The Best Portable Sinks for Camping and Backyard BBQs
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A portable sink can be a serious lifesaver when you’re out on the road away from a water source, like camping or RVing. But these come in handy all around the house too, from the toolshed and garage, to your porch or backyard barbecue, since they can handle washing both hands and food too.
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The best portable sinks all have different abilities and the best one for you depends entirely on what you’re planning on doing, and where you plan to take it.
Portable Sink Buying Guide
Here’s what to know before buying a portable sink for camping and beyond:
Washing: This is the most basic thing a sink can do, but there’s more behind it than just a faucet. Consider the system it operates through, including things like if there’s a foot pump to start the flow (and prevent grimy hands from even needing to touch the handle), a liquid soap dispenser that can hold multiple liters, and a built-in towel rack. About five gallons should be enough for around 100 hand-washings.
Transport: Having a carry handle on at least one side makes things a whole lot easier when transporting this on and off campsites. The same goes for a wheeled water tank, which can get extremely heavy when full. For a foot-pump sink, clean water will typically go into the tank at the bottom and be forced up to the faucet, but be sure to check how much it can hold. More isn’t always better – if you’re only staying a short time at the campsite, you won’t want excess water hanging out in the tank. While it does add some stability to the sink during your stay, it’ll be significantly heavier to pack up.
Material: There’s a few different choices when it comes to the material makeup of these sinks. Lightweight plastic is one, which is durable for basic camping, but can eventually crack and get damaged. Rust-proof stainless steel may be a better option if you’ll be leaving this outside for most of the time.
Bonus Features: Corner holes, or some sort of anchoring system, are important for fastening it to the ground (imagine using your tent with no stakes). Drainage is important too, both for convenience and a quick cleanup, but also if you’re connecting a portable toilet to these to reuse the water.
What Are the Best Portable Sinks?
Here are the best portable sinks for your next outdoor adventure.
1. YITAHOME Portable Sink
This portable sink can handle holding up to 30L of water, and is easy to roll around your campsite or in and out of storage. A hands-free foot pump and 5L soap dispenser makes this ideal for keeping things hygienic when you're away from a hooked-up water source, and you can even re-use the "gray water" for other cleaning tasks. The entire thing is made of HDPE plastic, which is tough enough for travel but also simple and quick to clean.
YITAHOME Portable Sink
2. Outsunny Folding Camping Sink
We found this one to be great for setting up a temporary site, like when you're barbecuing, camping, or fishing for the day. The folding table body makes this easy and familiar to set up, and the two separate water basins help keep things hygienic especially when it's a messy activity like gutting and cleaning your catch. The whole thing can hold up to 132 pounds, with an attachable spot for all your gear and a trash bag for easy waste disposal.
Outsunny Folding Camping Sink
3. SereneLife Portable Camping Sink
SereneLife's sink is a bit smaller than some of the others here, but that's a huge advantage if you've got limited space or don't want to lug a heavy unit back and forth all the time. This singular wash-bin setup holds 3.5 liters in its basin, and 19 liters in its storage, along with a built-in soap dispenser and stainless steel towel holder. It's made from food-safe, non-toxic plastic, and is easy to wipe up when you're done.
SereneLife Portable Camping Sink
4. Kingbo Stainless Steel Sink
KingBo's unit goes beyond just a handwashing station, and is more of an all-in-one food prep, work bench, and storage hub for a long-term campsite or backyard bbq setup. The single bowl is made of restaurant quality steel, is anti-rust and anti-corrosion, simple to clean with regular soap, and can last a lifetime when properly cared for. When you're done with dinner and washing up, there's plenty of room on the shelves below to safely stack your pots and pans (and hang knives) until the next meal.
Kingbo Stainless Steel Sink
5. DNYSYSJ Compartment Kitchen Sink
Whether it's for your campsite, garage, backyard, or even outdoor restaurant patio, this sink can hold up under pressure. The incredibly high quality durable 304 type 18 gauge stainless steel has excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, even when leaving it outside in nasty weather. A wide work surface gives you plenty of space to prep up top, and on the bottom, the feet allow you to level out the unit from wobbling while also protecting the floor under it. Meanwhile, draining the water is quick and efficient.
DNYSYSJ Compartment Kitchen Sink
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