|
||||
Copper Sink Reviews:
Compare Copper Sinks.
The differences are staggering. I
know it is confusing trying to understand why some imported copper sinks are half the
price of mine. Here are some of the reasons: Do you want to dry your copper sink after each use?
(No
need with ours) Do you want to wax your copper sink regularly? (Never
need to wax
our sink) Do you want to find out your copper sink does not drain properly
after it is permanently installed in your kitchen? (Ours are guaranteed
to drain properly) Do you want to find that blemishes inside your sink are
permanent? (Can not happen with ours) Do you want to find out, after the
fact, that Clorox can permanently damage your sink? (Clorox will not harm
our copper sink) Do you want to find out after a year that you have no warranty on
your sink? (Our warranty is for life) Some of the largest companies
selling copper sinks have a one year warranty!
These are just some of the risks you take when you buy a copper sink based
on price without doing research. We have never heard a single complaint about one of
our copper sinks.
Just read through our
testimonial page.
Our copper sink is the finest in the world. There is nothing remotely close!
Copper Sinks - compare our copper sinks with
any other
-
almost
nothing is similar!
Quick fact check
(Scroll down,
this is a long page, but worth the read)
|
Feature |
The Competition |
Rachiele |
||||
|
Sink
manufacturing location Read about lead in Chinese products |
Over 95% of all copper sinks you see online are made in Mexico, India and China. Some websites give the impression of being an American company, so we suggest you ask where the sinks are actually manufactured. |
Made in Orlando, Florida Our sinks are made of pure 99.9% virgin antimicrobial copper. We never use recycled copper, nor do we use annealed (soft) copper. Not only are you supporting our U.S. economy, but you are purchasing a sink that looks distinctively different than any import. Import workmanship is no match for American craftsmanship! |
||||
|
Quality There are not enough words to describe the quality differences in our sinks! |
A common
quote " Due to the handcrafted nature of this product, Dimensions may vary up to 1/2". We strongly recommend that you wait for the actual product before making any installation cuts. Comments like that make my head explode. How gullible are we? When did a 1/2" tolerance become the sign of hand crafted products? |
This is a quote from an email sent
in recently: When you order a 36" sink from us, it measures 36" - not 36 1/2" or 35 1/2". |
||||
|
Price |
You are
likely buying through a dealer, who purchases through a
middleman, who purchases from a company over seas.
 Hmmm, this Mexican import sells for about the same as our made in the USA sink. |
You buy our products at true
factory direct pricing (Direct to the public). From 1999 to 2008
Rachiele products could only be purchased through Authorized
Dealers (at double wholesale). You could not purchase direct from Rachiele. In 2008,
we terminated all 165 Authorized Dealers so I could give the
customer service that I felt appropriate with such a high
quality product. We are offering you the same wholesale
prices we offered our displaying dealers. They used to double
their cost to sell retail. Now you can buy at their cost! (Half
of retail) We now sell only direct to consumers. It's kind of
like buying a Rolls Royce at a BMW price. Still expensive, but
quite the bargain! |
||||
| Type of Copper used is important |
Some are
recycled annealed copper - from melted down telephone wire and
old pipes from demolished homes. IAPMO certification only requires a copper sink to have only 58% copper. Some imported copper sinks show lead content of less than .01% - meaning, there is some lead in the copper. I do not mention this to alarm. Just pointing out facts. For example, a 1978 law in the US restricted the lead in paint for residences, furniture, and toys to 0.06% or less. |
Cold Rolled 99.9% pure virgin Copper (much harder than annealed copper) 14 gauge Don't be fooled by the other 14 gauge sinks out there. They are likely using recycled annealed copper which is significantly softer than ours. Our copper has an ASTM code of B370, which is 99.9% purity. We use a 122 alloy that is the highest grade of copper available for cold forming and welding. For those of you who are detail oriented, here is a link that shows all of the specifications of 122 copper. Make sure you look at the "Cold Drawn" section of the 122 copper.
Our copper has an RB harness of 50. The yield
strength is 63,600 pounds per square inch
compared to 7,900 psi of annealed copper. Yield strength is is an indication
of a .2% movement under stress. As you can see, our sinks are
significantly stronger. Our material is also RoHS compliant.
