Every Sunday I go to a local coffee shop to purchase a cup of cappuccino for my
wife. It is her weekly treat. When I purchase the cappuccino I get one of those customer loyalty cards that they punch each time I buy a cup so that I get every fifth one free. I am very confident that the FREE cup is exactly the same as the ones which I purchase at full price because it comes from the same machine as the others and the coffee shop does not know when I will be coming for my free cup.
If you get a free stainless steel sink with your countertop it is not the same as the free cup of coffee. Many of the sinks given away free are not high quality sinks. Because the sinks are given away free many countertop fabricators buy the cheapest sinks they can find without regard to quality. All stainless steel sinks are not the same. A high quality stainless steel sink will be certified by an independent testing agency to be made from 304 grade stainless steel and made using the best processes. A 304 stainless steel sink that is made using the right processes will look great for the life of the countertop.
Many cheaper sinks are made with 301 stainless or other cheaper grades of steel. 301 stainless steel has less chromium which give the sink its luster and less nickel which hardens the finish and makes it last longer. A sinks made from 301 will be duller than one made from 304.
Cheaper sinks will have inconsistent finish and imperfections in the bowls from the production process. A Free sink may not be the same as my free cup of coffee. If you demand an Eclipse sink you get a sink with the best steel with the best process and certified to be what Eclipse says it is. You also get Eclipse which will stand behind the sink after the sale.
copyright 2013 Tom Robinson