Having top-quality home products can make a difference on how well you function in your kitchen. Even the most trivial items, such as the sink flange (a.k.a. basket strainer), can have an adverse effect on your ability to prepare food and wash up afterwards if it doesn’t hold up to the rest of the sink.
That’s why even the simplest of kitchen accessories are as important as the more complex ones in the overall selection process. We scrutinize each product with precision to help you pick the most productive parts, making it simple to replace your old sink flange because we have done the homework for you.
What Is a Sink Flange and How Does It Work?
Back in the days when water was hauled inside the home from rivers and lakes for the purpose of cleaning and cooking, a sink was merely a large dishpan that wasn’t connected to any type of plumbing. Eventually, sinks and plumbing systems were invented, and so was the sink flange. Now, the advantages of having a modern-day sink is almost entirely obvious, as are the pipes that bring water conveniently in and out of your home. But the sink flange could be overlooked as we wonder what its purpose is.
As plumbing engineering advanced over the years, equipment to keep things running more efficiently were conceived. The sink flange is the metal or plastic collar that fits snuggly in the hole of the sink and connects to the kitchen pipes, often including a stopper. Its main purpose is to keep water inside the sink bowl and from leaking out of the drainage pipes.
How We Came Up With Our List
We took many things into consideration to determine which sink flanges were the best, looking at the material and design as well as the price comparisons. We paid close attention to the quality that went into the manufacturing of each product and durability that each product maintains. Finally, we examined the reviews from home improvement experts, buying guides, and customers who know firsthand what the best sink flange is going to be like.
Top Flanges Comparison Table
Name | Rating | Features | Price in 2023 | Where to Buy? |
---|---|---|---|---|
Delta Faucet 72030-CZ Disposal & Flange Stopper | Available in 4 colors, elegant yet durable | Starts at $52.49 | ||
KOHLER 696561 Disposal Flange | Premium material; endures scrubbing, classic style | Starts at $30.21 | ||
Keeney Manufacturing K5417BLK Flange | Tarnish free stainless steel construction | Starts at $14.53 |
Top Rated: Delta Faucet
With reasonable prices for the quality, Delta's flanges are exceptional. Offering a lifetime warranty and high performance, this brand really deserves to take the first position. Made from brass, the flange is designed to endure tough use and still maintain its beauty with a modern stylish look.
Delta offers seven classy styles for sink flanges including arctic stainless, brilliance brushed bronze, champagne bronze, chrome, polished brass, polished nickel, and stainless. Some homeowners prefer this metal look over the plastic or stoneware appearance. The only complaint customers had about Delta was that the stopper leaked. It is likely another stopper from another brand would solve the problem and make this sink flange the perfect fit.
Delta Faucet 72030-CZ Disposal and Flange Stopper, Kitchen, Champagne Bronze: Overall Rating: 4.9/5
- Sensible styling that complements any home
- Classically styled faucets and accessories handle the toughest of tasks with ease
- For bar/prep sink applications
Best Value: Kohler Flange
There were many brands that could have earned mention here, but Kohler landed the win for best price for value. In addition to being elegantly stylish with a modern classy look, a Kohler flanges is decently priced for its high quality. Made from premium material, the component is both durable and reliable. It has been known to endure the harsh treatment of scrubbing, hot water, and bleaching. It doesn’t chip, is easy to install, and is highly trouble-free because of its solid construction.
With several colors to choose from, including vibrant brushed bronze, brushed stainless, polished chrome, polished nickel, vibrant brushed nickel, and vibrant polished brass, each option offers an affordable and attractive appearance. Like Delta, the only complaint customers had from this brand was about the stopper leaking. Luckily, there are plenty of generic options for stoppers that may resolve this issue.
KOHLER K-11352-BV Disposal Flange, Vibrant Brushed Bronze: Overall Rating 4.5/5
- Manufacturer: Kohler
- Country of Manufacturer: China
- Easy to install
Best bang for buck: Keeny
Consisting of brass and stainless steel, Keeney receives an honorable mention for its high quality. This sink flange is made from professional-grade metals, having a tarnish-free finish that won’t discolor. It is available in brushed nickel, leading to some reviews expressing a dislike for the included strainer that was made from shiny chrome, causing the flange to clash with the strainer. Another issue some customers had was that the strainer did not lock into place. For the price, the quality was a little under the other comparisons.
Nevertheless, we still found the Keeney flange to be a great product that included a warranty. It also comes with a stopper along with the strainer, and the reviews, as of yet, didn’t complain about the seal. A stopper for a strainer may be a decent trade. There are many generic brands that may have the right color of strainer to match the rest of the product.
