They are dated, having been on the market for easily a decade, and really awkward to use - the counter top is no where near the rim of the bowl, which makes figuring out the right height for counter sink an impossibility.

I don't like the way most of them look.

I have three. The answer is yes. Since they're higher, they actually prevent splashes on the counter top.

We have them in our master bathroom. I was hesitant initially but ours are a very simple wok-style bowl so I feel they aren't quite as prone to being outdated. They have made a big different in terms of keeping our countertop tidy.

I think it might be more practical for use in a powder room/guest bath than one's everyday bathroom.

klspiper is dead on, we rented an apartment with a vessel sink in the only bathroom. it would clean up and look great and guests often complimented it, but for day to day use it was totally impractical even for guys who dont have a lot of stuff on their counters.

I would say go for it in a guest bath/powder room if you like the look, but for your every day getting ready bathroom go with something more functional.

Also if you have little kids this sink would be totally impractical.

I just don't like the look, have no idea if it is practical.

Vessel sinks are trendy. If the trend goes away and I still like the look (it adds to a bath/powder depending on the rest of the finishes), then I might get one.

I have a child and my hub thinks it's impractical so I won't be putting it in anytime soon ::sigh::

No choice for "practical or not I think they are ugly"?

I hate vessel sinks. I've seen a few that are attractive, mostly not. It just add space to clean, and wipe up and worry about build up. Who needs that? Even though it doesn't really waste counterspace, it gives the illusion of wasted space and I find that annoying. I think some things are better kept traditional so they age better.

They're nice, but I can see them dating a room in a few years when the trend passes. A friend of mine has one in her powder room, and it dominates the small space. If you need to put something on the counter, it better fit UNDER the bowl of the sink. On the other side, I'm tall, so the extra height would be nice for face washing and tooth brushing, but that's not enough to tempt me to get one.

I love them, and I make a HUGE mess (seriously, puddles everywhere- walls, counter, floor) when I wash my face so I would want one from a practicality stand point.

Even though they have been "trendy" for a while now, I have always liked them and can't see getting sick of the way they look.

Never liked them, never will. I've always kind of thought of them as an unnecessary embellishment on something that doesn't really need it. A sink is a sink. Why the need to fuss it up so much?

For me - they are a necessary element in order to keep the cat out of the sink - for some reason the cat won't crawl inside the vessel-style sinks.

They are so hard to clean. Mildew and grime easily can build up along the seem between the sink and the vanity top. This little space is quite a pain to clean as well. In addition they splash terribly, more so than what a normal under/over mounted sinks would. I just took mine out of my newly renovated apartment and now have it on craigslist with it's vanity.

I say Boo on the vessel sinks!!

we have one in our current apartment and i really don't like it. I was excited when moving in because it made the bathroom have an interesting focal point (which can be difficult with apartment bathrooms) but found it annoying after a bit. When rinsing my face tons of water can fall over the lip because the rim is so drastic. Also- there isn't a ton of room on the counter. It takes very little time for it to look clutered just from daily use (ie- face wash, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste).

We just bought our first house and I am designing the new half bath to start shortly after we move in and will not use this type of sink.

Our only sinks (other than our kitchen) are vessels & we really like them. Oddly enough, we chose the vessels because in the long run it was cheaper when installing- they only had to cut on small sink hole rather than a large one.
But we've been really happy with them. We chose ones that have a high angled bowl, so they're easy to clean under. I like the frosted glass ones most..they're easier to keep clean.

I badly wanted one when I first saw one. Then I got over it. And I am glad. They scream "early 21st century" to me.

@sally305 Nothing like the phrase "early 21st century" to make me feel old haha

I love the fact that vessel sinks give me ample room to wash my hands, but the lowness of the counter really makes using the vanity for everything else awkward.
My other concern would be breakage. With kids, I think it would be easy for the vessel to get chipped.

"When the trend passes"? You're kidding right? I don't know where Coleen has been, but vessel sinks went out about 5 years ago. Just because they're still on eBay and the big box stores does not mean that they are considered good design. Nothing says Jumped The Shark like a vessel sink. LOL.

Used one in a hotel a few weeks ago. Worst sink ever. No the water doesn't splash out - it shoots out, it jumps out, it spurts out of the bowl and on to the counter. Aside from that I also think they look stupid, and forget using the bathroom sink for soaking any handwash garments.

What a poorly designed survey.

