Never heard of a prep sink? You're not alone, and yet the concept is becoming a more popular part of modern kitchen renovations. Essentially, a prep sink is a second sink, but one that is slightly smaller than your regular kitchen sink. Its main purpose is to be used for food preparation, hence the name, though it can be used for other purposes.

Here are just four reasons why you should consider investing in a prep sink.

1. Efficient Meal Prep

Prep sinks are positioned right next to cooking and food storage areas to make sure they are right at hand when you're putting a meal together. That's a step that makes preparing food far more convenient. If you need to wash your poultry before cooking it or grab some water for your pasta, just use the prep sink. This is why prep sinks are often included with kitchen islands – they have a large amount of food prep space and generally lack ready access to a sink.

2. Easier Disposal

It isn't just during preparation that a prep sink is going to prove its worth – you'll also notice that cleaning up becomes easier. Prep sinks can easily be fitted with waste disposal units, and their small size means you can make them drop right down from your work surface without any lip. As such, you can quickly push any food scraps into the sink and then hit the disposal button to get rid of them.

3. Perfect for Multiple Cooks

Of course, prep sinks are also fantastic for homes where more than one person tends to cook at once. Let's say your significant other is doing the washing up while you want to grab some water for a dish. They can use the large main sink and you can take your water from the prep sink. You can think of it as a backup that is perfect for smaller jobs. They simply make it far easier for two people to share the same kitchen.

4. Room to Innovate

Finally, a prep sink can be great simply because it isn't always necessary. With only one main sink in your kitchen, you'll have to keep that sink free at all times, but that isn't the case with a prep sink. This is often useful when you need something to soak for a few hours, but you can also be a little more creative. Having guests around for a party? Why not fill the prep sink with ice and a few beers to create a cool new cooler?