Overall Rating: 4.3/5
- FLANGE AND STOPPER SET: Prevents silverware, food particles, and other unwanted items from going down the kitchen drain
- ANTI-CLOGGING: Stopper features a high-quality rubber ring around its edge for a tight seal
- TARNISH-FREE: Professional grade stainless steel construction with tarnish-free finish provides years of reliable use
Runner Up: Elkay
Elkay is another good product, almost neck to neck with Keeney. Elkay flanges offer a variety of looks with sixteen different colors, capable of coordinating with nearly every kitchen. The entire package comes with the sink flange, removable basket strainer, and rubber stopper. Customer comments could not be found concerning this product, so it is not sure as to whether the stopper holds water. Made of stainless steel, the flange is a very nice piece for the price.
Overall Rating: 4.2/5
- COLOR MATCH: Coordinate your drain to match the color of your Elkay Quartz Classic or Quartz Luxe sink. Available in 16...
- POLYMER: Material is infused with color, and will not chip or scratch off from daily use.
- BASKET STRAINER AND STOPPER: Strainer catches food and waste from going down the drain. Use stopper to fill sink with...
Runner Up: InSinkErator
InSinkErator, overall, offered some of the lowest prices on flanges, depending on the style and the store it could be purchased from. Many customer reviews disliked the brand stamped across the ring in a large font. If you don’t mind a little advertising, like the big sporting stores do from time to time, you can enjoy a product that gets the job done at an affordable price. This brand also offers designer colors that look great at first, but often the bronze peels or the paint chips over time. A polish stainless steel finish might be the best choice with this brand, having no finish to worry about wearing off.
Overall Rating: 4/5
- EXTENDED GARBAGE DISPOSAL FLANGE: This stainless steel Sink Flange is designed to connect your InSinkErator manufactured...
- HIGHEST STANDARDS: Genuine InSinkErator parts & accessories add a touch of elegance & convenience. We offer an entire...
- AMERICA'S #1 DISPOSER BRAND: There are more American-built InSinkErator garbage disposals in US homes than all other...
Runner Up: Mr. Scrappy
Coming in as the second to last honorable mention is Mr. Scrappy. Made of solid brass, this durable flange comes in six colors, including oil-rubbed bronze, biscuit, black, satin nickel, steel brushed nickel, and white. One setback to this brand is the name, which doesn’t add a sophisticated custom flair and almost can’t be taken seriously. Regardless of its deceiving title, the brand provides a good sink fitting with a custom appeal. According to its claims, the stopper works. There aren’t any customer comments to validate this, but none deny it, either. Plus you may find the name grows on you, like a cute puppy.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
- Custom Finished White Powder Coated on Brass
- Custom produced to fit mounting assembly for Titan, Waste Maid, Commodore and Eco-Logic Disposers
- Also fits mounting assembly for GE and some Waste King Disposer models
Runner Up: Waste King EZ Mount Flange Kit
Last but not least is Waste King's EZ Mount Flange system. We placed this one last only because this flange kit can only be used with Waste King, Whirlaway and Sinkmaster branded garbage disposals. If you are considering a new flange we cannot recommend this one enough - installation of a new Waste King garbage disposal is a simple twist and click to lock it in place. Makes servicing your garbage disposal a breeze and so easy that you really don't need to hire a plumber to use it.
5/5
What you need to consider when choosing a flange
There were many brands of flanges that were more expensive but maintained the same or less quality of those that cost less. We only included those that were popular and highly rated. Other than ratings, make sure the flange you are considering fits the standard 3-1/2-inch sink drain opening, and also make sure that there are no mentions in the reviews of leaks coming from the rubber ring. Many lower quality flanges suffer from this problem.
Another thing to note, prices of sink flanges vary from vendor to vendor with the same brand names. This goes to show that once you have found a brand you like, you should compare the prices with different stores to assure you get the best price.
How To Remove and replace Your Kitchen Sink Flange
Sinks receive a lot of wear and tear. If your sink flange is made of plastic, it is more likely to corrode and crack. This can cause water to leak through and cause damage to your sink cabinets. Replacing a worn-out sink flange can prevent a myriad of problems that could save you a great deal of money. When a sink leaks, in addition to spilling out over the cabinets, possibly warping the bottom boards, water could also leak onto the floor, damaging floor joists or creating mold in the flooring. It gets very costly to have to rip out and replace the floor and cabinets of a kitchen or bathroom due to a leaky sink.
If you notice your sink flange failing you, it’s a good investment to find a replacement. We have provided our recommendations, so study our info and reviews as well as your kitchen's plumbing configuration and roll it over in your mind to help you to decide which sink flange is the best one for you. We've also included this quick video on how to remove and install a new kitchen sink flange.
Last update on 2024-05-02 at 19:19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Leave a Reply