Washing up bowl madness

I am still waiting to drive around 100 miles to a dealer in order to try a washing up bowl in our Nuevo sink, I am not going to make a special trip, there is no way I am going to order one on line in case it doesn't fit.
Thetford like most caravan and motorhome parts manufacturers are quite crazy. The sink has a label underneath which reads Thetford SBL1003. Nowhere can I find this number referenced by Thetford or their suppliers.

Wait a minute what Google throws up is the Thetford Argent sink which looks just like the one we have. It came with a stupid clip on chrome draining rack which must be removed for travel and seems of little use and a plastic draining board. You can buy the full set of accessories which includes just a chopping board and washing up bowl for £113 what a bargain, this is referenced as a Thetford Spinflo sink, still no mention of SBL1003. Why such confusion on a simple sink.

Some suppliers have the Spinflo bowl available [03PVI0007] at £13 plus £4.99 postage, yes nearly £18 for what is a £1.99 plastic bowl. Thetford and the dealers are missing out on a golden opportunity of supplying the £1.99 bit of plastic they left out when supplying Auto Sleepers with the sink at a still exorbitant say £4.99, many would pay that for something that fits.
However the suppliers are rare and someone wants to make a killing. I can find one at £9.99 but they are 100 miles away.

Poundland, Wilko or similar, surely? 100 miles to buy a vastly overpriced washing up bowl?
no wonder they can charge what they like.

bolero boy wrote:Poundland, Wilko or similar, surely? 100 miles to buy a vastly overpriced washing up bowl?
no wonder they can charge what they like.

 Yes, if only. By default washing up bowls are too deep meaning it would have to be removed and stored somewhere for travel, like the silly chrome draining rack, that is stored in our loft.

The dimensions are critical, the Thetford 1003 or is it Argent or is it Spinflo, stainless steel sink is a reasonable size and takes dinner plates for washing up. We have searched high and low for offerings they are either too big to go in the sink or if they go in they are so small only one plate can go in, diagonally.

Its a captive market but Thetford are so confused they can't even exploit us.

I don't use a washing bowl, I just wash up in the sink.

I was after a bowl a few years ago.
 Like lots of towns, ours has an independent general supplies shop. Not being part of a chain it was possible to buy one each of all six different bowls he had in stock of roughly the size I was after for about £20. Later in the day, by arrangement with the shop owner, I returned the five that didn't fit for a refund.
There's always a way round these things without being fleeced.
Al.

We have a collapsible washing up bowl which we use in our 2009 Nuevo, fits in the sink perfectly and costs around £8
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Foldable-Collapsible-Washing-Container-Silicone/dp/B06XQ1TW1P/ref=sr_1_3?crid=66WGQK031V2N&keywords=colapsable+washing+up+bowl&qid=1556995288&s=gateway&sprefix=colapsable%2Caps%2C554&sr=8-3

We have a collapsible bowl as well. It slots easily into a cupboard when collapsed. It looks like the Amazon one but cost about £5 in B&M. 

We also have a small square bowl that cost only a £ or 2. It fits the sink but is harder to store.

I too have the rectangular collapsible silicone one mentioned above: I think it was £2.99 from B&M . I don’t collapse it, it stays in the sink as we travel with the wire draining rack, still attached to the glass lid inside, plus washing up brush, jaycloth and small bottle of washing up liquid, and the glass lid down. It fits so well that it might have been made for the sink. Collapz and several other firms make identical bowls though they are more expensive.

If I remember ours came from dunelm mill, as Chris (bolero boy) has posted surely one of the high street retailers must have something that would suit to avoid what is clearly a rip off! Good hunting.

Yes b & m
https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/addis-collapsible-washing-up-bowl-aqua-and-grey-3321982

Bought a collapsible washing up bowl from aldi perfect fit in our nuevo sink £5

We too have one from a local retailer that sells plastic boxes, bowls etc. It fits in the sink, allows the top to close when travelling, and the dog bowls-also plastic- stack and fit nicely into it, along with washing up liq, and other washing up kit. Over the years we’ve had several sink sizes and have always managed to find a suitable bowl cheaply. Keep looking.

Quilter wrote:I too have the rectangular collapsible silicone one mentioned above: I think it was £2.99 from B&M . I don’t collapse it, it stays in the sink as we travel with the wire draining rack, still attached to the glass lid inside, plus washing up brush, jaycloth and small bottle of washing up liquid, and the glass lid down. It fits so well that it might have been made for the sink. Collapz and several other firms make identical bowls though they are more expensive.

Thanks to Quilter (the first Ithink to mention B&M), and all the other contributers.

We have a local B&M now, my personal shopper had not tried there although we had both devoted a lot of time and effort to the search. I had looked at collapsibles on line and was not sure if the sink bottom dimension was going to be too tight.

B&M are open on a Sunday morning so off we went. The Addis collapsible bowl is now sitting in the Thetford SBL1003 sink and yes, yes it does fit like it was made for it. In store it looked so roomy that we were still not convinced until we tried it in situ.