I have a vessel sink in my ensuite - purely for practicality. I'm a taller girl, and I *hate* having to hunch over a bathroom sink to wash my face. I have full height vanities (think kitchen height, not regular bathroom height). The vessel sink just brings things up to the perfect height... I just have to lean over slightly to wash my face and I don't make a big splashy mess. Mine is a simple one though - plain white porcelain. And yes, the bathroom is recently renovated.

I´m tall as Aurra and vessel sink (we´ve got two in our master bedroom) is not only practical, but also looks great. Ours are brass, and really easy to clean. Water doesn´t splash. I don´t understand why someone says that they look stupid, the vessel sink is different, is another option, and that´s all.

They are already outdated. Not quite as bad as a colored bath suite but almost.

I love the look of vessel sinks, but they just won't last--either in terms of style or of practicality. Now, the farmhouse-style apron sinks? Perfect!

I guess you either love them or hate them. We're adding a simple ceramic one to our half bath downstairs that gets infrequent use. I don't want a bulky vanity and don't need undercounter storage so a vessel sink is perfect for our need. I could care less about being trendy; I'm looking for function and ease of install.

Too trendy for me.

I think they are best suited for lavatories, where you are using the sink mostly for washing hands. Otherwise things roll under the sides of the sink and it just makes getting ready a little bit more annoying.

We put one in our half-bath, because it's a very tight space, and a small vessel sink can take up less room than a similar sized conventional basin (in our space, the only regular sink that would fit were the super-tiny wall-mounted ones, which were almost too small, and were more modern than our house is).

Yuck, I hate these. I see them everywhere down here (NC) in new construction and in all the big box home improvement stores...never liked them, never will.

Where's the survey option for "don't like them, don't find them practical or stylish"?

My parents built a house years ago with 2 big blue glass pedestal sinks in the master bath and a copper one in the powder room. The look fantastic and are absolutely easy to clean. I've never had trouble at all with it and I think it looks sharp. I'm confused why so many people complain about them?

I actually kind of like them, but they screaaam dated to me. :( Same thing with the super rectangular tiles that seem to be all the rage right now.

we have vessels in our master bath w/ wall-mount faucets & love them. The function is no different than that of a normal sink. In re: to look, etc. I think its all personal preference. To have someone state that they're more "dated" than that of a farm sink obviously has different taste than our modern home, but thats the beauty of style- all can be different.

we live in VT & built a home in '07. It was imperative for us (for resale, suitable for the area, etc) that the external structure, look, etc. resemble the area- so we built what we designed to be a "modern farm home"... whereas guests comment the inside/outside is NYC meets VT. Guess our mission is accomplished.

Practical or no, I find them to be ugly, and all I think of when I see them is that I'd probably accidentally bang my elbows on them a lot.

They were really popular here in Norway a few years ago, but I think they look dated now. Bathroom stores don't have many of them anymore.

i have 3 and love them !! stone, deep, neutral colors. I never had any problem with them, sealed them once 2 years ago and still no stains. They dont splash and everybody loves them. For me, Stone or any natural surface never dates.

jonnifer, I'm with you all around!

I think they're hideous, impractical, and look dated. unfortunately, some landlords think they're "stylish", so often when I come across an apartment that has some great features (subway tile backsplash, hardwood floors, stainless appliances)...it also has a vessel sink. ugh.

http://mylittleapartment.blogspot.com/

I've got a vessel sink in my master ensuite and it's only OK. I would have preferred to not have one at all, but it came with the house (it will be one of the first things I replace when we get around to it). We are lucky in that it's a sort of hybrid - half vessel half regular. It only has a small lip that comes up above the top of the counter and is a little more sunken in than other vessels I have seen.

My issue is that it is difficult to get my hands and my face into the sink to splash water on my face when washing it in the evening. I usually get water EVERYWHERE. That and there is no extra drain to catch water that is left running. While it isn't usually an issue for me (I don't tend to leave water running) the husband has almost flooded our bathroom three times.

The cleaning issue - I don't find it any more difficult to clean than a regular sink.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But when I go to rent or buy a place, since I loath vessel sinks, I would never rent a place with one and if buying a place I would have to budget in ripping it out and replacing it. For me, the only practical sink is an undermounted sink. It cleans up in a snap and the grout where the sink meets the counter is hidden and doesn't collect water so lasts longer.

I love ours because it actually gives us more counter space (the area under the angle of the bowl) and visually opens up the countertop. It took a little practice to get used to it as far as not splashing out, but we are pros now. We chose a white porcelain bowl that has the faucet mount on the sink and it has sort of an old-fashioned vibe that goes in our 1929 house.

