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Short answer. What decides whether a sink fits is the minimum cabinet width the manufacturer prints for that model, not the sink’s outer width or its cut-out. Compare the inside width of your 45, 60, 80, 90 or 100 cm cabinet with that figure; it can change with the mounting type. Always take the final numbers from the installation drawing of the exact model.
1. The one rule: use the printed minimum cabinet width
Three different numbers describe a sink, and they are easy to mix up:
- Outer size: the width and depth of the sink including its rim and drainer.
- Cut-out: the opening you make in the worktop. It is smaller than the outer size for an inset sink.
- Minimum cabinet width: the narrowest base cabinet the maker allows for that model. Franke calls it “minimum cabinet size”, Blanco “min cabinet size”, Alveus gives a separate figure for each mounting type, and Elleci prints “base” next to the cut-out.
The cabinet figure is not simply the sink’s width. An 860 mm Elleci sink with a drainer is drawn for a 450 mm cabinet, with the drainer overhanging the neighbouring unit. A 530 mm Blanco undermount sink needs 600 mm. Teka gives a similar example: an 80 cm sink with one bowl and one drainer can go in a 45 cm space when the bowl itself is 35 cm wide.
2. Worked examples from manufacturers
Every figure below comes from the maker’s own installation manual, data sheet or product page. Where a maker does not state a value, the cell shows a dash. Cut-outs are given for the mounting type in the second column.
| Model | Mounting | Outer size, mm (W x D) | Cut-out, mm (W x D) | Minimum cabinet, mm | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franke BOX BXX 110-40 | inset | 440 x 450 | 410 x 420 | 500 | manual or data sheet |
| Franke BOX BXX 210/110-54 | inset | 580 x 450 | 550 x 420 | 600 | manual or data sheet |
| Blanco Subline 500-U | undermount | 530 x 460 | 500 x 400 | 600 | manual or data sheet |
| Elleci Life 400 | inset | 860 x 500 | 840 x 480 | 450 | manual or data sheet |
| Alveus Formic 30 | inset | 760 x 500 | 740 x 480 | 500 | manufacturer product page |
| Alveus Formic 30 | undermount | 760 x 500 | 681 x 422 | 900 | manufacturer product page |
| Franke Studio STX 621-E RH | inset, corner | 830 x 830 | — | 900 x 900 | manufacturer product page |
| Teka 730.510 1B 1D | inset | 730 x 510 | — | 450 | manufacturer product page |
| Systemceram Mera 42 U | undermount | — | — | 500 (page: suits a 50 cm cabinet) | manufacturer product page |
Two things stand out. Within the Franke BOX range, the 440 mm wide sink needs a 50 cm cabinet and the 580 mm wide sink a 60 cm cabinet. And the Alveus Formic 30 needs a 500 mm cabinet as an inset sink but a 900 mm cabinet as an undermount sink.
3. How our range is split by cabinet width
Per our product pages, this is the number of sinks listed per cabinet width in our shop (models in the sink categories that state a cabinet width):
| Cabinet width, mm | Sinks listed in our shop |
|---|---|
| 300 | 8 |
| 400 | 18 |
| 450 | 104 |
| 500 | 47 |
| 600 | 182 |
| 750 | about 9 |
| 800 | 61 |
| 900 | 37 |
| 1200 | 5 |
| Corner models | 3 |
These are counts of what we list, not standard widths. A summary of the European kitchen-furniture sizing standard EN 1116 by the Italian test institute CATAS names 400, 500, 600 and 900 mm as nominal base-unit widths. We could not verify that 450, 800 or 1000 mm are standard widths, although several makers publish 450 mm cabinet figures for their own sinks and Pyramis prints an 80 cm cabinet for its Ithaka 78 x 51 sink. We also have no verified manufacturer minimum for 100 cm sinks, so check the drawing of the model you choose.
4. Inset, undermount or flush-mount: what the worktop must allow
- Inset: the sink is set into the worktop from above and forms part of the continuous working surface (Alveus). Teka says inset sinks suit worktops of any material.
- Undermount: the sink is fitted into the worktop from below. Alveus states the worktop must be waterproof, such as natural stone or composite material. Teka says it suits any worktop resistant to water and moisture.
- Flush-mount: the sink sits level with the worktop in a previously prepared cut. Alveus lists waterproof worktops such as natural stone, composite, glass and impregnated solid wood. Teka calls it ideal for natural materials such as stone.
Teka especially recommends top-mount sinks for wooden or laminate worktops. For any material, check the sink maker’s instructions for the worktop thickness and the cut-out radius. The Franke BOX manual, for example, prints separate corner radii for the inset or flush opening, the flush rebate and the undermount cut-out.
5. What else shares the cabinet
The sink bowl, its siphon and a waste-sorting unit all sit in the same cabinet. A few manufacturer figures help with planning:
- Blanco SELECT II 45/2 waste unit (two buckets, 32 l): minimum cabinet 450 mm.
- Franke Sorter 300-60 Duo: minimum cabinet 60 cm, mounted on the cabinet side wall.
- Blanco supplies the Subline 500-U with a waste kit with a space-saving pipe; its drawing shows the siphon at the side of the 600 mm cabinet.
We have no verified clearance figures for how much room is left when a deep bowl, siphon and bin share one cabinet, so check the drawings of both products. Read our waste sorting guide, and see sink accessories for the fittings.
6. Checklist before ordering
- Measure the inside width of the cabinet, not the outside, and note the depth.
- Compare it with the minimum cabinet width on the sink’s drawing, for your mounting type.
- Note the worktop material and thickness, and check that it allows the mounting type.
- Check the cut-out size and corner radius against your worktop supplier’s capability.
- Decide the drainer side (left or right) and how many tap holes the sink has, for example 1 on the Franke Studio corner sink and 3 on the Teka 730.510.
- Plan the waste unit and siphon together with the sink.
7. What we stock
Browse all kitchen sinks or go straight to a material: stainless steel sinks (285 products), composite sinks (160), ceramic sinks (65) and PVD-coated sinks (26).
FAQ
Can I fit an 80 cm sink in an 80 cm cabinet?
Possibly, but the sink’s outer width does not decide it. Compare the cabinet’s inside width with the minimum cabinet width the maker prints for that model and mounting type. Some sinks with a drainer fit a cabinet narrower than the sink, while some undermount sinks need a wider one.
What is the difference between inset, undermount and flush-mount?
An inset sink is set into the worktop from above, an undermount sink is fitted from below, and a flush-mount sink sits level with the worktop surface in a prepared cut. The mounting type also changes the cut-out and, for some models, the minimum cabinet.
Do I need a waterproof worktop for an undermount sink?
Alveus states that the worktop must be waterproof, such as natural stone or composite, and Teka says undermount suits worktops resistant to water and moisture. Follow the instructions of your sink’s maker.
How wide is a standard cabinet?
A summary of EN 1116 by CATAS gives 400, 500, 600 and 900 mm as nominal base-unit widths. We could not verify 450, 800 or 1000 mm as standard widths, although our range includes many sinks listed for 450 mm (104) and 800 mm (61) cabinets.
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