RoHS restricts the use of mercury, lead, hexavalent chromium,
cadmium and a range of other hazardous materials. |
||||
| Drain Location (most important feature determining the workability of a sink) | Generally middle or rear center - right in the way of your workspace. This is the most obsolete idea in sink manufacturing. What are they thinking? |
This is the most important
value in our sinks! Rear corner drains - more uninterrupted work space in your sink. Also gives you significant room in your sink cabinet. If you have a center or rear center drain you cannot place a cookie sheet, etc, in the bottom of the sink without covering the drain. There is no logical reason for a center or rear center drain. Our right rear drain allows you to use our single bowl sinks like a double bowl sink. Simply wash on the right, set off to drain on the left. You cannot do that in a sink with a center or rear center drain. Try fitting a cookie sheet inside your sink. Does it fit without covering the drain? Do you have to rinse your platters while hovering over two bowls? I think that is so unnecessary. |
||||
|
Sink drainage The number one complaint we hear regarding some imported sinks. |
Some are quite poor. We receive countless calls from customers who have purchased "other brand" copper sinks with pooling water issues. They ask us what can be done. There is NO solution. Make sure your sink will drain BEFORE you install it. Many imported sinks do not drain properly. Comments like "waxing will help speed draining" should be red flags. |
We guarantee
that your sink will drain properly. Just check our
warranty. Ask others to do that and
put it in writing. That is the second most common complaint regarding
copper sinks. It is simple to build a copper sink with a flat
bottom. It is somewhat easy to build one where the bottom slopes
to the drain. It is very difficult to build a copper sink where
all bottom portions drain to a rear corner. We do it and
guarantee the sink will drain properly. If the company does not specifically warranty proper drainage... well I warned you! |
||||
| Apron thickness | Generally 2-3 1/2" | 1 1/2" Our apron is thinner for a reason. We do not want you to have to reach over a large shelf of copper to access your sink. The main purpose of an apron front sink is that it eliminates the countertop in front of the sink so you don't have to reach to work in the sink. | ||||
| Sink depth |
Generally
10" Must be deep to compensate for ridiculous drain location. Can not place anything of size inside the sink without covering up the drain so you really do need a deep sink with their drain locations. |
Generally 8" We believe a 10" deep sink is far too deep for our ergonomic sinks. Sinks with drains located in the center or rear center should be deeper than ours. With a center drain you have to put half of the large item in the bowl, wash that part, spin it around, wash the other part, then do the same spinning routine for rinsing. Wouldn't it make more sense to just make a sink with a rear corner drain so you can place large items inside without covering up the drain? No more spinning! (I'm getting dizzy) When you work at the bottom of the sink all the time, it should be shallower. I promise; with a good faucet, no worries with splashing and large pots! | ||||
| Antimicrobial Claims? | Lots of sites currently mention that copper kills bacteria, etc. Only EPA registered firms can legally make this claim. The EPA will warn the offender, and if they do not remove that information, they can levy fines as high as $50,000. Just look up the EPA website and look at the fines levied in the past. Hey, I don't make up the laws, so don't get upset with me. |
We went through the EPA registration for your piece of mind. |
||||
|
Use and Care |
Lots of mention regarding what you should not use inside the sink (lemons, bleach, abrasives). Most suggest wiping the sink dry after each use. Also regular waxing of the sink is often mentioned. My car requires less maintenance! At least I don't have to dry it every time it rains. This is the number one complaint I hear about "other" copper sinks. | NO disclaimers! No gimmicks! Just use the sink as a sink. This is one of the major differences between our sinks and others. There is no lacquer inside our sinks, no artificial coloration. Our sinks are naturally aged using only household vinegar and will always return to that coloration. The interior of a copper sink should be the color of an old penny. Any other color will be a problem. Bleach, lemons, abrasives are just fine in our sinks. Our use and care suggests cleaning the sink with the same soap used to wash your dishes. That is all you do! NO DRYING after each use, NO WAXING. It's bad enough that we have to wax our cars! Just read this unsolicited email: "I love your sinks because they are EASY to take care of (yes- I am lazy). I used to have a stainless steel sink in my kitchen and the smudge marks used to drive me crazy. I really don't do much to keep my sinks looking beautiful now- I simply rinse them out with soap and water while washing my dishes. Nothing else!!!!" | ||||
| Warranty |
Many offer a
one year warranty Warranty information is usually well hidden on many web sites - for good reason.
