Kitchen sink guides
Nano, embossed or honeycomb: how to choose a kitchen sink surface
SUMO Sanitaryware’s nano, embossed and honeycomb kitchen sinks are all SUS304 stainless steel, nano-coated, scratch-resistant and oil-proof, with reinforced 3.0 mm + 1.0 mm thickness. So the choice between the three surfaces comes down to the texture you like: smooth and even, a raised pressed pattern, or a hexagonal texture across the bowl.
In short
- Nano is smooth and even. Embossed has a raised pattern pressed into the steel. Honeycomb has a hexagonal texture across the bowl.
- On a SUMO sink, “nano” is also the coating, and all three surfaces have it.
- Every SUMO sink is SUS304 stainless steel with reinforced 3.0 mm + 1.0 mm thickness, anti-condensation and sound padding installed.
- Each surface comes in 600 × 450 mm and 680 × 450 mm, both 220 mm deep, in stainless steel or gun metal.
- Every SUMO sink installs top-mount or undermount.
What “nano” means on a kitchen sink
Shop for a kitchen sink and you will see “nano” used two ways. Sometimes it is the name of a surface, the smooth one. Sometimes it is the name of a coating that goes over the steel. Put a nano sink next to a honeycomb sink and it can look like a choice between a coated sink and an uncoated one.
On a SUMO sink you don’t have to make that trade. The nano coating is on all three surfaces, and a nano sink is still a stainless steel sink: every one starts as SUS304 steel, with the coating on top. You can see all 12 in the SUMO kitchen sink range.
The three surfaces side by side
| What you get | Nano | Embossed | Honeycomb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texture | Smooth and even | Raised pattern pressed into the steel | Hexagonal texture across the bowl |
| Steel | SUS304 stainless steel | SUS304 stainless steel | SUS304 stainless steel |
| Coating | Nano-coated | Nano-coated | Nano-coated |
| Surface | Scratch-resistant, oil-proof, stain repellent | Scratch-resistant, oil-proof, stain repellent | Scratch-resistant, oil-proof, stain repellent |
| Thickness | Reinforced 3.0 mm + 1.0 mm | Reinforced 3.0 mm + 1.0 mm | Reinforced 3.0 mm + 1.0 mm |
| Built in | Anti-condensation, sound padding installed | Anti-condensation, sound padding installed | Anti-condensation, sound padding installed |
| Mounting | Top-mount or undermount | Top-mount or undermount | Top-mount or undermount |
| Sizes | 600 × 450 mm and 680 × 450 mm, 220 mm deep | 600 × 450 mm and 680 × 450 mm, 220 mm deep | 600 × 450 mm and 680 × 450 mm, 220 mm deep |
| Finishes | Stainless steel, gun metal | Stainless steel, gun metal | Stainless steel, gun metal |
| Model codes | SK-6045-SS, SK-6845-SS, SK-6045-GM, SK-6845-GM | SK-6045-SSEB, SK-6845-SSEB, SK-6045-GMEB, SK-6845-GMEB | SK-6045-SSHC, SK-6845-SSHC, SK-6045-GMHC, SK-6845-GMHC |
Only the first row changes from column to column. Everything under it comes with every sink.
Nano: smooth and even
The nano surface, close up.
The nano surface is the plain one: smooth, even steel from the rim down to the drain. It keeps the sink simple, which suits a flat counter and cabinets without much detail.
If you like a surface you can run a cloth across in one pass, this is the one. It is oil-proof and stain repellent like the other two. Look at the 680 mm nano sink in stainless steel or the 600 mm nano sink in gun metal.
Embossed: a pattern pressed into the steel
The embossed surface, close up.
An embossed sink has a raised pattern pressed into the steel. You feel it under your fingertips, and it gives the bowl some texture where the nano sink is plain.
Choose it when you want a sink with a little more character and a softer pattern than honeycomb. See the 680 mm embossed sink in stainless steel or the 600 mm embossed sink in gun metal.
Honeycomb: a hexagonal texture
The honeycomb surface, close up.
The honeycomb surface has a hexagonal texture across the bowl. It is the most patterned of the three, so pick it if you want the sink to be part of how your kitchen looks.
Under the pattern it is the same sink as the other two: SUS304 stainless steel, nano-coated, scratch-resistant and oil-proof. See the 680 mm honeycomb sink in gun metal or the 600 mm honeycomb sink in gun metal.
What every SUMO sink shares
The surface is the only part you choose. SUMO kitchen sinks are designed in Japan, with award-winning design, and all 12 of them come with the same build:
- SUS304 stainless steel with reinforced 3.0 mm + 1.0 mm thickness
- A nano-coated surface that is scratch-resistant, oil-proof and stain repellent
- Resistance to corrosion, rust, oxidation and mineral deposits
- An antibacterial, anti-mould surface
- Anti-condensation, with sound padding installed
- Top-mount or undermount installation
So the comparison above really is about looks. What you want from a kitchen sink day to day is already there, whichever texture you go for.
How to choose your surface
Picture the sink on a clear counter with the kitchen tidied up, and ask which texture you want to see there every day.
- Nano, for a smooth, even bowl that keeps things simple.
- Embossed, for a raised pattern you can feel, quieter than honeycomb.
- Honeycomb, for a hexagonal texture that makes the sink part of the design.
Then choose a size and a colour. Every surface comes in 600 × 450 mm and 680 × 450 mm, both 220 mm deep. Stainless steel is the lighter, brighter option, and gun metal is a deep grey. The build stays the same whichever colour you pick.
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Questions
Not always. “Nano sink” often means the smooth surface, while “nano-coated” describes a coating over the steel. On SUMO kitchen sinks the two meet: the smooth nano sink is nano-coated, and so are the embossed and honeycomb sinks.
Yes. A SUMO nano sink is SUS304 stainless steel with a nano coating on top, in a stainless steel or gun metal finish. The embossed and honeycomb sinks use the same SUS304 steel.
No. An embossed sink has a raised pattern pressed into the steel, and a honeycomb sink has a hexagonal texture across the bowl. SUMO builds both the same way, with the nano coating and reinforced 3.0 mm + 1.0 mm thickness, so the pattern is the difference.
Yes. SUMO makes embossed and honeycomb sinks in gun metal and in stainless steel, in both 600 × 450 mm and 680 × 450 mm. The nano sink comes in the same two colours and sizes.
Ready to pick yours? Compare all 12 SUMO kitchen sinks, or tell us about your kitchen below and we’ll help you choose.
Help choosing
Not sure which one is right for you?
Send a photo of your counter or the size of your cabinet, and we'll point you to the right sink, surface or finish.
You can also call the same number, or leave a message here.