Last night I found a spare parts compatability list for Theford sinks which actually has the SBL1003 listed https://www.thetford-europe.com/api/v1/DocumentTranslation/964/ContentDownload What it means I have no idea and I now don't want or need to find out.

This has got to be worth a picture.

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Glad you’re sorted.

Don’t be too quick to condemn the hanging wire drainer. Ours is never removed, fits neatly in the bowl when the lid is down for travel- no rattling- and holds 2 mugs, 2 glasses and 2 or 3 plates and cutlery when washing up, draining accurately into the sink. Much less hassle than the peculiar grey plastic draining tray which is left at home as it gets in the way. For bigger meals I have a melamine tray and a small draining rack.

Incidentally, we also have a folding silicone kettle ( Go Outdoors brand) which is now about 5 years old and as good as new. It folds, boxed, to the size of a thick paperback book and it plus a small electronic scale, live on top of the safe. In all that time it has boiled water with no taint, smell or even limescale deposit and no sign of damage at the folds. I’d like it to whistle but you can’t have everything.

Hi ,apologies only just noticed this item, if you want a conventional bowl ,we have a "Curver" one which fits perfectly ,size is 10 litre, Regards     Paul

Hi ,apologies only just noticed this item, if you want a conventional bowl ,we have a "Curver" one which fits perfectly ,size is 10 litre, Regards     Paul

That’s exactly like ours from B&M.

We also have a collapsible colander and 2 buckets which came from The Range.

OK on the wire drainer Quilter mybe we were too hasty "and yer never get nowhere if your too hasty", now the drainer can sit in the bowl with no rattles so we will give it a try.

Tinwheeler wrote:That’s exactly like ours from B&M.

We also have a collapsible colander and 2 buckets which came from The Range.

Glad I asked, I had read previous posts on the subject but I was not sure if we were all talking about the same sink

marconi wrote:

Tinwheeler wrote:That’s exactly like ours from B&M.

We also have a collapsible colander and 2 buckets which came from The Range.

Glad I asked, I had read previous posts on the subject but I was not sure if we were all talking about the same sink

Yes, our sink looks exactly like yours. Our wire dish rack lives in our loft and the plastic drainer travels in the sink while the collapsed bowl slides in the under sink cupboard.

As the Chief Washer-up on our AS (well, the only one, actually!) I am curious to learn why a plastic bowl insert is necessary. I can think of two possible reasosn:

(1) if the sink is unforgivingly hard (e.g. made of china, etc) then a plastic insert is more forgiving when the Washer-Up negligently bangs a china plate or mug against the outer fixed sink; and

(2) In the absence of double sinks, if there's enough space between the plastic bowl and the sink into which it fits, then one can tip dregs down the plughole without soiling the washing-up water. In our case, we assiduously drain the wine / beer glasses so there's little need for drainage.

So having managed without a bowl until now, what benefit would there be in using one, I wonder? But I must say I'm impressed by the folding bowl...

Cymro

Cymro wrote:

So having managed without a bowl until now, what benefit would there be in using one, I wonder? But I must say I'm impressed by the folding bowl...

Cymro

Three reasons in my case:

1. The water stays hotter longer in a bowl than in a metal sink

2. No need to keep replacing the sink plug and topping up water every time I knock it as I swish things around

3. The bowl uses less water overall than the sink.

I could also add that, if on a campsite, after a particularly messy meal, we sometimes take things over to the services. The bowl is just the right size to do this.

Once again I succumb to the superior knowledge of a Kitchen Expert!

Beginning to think I'll never be promoted ...

Thanks, Quilter!

Cymro wrote:As the Chief Washer-up on our AS (well, the only one, actually!) I am curious to learn why a plastic bowl insert is necessary.

We tend to feel a bowl is needed for water saving, heat retention, noise suppression and crockery chip and sink scratch prevention, while a well used sink does get a nice patina, you can get some deep scratches.

Personally I also like to rinse off the soap from each item before draining, if there is a gap by the side of the bowl this can be done. Not that you can get rid of washing up liquid once your plate has been dipped in a solution of it but at least you can limit the amount consumed in your lifetime. Many years ago I purchased a PH meter, we tested it at work, it showed acid for a cup of local hard tap water, we were mystified until we ran the water into a new plastic vending cup for test. No amount of scrubbng would get rid of the acidity of our workshop mugs.
I haven't repeated this test recently but as a fish keeper its standard to use virgin containers for water and to never use washing up liquid or detergents to clean a tank etc.

Quilter wrote:

Cymro wrote:

So having managed without a bowl until now, what benefit would there be in using one, I wonder? But I must say I'm impressed by the folding bowl...

Cymro

Three reasons in my case:

1. The water stays hotter longer in a bowl than in a metal sink

2. No need to keep replacing the sink plug and topping up water every time I knock it as I swish things around

3. The bowl uses less water overall than the sink.

I could also add that, if on a campsite, after a particularly messy meal, we sometimes take things over to the services. The bowl is just the right size to do this.

Ditto. Also, if on an aire etc and the washing up water is greasy we put it directly down the waste drain and not into the tank. We always use site ‘pot washes’ if available. Essential piece of kit IMO.