Bottom
line... after a year, it is your problem! |
Lifetime "transferable" warranty -
not just to the original owner. That means when you sell your
home, my sink is under warranty. Can't say that about any other
copper sink! My warranty specifically covers proper sink
drainage. You will not find that anywhere else either. How does a manufacturer put a limit on length of warranty on an item with no moving parts? If something goes wrong with a Rachiele sink, it should never be the problem of the customer (unless there is abuse). By the way, we have never had a warranty claim. If we did, my mom would be so disappointed in me. |
||||
| Interior finish | Often an unnatural coloration. Some are waxed or lacquered. Very difficult to care for. Most require drying after each use. Seriously... are you kidding me? | Natural patina (self healing) using only vinegar and water. Requires only washing with any dish soap. No other maintenance at all. No drying after each use, no waxing and no worry about what you can put in the sink. Just use our sink like a sink. How novel is that? | ||||
| Company access | Hmmm | My home/cell phone number is listed on the every single page of our site. I return all calls on weekends and holidays. You are my priority. I love what I do! And, yes I take it a bit too far. I recently answered a call three hours after surgery. (I got yelled at - both by my wife and the customer.) | ||||
| Can locate double trash unit in sink cabinet | Not Possible | Yes, due to rear corner drain and shallower sink you can have a trash pull-out in your sink cabinet where it is most useful. See illustration | ||||
| Can install apron sink in existing cabinetry | Not Possible | We own the patent. No other company can offer this solution. Simple installation. Just remove the false drawer heads and our apron slips over the faceframe of the cabinetry. Sadly, a couple of companies have stolen my patented idea. We have attorneys working on it now. | ||||
| Near Zero Radius corners | Generally not available | Gives a more custom look, more usable space inside the sink and just as easy to clean. All of the high end sinks have zero radius interiors. | ||||
| Solid copper flange/drain offered (plated drains will likely fail in a matter of a few years) | If you purchase someone else's sink, ask for a solid copper drain. I guarantee you will regret it if you don't. | Our sister company (Vostra USA) offers solid copper drains and flanges for our sinks. Trust me on this one, plated drains will fail. The plating will eventually come off. Ours are lifetime products. | ||||
| Hammered finish on copper |
95% are
hammered Remember "pickled oak cabinets" from the 80's? Hammered copper sinks will date your kitchen too! Just sayin'
|
It is impossible to hand hammer
cold rolled copper to look like the imports. Our material is too
hard. We will hand hammer our sinks, but the look is truly hand
hammered. Our hammering is in keeping with the quality of our
sinks. There is no mistaking our hammered sink for a machined
hammering. .
If we hammer the bottom of a sink, we do so lightly. Heavy
hammering will allow water to sit in the dimples. Hey, maybe
that is why the other guys have you dry the sink after each
use??? I studied design for many years and lectured on upcoming trends. I believe I know what is trendy and what is not. Unique is not trendy, Quality is not trendy. Understated is not trendy. Our sinks are in no way trendy. We build less than 300 sinks a year. You can't start a trend with those numbers! |
||||
| Finishes on apron portion of sink |
Few options
- lots of "me too" sinks "Me too" sinks get dated quickly. A custom piece is timeless. |
Our Pateneur, Lori Sabina, is a graduate of Perdue University's art school and has developed many unique patinated finish options for the aprons of our sinks that are exclusive to Rachiele. Our sinks are a "one of a kind" piece of commissioned artwork for your home. If you want an easy care sink that is a unique piece of art, Rachiele is the company. We have 14 years of experience in "hands-on" copper finishing. I may be one of the only owners of a copper sink company that actually sees the sinks in production and watches over every aspect of the finishing process on a daily basis. | ||||
| Gauge of copper | 18 to 14 gauge - mostly recycled annealed (softer) copper. Annealed copper is super heated to make it soft. | 14 gauge cold rolled copper, many times stronger than 14 gauge annealed copper. If they do not specify cold rolled copper, you can safely assume it isn't! Why does this matter? Cold rolled copper is significantly stronger than annealed copper. Check the video on below. I stand on the apron and inside one of our copper sinks. Try that on an annealed copper sink and you will have a very expensive ash tray. (metal gets thicker as the gauge gets smaller - funny huh?) | ||||
| Strength Worried about accidentally denting or pushing in the apron portion of the copper sink? Worried about the weight of a garbage disposal hanging from the bottom of the sink? |
Very soft annealed recycled copper |
OK, I found one way to ruin one of our
sinks...