It is not hard to clean at all, really no different than a traditional sink.

How about an "I don't like the way it looks and therefore wouldn't get one even if you paid me!" option? All of the given choices assume everyone likes the way they look, even if they don't choose to install it.

It looks dumb, would be a pain to clean, and seems like it'd be more prone to breaking (chips and cracks).

No thank you!

I didn't assume that by the survey at all.

I'm guessing that since "I don't like the way it looks" is rather subjective, and issues of practicality are not (or at least slightly less so), that's the reason the survey was set up as it was.

By the way, not all vessel sinks are glass. And a bathroom mirror is more apt to break before a glass sink is.

But, personally, I'm glad I don't let practicality rule all my decisions.

Too much "trend" talk here. Either you LIKE them or you don't.

The design idea behind these isn't a "new" kind of sink. Rather the whole idea is something more simple and basic in form like the primordial, portable bowl-shaped vessel that people originally used to collect water. I think this is a fantastic idea--and it certainly seems less "dated" than the ubiquitous standard 20th century factory-molded porcelain counter sink one finds everywhere in bathrooms. They also hearken back to something older, in the form of the wash basin sitting atop a cabinet. I think the worry about these appearing "dated" is entirely unfounded, which is much of their appeal in the first place.

The height is is a great plus. And if you have nice countertops, you feature these surfaces more (in addition to also featuring the sink itself more) than in the standard drop-in configuration.

Aside from these points, many look fantastic... check out some of the high quality copper (naturally anti-viral, anti-microbial) vessel sinks from India and Mexico. I simply don't get the "they're ugly" refrain. There is far too much variety out there for this to even make sense as a blanket statement. What is generically "ugly" about them?

I know, I know, I'm 2 months late on this discussion...no one will probably ever read this, so the gloves are off!

@Kopanko- Couldn't agree more!!

1.) Hard to clean-
These sinks are hard to clean ONLY if installed awkwardly/poorly. I've had mine (lined with grout at the base) for 3 three years and no issues with mold or trapped moisture. The trick is to install them so there is a smooth slope of sealant/grout between the sink and counter, no cracks, no gaps. If installed poorly, this is REALLY easy to fix with either silicone caulk or more grout.

2.) Induces splashing-
Again, this depends on installation. The angle of the splashed water depends entirely on the point in the bowl (aka point on internal slope of bowl) where the water first hits. There is an optimum point between "too high up the side of the bowl" and too close to the drain" where most of the splashed water stays in the sink. The exact location of this "optimum point" depends directly on the individual shape of the sink (i.e., lower down for steep sinks, higher up for more shallow sinks). Therefore, the sink should be installed first, then the faucet can be positioned and installed after.

3.) Out of date-
Everything (apparently) goes out of date sooner or later, so that's really not a valid argument. What you really mean to say when you say "out of date" is "it's not my style".

4.) Too trendy-
See #3 above.

5.) They're ugly-
Again, see #3 above.

6.) Impractical-
This seems to be a personal preference argument, like style. This personal preference, however, is based on your personal habits. Different people have different habits. I have never had the problem of things hiding from me under my sink because it's not a very wide/deep bowl. Also, I don't keep ANYTHING out on the counter unless I'm using it right that second. Cleaning is not any more or less arduous than a more traditional sink.

7.) Non-standard height-
This I would accept as a valid argument because it's absolutely true and, for some people unwilling/unable to adjust, an genuine obstacle. Since I built my sink table, I was able to determine the height so this has never been an issue for me, personally.

@ ConchasyCafe

"I know, I know, I'm 2 months late on this discussion...no one will probably ever read this, so the gloves are off!"

Ha--don't worry about that... I'm typically the last one on a post on a thread, because I only really look up topics after-the-fact, whenever the particular subject happens to peak my interest.

Nice comments.
-J

Most people who complain about the function (they splash everywhere etc) haven't been to see a high end properly set up sink. My guess is they've seen a fashion trend in the latest reno'd restaurant where the faucet pressure sprays everywhere. Most people haven't studied design and have no idea what the history of this form of sink is. It's not going away, it's here to stay and hopefully those who design them stay neutral, choose shapes that suite the function ie square chews up countertop, round can be too small depending, cone is decent, natural neutral materials are better than cheap glass. It's when the idea hits the mass market that problems occur, people can't put things together so that form and function work together. Then you get blogging complainers!