it either because the sink was such a specific shape and the countertop had been fit for it.
Ikea Farmhouse Sink Video Review
The “new” Havsen apron front ikea sink
Obviously we were hesitant to go with an Ikea farmhouse sink because of that negative experience when we started searching for a farmhouse sink for our own remodel.
Then we found out that Ikea had discontinued that model and came out with a new style! The nerve wracking part was that there weren’t very many reviews out there because this was such a new model.
However unlike my parents we did not have an expensive countertop so we figured we would try it. If it cracked or didn’t hold up over time we could affords to replace the countertop and get a different style of sink.
We took a leap of faith and installed the new version of Ikea’s farmhouse sink.
After 2-3 years I thought it was about time that I share our experience for those who are looking at possibly ;purchasing this sink for their own homes!
No cracking!
To start off this review let me put your mind at ease. We did not experience any cracking when we installed out sink. We also installed a garburator and use it every day multiple times a day and still do not have any problems with cracking.
Double Bowls
Another feature of this farmhouse sink is its double bowls. I know for most people the double bowls could be a con, especially if you are looking for one gift basin for your farmhouse sink.
For me personally I love drying my dishes in one half of the sink and having the other half for washing so this works for me.
Scuff marks and scratches in a farmhouse sink
Most people who own a farmhouse sink will admit to scuff marks and scratches. This is just the nature of the material a farmhouse sink is made of.
When my mom and I were shopping around for sinks for their Reno we talked with a retailer that sold very high end farmhouse sinks and he said scratching was just to be expected when buying this type of sink regardless of the price point.
Even though I knew I should expect scratching and scuff marks in our Ikea apron front sink I was actually pleasantly surprised by how little it does scratch. With that said we do get some scratches in our sink now and again but I found a product thats essential if you own a farmhouse sink!
Cleaning a farmhouse sink
If you own a farmhouse sink or are thinking of getting one you need to pick up some Barkeepers friend. this stuff is amazing and really works on those scuffs and surface level scratches on a farmhouse sink.
I picked mine up from Amazon. I think you can also grab it at Canadian Tire if you are Canadian or Home Depot. Amazon sells it for a greta price though so that’s where I have always bought ours.
To clean your sink you just dampen a cloth and apply some barkeepers friend to the damp cloth. You can also rinse your sink and apply it directly to your wet sink. I let it set for a couple seconds and then gently scrub with a cloth or scrubby to remove all the scuffs and scratches!
Lastly I should point out that this model from Ikea definitely has a more modern farmhouse look. This is due to the fact that you can not attach your faucet into the porcelain of the actual sink.
The back as you can see in my photos isn’t wide enough for a faucet. Your faucets will need to be behind the sink edge or hung on the wall if thats possible.
Again this isn’t a problem for me. We have a more modern farmhouse/cottage vibe in our home so I love it. It is a feature though that surprises some people when they get their sink because they just didn’t think of it.
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Check out more of our posts
- Our modern farmhouse kitchen makeover
- how to paint laminate countertops
- top 20 ikea products for your home
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