|
||||
| Guarantee |
No other
company (of any kind) guarantees you will be thrilled with the quality or your
money back plus $100 for your inconvenience! In fact, I don't think any company anywhere is so convinced of the quality of their product. |
If you are not thrilled with the
quality of our sink, we will buy it back, pay all shipping costs
and send you a check for $100 in consideration of your
inconvenience. We claim to build the finest copper sink in the
world and we back that claim with the above guarantee! |
||||
| Construction |
 Wonder why they rarely show the bottoms of their sinks? Flimsy construction - that's why! |
|
||||
| Recycled vs Virgin Copper | Generally recycled - unlikely electrolytically refined. The myth that recycled copper is somehow better for the environment in this case is simply not true in my opinion. Recycled copper, that is not electrolytically refined, has no place near food surfaces. Check out this video to see where some of the recycled copper comes from when imported. You might want to check if they go through the costly electrolytically refining process to purify the copper properly. This is another video you might want to see. I have seen how electrolitically refined copper is made. I have never seen it in bagged form. |
We use only
virgin copper. The following is text from Copper.org website.
"Where scrap copper is associated with other materials, for
example after having been tinned or soldered, it will frequently
be more economic to take advantage of such contamination than
try to remove it by refining. Many specifications for gunmetals
and bronzes require the presence of both tin and lead so this
type of scrap is ideal feedstock. Normally it is remelted and
cast to ingot of certified analysis before use in a foundry.
Scrap of this type commands a lower price than uncontaminated
copper." "Uncontaminated
recycled process scrap and other scrap that has been
electrolytically refined back to grade 'A' quality may also be
used." The cost process of electrolytically refining copper to a quality high enough to be used in a residential sink is higher than mining and refining virgin copper. So if that is the case, do the math yourself. How are some of the imports so cheap? I regularly see copper sinks offered overseas for $200 plus shipping. Shipping is not that expensive, so a hard delivered cost of $300 for a copper apron front sink is pretty cheap. I pay more for the material I use. Copper prices are internationally similar if you are buying pure copper. So, if that is the case, is the recycled copper really being processed properly? If it is, then the folks selling it should provide hard written proof. Just melting down scrap copper and claiming 99% purity is not good enough from my perspective. |
||||
|
Don't
accept what I say blindly. Do your research! Find other sources
to prove or disprove what you see on our site. We are not afraid
to be compared. You might ask why there is so much information
on our site and why I don't just offer the merits of our sinks
instead of comparing them with others. The reason is simple.
Most copper sink web sites do not offer any important
information so you can make an intelligent decision. Many bury
the warranty
Compare our sinks to the competition.
Go ahead... just check the use and care and warranty for
starters.
|
||||||
Quick Fact
Check
While traveling around the country to visit my dealers years ago, I noticed every imported sink installation had some sort of issue. I have personally measured gaps between the apron and the cabinet as large as 3/8" on at least 6 sinks in high end showrooms. (Far larger than this photo) The other issue I saw was the sloppy granite cut out on the countertop. Traditionally, the best and cleanest installation is a flush one, where there is no granite overhanging the sink. As you can see by this photo, the countertop shows over an inch of the sink showing. Can you imagine trying to get the water off that ledge? No wonder they advise you to dry the sink after each use. If you try to follow the shape of the sink with the granite, you will find it nearly impossible, as the sides of the sink are generally wavy and the corner radii are likely quite different. So, with most imports, you have to either have a generous overhang or the top of the sink must be exposed. Both options are far from optimal in terms of cleanliness. Our sinks are guaranteed to be true and square. When you order a 36" sink, it will measure 36", not 35 1/2" to 36 1/2" as indicated by most imports. (they say plus or minus 1/2"). Don't believe me? Go to the local showrooms with a tape measure or a square. See for yourself. Remember, my sinks come with a quality guarantee. If my sink is built like the one in the photo, I refund all of your money, pay all shipping and send you a check for $100 in consideration of your inconvenience. If, somehow, we built a sink out of square like the one in the photo, the sink would not even be sold on our clearance as a second. We would sell it as scrap. So... you have the choice of buying a calk bazooka or investing in a sink that is built with quality. |
||||||
Last
but not least, this is what you don't find out until it is too
late when buying some imported sinks. This one was made in
Mexico. When a sink that is out of shape gets
installed in a cabinet that is made properly, a problem occurs.
I call it "gaposis". The sink apron is so out of square it
fits tightly at the top of the cutout and there is a huge gap at
the bottom.