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Stainless Steel Washing Up Bowls

The Elephant Box stainless steel washing up bowl replaces the plastic bowl in your sink for good. Made from premium food-grade 304 stainless steel with a smooth folded rim, it's built to handle daily washing up without cracking, staining, or holding onto smells the way plastic does. Choose the classic steel finish, or add a pop of colour with the powder-coated orange bowl — both are sized to fit a full sink of pots, pans and 10 inch plates. Scroll down to explore the range, or use the quick links below to jump to our buyer's guide or FAQs.

Buyer's GuideWashing Up Bowl FAQs

3 products
Washing Up Bowl - Steel
Washing Up Bowl - Steel
Washing Up Bowl - Steel £43.50 GBP
A large 10 litre stainless steel washing up bowl with a vibrant orange powder coat finish.
A large 10 litre stainless steel washing up bowl with a vibrant orange powder coat finish.
Washing Up Bowl - Orange £48.50 GBP
Plastic Free Kitchen Kit
Plastic Free Kitchen Kit
Bundle
Plastic Free Kitchen Kit £58.50 GBP £68.95 GBP

Stainless Steel Washing Up Bowl — Buyer's Guide

Do you need a washing up bowl at all?

Washing up bowls are a bit of a Marmite product. You either use one every day and wouldn't wash up without it, or you genuinely can't see the point of them — there's something wonderfully British about the debate. The real choice most people are weighing up isn't which washing up bowl to buy. It's whether to use one at all. Here's how the two compare.

Reasons to use a washing up bowl:

  • Uses less hot water — a bowl is typically smaller than the sink, so it takes less to fill.
  • Protects the sink — pots, pans and cutlery are less likely to scratch a stainless steel or ceramic sink.
  • Keeps water hotter for longer, especially with a bowl sat inside a larger sink.
  • Frees up space to multitask — rinse vegetables, pour away drinks, or use a second sink while the bowl's in use.
  • Makes cleaning up simpler — tip the water away and the sink underneath stays cleaner.
  • Cushions glassware, reducing the risk of chips and breakages against a hard sink.
  • Portable — carry it to another sink, an outside tap, or take it camping.

Reasons to just use the sink:

  • Simpler, with nothing extra to store.
  • Modern sinks are often designed to be used and seen, not hidden behind a bowl.
  • Easier for washing large roasting trays or oven shelves.
  • One less thing to clean once the dishes are done.

If you've decided a bowl is the way you want to wash up, the next question is what it's made from — and that's where stainless steel has a clear edge.

Stainless steel vs plastic — where steel wins and why choose Elephant Box?

We didn't just add a stainless steel washing up bowl to our range — we're the company that started the category. When we first put one on the market, we honestly weren't sure it would sell. It turned out to be one of our bestsellers, and years on, customers still tell us it's the thing that finally convinced them to ditch plastic in the kitchen for good.

Once you've decided you want a washing up bowl, the choice comes down to material — and that's where stainless steel has the strongest advantages over plastic:

  • Won't stain.
  • Won't absorb food odours.
  • Very easy to clean and is more hygienic.
  • Doesn't crack or turn brittle with age.
  • More resistant to scratches.
  • Built to last for decades, not just a few years.
  • Steel is one of the most widely recycled materials there is, at the end of its life.
  • Gives a cleaner, more premium look on the draining board.

Every Elephant Box washing up bowl is made from premium 304 grade stainless steel, with a smooth folded rim for comfortable handling, and backed by a 15-year warranty. Durable, reusable and plastic-free, it's designed to outlast the sink it sits in — and it's why so many customers say it was the product that got them started on a plastic-free kitchen.

Steel or orange finish?

Both bowls are made from the same 304 grade stainless steel, in the same 10 litre size. The steel finish is dishwasher safe and gives a classic, minimalist look. The orange washing up bowl has a durable powder-coated finish that adds a splash of colour and a little extra scratch resistance for delicate sinks, but should be washed by hand rather than put through the dishwasher. Looking to kit out a whole plastic-free kitchen in one go? The Plastic Free Kitchen Kit bundles the steel bowl with other Elephant Box essentials.

What size is the washing up bowl?

Both the steel and orange washing up bowls hold 10 litres and measure 364mm long, 314mm wide and 150mm tall, including the 18mm lip that runs around the edge. That's enough room for a full sink of pots and pans, plus 10 inch plates, with a large flattened rim that makes it easy to lift and carry — handy for jobs beyond the sink, from spring cleaning to washing veg fresh from the allotment.

Will it scratch my sink?

Both bowls can scratch ceramic, Belfast or enamel sinks with repeated contact — the orange bowl's powder-coated finish makes this less likely, but not impossible. If you have a delicate sink, we'd recommend using a silicone mat underneath.

Washing Up Bowl FAQs

Hot soapy water is best, the plain steel bowl can safely go in the dishwasher but not the orange powder coated bowl. While never getting as grimy and stained as a plastic washing up bowl, the steel can become dull after a time. If this happens you can bring back the shine with distilled vinegar. We don’t recommend using bleach on stainless steel. Stainless steel can discolour with prolonged contact with water, these stains are pretty hard to get rid of so make sure your bowl is dry at the end of your washing up session.

We offer a 15 year warranty on all our stainless steel lunchboxes and a 1 year warranty on our silicone and glass lids. Read more here. We are a small and friendly team — if you have any questions before you buy just get in touch and we will get right back to you. If any issues arise after purchase we will do our best to make it right.

Yes they do!

Yes, these bowls are likely to scratch a ceramic or butler sink, the orange bowl is much less likely to though as it has a hardwearing outer coat finish. An easy fix is to use a silicone matt underneath. 

While there doesn't seem to be a standard sink size or washing up bowl size, our bowl is a bit bigger and deeper than some plastic ones. The best thing is to get our your tape measure and see if it will fit that way. It's 364mm long, 314mm wide and 150mm tall. If you're really on the fence and unsure but want to give it a try, we do accepted returns as long as it's unused and in it's original packaging.

Both bowls are made from the same premium 304 grade stainless steel, with the same 10 litre capacity and dimensions. The orange bowl has a durable matt powder-coat finish, which adds a splash of colour and slightly better scratch resistance against delicate sinks, but means it should be hand washed rather than put in the dishwasher. The steel bowl has a plain finish and is fully dishwasher safe.

Yes — the large flattened rim makes it easy to carry, so many customers use it for jobs beyond the sink, from spring cleaning to washing vegetables fresh from the garden or allotment, soaking laundry, or even as a plant pot or ice bucket for outdoor entertaining.

The bowl comfortably fits 10 inch plates, along with most everyday pots and pans. At 364mm long and 150mm deep, there's enough room for a full sink load without constantly needing to empty and refill.

Yes — both the steel and orange washing up bowls are made from premium 304 grade stainless steel, the same food-grade material used across the Elephant Box range. It's non-reactive, hygienic, and built to handle daily use without staining or absorbing smells.

Under current UK advertising regulations, we're not able to make general claims about products being "environmentally friendly" — so we won't. What we can do is point you to the full picture: read about our approach on our People & Planet page and our Commitments page.

Yes — the Plastic Free Kitchen Kit pairs the washing up bowl with other Elephant Box essentials, so you can kit out a full plastic-free kitchen in one go. Take a look in our Bundles & Gifts section for the full kit.

a metal washing up bowl or basin in a kitchen sink
Stainless steel washing up bowl from Elephant Box on a kitchen sink.